Bunny eats on his own

Bunny had taken a long nap after coming back from the vet's, and since he was asleep, I too needed a nap quite badly.  Bunny was on the ottoman (his favourite place), but after awhile, I was awakened by Bunny walking on my body.  He came right towards me, lay on my chest and meowed.  I hope he was trying to tell me that he was feeling better already.  When Bunny was small, he used to do this a lot.  

After about an hour or so, Bunny went over to Bobby, who was sleeping on "the favourite chair in the house".  Normally, everybody tries to get the chair (readers might remember Suki's infamous coup de tat to wrestle this chair from everyone else, dog, cat or human!).  Seems like Bunny just wanted to share the chair with Bobby this time.

And he did!

But Bobby wasn't comfortable, so he came down and went under the sofa.

And Bunny got "the chair".

At 4.30pm, it was time to (force)feed Bunny his AD.  I brought a small portion out and let him sniff the food, but as usual, he wasn't interested.  I put a tiny blob into his mouth, but he spat it out.  Instead, he slowly licked the food off my hand!  Looks like Bunny did not want to be forcefed.  He had decided to eat on my own!  I was really delighted.  For me, that's a milestone.  I know the vet said he would only be happy if Bunny started eating his kibbles, but for me, this is already a great achievement.  

So, Bunny licked up small portions off my hand, and finished about 1 tablespoon of AD.

Eat, Bunny, eat.

Bunny is eating on his own!

It was feeding time again at 8.30pm just now.  Again, he ate off my hand.  I hope in time, Bunny will eat from the bowl.  I gave him his medicine after that.

Perhaps the Baytril is working, or Bunny just needed a longer time to recover.  Whatever it is, it's moment-by-moment now, and as long as Bunny gets better, I am thankful.

Thank you very much for your kind thoughts and prayers for Bunny! 

 

Bunny's blood test results

I had been waiting in anticipation (and agony!) for Bunny's blood test results since early this morning.  We got an appointment at 12.30pm and off we went to the vet's. 

It is a relief of sorts that his blood test shows his kidneys and liver are fine and functioning well.  There is only an indication of dehydration (which is to be expected).  His white blood cells are also normal, which means there is no infection?  But wait...for Bunny's case, this is not conclusive because he is FIV+.  Having a compromised immune system, his body might not be able to react to combat any infection by producing an increase of white blood cells (as in the case of a healthy cat or any animal).  So, for Bunny, a normal WBC count does not rule out the possibility of infection. 

The other abnormality is a low platelet count.  This is quite puzzling, but again, we cannot draw any conclusion from this, but it probably can account for the fact that his vomit has brownish blood.  The blood is not able to coagulate.  Bunny has not vomited today, and I am really keeping my fingers crossed that the brownish vomit may only be due to the acid reacting on the lining of the walls of the stomach.  I felt there was a need to address this, and asked if we should begin force-feeding Bunny.  After all, it has been five days now that he has not eaten.  The vet said this is still not a necessity but we can do it, if I want to.  The vet preferred that Bunny eats on his own, because when that happens, it would be a good indication that he is getting well. 

But I did not want Bunny's stomach to be empty for so long, so we opted to forcefeed him.  We opened a can of AD and put a tablespoon of the tasty paste in front of Bunny.  He wasn't interested.  Then, the vet took a small blob and put it into Bunny's mouth.  He ate it, albeit reluctantly, but did not struggle at all.  All in, the vet managed to feed him about two tablespoons (we did not want to push our luck by giving too much), and with each blob, it got easier.  Bunny was more willing to eat the AD.  He chewed and swallowed all of it.  But he was fed.  He did not eat willingly.  Well, never mind.  At least he is eating. 

I will (force)feed him this way every few hours.  I hope he will eat without any struggle because in his condition, it is very important that we do not stress him.  He should be as relaxed as possible.

The vet told me that he often encounters this problem with FIV+ patients where you can't really be sure what is wrong, especially when the blood test shows that everything seems to be okay.  Their body might not react to problems as a healthy animal would.  So, the purpose of the blood test is just to eliminate possible problems.  For Bunny's case, it is probably not his kidneys or liver.  It may not even be his bladder as well. 

The vet also said Bunny's disposition looks good.  He is still very alert and his eyes are bright.  His weight has gone up a little, but that's probably due to the subcutaneous fluids administered yesterday. 

So, what is wrong with Bunny??

We still do not know.  Something could be wrong inside, but we cannot find out through our conventional methods. 

The vet still thinks it could be some infection somewhere, so Bunny is now put on another antibiotic, Baytril.  We are really hoping that Baytril will do the trick. 

