Sunday, July 29, 2012

My cat, Sunny

One morning several weeks ago, I woke to find my cat Sunny crying pitifully. His head was cocked over to one side, he fell over when he tried to walk and he couldn't focus. We rushed him in to the vet afraid he was dying. He's only 8 years old and a real sweetheart.

After checking him out, the vet could only tell us it was idiopathic vestibular disease. She explained that idiopathic just means they can't tell what the cause is. Because the the condition made Sunny so dizzy, the vet said he wouldn't be able to lower his head to eat or drink. She gave him an antibiotic injection and sent us home with an IV bag of saline solution to inject into his scruff to keep him hydrated.

I was able to help him walk by straddling him and supporting his ample belly. I eventually got him to eat by holding the dish up to his face and found it was easier for him to eat if I added water. Thankfully, I could get him to take enough water this way that we could discontinue the saline solution which I really hated doing.

He began having discharge from the ear on the "down-side" so the vet prescribed some expensive ear drops. Happily, he's improved to the point where his head is only slightly cocked and he can walk around pretty good. But if he moves suddenly, he easily becomes disoriented and falls over. After eighteen days of treatment, he's still not back to normal. We will take him back to the vet on Wednesday for a follow-up. 

I blame it all on the upcoming property tax refund that comes in August. Once again proving Sparrow's Law: Your expenses will always increase to equal your income.


19 comments:

Elisabeth said...

Poor cat, Ms Sparrow. What a dreadful condition. I hope he gets over it and soon.

The Odd Essay said...

Wonder if it's some kind of inner-ear infection... throwing balance off? I sure hope he gets better before he totally depletes your tax refund!

Linda said...

Sunny is such a sweet cat. So sorry to hear what he is experiencing. I hope that he gets better soon...bless his heart.

Joanne Noragon said...

The poor fellow. I had a cat become "lost" to a massive ear infection. He walked the walls for months. And cost a lot to cure. That seems to be the way of it.

Jane and Chris said...

Oh, the poor baby!
I hope he is feeling much better soon.
Jane x

Knatolee said...

Poor little honey, I hope he gets better soon!! He's a gorgeous cat.

The Owl Wood said...

Have you tried putting little chinagraph-pencil marks on the levels in all of the decanters on the drinks tray? You need to keep a little diary and cross-reference the data with yonder puddy-tat's wobbly sessions ...

Seriously, hope he gets totally well soon or sooner! He can't be feeling very happy at the moment.

Captain Shagrat said...

Poor Sunny, a frightening experience for you both, fingers crossed that he makes it.

Meggie said...

I hope he is better by the time you read my comment! The vet bills can add up quickly....

^..^Corgidogmama said...

What an odd illness. Sure hope that Sunny recovers. You're a good cat mom to go through this, and pay for it. We DO love our pets and we'd all be sad and blue without them!

Ms Sparrow said...

Elisabeth: Thank you, I hope your kitty is safe at home by now.

Essay: It kinda seems like an ear problem, but the infection seems to have cleared up and he's still tipsy.

Linda: Sunny is my snuggler. He's really disoriented when he's not on the floor so I miss having him jump up to sit by me.

Joanne: I'd really like to learn more about your experience when your cat was like that. Did he recover completely? What treatments did he have?

Jane and Chris: He doesn't seem to be in pain now, it's just distress when he gets dizzy and disoriented.

Knatolee: He is a really good looking kitty--I'll tell him you said so.

Owl: I'll have you know all of my cats are teetotalers! Their only vice is occasionally sneaking cheap cigars out in the wooded lot. I'll pass along your well wishes.

Captain: The vet says that most cases will resolve within weeks but there's always the chance that it's something more serious.
I'm holding a good thought!

Meggie: I keep trying not to worry about the vet bills, but it's not working. One day at a time.

Corgi Mom: I guess vet bills are just a part of being a pet mom, just like the worrying about them.

Joanne Noragon said...

Hello, again. This was forty years ago and my vet was a large animal guy who was amused by my cats. His attitude was they would live or die, although he spent hours setting this same fellow's leg with a rod in it, after it was shattered, so it wouldn't have to be amputated. The cat, Boom-Boom, walked stiff legged for the rest of his long life.
But, the ear infection. He was just a heap on the ground one day and Dr. Kroh said it was an extreme ear infection and without their sense of balance cats are nothing. The ear infection cost him his balance. Dr. Kroh treated the ear infection and we brought Boom-Boom home. He struggled at once to get some mobility, staggered into a wall and realized he could get around with the wall holding him up. He walked the walls for months, although he would venture across the floor to reach a destination like the sofa. When he finally became more normal, he still carried his head cocked funny. He was an indoor/outdoor cat (we had a cat flap) and he lived to be close to 20.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I hope he is better very soon!

Crafty Green Poet said...

poor Sunny, hope he recovers soon!

Jenny said...

Oh no! Poor Sunny! I hope he feels 'sunnier' soon.

I hear you on the money law.

Isn't that always the truth?

Sigh.

Moving with Mitchell said...

Glad to know Sunny is improving and hope to read soon of his complete recovery. You are so right about Sparrow's Law. That's how it usually works out for us too. But I suppose that's better than your expenses increasing without an increase in your income (which happens more than it should).

Elaine said...

Oh dear, I am so out of the loop I have only just read this. Poor Sunny, I hope he is on the mend.xx

Linda Starr said...

Oh no dizziness is the worst feeling I can't imagine how your cat is suffering, wonder if those patches that people wear would help him or if he is able to take ginger which is supposed to help with seasickness, I have no idea if it is safe for cats though, they are so different than dogs with their requirement.

My expenses seem to rise above my income, so I know just how that goes for sure.

I hope your cat gets much better, nothing worse than seeing your pet suffer and being helpless to help them. I wish lots of sunshine for Sunny.

andiepants said...

Aww I love Sunny! I hope he feels better soon. Sending you both good vibes and much love.