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Home. For a Short While.

Wed, 2008-05-21 05:42 — Robin Olson

Bob came home yesterday at 12:30pm.

By 7:30pm he began vomiting. He's been sick all night long. He can't keep his food or meds down. He kept water down, that was it. I haven't had much sleep. I am also sick-with worry. Bob needs to get stablized and I just don't think that any of the Vet's who have treated him really know what is going on. I still wonder if he is blocked.

All I know is I can't afford to help him much longer and that scares me more than anything.

Please think good thoughts for Bob today. He needs all the help he can get.

Comments

Wed, 2008-05-21 10:10 — tuckers mom

First, you work with a shelter. Monica can apply to Petco to get financial help for Bob. You can't get it, but the shelter can. She'd have to get him approved, but it can happen.

IMOM, In Memory of Magic,
http://www.imom.org/
"Mission Statement: Helping people help pets. To better the lives of sick, injured and abused companion animals. We are dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged." (Note: IMOM has a special fund for diabetic cats)

CareCredit. It's a credit card that gives you options to pay. Three or six months with no interest, but you'd have to pay it within that time frame. Or use it like a regular credit card.

Felineoutreach.org
http://www.felineoutreach.org/
"Feline Outreach is a charitable organization formed to promote the routine and medical care of companion animals, particularly cats." (Note: Feline Outreach was founded by people who have diabetic cats.)

Check this website
http://felinediabetes.com/vetbills.htm
It will show you many options for help with vet bills.

Wed, 2008-05-21 14:58 — Fletchersmom

(((Robin and Bob))) I'm sorry that Bob isn't doing well. Have they done any xrays? Are you thinking he's blocked with a kidney/bladder stone or he's constipated? If he isn't voiding, they should easily be able to tell if his bladder or colon are full. I would at least try to get xrays done if they haven't been already.

I also totally agree with Jennifer about the Flagyl. It can really help kitties with irritated bowels.

Any chance they can give him an injectable anti-nausea med? This could be something simple like an upset tummy and the vomitting irritates things and starts a vicious cycle. And I also agree that if his pancreas is inflamed, he could very easily have pancreatitis. For that you'd need an fPLI test and he would be greatly helped with fluids, anti nausea meds and, most importantly, pain meds.

I understand your fear of steroids, but sometimes they are necessary. My Fletcher has acromegaly (a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain that secretes growth hormones, elevates the level of Insulin Like Growth Factor causing insulin resistant diabetes, and causes soft tissue growth along with enlarged paws, head, tongue, and also leads to enlarged organs). A couple months ago he stopped breathing at the vet's during a blood draw. The tumor has caused excess tissue growth in his throat that impeded his airway. He hadn't needed insulin in almost a year, but we had to put him on daily Pred so that he can breathe and eat/drink. No, it's not what I wanted to do, but what I had to do. So I wouldn't rule out steroid use totally. Hopefully for Bob it would only be a short course of them. Yes, you risk his having to start insulin, but Jennifer will help you with the hometesting so you know it's safe to give the insulin. Many steroid induced diabetics get off insulin after a short while.

Your main goal now is to just try to stay "together" (very hard to do, I know) and do what you can for Bob. Definitely look into the links for help that Jennifer posted. Or maybe the vet will do payments?

I'm sorry I don't have any more ideas...but I do have lots and lots of ((hugs)) for you and Bob and am sending him all the healing thoughts I can muster.

~Carolynn (mom to kitties Fletcher, Gabi, Taylor, Itty Bitty Kitty Kitty, Rex and Greta)

Wed, 2008-05-21 19:01 — Robin Olson

I've already spent over two thousand on Bob and I can't afford much more. I'll look into those options you listed. I knew about IMOM, but didn't think I would qualify. Thank you for your help. Bob thanks you, too.

Wed, 2008-05-21 19:07 — Robin Olson

Thank you Carolyn. I appreciate your kind words and good wishes. I'll write more about Bob soon. Right now I'm wiped out and scared. I hope he will keep his test food down. He gets it in an hour. He's already complaining and wants to be fed, which is great. Now if he can just keep it down...sigh.

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