An Update on the Animals

Here's the latest:

Beaujolais has kidney disease. We had noticed that she'd been losing weight, so we purchased some wet cat food to encourage her to eat. She did have dental issues in the past, so we thought that soft mushy food would be easier for her to eat. When this didn't work, we took her in to the vet. After some tests, we learned that she had kidney disease and maybe diabetes also. This all became known the week before we were going to leave for Mexico.

We left her at the vet for a 48-hour IV test to see if her kidney disease would be controllable or if it was too far out of control. This would also help confirm if she truly had diabetes on top of the kidney disease. The good news is that 1) She does not have diabetes, and 2) Her bad test readings were helped by the IV test.

During our trip to Mexico, we were wondering what to do about The Pretty Beau. We decided to have her boarded at the vet so her condition would be monitored and we would not have to put any of our cat-sitters through anything beyond just checking in on the cats.

So, she's treatable, but there is no cure. We have to put her on a low-protein diet and flush her with IV fluids every three days. No problem - we will do what we have to do to keep her happy and (relatively) healthy. She is a senior... and not exactly happy with her new food. We're letting her eat regular wet food just so that she eats something, but we're trying to mix the prescription food in so she gets used to it. Oh, she is also taking Pepcid. Yes, over-the-counter Pepcid (split into quarters). Whatever we have to do, she's worth it. She seems happy and loving, so we'll just keep the IV bag around as long as she graces us with her presence (may it be at least a few more years!).

Pepper's new nickname is Scarface. Two days before we left for Mexico, Pepper went outside to do "business" and chase a squirrel. He ran after a squirrel who made a mad dash to a tree... and in his pursuit, Pepper forgot to apply the breaks... and ran right into the tree. I am sure I heard the squirrel snickering at the top of the branches. Anyway, when he came back in, I noticed some blood on his face near his right eye. I dutifully got the dog first aid kit to patch him up. He did not go for the gauze pad taped to his face, and I began to wonder if he may need stitches. My dog first aid kit did not include needles and sutures, so off to the vet we went.

While Pepper was being examined, I went to visit Beau (who was still in her 48-hour IV test). She seemed comfortable enough -- considering that she was in a hospital cage -- and was happy to see me. Pepper did not need stitches, but did get a prescription for antibiotic ointment. We did have to pay the dog boarder extra for them to apply the ointment twice a day, but he's worth it too!

Okay. That leaves Monti. Poor baby -- nothing is wrong with him, but he's the last of our animals I would want to leave alone for a whole week. He needs company and attention. Fortunately, we had our nearby friends check in on him. When we returned from Mexico, we got an earful of complaints about how he was denied his normal amount of scratches and love. (We've been home six days and he is still being more vocal than normal.)

Actually, we do have two more pets. Hrbek and Gaetti, our 12-year old goldfish (really!) seemed to do just fine in their tank during our vacation, and do not appear to have any ailments (other than Hrbek's bad eye, which he's had for years now). If Hrbek and Gaetti were investments, we would have made a killing... we purchased them for $0.25 each at Petco, and almost 12 years later, they are alive and well (and have each grown to about six inches long!). Not a bad return on 50 cents!

Summary:
Beau - kidney disease that we will manage with IV fluids and an attempt at a low-protein diet.
Pepper - tree: 1, Pepper: 0.
Monti - still starved for attention, but complaining a little less.
Fish - an excellent way to stretch a half-dollar into 12 years of enjoyment.