Theo is ill. Basically he's having another flare up of his gut issues, but it's worse than it's ever been and he's been having them more and more again after a lull of several years. It's got to the point now where he is going to have to have tests to confirm what the vet feels is an inflammatory bowel disorder. Damn. Probably won't be before Christmas though as he's got to have a special diet for months first to see if that helps. No more Whiskas, no more treats. Oh, he's going to love me.
He's been particularly unwell this weekend. He's now dehydrated from repeated vomiting, and that's caused constipation so he's doubly uncomfortable. I could tell he's lost weight in the past few weeks and indeed he has, half a kg which is a lot for a cat.
Oh, he looked a sorry sight tonight... there's no photo today. He'd jerked away as the blood was being taken, so his skin was torn and his fur was matted with blood. He had five or six lumps in his skin, where they had injected the fluids, with wet fur plastered over each lump. And all round his mouth and down his bib was the spat out remains of a noxious sticky substance he was given to loosen the bowel. He scratched the vet for that one which shows how utterly enraged he was, he's usually so careful to retract his claws with people.
He's had meds to stop the vomiting and quell the nausea and has to have multiple doses of another noxious fluid over the next few days to soothe and coat his oesophagus which is red raw and bleeding from all the retching. I'll have to wrap him to do that, as I can't see him tolerating it. I'm not starting it till tomorrow though, tonight he has a look in his eye that says DONT YOU DARE, and to be honest, I don't... he's been through enough today.
He also needs three days of worming treatments, not because he has them but because they won't take him for tests unless that box has been ticked, he'll also have to have two weeks of antibiotics to tick that box too, although not until his tummy has settled down. Eventually I'll need to take him to a veterinary centre in London and what they will do is anaesthetise him, put a camera into his stomach and intestine, have a good look around and take several samples to test. They'll also scan him for tumours but I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT LA LA LA LA LA anyway the vet doesn't think he has cancer she is sure it's IBD
Oh, and the cost of all this? well I paid £350 today, the tests will come to at least 2.5k... yes...and then there may be meds on top. And all I can say is thank the heavens for insurance... otherwise we'd be selling the furniture because we love our funny furry little gentleman. as it was, I gave vent to my feelings by buying some new cat toys, you know, because we don't have an awful lot of those.
The funny thing? After days of being totally listless, Theo perked right up at the vet and sashayed around covering the whole room in floof rubbing up against it, was super friendly and chatty with the vet (until she started poking him) and generally acted like there was nothing wrong at all. Made me look like a total liar. Of course since coming home he's flopped again and is looking more sorry for himself than ever, except for aforementioned glint in his eye.
Oh Theo! Get well soon, little man!
