EXCEPT in the case of our friend, West Texas Chuck's Rocket. With what he came down with, Saddle Thrombosis, it is critical that cats get immediate medical attention at the first sign of back extremity paralysis. According to the few websites I researched, this condition only happens to cats and it is caused by a blood clot that cuts off circulation to the back legs. It causes extreme pain for the poor dears and even though cats are known as great stoics who rarely signal they are sick (survival instinct) they cry out in pain. The faster they can get treatment (blood thinners and pain control) the better but usually the damage is permanent and euthanasia is the only option for most of them. I had never heard of this before seeing Chuck's post but it is a good things to know about for those of us blessed to have kittehs in our lives.
Chuck, I have been praying for Rocket and you and your wife. You have many FRiends here who will do all we can to lift you up and comfort you.
I agree with what you’ve written 100%.
If your kitteh or doggie is lethargic and sneezing, it’s probably a cold (use common sense and if in doubt, get to the best vet you can afford). Anything that looks neurological (paralysis, unequal pupils, seizures) or blood in urine or stool or is unresponsive, get them to a vet as soon as humanly possible.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a vet you can trust, research is your friend as well as asking your animal loving friends who they use. Much like the joke about Doctors (what do you call the person in last place at medical school? Doctor), it applies to vets as well. Find this out before you ever need them in an emergency. My bad experience with a vet was because I’d only previously used them for vaccinations. When my prized Persian (to me) head started bobbing up and down like she was having a seizure, I’m sure I broke a few traffic laws getting her to the vet. I drove her blood to the testing facility around midnight and it was a long depressing drive but I wanted the results as quickly as possible. When I called the vet the next day the second they opened and she was still alive and better, I can’t explain the emotion (and I have no emotions) but it was powerful. Man, I miss that cat.
When the time comes and it always does, be there when the deed is done. Don’t wuss out, they were always there for you, take the last journey together. I was there when both of my parents died and while it was not the exact emotion it was in the same family and at least I didn’t have to sign the order that ended my parent’s lives and I also had the strength of my siblings (and God) to lean on.
The strange thing about death is, despite them being hooked up to a machine that displays heart rate, blood pressure, O2 saturation and respiration, it is obvious the second when the life has ended, I can’t explain it but when an animal human or otherwise dies, it is blindingly obvious that what made them, them, has moved on. I don’t want to trivialize death but when you’ve seen a lot of it, it really is an eye opener how the awesome miracle that is life, is over.
We had a dog, a magnificent animal incredibly intelligent although I don’t know what his pedigree was but he was big like a retriever but buff. He needed emergency surgery and unfortunately, he ended up having Myasthenia gravis as well as the stomach problem which required an extremely expensive medicine. The cost was immaterial but he was dying in front of our eyes, he would throw up many times during the day and the drug for his treatment at that time was only available orally. We had to hydrate him intravenously at first but we were foolish and selfish keeping him alive when he was clearly not getting better. Even as I took him for his last ride he had his ears up and never betrayed the immense pain he must have felt. My wife and I vowed to never let that happen again.
You can always count on your animals; God didn’t make them on a whim.
I don’t know what happened to America in the last fifty years but at the very least, besides being banned from the NFL, Michael Vic should be shunned, not celebrated and that goes for his customers or friends. Dogs will sacrifice their lives to save you and at least my kittehs will wait awhile after I’ve died before they start to eat me and I’m OK with that.
I feel pity for people who don’t like animals. You get a head butt from a kitteh and it’s a wonderful feeling; it’s like they trust you and animals are an excellent judge of character. I’ve had more than one person say that no one could pick up their cat and it made them angry that I was able to scoop them up with no problem. It’s also a good idea to keep their considerable armament neutralized gently; things like folding their front paws and being able to recognize when the kitteh is less than pleased, the ears being back is a good sign.
Oops, it’s feeding time, gotta go.