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The Pablo Saga, Part II

Lauren

After the vet visit today, I found that Pablo doesn’t have a parasite and he doesn’t have tapeworm. After the x-ray, we also have confirmation that Pablo didn’t eat any yarn, poisonous plants, or anything else causing a blockage. Thus, no surgery. That’s the good news.

The bad news: Pablo’s body is not passing waste. He has stool (apparently a remarkable amount) stuck in his intestines that is recycling toxins through his system again and again and again. The vet is keeping him overnight, administering medicine via IV since Pablo can’t ingest anything without throwing up, and will give me an update in the morning. Pablo hasn’t had anything to eat or drink that wasn’t immediately regurgitated in about four days.

I thought he was getting better yesterday and fed him a few tablespoons of food. He seemed to have kept it down, until I found another pile of vomit hidden under the coffeetable this morning. And until he threw up the water I gave him.

All of today has been Pablo-centered, going to and from the vet, sitting on hold waiting to talk to techs and pharmacists, and especially me musing over the amazement I feel at how attached Ethan and I are to this cat. Growing up, cats were cats. One got killed on a country road and there was always another in the paper to be picked up for free. That feeling stopped when I got my first Maine Coon from the pound, a fuzzy monkey named Teddy. I absolutely loved that cat and was horrified to know that he ran away when I was pregnant and living away from my parents’ house. I cried for days.

Pablo rounds out our little family so nicely and the thought of telling Ethan that Pablo might be really sick, sick enough that this may not turn out well, is heartbreaking. Some have suggested that, as the vet bill grows, I should just chalk this up as a loss. But pets are not disposable and I don’t want E to have the same attitude I did toward animals as a child, that when one left another came along. E sees Pablo as his buddy, a playmate, family, and truthfully, so do I. I’m this close to setting up a PayPal account as the current tab is well over $180 (I have no set number right now) and I don’t anticipate any outside resources coming in to help out, but asking pseudonymous internet buddies to help with a vet bill seems a bit much.

I just miss my kitty.

14 thoughts on The Pablo Saga, Part II

  2. asking pseudonymous internet buddies to help with a vet bill seems a bit much.

    No it isn’t, girl. Set it up. I get paid Friday, but I can put a little on the plastic before then if it gets too steep for you.

    If my father hadn’t stepped in and helped me when my cat was diagnosed with diabetes, I’d be in this same boat myself. Actually, I would have had to put him down, which would have broke my heart–but three days of hospitalization and $1600+ in board, care, and tests was not something I had the money for.

    I hope he gets better soon. And put up a PayPal button. I know I’m not the only one who’d chip in.

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  7. Sounds like he has peristalsys (sp?) problems like my Datsa did. The vet was able to manipulate his body to break up the stool inside, and had to go in and scoop a fair amount of it out (overnight stay, etc.). He almost died. Now we give him medicine (cisipride = pills and lactulose = liquid) twice daily to keep the stool soft enough to pass. He still doesn’t usually shit in the litter box but it’s been over a year and he’s very healthy and bright-eyed!

  10. Lauren, I’m sure you have a good vet, but I suggest you also find a natural medicine vet in your area to consult. Natural med vets do not treat symptoms; they go right to the heart of the problem. We have one we call on from time to time, who consults with our regular vets, who are great, and who also sometimes recommend natural treatments.

    I’d be glad to chip in, too.

  11. I hope Pablo gets better soon. Mulder had a very bad infection once that she got after she jumped out of a second floor window to go outside. I think she hit the air conditioner on her way down. She was hell-bent on going out. It was a beautiful summer day and she didn’t want to stay indoors, even though I didn’t want her going out. The vet bill was really high, but she survived. She could have died.

    When Pablo gets better, feed him all his favorite food and lots of water. I’m praying for all of you.

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  13. As someone who’s lost his fair share of cats to age, leukemia, diabetes, and cancer, I empathise. Hell, I like cats more than I like people, which might explain why I”m not very popular. If I was a religious person, I’d pray for you. As it is, I hope the chaotic nature of metaphysics aligns in your favor.

  14. i’m very sorry to hear of Pablo being ill. my cat got very ill a little while ago as well and nearly died. it’s very difficult. i found myself crying more often than i would have expected at the thought of losing her. if you let them, critters can weave themselves deeply into ones emotional fabric. and it’s worth it. they can provide so many different things that people cannot.

    those who would suggest that the loss of such beings up could be easily chalked up have obviously never experienced such a loss.

    best of luck. please keep us all posted.

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