Wednesday, April 27, 2011

I could scream....

Two things before we get to Swizzle:

1. Cat in the trap update - it was a boy. And the clinic said he had been neutered, and they think it was recent. But, they gave him a rabies shot and tipped his ear for me. If he was a house cat, someone got a surprise last night. Too bad....if you don't like it, put some id on your cat (yes, the clinic scans every cat for a chip, and no, he didn't have one). I let him go around 8pm last night and as I was resetting the trap....that calico girl was sitting at the end of the sidewalk. TAUNTING ME AGAIN!!! Checked the trap this morning - no cat. It is now my mission - I swear I am gonna get that girl!!!

2. Kitten update - they are using the POTTY!!! OK - so that may not sound exciting, but it is for me. A couple of accidents when I got home yesterday, but I cleaned up and added some cat attract to their box and no accidents this am. Plus, I have seen most of them eating the canned food. I syringe fed them again this morning, but they weren't as interested as they had been.

Now for the Swizzle update. Let me say up front, I know rescue work is hard and sometimes has to be about the money. And the clinic where she is now (Noah's Ark) has been WONDERFUL!!! They have been great about keeping me in the loop and letting me vent a little. As of this morning, she is lethargic, but head butting them and eating on her own, so that is good. She was spayed yesterday thinking that she may have retained some placenta from giving birth. However that wasn't the case. So they are now trying to determine what caused the fever and how to keep it from happening again. I told them I would call later today for another update and to see what they suggest for her continued care. The rescue wants her back in foster today - I am not willing to do that if it isn't in her best interest. I already covered the cost of her care from Monday thru surgery (I didn't pay for that) and I am willing to cover the cost of her continued care at Noah's Ark if they think that is for the best. (yes, that eep you heard was my credit card)

Now for the screaming part: the clinic that did her surgery was the same that did the emergency surgery on Chiclet last fall. They are high volume, so I am sure the rescue gets a very good deal on the cost. However, in Chiclet's case, they fixed her intestinal problem but did NOT spay her - so she had to have surgery twice. And just gave her to me with no instructions or anything -if I had been less knowledgable than I am, it could have been a disaster. Same thing yesterday....just handed me the cat and her paperwork. Noah's Ark asked me this morning if I had any idea why they put a feeding tube in Swizzle. WHAT???? No - they said nothing to me. She shouldn't have had one and sure didn't need it - she had been eating at the vet's office and had only been about 12 hours at my house not eating. What if she hadn't been going back to a vet clinic?? She could have died since I didn't know about the tube. I am lucky the lady at the vet was good, cause she got an earful from me this morning (and now that I think about it, didn't sound too surprised, so I suspect this may not be the first time she has heard it - both about the clinic and the rescue).

And the vet just called - nice guy!!! Here is the game plan - he said that just looking at her, you wouldn't know anything is wrong with her. Her temp went up last night and they gave her a shot of something they called "dex". It will bring down the fever pretty quick, but may cover up the cause, so they only use it last resort. However, with everything else she went through yesterday, they figured it was in her best interest. But, even after the shot last night, her temp was back to 103 this am. So, here is the plan - he is going to send her home with me tonight with 14 days of clavamox. Then run a blood panel Friday morning. He said they could run it in house or send it out - which is more expensive but would give them some idea if something else is going on since they look at the shape and number of blood cells. I told him I will cover the cost since I am worried more about her than the cost (there is that eep again). He said it could be something called hemobart or feline bartinella. Both are treatable and while she might have given it to the kittens, it would have been evident by now. So the kittens are less of a concern when it comes to this.

So, we shall see what happens and go from there. I sent a text to the rescue and she said she had somewhere quiet she could keep Swizzle. No thanks...I got it - she may "belong" to the rescue, but she is MY responsiblility - I am invested. ugh....

I did laugh - the vet said that there is a separate test for the bartinella (which I am probably spelling wrong)...I said should we do it and he said that it is a separate treatment, so see if she responds to the clavamox and then go from there. I asked about the cost - he said he thought it was about $60. I laughed again - hey, it has less than two zeros. :) (and they are willing to give me the rescue discount since she is a rescue - so that helps)

For now, she will stay with me in a crate in my room and get some rest. The kittens are doing fine. And Chiclet goes to an adoption event Friday and Saturday. Cross your fingers and paws....we could use some good luck around here.

