FA+
Shop
Loaf update (This one's a rollercoaster)
6 years ago
Since Loaf's recent emergency, a lot has happened! The vet who told us Loaf had a few days left to live has been let go from the practice. He was wildly wrong about her hemoglobin levels, and if he had given that advice to a different person, they might have jumped the gun and put their cat down. I had multiple outsiders telling me to do the same thing when I first posted asking for donations to cover her emergency care.
So what happened?
As soon as we reached the goal amount of donations, Preston and I took her to the 24 hour vet that was going to do her blood transfusion (different from her regular vet). That night they decided to do some chest x-rays to see if there was any other cause for her shallow rapid breathing. Something the other vet failed to even suggest to us. Chest x-rays revealed pretty healthy lungs other than signs of her lifelong asthma, but also an enlarged heart with a little fluid around it. A blood transfusion wasn't safe to do, they were shocked that was even suggested! At 18% PCV (hemoglobin) she was definitely anemic, but cats that go as low as 8% or 9% are candidates for transfusions. She just wasn't there.
After getting a second opinion from their radiologist, we confirmed that a blood transfusion was definitely not the correct treatment for Loaf. We needed to treat with a bone marrow stimulant to up her PCV. I very nearly didn't get the medication in time because of her first vet's incompetence and some technical problems with our pharmacy, but she did get it and is getting weekly injections at home now! We will retest her PCV in a week to make sure it's working.
Loaf's shallow rapid breathing was likely caused by a blood clot, since anemic cats can often get clots (yet another thing the original vet failed to inform us of). So she was put on a blood thinner, and within a few days here breathing evened out. We consulted with a cardiologist who agreed with the diagnosis and treatment. No clots showed up on imaging, but they often don't. Her breathing rate is now even and healthy, especially for an asthmatic cat!
But Loaf wasn't out of the woods yet. Several days into her blood clot treatment, Loaf went blind... We rushed her to the 24 hour vet once more. They found she had high blood pressure (a side effect of her kidney disease), and as a result both her retinas had partially detached. Preston and I were heartbroken. We were sent home with a blood pressure medication prescription, and some advice on how to help her adapt. Apparently this is pretty common, and cats tend to adapt pretty fast so long as you don't move the furniture around. Loaf had been without sight for a little over 36 hours, and she was already navigating around the house with ease, eating a bunch, and seemingly doing just fine other than a little constipation. She's just incredible, I'm constantly amazed by her resilience. We gave her the first dose of her blood pressure medication the next day as soon as I could get it, and made some changes around the house to remove some possible hazards for her.
The next day, Preston shook me awake yelling "She can see, Loaf can see!" He had walked into my office, found her on her windowsill shelf (which she had been avoiding while blind), and called her name. When she turned around she looked right at him with normal looking eyes, and gave him a big long slow cat blink! He did some quick vision tests much to her annoyance, and she indeed had her vision back! At least mostly, we think she still has some amount of vision impairment. Apparently there's a small chance that if you treat blood pressure related retinal detachment fast enough, their vision can come back partially, or all the way. And goddamnit, we hit that small chance!!!
How is she now?
Loaf now has three new permanent medications to her routine; a blood thinner, a blood pressure medication, and a bone marrow stimulant. Because of our quick action and your donations, she will not suffocate from within from anemia, her blood clot situation won't kill her, and she is not blind. We spent that donation money on several blood tests, 2 emergency vet visits, xrays, ultrasounds, specialist consultations, two cheap medications and one VERY expensive medication ($400 for a 1ml vial). Her kidney disease continues to progress, so while all this won't save her kidneys, it HAS given her more time, more comfort, and less pain. I know a lot of people were very unhappy with me asking for donations to help her, or very unhappy that I didn't choose to euthanize her. But my duty is not to those people, it is to HER and her alone. I will continue to give her every chance possible, and when she is ready I will help her pass so she doesn't suffer. That could be in a few weeks, or a few months. I'll just keep doing everything I can for her, and give her the best life possible.
So for now, YOU GUYS SAVED HER. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!
So what happened?
