Dex

Update: So Dex is in kidney failure. The two tests done, on BUN and Creatine were unmistakable, but they ran them twice, not charging me for the second time. She might not live 48 hours, the vet said. Then again, she might live for months. I brought her home. I love her.

.........

So, the pus and blood from Dex's mouth is from mouth ulcers, one under her tongue, two at the back of her throat. She had some bad teeth, the little ones up front. She is dehydrated. They pulled the four loose teeth although two just fell out.

They gave her a long term antibiotic injection and are doing two screens to see if she is in kidney failure. The differential diagnoses are: calici, kidney failure or stomatitis.

I thought of a fourth after I hung up and called back asking they check her lower jaw, to be sure it isn't broken. Trauma to front teeth, some ulcers, she could have fallen, just like Electra did, bammed her lower jaw and had it pop apart, knocked those little front teeth loose and bitten her tongue in the process. I don't think that is what happened, but while she is still under anesthesia, I wanted them to check, since you can't tell if it's loose, that front joint, unless they're out.

Electra quit eating and drinking and lost weight when she broke her lower jaw. She had dirt ground into her chin. I thought it was flea dirt, with my bad eyes, but she had fallen out in the cat yard, grounding out in the dirt with her lower jaw.

She didn't break teeth or bite her tongue, but that could have happened. Anyhow, I doubt that is what is wrong with Dex. I also asked if, instead of calici, it could be chlamydia.

The vet is going to look that up to see if the ulcers might be consistent with chlamydia. She's an old cat and I do worry she's going into kidney failure.

But all this was rather sudden onset. She sleeps next to me and I've usually got an arm around or across her. I began to notice weight loss about two weeks ago. I think it's far more likely this is all related to whatever virus or bacteria she's got going.

The bill will be very high. But she's alive.

I keep thinking I should fliter all the water here. Somebody in Lebanon had a cat with recurring stomatitis and mouth issues, and healed the cat by eliminating chlorinated drinking water. Whenever the cat drank chlorinated water again, the stomatitis would come back.

You get old, shit happens. Whether you be cat or human.

Not much any of us can do about it.