15 comments:

  1. I think I might scream too, especially at the rescue group and the nasty clinic. I'm glad Swizzle has you taking care of her. It doesn't sound like the "rescue" has her best interests in mind, which is frightening. Prayers and purrs for Swizzle.

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  2. Purrs and paws crossed for Swizzle. Good thing you, at least, have her best interests in mind, in spite of the cost.

    And with regard to that, you could always put up a PayPal donate button on your site to help cover the vet expenses. A number of people do this, even if they don't rescue. I had to do with Derry last summer, plus have an auction through the CB, to help pay for his vet bills, on top of all the other vet bills for Annie and Nicki. People were very kind and very generous, and you'd be surprised how quickly $5 here or $10 there can add up. Just a thought. It was difficult for me to do it, and it took a while because it felt like begging and that doesn't sit well with me, but in 24 months, including Annie's January-February vet bills and her passing, the vet bills have come to $7000+, plus an additional $1000+ for taxi fare back and forth to the clinic. So sometimes you have to swallow pride and humbly ask for help--and gratefully receive it.

    -Mom Kim

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  3. Isn't it sad that so many vets are just into it for the money they can make???????? It takes a lotta phone calls to find one that is reasonably priced, and that is really there for the best interest of our darlin' furlings.

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  4. Wow, poor Swizzle. We are glad she is still alive. Some of those rescues are just terrible. We are so glad you are taking care of Swizzle. I agree with Kim in the comment above the Sammy comment. Put a pay pal button on your sidebar and it is amazing how people will give to help animals. I am probably going to send you an email about having an auction on the cat blogosphere. They help me all the time. We certainly do thank you for all your caring about Swizzle and all the others.

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  5. I am sending tons of purrs to sweet Swizzle, I'm so glad yo are looking out for her.

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  6. Oh poor Swizzle!! She is going through so much!! But she has you - thank goodness!! - to look out for her!! Poor Swizzle!! I really feel for her! Me and Charlie are sending her tons of hugs and purrs.

    Thank you again for looking out for her and her babies and these other kitties too! Take care
    x

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  7. Oh my...here's a good link to info on Bartonella

    http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/truth_about_bartonella.htm

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  8. Thank the Lord Swizzle has you. I am so glad that her kittens are trying to help by being grown up babies. :-) But Swizzle..her fate was hanging by a slender thread. That's OK. What goes around comes around, applicable Vets and groups who don't really care.

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  9. Great news about the kittens using the litter, and we have our paws and fingers crossed that you catch that calico girl soon!

    We are purring and praying for Swizzle. If it is bartonella, it's totally treatable ... our cats Sammy and Moosey both had it when we first got them. The antibiotics worked, and they are all better now. :)

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  10. Oh no, what Swizzle is going through is horrible! Glad she has you....Hoping the very best for her.

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  11. We are purring for Swizzle and are happy that she is in your care. We think that is safer ;)
    Good news on the kittens using the litter box!!
    Purrs Tillie and Georgia

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  12. OH we are so upset...this and I am sorry to be so blunt but this is not a good rescue. A good rescue cares about it's cats (or dogs)...and this woman (and it may be this woman) is not caring. I know how difficult rescue work is but what is happening is not good for the cats.

    OK I am off my soapbox now.
    THANK COD Swizzle has you.

    >^..^< >^..^< >^..^ >^..^< >^..^<
    Abby Ping Jinx Boo Gracie
    purrin
    xoxox
    ~ManxMnews

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  13. Congratulations for your beautiful work. Here in Brazil we face a similar situation!
    Force!

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  14. Sending White Dog healing energy and powerful positive vibes...things are on the upturn...we FEEL it! You are the best for caring so much!

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  15. Poor Swizzle! We are so happy that you are looking out for her...even though your credit card may not feel the same. We're purring that she responds to the medication.

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