Monday, December 18, 2017

Willow needs purrs

I've been traveling a lot lately, which means a lot of time away from the kitties. I don't mind a little travel, but it's been feeling like I'm away more than I'm home, which I know it not really true. I was gone all of last week and got back home on Friday.

Dec 6, 2017

Willow had stopped eating on Thursday. By Saturday, she was having to work really hard to breathe and she was breathing very fast. She also moved very slowly and looked miserable. She was acting a lot like Buddy right before he crossed the bridge. When we got her to the vet, she was open mouth breathing, so the vet tech quickly whisked her back to the oxygen chamber. 

After some bloodwork and x-rays, the vet was thinking inflammation of the pancreas. We decided to leave her overnight so they could stabilize her. On Sunday evening, she was doing better and starting to eat, so we thought we might bring her home.


She spent the time pacing, very agitated and unsettled. She was in zombie state - completely out of it. She never stopped moving. After a few hours, she started convulsing and struggling to breathe. We ran her back across the alleyway to the vet (thank God for living across the alley from our 24-hour vet). And again, they put her in the oxygen chamber and were able to stabilize her. The emergency vet didn't really have any ideas about what might be causing all of this.

Willow's home again and spent most of Monday pacing. I haven't seen her sleep at all. She's eating again and seems more present than she did, but still not back to her normal self. She's starting to settle more, spending a little time on the couch next to me. Her breathing appears to be more normal.


When she was hospitalized they gave her an appetite stimulant - I'm wondering if they gave her too big a dose or maybe she had adverse reaction. She's was acting like she was super-stimulated and couldn't stop. In time, she seems to be slowing down. It's been very scary to watch her not be herself and to see her struggling to breathe. We are still waiting to talk with our vet, who treated her on Saturday. 

Please join us in praying and purring for her continued healing.

12 comments:

  1. Big prayers and purrs for sweet Willow. Its so hard to watch our fur babies hurt so big hugs to you also.

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  2. Oh, poor sweet little baby, I'll pray for you! Get well soon!

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  3. I am deeply sorry. Poor Willow; and the two of you must be beside yourselves over her state of illness. Prayers. And Willow, sending love.

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  4. What a frightening thing for her and for you all. Our purrs and purrayers to Willow. We hope she will make a full recovery. ♥

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  5. Purrs and prayers from all of us for dear Willow. We know how scary it must be for you all.

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  6. How frightening for both you and Willow. I've heard that cats cannot go without eating for very long (? 72 hrs?) without suffering some kind of liver damage, but how the breathing issue plays into this is beyond me. I will be praying and sending positive energy to both you and Willow. I'm hopeful you'll hear better news from the vet.

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  7. Oh dear! Here's hoping the vet has some good info to impart about Sweet Willow! Sending hugs and purrs.

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  8. I will be praying for Willow. I think mirtazipan, the appetite stimulant does cause odd behavior. We had tried it on Phoebe once and she had a similar reaction with pacing and open mouth breathing.

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  9. Poor beautiful Willow! Yes! She has my prayers! Please keep us updated. It's so scary when they are not acting right and even the vet is puzzled...

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  10. We are sending lots of purrs and prayers for Willow. Our Buddy had an inflamed pancreas and liver last year and is now causing problems with other issues as he is almost 18

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  11. I am far behind in my reading so at this point I have some idea what was going on, but how frightening to have to go through this and have the vet not have a clue!

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