Where everybody knows your name

The vet finally got back with me late in the afternoon about the test. The Kitty did not do well on the test, he failed the test. The Kitty has a sick liver. The liver is not dying, but it's still not a healthy liver. There is hope though, it's treatable in some cases, and in involves feeding the cat... And pills, lots of pills. The Kitty needs to eat to live. This is an animal that up until say, Friday, lived to eat. He stopped eating and a couple of days later was looking down liver failure. In a healthy cat individual there is a liver value - that is supposed to be between 10-100, The Kitty's value was 516 .

Well, what can I say. What's it like to have pets that aren't  sick? I mean, what is it like to not have a wing named after you at your vets office? One of the vets in the practice has a boat called the  S.S. Dogger .  I would really like to know what its like to only take your pets to the vet once a year for vaccines. I think at this point I would be happy if the office staff didn't greet me by name when I walk in - Totally charming in your favorite bar, totally not charming at your doctors office.

The vet wanted to do an ultrasound to see what's happening in the liver you know to see how much is viable and  to look for well,  tumors. His eyes and gums are not yellow and I do not want to look for tumors.  I think that ultrasounds are very fab for pregnant women with insurance, they are not fab for kitties with no insurance. I'm willing to forgo that expense and spring for maybe an x-ray or another blood test. Speaking of blood tests. Kitty all ready gets blood tests multiple times a year. Between the twice yearly blood draws for the pred and his thyroid - Not at the same time, No we go in four times a year for blood draws - That one of those visits  might have noted elevated liver values? Like the one we had done in NOVEMBER. I can't believe that his numbers got as bad as they did as fast as they did and no one noticed. He didn't eat for two days and he suddenly develops liver disease?

Deep breaths. Part of the treatment, along with food and antibiotics is an expensive pill that he can only take on an empty stomach - A condition I am supposed to be working to prevent.  If I am doing my job right, he shouldn't ever have an empty stomach! Arrgh. In the interests of getting him to eat without the application of force, the vet sold me some sexy  wet  cat food and The Kitty predictably was very turned on. He ate about a third of a can (small) all by himself and then I applied some force so he could have a half a can. I think I'll give him the empty stomach pill in the AM -  But he's still on his thyroid med and the pred, both should be taken with food so I'm not exactly sure how this is all going to work. More arrgh.

Did I speak with a vet about this? Did a vet speak to me? Oh hell no. I'm just supposed to figure it out. The tech who did speak to me had not a clue and when the vet called earlier she was not familiar with his chart. She was all about his acute issue and I had to remind her that there is more than an acute illness in play here, he is  chronically ill as well. He's got a chart like a phone book, you would think reading it might have occurred to someone there.

So I'm scared to death and in deep denile as to what is going to happen. I read a lot of literature and feeding the cats seems to be a huge part of the cure. In my mind if I feed my kitty I can save his life.

Oh yeah. HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!