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Monday, May 22, 2006
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Romeo
Last week I noticed that Romeo, our FIV-positive shop kitty, wasn't
eating or drinking. I even tried to entice him with fresh tuna, kitty
milk, etc. and he wouldn't take much of anything. So we brought him to
the vet. He's jaundiced, his liver is failing, his white blood, red
blood and platelet counts are less than a third of what they should be.
He stayed at the animal hospital over the weekend to get IV fluids and
antibiotics, in case it was the AIDS attacking his liver and maybe the
antibiotics could help his immune system get ahead of things.
Over
the weekend, despite IV fluids and meds, his bloodwork has gotten even
worse. He's even more lethargic and clearly feeling even worse now than
before...he doesn't even have the energy to purr anymore. The vet went
ahead and checked him, on a hunch, and it turns out that in addition to
AIDS he also has feline leukemia, which explains what is happening: the
leukemia is getting the better of him since his immune system is
compromised. So, at this point his only chance is a blood transfusion,
which they're going to do this morning. Even with that, though, he
probably won't make it another couple of days.
I knew this was
the eventual outcome when I brought him home. I mean, I didn't know
about the feline leukemia...he tested negative to that previously, I
was told...but I knew about the AIDS, and I saw his rotted out teeth
and I knew he was older, all of that. I thought I'd have more time with
him than this, though. :
He *could* rally...the transfusion
could make him feel better, give him enough of a boost that he's able
to be okay and continue kitty-ing around for several more months before
he goes downhill again, possibly. But it's probably not likely. I just
told the vet that I wanted him to have meds to ensure he was not
feeling any pain, and if he continued to go downhill I'd like them to
try to let me know so I can get there and bring him outside under a
tree somewhere to die with his people, if that's the way it's going to
go. I hope also that I'll be able to get the girls out of school in
time to be there with him, because I think it would be good for Romeo
to have all his people around and I also think it would be good for the
girls to experience a natural death...something they haven't
experienced in their lives, really, and something that I think it's
important to learn how to cope with even though in our society we try
awful hard to shove it into a back corner.
Anyway, it's a
bummer. I hope he rallies, because I want a little more time to spoil
him. But probably not. I'll miss those incredible blue eyes of his.
2:39:06 PM 
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© Copyright
2006
Melanie Teegarden.
Last update:
6/1/2006; 7:31:38 PM.
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