6/22 Rusty PMPS 104, +4.5 101

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Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

Member Since 2010
yesterday: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=45960

Good Morning, Everyone,

Today is the day we go to the vet for a nail trimming and to have Rusty's ears looked at (the little scabs on his head where the ear begins seem to have disappeared, but we'll have the vet take a look in any event; Rusty still scratches there). Rusty is starting off the day with a really nice number, so I hope the vet visit doesn't mess him up! We had a good night, good test, good shot, 2 sittings of breakfast, a tour of the garden (Shadow wasn't out), and now Rusty is chillaxin' in the mud room. I'm not sure whether or not he knows he's going to the vet this morning (11:20). I will make a point of asking the vet why he feels Rusty should be anesthetized for bloodwork and what anesthesia he would use, and how long Rusty would be "under".

The weather is deteriorating and it looks like the bike ride I'm leading tomorrow will wind up being cancelled (again).

Everyone have a good day,

Ella & Rusty
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101

Good morning guys! Nice start for Rusty! What a great amps. I too hope the vet trip doesn't change that...

Good luck at the vet - I hope Rusty handles that well.

Well bummer on the weather - I hope it turns around so you can go on your ride. Paws crossed.

Hey Rusty! What's up today? KTSS for you after your vetty visit? ~~ Mannie
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101

Good morning Ella & Rusty! Hope the vet goes well this morning. Our cat Turnup has to be anesthetized for bloodwork for everyone else's safety. Not sure if that is actually necessary or just convenient for the vet.

Bummer about the weather and the bike ride. Hope you have a great day!
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101

Hope Rusty has a good, stress free vet visit. Lots of luck with the bloodwork.

Bummer on the bike ride, hope the weather improves soon
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

Hi again,
We're back from the vet and all seems well. +5.5, immeditely upon returning home, was 87. Rusty meowed when his nails were trimmed, but otherwise was fine (but didn't want the vet to look at his mouth, but that went OK, too). No ear mites, no anything except an extra pound!! (Rusty now weighs 16 lbs, 11 oz. and has gained 1 lb. 4 oz. from February!). I don't think he eats that much (basically a little more than a 5.5 oz. can of Wellness Turkey in a 24-hour day, plus a couple of freeze-dried chicken or turkey bits at tests and a 1/2 teaspoon of FF T&G as a treat at bedtime). So I think he needs more exercise: he hasn't been playing vigorously with his Big Bug and his cube since the weather changed and he has been going outside, where he basically just sits! We're going to start an exercise program. I'm going to look at new toys today. The vet also gave him the Distemper and Feline Leukemia vaccines because for cats who go outside in this part of the country they are important (we had the Rabies shot in Feb.). We discussed the anesthesia before bloodwork and the vet said he does that because it is less stressful for the animal. He uses a small amount of isoflurane and Rusty would be "out" for about 10 minutes. I'll keep thinking about it, but we won't do the blood tests until the fall. He is pleased that Rusty is doing well with his numbers.
Now, Rusty had some lunch and is relaxing and hopefully the KTSS will come later and get the vetty smell off him!

Back later,
Ella & Rusty
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

I'm glad everything is looking good for Rusty.

Less stress for the cat? I have never heard that before, generally anesthesia is considered very hard on a cat. I hope someone who knows more about the drug can chime in. Do you know what Rusty's ideal weight would be? Tess eats a can of Wellness a day as I have been trying to get her to gain a little. It has about 220 kcal per 5.5oz. can, or 40 kcal. per ounce. Dr. Lisa's formula for calculating calories is "Required calories per day = [13.6 X optimal lean body weight in pounds] + 70" She give that as a starting point for weight control, but says you may need to reduce it for weight loss. So far Tess hasn't gained much eating an extra ounce of food a day.

Rusty, you want KTSS right here at the Lagoon? It can be followed by a menu tasting! :mrgreen: -- Tess
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

Ella: I'm very glad all went well with Rusty today. His numbers look really, really nice!!