The best bet now is that Bunny starts eating again.  If he does, the vet says we can close the case, be happy and it would be another case of "unknown cause".  

I understand that Bunny's problem is more complex because of him being FIV+, so please do help Bunny in sending him positive thoughts and prayers.  

Here are some photos of Bunny taken after I brought him back from the vet's this afternoon.  

I thought it would be good to let Bunny have a feel of the grass again after having been confined in the bedroom for a few days.  A healthy dose of sunshine might also do him some good. 

The vet said he had a full bladder, so I let him wander a bit in the garden so that he could ease himself.  He chose to do it in my planter's box!  Big brother Cow, is looking on.

Scratch, scratch, scratch, to cover up the evidence.

How are you, my friend?

Good old Bobby is always on hand to greet all his feline friends.

Ooh...I haven't scratched this for so long. 

Our rattan trunk is the cats' favourite "scratching post"

Happily scratching...

And now, it's time to groom myself.

I think Bunny feels much better after yesterday's subcutaneous fluids.  I'm hoping the AD will also perk him up.  Let the cause be unknown if there is no way we can find out.  I just want him to be well and happy again.  After all, sometimes, there is just so much that we don't know. 

Many thanks to those who responded with suggestions and thoughts.  Thank you for sharing what you know, and thank you for caring.

Get well soon, Bunny!

Bunny comes home

I've just brought Bunny home from the vet's.  The urine test shows excess protein, white blood cells and haemoglobin.  The blood test results will only be known tomorrow. 

Based on the urine test alone, it suggests possible bladder infection or mild kidney infection, but it does not show kidney failure.  Another possibility is the presence of all these large molecules in the urine indicates that the kidney filters are not working well.  If this is the case, it is a terminal condition.  I pray it is not this.  The vet also palpitated his organs, and Bunny did not show any signs of pain at all. 

However, the urine test isn't sufficient for a proper diagnosis, so it's best to wait for the blood test results tomorrow.  Upon checking Bunny's records, last year, he was straight-away given Doxy and Baytril (two antibiotics) and he recovered within 1 1/2 days.  The vet was tempted to put him on Baytril today, but since blood has been taken, it would be better to wait until tomorrow instead of simply pumping Bunny with all kinds of drugs. 

Bunny did not vomit while at the vet's, and he was "exceptionally well-behaved" when all the procedures were administered, according to the vet.  Good boy, Bunny.  But he vomited just now, while going up the stairs.  Sigh...it was a lot of brownish stuff again.  This really worries me.   

He is still not interested in food at all.  He was given subcutaneous fluids so his hydration is taken care of, at least until tomorrow. 

Bunny back from the vet's.

Cheer up, Bunnyphant!

Bobby checking in on his friend.

I just want to sleep and rest.

Ok, we won't disturb you, Bunny.

But please get well soon.

Many thanks to Cathy and Joe, for your very kind concern and thoughtful wishes for Bunny.  All positive thoughts for Bunny would help very much. 

It would be at least 20 hours before we know the results of the blood test tomorrow.  Time doesn't fly when we want it to...

We'll be keeping vigil on Bunny tonight.  

Final Appeal for Rocky

Eugene has been working very hard to find a home for Rocky.  Please read the write-up below, and let's all help Rocky find a home.  Please forward this link to as many contacts as you can. 

Woof, woof! My name is Rocky and I’m a 9-month old boy puppy who would really like to become your loyal friend if you would give me a loving home and a chance.

I was the victim of a motorcycle accident which has left me with a slightly damaged right paw. You see, a motorcycle ran over my paw and I lost a nerve because of that. After spending some time at the vet’s, I am now ready to come live with you! My right paw is now floppy because of the lost nerve, but I can walk and even run, just not as quickly as I would have been able to if not for the accident. But I do not need any special or extra medical care because of this, just like any other normal puppy.


I am an active, alert, affectionate (with a penchant for alliteration too!), and healthy fella. Really, one! I think I’m part Rottweiler. At least that’s what the vet tells me. I’ve been dewormed, vaccinated, and neutered (ouch!) and have never had parvovirus nor any history of communicable diseases that would make it impossible for me to live with other pets.
So, take me home with you, won’t you? If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in opening your heart and home to me, please contact Eugene at sangrerojo2003@yahoo.com or 012-316-0954. And please feel free to forward this to any of your contacts who may want to love me or find me a good home.

Thank you! Woof!

Bunny is sick

Bunny is one of the first kittens I rescued, picked up from the roadside at just 2 days old along with Cow and Pole.  He is now 4 years old and was diagnosed FIV-positive about two years ago.   

