Caturday Condo - Ginger & Jackson - back from vet

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Dyana

Dyana

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Previous Condo - January 1st 2017

Ginger has started to become extra affectionate for the past couple weeks. I sit on the couch sideways with my laptop in front of me (not great for my hip with my legs folded "indian style", but that's my habit). She jumps up onto the couch in front of me and purrs, and squirms around and around between me and my laptop, and lays her head across my keyboard, and asks for me to give her attention instead of the dumb old computer :)
upload_2017-1-28_7-59-40.png


This morning, she was doing that, and all of a sudden her purr sounded different. I figured what was happening, and sure enough she started to lightly cough, and had to suddenly jump off the couch and stretch her neck out to cough. Like as if she was having a hairball, but nothing is produced. She has done this before, but she hasn't done it for many months, and the occasions are infrequent. It lasts for about 5 to 20 seconds and then she is done and fine. I've mainly noticed it while she's been purring.

Right now, she's screaming to go outside and banging on the door knob and the door lock to go outside. It's 30 degrees out there :confused: and I am not ready to take them out for a walk.


Also for about the last couple weeks, Ginger has started itching and scratching a lot more than usual, mostly chewing her feet and legs but also scratching her sides and shaking her head. Maybe, there's a correlation between the itchiness and her wanting my attention.

This morning, Ginger and Jackson go to the vet to get their rabies shots. I only allow the Merial Purevax, but wish they had the 3 year vaccine. They only have the 1 year. I will ask again about the itchiness Ginger is experiencing, and the occasional coughing (last time the vet said it was probably a little hair in her throat). I will have their teeth checked, and get a blood pressure for both. I will probably have a T4 done on Ginger, and am crossing my fingers it's not too high. Last August it was 4.1 I would like to wait a couple months to get full blood work done on her.

Wish us luck.
 
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What a beauty she is, Dyana
Does she have skin allergies? there is a new drug called Apoquel, originally developed for dogs with cutaneous allergies, that has become available for a variety of allergy issues. It has done wonders for Murphy's congestion
 
Carol & Murphy said:
What a beauty she is, Dyana
Does she have skin allergies? there is a new drug called Apoquel, originally developed for dogs with cutaneous allergies, that has become available for a variety of allergy issues. It has done wonders for Murphy's congestion
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Thanks @Carol & Murphy ! I'm glad the Apoquel is doing wonders for Murphy :)
It looks pretty expensive http://www.1800petmeds.com/Apoquel-prod11700.html is it really $2.51 per tablet? If so, the bottle of 100 would be $251. I just read the side effects. I will Google it some more. She's done this before, so she'll probably get through it on her own.
 
George does that too when I'm on the lab top, though it's mostly when he is feeling cold or it's close to dinner time:rolleyes:

Scrithches to both your babies.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
sending vines for a good vetty visit.
 
Gill & George said:
Scrithches to both your babies.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
sending vines for a good vetty visit.
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Thanks! Ginger will love your scritches! :)
I was thinking previously, that maybe she was acting more affectionate because of the cold or wanting food, but she is doing it quite often. Who knows, I've always wanted a lap cat, and was working on Jackson to be one. Maybe Ginger will eventually turn out to be one.

One more hour before we leave for the vet. I better start closing doors to keep them contained for the big scramble to get them into the carriers.
 
Dyana said:
One more hour before we leave for the vet. I better start closing doors to keep them contained for the big scramble to get them into the carriers.
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I found Ginger in my bedroom closet. She is such a smart kitty, if smartness can be defined by the ability to read my mind.
 
Regarding the Apoquel - I'm not really sure how much it costs - I usually get 30 tabs from my vet, and I don't think it is that much. The starting dose is 1/2 tab twice a day, but I quickly got it down to 1/2 tab once a day, and then 1/2 tab every few days. My vet says many clients have gotten the dose down to using it once every other or every third day. All I can say is, it really did work and very quickly. Is there any way to only get ~ 10 pills from the vet and see if it works?
 
I'll talk to her about it.
Right now Ginger is playing :) I have to break that up and get the carriers ready to go.
 
Our appointments were 9:45am for Jackson and 10:00am for Ginger.
I figured we would leave at 9:30am since the vet is less than 5 minutes away.
I thought I would gather the cats up at 9:20am, and since Ginger was hiding in the linen closet, I went to get Jackson;). At 9:35am, I gave up trying to catch Jackson:banghead:. I quickly called the vet and told them that Jackson was not coming in that I could not catch him, and that Ginger would take his appointment time at 9:45am. And out of breath by then, we rushed to the vet. Ginger's appointment ended up taking close to the half hour anyway.


Her heart rate was 180, which the vet said was okay considering, the vet appointment and what Ginger just heard on the other side of the linen closet door as I chased Jackson around and around the house and then ran to the car and rushed to the vet.

I had the vet check Ginger's teeth and was told she has some start up plaque. The vet asked if I brushed her teeth and I said no, so she suggested brushing her teeth with some gauze wrapped around my finger with a little (cat) toothpaste on it, and showed me how.

She felt her thyroid and said it is still the size of 2 grains of rice on the right side - no lump on left side.

Ginger's weight was 11 pounds 3 ounces, not too fat, and not too skinny, per the vet, and staying the same. I told her that I was happy she wasn't losing weight because of the thyroid. In the past the vet said to keep her under 12 pounds and she has been 11+ pounds for years. Today, she said she would like to see her under 11 pounds. I think she is fine.

Her blood pressure was good per the vet.

I had blood work drawn to test T4 and Free T4.

She got the 1 Year Merial Purevax Rabies shot. I said I wished they had the 3 year vaccine and she said they could get it, but since they don't use it that I would have to buy the whole case for about $200 and then only use 2 of the doses (1 for each cat). I guess I should have said yes to her offer as the 1 year is $57.50 per cat and for 2 cats per year for 3 years that totals $345.

Her last Distemper shot was 05/2015. The vet said it was due. I said I didn't like vaccines, and reminded her about the lumps that both Ginger and J.D. got once about a month after getting vaccines in their scruff. This vet only gives them in the high thigh area. I'd rather have them given lower in the leg, but I guess the high thigh is what they do because it's fleshier? I told her I MAY do a Distemper in 05/2017. She mentioned that I take Ginger outside and I said that she only goes out supervised. She said a stray cat with Distemper can sneeze and Ginger could smell? it or walk in it and then Ginger could get it. Luckily we don't have many stray or cats that are let outside where I live. I'm taking my chances for right now.

I'll swing by to get the written up blood pressure results and the blood work results on Monday. And maybe, I'll take Jackson with me.
 
I forgot to write, that the vet said (again) the coughing occasionally when she purrs is probably just a hair in the back of her throat that's tickling her and not to worry about it.
That the itching and scratching is from the dry air from the forced air heat in the winter time.
Ginger and I just got back from a walk in the freezing cold (37 degrees and lightly snowing with a feels like of 29). Jackson is still running away from me.
 
Naughty Jackson! I am glad things went well at the vet for pretty Ginger. Computers are so boring when you could be paying attention to a cat. I'm told that all the time. :p
 
I can't believe a vet would say you have to order a case of the rabies vaccination. She should be buying the three year vaccination for her patients.

My vet uses a nasal vaccine for the respiratory viruses including distemper (panleukopenia) for adult cats. Kittens get injections but adults get the nasal spray so you don't have to worry about vaccination site issues.
 
Jackson is very naughty but lol at his antics!

Shame you didn't do the math on the rabies vaccine until later, I wonder if they would be prepared to progressively refund your money as other clients used up the rest of the case, if so you would likely end up making a profit :cat:
 
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