an expensive poo

[Leliel]

i noticed that my old (well the oldest we have, hes 10 and a half) ginger tom, Bart was straining to pee, crying and passing small amounts mixed with blood, so took him to the vet expecting them to say its a water infection and here's some antibiotics, but whilst they were palpating his abdomen the junior vet found a 'lump' and decided that she wanted to get the senior vet to have a feel. Senior vet has a feel and says he can feel it too, a hard bump about the size of a ping-pong ball, and spherical. a short discussion later and Bart's checked in for an emergency x-ray, and i go home worried sick. less than an hour later i had a phone call, could i come in, the vet wants to see me. within ten minutes i was stood in the consultation room,looking at an xray. the vet points out some poo and some gas, shows me the normal looking bladder etc etc and then the lump. She still can't decide what it is,and neither can the senior vet or the radiographer. they want to try an enema, to which i agree. 6 hours later nothing has happened, and the vet thinks that perhaps its a calcified hairball, so i agree to exploratary surgery, not without some trepidation i have to admit because Bart has a heart murmer. i spent an anxious afternoon talking to my husband about what we do if it turns out to be a cancer, an we agree that as Bart is generally a cheerful cat and has a good quality of life, then we will treat it and look after him until his quality of life begins to decline, then we will do what is best for him. In the early evening i get a call from the vet, Bart has come round from his surgery fine, there were no complications or anything, and the lump? poo. she says they didnt cut into his bowel to remove it, and he should pass it in the next few days. Bart comes home the next day,with a four inch cut along his tummy, he doesn't pee for 4 days, just squats and cries, while we fill him with medication and wish we could give him more painkillers because it obviously hurts. The vet says not to worry too much because it will happen but he has been chopped open so the muscles won't be happy. day 5 he pees and day 6 he poos. day 10 we take him back to the vet for his sutures to be removed and the vet notices that the tummy where the incision is isnt right, it bulges. Bart still has his stitches and has to go back on monday. If the lump is still there they'll stick a needle into it to drain it (they think it's a haematoma) if its not drainable, theyll open him back up and check the internal suturing, it may be a hernia. and the cost so far? £450. i don't begrudge him the cost at all, god knows i would do anything for my cats, but i iwsh i had been able to insure him, i wasn't able to find anyone to insure him because of his heart condition. Please send Bart lots of love so he gets better soon, he hates being locked in the bedroom and wants to go out and see his friends!

[feorag]

Oh poor lad - he must be in such discomfort!

Good luck for Monday!!

[jazzywoo]

aww poor boy hope hes better soon , hope your wallet recovers too

[smurf_nom]

aww, poor little guy. hope he recovers soon and good luck with monday.