Due to his being FIV-positive, his immune system is compromised and if he falls sick, it would be more difficult for him to get well, compared with a normal healthy cat.  Last year, Bunny fell quite critically ill, but he recovered in just 1 1/2 days after being on Doxycycline (for a suspected blood parasite infection). I had to struggle through to give him the entire 14-day course of antibiotics because he was so strong and would put up a fight.  I was very glad Doxy did the trick last year. 

Bunny, our biggest cat. 

I called him Bunny because he hopped like a rabbit when he was a kitten, and he was also the most timid of the three at that time.  Now, he is one of the two alphas of the house.  He is the biggest cat in the house, so big that I call him "Bunnyphant' (as in "elephant") sometimes. 

Bunny sleeping on my files as he keeps me company in my room.

Besides that one episode last year, Bunny has not fallen ill....until last Sunday when he suddenly refused his breakfast.  Bunny has never refused food before, so I knew something was wrong.  He did not eat the whole of Sunday and was feverish.  So, first thing Monday morning, I took him to the vet.


From the symptoms and the 40.2 degree fever, the vet suspected a blood parasite (like last year).  So, Bunny was put on Doxy again, and we kept our fingers crossed that he would recover.  If it is due to a blood parasite, he should start eating again within 24 to 48 hours.  The vet said there was no need for me to forcefeed him food because of Bunny's size and also, fasting seems to be Bunny's own way of healing himself.  According to the vet, a cat of his size (he was 5.8 kilos on Monday morning) can go without food for up to 10 days, but he needs water daily.

So every four hours, I syringed water with rehydration salts to reduce the possibility of dehydration.  He simply had no appetite at all and was sleeping most of the time.  The vet said rest can do wonders, so we should just let him be.  The less we disturb him, the better.   

Bunny slept upstairs in the shrine room most of the time, in a basket.  I took food and water up to him every 4 hours.  He refused the food entirely, and I could only manage to feed him about 6mls of water (with rehydration salts) each time before he started spitting it out.


I did not want to stress him further because I know stress is very detrimental to a sick animal.  I also did not want to cage him because Bunny seldom ever went outdoors except to the porch and garden.  He is mostly an indoor cat. 


On Tuesday, there was still no signs of improvement.  I bought a can of sardines hoping the aroma would entice him to eat, but he wasn't in the least bit interested in the food.  I could not do anything except to continue rehydrating him with fluids.  I fed him his fluids at 1pm, but by 2pm, I could not find Bunny anywhere.  He had disappeared.  I had to go out yo see to Sean's adoption after that, and when I came home, Bunny was still no where in the house. 


After a thorough search of the house, I went out onto my road, and searched everywhere.  This went on from evening until midnight.  Bunny was no where to be found.  Not wanting to hit the panic button and still hoping Bunny might come home, I searched the internet and found out that cats have a tendency to run away and hide when they are ill.  It is an instinctive behaviour because being ill, they feel threatened by predators (although there are probably none, but it's an primordial instinct), so they run away and hide. 


My husband and I searched everywhere, looking inside drains, the back alley, up rooftops, Bunny was just no where to be found.  My only "consolation", if it can be called that, is that I did not notice any abnormal or cranky behaviour in my other cats.  Normally, if there has been a tragedy, my cats would display some abnormal behaviour.  Cow and Indy would usually pinpoint and take us to the place of the tragedy.  I suspect black-and-white cats (like Cow and Indy) have sharper instincts, but I'm simply guessing.

I must have searched the house umpteen times from evening until midnight, each time hoping against hope that I would see Bunny sleeping at his favourite basket in the shrine room.  My heart fell each time as that spot remained empty.  And each time as I looked under the beds, I really hoped I would see two Bunny-eyes staring back at me.  I even checked with PAWS if anyone had surrender any cat to the shelter that day (there was none).   


By midnight, my son, Jia-Wen came back from work, and I was really hoping Bunny would return upon hearing the sound of his car since Bunny is very close to Jia-Wen.  Jia-Wen and I went up and down the road a few times, but there wasn't so much as a meow or squeak from Bunny.


We had no choice but to sleep, still keeping our hopes high that Bunny would return soon.  It was a time of practising acceptance and serenity.  Cats, unlike dogs, choose how they want to live.  We can only give our best and let them respond to us.  I used to hit the panic button whenever something untoward happened to my cats, but I'm learning now to be more accepting of any situation.  Being unduly worried does not help.  As long as we have done everything humanly possible, we have to accept what is.


At exactly 2.30am, I was awakened by the sound of heavy rain.  I got up instantly and thought I should check if by any chance Bunny had returned.  Just as I was about to get out of bed, I heard a soft meow, and to my relief, Bunny walked into our bedroom!! 