As soon as we reached the goal amount of donations, Preston and I took her to the 24 hour vet that was going to do her blood transfusion (different from her regular vet). That night they decided to do some chest x-rays to see if there was any other cause for her shallow rapid breathing. Something the other vet failed to even suggest to us. Chest x-rays revealed pretty healthy lungs other than signs of her lifelong asthma, but also an enlarged heart with a little fluid around it. A blood transfusion wasn't safe to do, they were shocked that was even suggested! At 18% PCV (hemoglobin) she was definitely anemic, but cats that go as low as 8% or 9% are candidates for transfusions. She just wasn't there.
After getting a second opinion from their radiologist, we confirmed that a blood transfusion was definitely not the correct treatment for Loaf. We needed to treat with a bone marrow stimulant to up her PCV. I very nearly didn't get the medication in time because of her first vet's incompetence and some technical problems with our pharmacy, but she did get it and is getting weekly injections at home now! We will retest her PCV in a week to make sure it's working.
Loaf's shallow rapid breathing was likely caused by a blood clot, since anemic cats can often get clots (yet another thing the original vet failed to inform us of). So she was put on a blood thinner, and within a few days here breathing evened out. We consulted with a cardiologist who agreed with the diagnosis and treatment. No clots showed up on imaging, but they often don't. Her breathing rate is now even and healthy, especially for an asthmatic cat!
But Loaf wasn't out of the woods yet. Several days into her blood clot treatment, Loaf went blind... We rushed her to the 24 hour vet once more. They found she had high blood pressure (a side effect of her kidney disease), and as a result both her retinas had partially detached. Preston and I were heartbroken. We were sent home with a blood pressure medication prescription, and some advice on how to help her adapt. Apparently this is pretty common, and cats tend to adapt pretty fast so long as you don't move the furniture around. Loaf had been without sight for a little over 36 hours, and she was already navigating around the house with ease, eating a bunch, and seemingly doing just fine other than a little constipation. She's just incredible, I'm constantly amazed by her resilience. We gave her the first dose of her blood pressure medication the next day as soon as I could get it, and made some changes around the house to remove some possible hazards for her.
The next day, Preston shook me awake yelling "She can see, Loaf can see!" He had walked into my office, found her on her windowsill shelf (which she had been avoiding while blind), and called her name. When she turned around she looked right at him with normal looking eyes, and gave him a big long slow cat blink! He did some quick vision tests much to her annoyance, and she indeed had her vision back! At least mostly, we think she still has some amount of vision impairment. Apparently there's a small chance that if you treat blood pressure related retinal detachment fast enough, their vision can come back partially, or all the way. And goddamnit, we hit that small chance!!!
How is she now?
Loaf now has three new permanent medications to her routine; a blood thinner, a blood pressure medication, and a bone marrow stimulant. Because of our quick action and your donations, she will not suffocate from within from anemia, her blood clot situation won't kill her, and she is not blind. We spent that donation money on several blood tests, 2 emergency vet visits, xrays, ultrasounds, specialist consultations, two cheap medications and one VERY expensive medication ($400 for a 1ml vial). Her kidney disease continues to progress, so while all this won't save her kidneys, it HAS given her more time, more comfort, and less pain. I know a lot of people were very unhappy with me asking for donations to help her, or very unhappy that I didn't choose to euthanize her. But my duty is not to those people, it is to HER and her alone. I will continue to give her every chance possible, and when she is ready I will help her pass so she doesn't suffer. That could be in a few weeks, or a few months. I'll just keep doing everything I can for her, and give her the best life possible.
So for now, YOU GUYS SAVED HER. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!
Please keep us updated on Loaf, I'm so very happy to hear she's doing so well and is still so happy and utterly full of life!!
Here is to hopefully a lot more time with her!
Heres to hoping she gets even better <3
Regarding the incompetent vet, is there such thing as veterinary malpractice lawsuits? Because if there is, it sounds like you have a case.
That's yer precious baby.
I'm so happy for you. Keep strong, Loaf!
I'm so SO happy to hear that Loaf is taking a turn for the better. I truly hope you guys get lots more time with her, it's clear that she is dearly loved.
I may not have been able to help out, but I applaud those that were able to help you and Loaf in the time of need
In this case: it was LIFE!
Give little Loaf all the love you can from me...and sneak in a few kitty treats too! ;)
"He did some quick vision tests much to her annoyance" - was a laser pointer involved? ;-p