Rufus is in the hospital

[coontuffy]

I am sorry all and bless you for asking.
It was a week ago today that he was hospitalized and I have seen only decline and no improvement.

Rufus is not eating at all today.
I was up til 3 this morning cooking a Kaffe recipe and all were happy except for Rufus.
He is very lethargic and somewhat wobbly when and if he moves around.
I realize that crying doesn't solve anything, but that's all I can do right now.

I am totally trapped in my town.

It is an hour and a half before the Belmont Stakes and all roads are closed in and out except for essential personnel.

I asked DH to try his firefighter powers and take me to the grocers so I could try to get some baby food.

We were stopped and told that since there was no fire call, we could not go anywhere right now.
After the race and after the parking fields empty is when we can go.  Probably about 9 pm.
If DH gets a firecall, then he will try the store after the call

This is insane, between the owners and jockeys being brought in by helicopter, the din is awful, and the small planes towing banners for advertising...............I think my head is going to explode and I know it's rattling the kitties too.  The sky just does not seem big enough for all this aircraft.

I will be calling the vet first thing tomorrow morning.
I am sorry, but this is more than a bout of gastro enteritis.

[Bonkers]

  ct, This is just awful! I am at a loss for words.    Sending out many prayers for a speedy recovery. Sending prayers for AV too...

[Frosty]

I'm so sorry that poor Rufus is not getting any better. Praying that he will at least start eating to gain some strength.

[sherrylynne]

I am so sorry Rufus is still sick . I'll be keeping you both in my thoughts.

[coontuffy]

If I sound like a raving lunatic I apologize............

Rufus has eaten absolutely nothing today.

I have been syringe feeding small baits of watered down pureed chicken that I cooked for him.  When I was preparing it tonight, he was asleep on the kitchen chair.  Normally he would have been climbing up my leg.

I do not call this eating.

I have spoken with the vets 3 times already today and they are telling me that nothing further will be done until he finishes the antibiotics. 

The Baytril was finished this morning and I personally think that it a major cause of his not eating.  Rufus is allergic to many antibiotics and this is the first time he is ever on Baytril. 

I just lost my entire train of thought and DH is calling me to tell me Rufus is vomitting "frothy white stuff".

Please keep him in your prayers.........big purrs  to all from Rufus.

I'll be back

[Bonkers]

   I can relate to what you are going thru with Rufus ct. About two years ago I went thru the same thing with Jasper. He was put on Baytril for some unknown illness he had come down with and I ended up having to force feed him also. Hopefully his appetite will return after he has been off of the meds a few days. I am sure his tummy is upset and once it settles he will be climbing up your leg once more. Keeping Rufus in my prayers....

[coontuffy]

Thank you very much Bonkers to the direction you pointed me in.....

Rufus is identical to Jasper in the unknown illness category.  Only difference is Rufus has a very depressed lymphocyte count.

Yesterday was the last Baytril.

I have tried the Pet Guard Premium Feast listed on the IBD site and that sparked a bit of interest for food in him.  I have also been syringing small bits of baby food into him about every 15 minutes. Thank you Perseus  

He is not happy with the syringing but he needs it too.
My poor cat boy is sooooo skinny.
Two more days of flagyl.

[coontuffy]

My poor dear catboy is in the hospital again at a specialty center as of late last night.

He had a very high fever of 104.6.

He has hepatic lipidosis.
He is badly septic
And now they think there is heart involvement either from the sepsis or possibly CHF.

I am waiting to talk to the doctor in charge of his case.

He has been through such bloody hell.............I am praying he had the strength to fight this too.

I am so very sad......when we rescued him, we promised him we'd take care of him.
A little prayer if you can please..................          

[Bonkers]

  I will say a big prayer for him ct.   Poor little guy.....

[Hannie]

CT:  I am so sorry to hear about poor Rufus. 

Hannie & I will say a prayer for him........she sends sloppy kisses for a speedy recovery.

I'm so sorry for all of this......I can well imagine your state of mind right now.

If you need to talk, PM me........happy to be there for you & Rufie.......

Lot of hugs......

[5CatMom]

Saying prayers for Rufus and Peg.

[Bonkers]

  coontuffy, Please provide us an with an update on Rufus.

[coontuffy]

I need to rant.
I apologize to you all............

I went to see him last night and again this evening.
DH came with me and Rufus was so very happy to see DH that he completely ignored me.  DH has a quiet, but close bond with Rufus.  I brought all his favorite foods, canned only and he acknowledged me when I dished out the food.  He was purring his head off and ate almost the entire can.

When I got back there this evening with more food, I noticed that nothing in the bag had been used at all that I brought last night.  In his cage in the ICU was no more litter box with litter, just torn up paper.  Last night he looked really good, tonight he looked awful.  In addition, the only food in his cage was dry food, some sort of Hill's product.

On his cage in the ICU is a big sign to watch him for dypsnea, labored, difficult breathing!!!!!  It seems that today he was having lots of trouble breathing.

I went nuts and asked why he was being fed only dry food and no one could answer me other than to say he has loose stool.  He has a tentative diagnosis of triaditis, and loose stool is one of the symptoms.  I also said that he was positive ++ from a RAST test (the highest you can get) done 6 years ago for allergies to corn and wheat and if the dry had either of those and he is allergic, then perhaps that is why he is having trouble breathing.

I also told the ICU techs that he has Interstitial Cystitis and is prone to sludge build up in his bladder and urinary calculi and blockage.  I am waiting for the attending to call me back and I will tell him to do a UA and it better be "on the house", because if this poor boy is blocked or sludged, then they better get it out of him. 

It's not like he's a new patient there.  He's been there twice before and they have all this information on and in his chart.

I realize that Rufus is not their only sick furkid, but good grief, this is only going to make things even worse for the poor guy who is not in great shape to begin with.

They also wrapped his tail in an ace bandage and when I asked why, they told me because they didn't want to keep cleaning his tail...........

I am sobbing my eyes out as I type this..........
The place is open 24 hours.
I'm going back and I'll stay all night if I have to.

[Bonkers]

  You rant as much as you like ct. I do not blame you one bit for being upset! Sounds like these techs as just too lazy to check his chart and use the items you brought for him. I would be calling someone of authority tomorrow at the hospital and pitching a fit. But then that is me....

[5CatMom]

Don't blame you one bit.  I'd be raising Hell, too. 

Prayers and hugs for you and Rufus.