He was a little wet from the rain, so I towelled him dry, and quickly closed the bedroom door.  "Where were you all this while, Bunny?", I asked, but I'll never know, and that's okay as long as he was back now, safe and sound.  Bunny settled on the bed, and I made him comfortable before going down to get water and medicine. 


When I came back upstairs, Bunny vomited suddenly.  The vomit was brownish, and I got a bit worried.  I managed to feed him his medicine later and syringed some water into his mouth.  At about 4am, Bunny vomited again.  It was the same stuff.  Brownish.


This morning, Bunny still refused food, so I had to take him to the vet again.  The vet is very concerned about the brownish vomit.  It could mean there is intestinal haemorrhage or it could just be the reaction of the digestive acids causing some damage to the lining of the stomach since Bunny had not been eating for three days.  Bunny has also lost weight.  He is only 5.5kg now, and this weight loss is significant.  The only good thing is that he is no longer feverish.  His temperature was 39.3 degrees today.  That is a significant improvement.  The vet checked the temperature three times, just to be sure.


I had to leave Bunny at the clinic until this evening for observation, and collection of blood and urine samples.  The vet also wants to monitor in case he vomits again.  The vet wants to do a blood and urine test, and Bunny will also be given subcutaneous fluids as he is a bit dehydrated today compared to Monday. 


All said, the vet's parting words to me is that he is still hoping that Bunny will respond to the Doxycycline.  Maybe Bunny just needs a bit more time.  If Bunny responds by regaining his appetite, we can all breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.  If not, it's going to be very hard trying to pinpoint exactly what is causing his total loss of appetite.  The vet said it could be something molecular or even cellular, which is going to be very, very difficult to diagnose. 


So here I am, writing this long story, with all the details because I'm waiting for the vet to call me so that I can bring Bunny back.  I was really hoping I would not have to write this story if Bunny had recovered by this morning.  I was really hoping it would be just a case of a blood parasite infection and all I had to say would be, "Bunny was sick, was put on Doxy, and is now well.  Yay!" 


But it looks far more complicated than that now, so I thought this sharing might do two things.  One, to share for the sake of sharing so that we may all learn something about cats, and the uncertain and imperfect nature of life.  Two, if you have any suggestions on what I can do for Bunny (especially if you have dealt with similar cases), I would most certainly welcome it. 

A thought remains at the back of my mind although it isn't important - where on earth was Bunny hiding during those 12 hours when he was missing?  I have come to the conclusion that a cat can really hide when it wants to, and you'll never be able to find it until it decides to reveal itself.  A cat calls all the shots. 


Get well soon, Bunny.  You're a tough little boy. 

Please get well for all of us. 

Little Bunny, when he just opened his eyes, in May 2006.

Bunny, learning to walk, with Bobby looking on.

Bunny and Bobby now.  Bunny is heavier than Bobby.

Get well soon, Bunny!           

4 cats spayed and neutered

Alex Chong was inspired by Sumitra to be a cat-rescuer.  Some months back, he rescued an entire family consisting of the mother, a daughter, and 4 newborn kittens.  I remember Alex calling me to help look for a fosterer for the mother and kittens, but we did not manage to find one for him at that time.  So, Alex took it upon himself to foster the kittens. 

Alex got the mother and daughter spayed first, on his own.  Unfortunately, the mother died in a car accident last month and subsequently, the daughter ran away.  So, only the four kittens (two males and two females) were left.

Alex took these photos yesterday.  You can see how well Alex has taken care of them. 

MJ (male)

DunDun (female)

Amigo1 (male)

Amigo2 (female)

Meal time in Alex's house.

All four cats have been spayed-neutered today, and Alex would like to put them up for adoption.  If you are interested in adopting them, please contact Alex directly at 012-2985550.

These photos below were taken at the clinic today.

MJ after surgery.

Amigo2 after surgery.

DunDun before surgery.

Amigo1 before surgery...as cool as a cucumber?

Many thanks to Agnes and Li Lian for helping out today. 

The surgeries on all four are sponsored by us.  We are always happy to help out in whatever ways we can. 

Whenever I use the pronoun "we" or "us", I am referring to AnimalCare's big family of supporters, well-wishers and donors.  Thanks to all of you, we are able to sponsor the spay-neuter and medical needs of all these stray animals, and in doing so, help them attain a safer and healthier life.

Thank you!

Another female cat spayed

Yesterday, May brought another female cat to be spayed under our sponsorship. 

Here she is, already recovered.

It seems to be a very busy week for us as we had four more cases today...read on.