Personally, unless I knew my cat was fractious, I would not allow a vet to give them a little isofluorane or any other gas just to draw blood. It's one thing if Rusty will absolutely not allow them to draw blood and goes ballistic all tooth and claws; it's another thing if they are just going to assume that and not even try. It only takes a minute to get blood so it doesn't make sense to me to put a cat out for ten minutes just to make it easy on the vet. Yes...as soon as they turn the gas off, the cat wakes up but why do it if the cat is easy to draw blood from; even a little anesthesia can have more risks than drawing blood. Unless you know for sure that Rusty is extremely difficult to handle for blood draws, I would insist they first try it without anything. Three of our babies are extremely good about blood draws. Tobey....he's a squiggler so they've learned to take it from his front paw instead of his jugular and he does just fine.
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

Nice numbers...especially the +5.5!! Way to go Rusty....such a good kitty. Zoe is not really good at the vets so our vet has us give her a dose of Buprenex to calm her down before we take her in. Zoe's calmer and it is easier to draw blood and urine....the vet and techs get to keep all their fingers....works for us. Plus Zoe, is not a good car rider, she can get herself so worked up, that it can set off an asthma attack....so the bupe keeps her calmer and the car ride easier on her (and me!)

Rusty....sorry about the vetty bean smell.....I HATE that....KTSS will come over and bring you some nice smelling stuff, K?? ~Zoe
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

I'm glad Rusty's vet visit went well. I have to agree with Marje -- there are always risks associated with anesthesia. This sounds like it's more for the vet's convenience than anything else.
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

Hi Ella. I'm glad Ruty's vet visit went well. :-D
Aside from not having ear mites, did the vet say what the little scabs could be from? I'm asking 'cause Checkers gets them too. Has been for years, off and on, and his ears are always clean too.
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

happy to hear rusty's vet visit went well!
yes, there are always risks associated with anesthesia. alex is one of those kitties who has to be knocked out for a blood draw... which is why we carefully choose how often she has them done. my other 3 are fine. we've never had to go that route with them.
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet

Hi Ella, I had a Vet (not Maggie's Vet) who always used the isofluorane anesthesia on my GA kitty, and there was never a problem until the last time I took him. He was really fractious with her, but the new Vet I then found later handled him w/out anesthesia. It's a long story, but he was 16 and was ill with cancer at the time but showing no symptoms. I asked the Vet not to use anesthesia, but she insisted. I didn't go with my gut feeling there and was so sorry I put him thru the ordeal. All the other times he was okay with the anesthesia but as they get older, it's much harder on them.

P.S. I should edit to say that this Vet also did a needle biopsy while he was under the isofluorane, so my kitty was under about 45 minutes. That was another reason he didn't do well under it.
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty AMPS 101, +5.5 87; back from vet, +9 102

Hi again everyone and thank you all so much for your comments on anesthesia. I am inclined to tell Rusty's vet not to use it. But now I have the whole summer before I have to worry about it!! In the meantime I will concentrate on getting that extra pound off! This afternoon I bought Rusty a "Cat Charmer"--a long ribbon of stretchy, multi-colored fabric on a wand, made in the USA by Cat Dancer, the same company that makes his favorite "Big Bug" toy. He was in a playing mood and played really energetically with it in and around his cube. It was great to see him so engaged again with his toys (he also played with 2 mice and Red Ears and his string).

The rain has started and I'm going to cancel tomorrow's bike ride. I don't like to ride in the rain; I don't like all that road crud that gets in the chain and gears. I'll reschedule it for next week sometime.

Rusty is looking forward to KTSS at the Green Lagoon (although he's back to blue).

Thanks again,
Ella & Rusty

p.s. to Barb, The vet didn't think those little scabs are anything. I had to describe them, because there weren't any today!
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty PMPS 104

Nice numbers Rusty! (I hope you can come to a comfortable decision over the summer about the blood draw Ella....it's great that everyone is giving input. I have never had that done for my two myself...but it is good to get everyone's thoughts) Hope you have having a good night! :YMHUG:
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty PMPS 104

Good advice here on the anesthesia thing - glad too you have time to think it through.

Rusty!!! Let's go! KTSS at the lagoon! Tess has pastry samples!! ~~ Mannie
 
Re: 6/22 Rusty PMPS 104

Wow what a day for Rusty. Nice trim nails. Glad all was well with this visit. This is great info - learning about the blood draw etc.

Increased activity is a healthy way to get the weight off. He won't lose it too quickly and you can monitor him. Hope he likes the new toys :) I ordered Da-Bird off ebay but with the postal strike up here I'll be waiting a while I guess.
 
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