15 Years Later

 I was doing some blog work on this and my other blog today and my post from May, 2010 came up with the image of my now 15 year old cat. We named her Daisy. You can see that post here. Sadly her brother seen with her in that photo is no longer with us. He died just this past month. In that post I wasn't sure where he was going to end up, well, he ended up with my brother and his family. They named him Dakota. Dakota than lived near me for a few years, moved to Montana and than moved to North Carolina where he spent the rest of his life. As with any aging animal health issues came up and his quality of life suffered, so they let him go. My cat, Daisy, too has had her share of health problems. To be expected at the advanced age of 15. Last summer (7-2-24) she had a sudden decline and I thought we were going to lose her. Aside from arthritis she'd been doing well to then. But in June my young adult son brought home a kitten to live with us. They were kept apart even after he'd had a vet check 2 days after his arrival. But the kitten had fleas and thus began the nightmare of getting rid of fleas. If you've ever had them, you know. We haven't had fleas in this house for over 15 years. All my previous cats were indoor only and our dog never got fleas as she was primarily indoor also (and would be treated during bad summer months). 

Unfortunately, even though the kitten was bathed right away and treated at the vet right away and not near my cat at all, she still got fleas. So for the first time in her (then) 14 years she had to have flea treatment. Well, she got sick. Really sick. She went to the emergency and she spent the night. Frankly they didn't do enough, but that besides the point. She kind of looked better, but a few days later she didn't. I ended up taking her to a different emergency vet. After more blood tests and an x-ray they still didn't see anything wrong. She was given a steroid injection. It turns out that vet made the right call. She ended up at her own vet shortly after and with a very expensive ultrasound. She had pancreatitis. But the ER vet giving her the steroid probably saved her life. 

It was a LONG summer though. She didn't recover quickly. She was grumpy. She didn't want to eat. The meds she was on were making her worse. Her vet suggested euthenisia. But Daisy didn't seem like that was needed yet...so I waited. It's been a year now and she is on a daily steriod for what they think is inflammatory bowel disease, based on her ultrasound findings. The diagnosis was that or intestinal lymphoma. I didn't do a biopsy as the procedure was invasive abominal surgery. Therefore, we're treating symptoms to provide comfort for as long as possible. She's on a daily mushroom supplement and for many months she was taking a few other supplements until I found something that seems to be working well for her. She is still stressed every day because of the now 1 year old who pesters her constantly. (He was apparently born with asthma and is acutally on sterioids also). She has mobility issues because of arthritis, though she does still get around okay. Her digestive system doesn't work great and she has good days and bad. More good than bad now though. It was a long recovery from pancratitis. 

The reason I mentioned the fleas is because I believe that's what started all of this. She was eating normally and acting normally up until that morning. I knew she was really sick when I woke up. She was in obvioius pain but I didn't know what was hurting. If she had iflammatory bowel prior, it was completely uknown to me and never diagnosed by her vet who had seen her a few times for lack of appetite issues since 2018. (once being diagnosed with gallbladder inflammation). Daisy spent 4 days in the hosptial as a kitten right after her vaccines were given. She has never had another of them. I believe she has immune system sensitivity issues and I think the toxic flea topical affected her. 

But here we are today. She's still with us and we're enjoying every day we get with her. 

Daisy in 2010 and in 2024

I'm not a vet, just a pet parent who's willing to do as much as possible to care for my pets. The following are things I've been giving to Daisy to help her in her golden years. 

Functional Feline When I found this I think this really has been a blessing. 

Herbal Digestive Supplement This seems to erase the need for her to be on a daily dose of miralax (as her vet suggested she be on). 

Animal Essentials  I have used several different products for her over the past year (not all at once). She's currently taking their Yucca tincture for arthritis and digestion. They have so many good formulas though that I couldn't just link one. 

Rx Vitamins B12 Research showed me that cats with digestive issues need b12 supplements especially a cat with IBS or intestinal lymphoma. Some vets give this as injections and Daisy actually had one. 

She also is seen regulary by her vet. Her last bloodwork, urine, and stool tests all looked great. She put weigh back on that she'd lost last year. She still needs assitance to eat sometimes but we think this is more of one of 2 things...she enjoys it (and she does) or her arthritis bothers her despite me having elevated her bowls off the floor (maybe that's the problem but I did this for digestive reasons). She gets bouts of what I think is acid reflux or and inflamed stomach but the days where she looks like she feels good outweigh the days she doesn't.