claudine hellmuth's blog: retro * whimsical art and illustration

maggie update

Well she has every test known to man, blood work, X-ray, EKG all came back normal. They gave her some antibiotics and some sub cue fluids because she won't eat or drink and I brought her home around noon.

At around 3:00pm she became almost completely unresponsive so we rushed her back to the vet where she then had an EKG. That's normal too. So it's still a big question mark what is making her feel so awful. She is a little more alert now. We'll have the full blood panel back tomorrow so if there's anything left it'll show up there.

I spent the afternoon crying and laying next to her. I am so worried and distraught. It was exactly a year ago that we lost our wonderful kitty Melvis, under similar conditions. One day she was fine, the next she wasn't. However I have to remind myself that Melvis was an older kitty (12) and she wound up having cancer, where as Maggie is young (3) and so far they can't find anything. Still I am traumatized by the similar look in Melvis' last days and the way Maggie looks now.

I hope that this time tomorrow Maggie is back to her normal self and running around like crazy and then we can laugh and tell her what a scare she gave us.

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edited Tuesday, June 27th, 11:22am
TEST RESULT UPDATE :
I took Maggie in for more sub cue fluids this morning. She is no better but no worse. They got the full blood panel test results in and she is low in red and white blood cell counts. They re-tested her for FIV and Feline LUK and those were negative -- thank god!!

So they think she might have some sort of other virus and all they can say right now is wait and see and to keep bringing her in for fluids and antibiotic to prevent a secondary infection and that she should be able to fight the virus herself.

She is licking small amounts of food off my finger, so that is encouraging. I'm going out now to buy tuna, baby food and anything else that could tempt her to eat.

Thank you all for your kind and supportive comments! It really helps! It's just me, Paul and my family here, so you guys are all like my friends and it makes me feel good to know you care! Much appreciated!

P.S. Good news! Toby is doing much better and actually wanted to play this morning. Whew!

Labels: pets

:: posted @ 6:32 PM by claudine hellmuth::

COMMENTS:

I'm sure that even though Maggie still seems listless, she's better being home with you at her side. I'm so sorry to hear about your sadness, I totally understand. Went thru the same thing as you did with your sweet little Melvis last year also. Stay by her side, she knows you're there! Chin up, she can feel your emotions.

(Hope ya don't mind me popping in w/o any introductions...I've been visiting your blog for a while mostly to see your beautiful art and just had to send my Get Well Wishes to Maggie since I'm a major pet lover, too).

# posted by

madretz : 7:07 PM

ohh no...poor thing..hope it all works out..we had a sick kitty a couple weeks ago and it was nothing serious but it did knock him off his feet for a few days..

# posted by

Vanessa : 7:27 PM

Sorry to hear about Maggie! I'll say a prayer for her!

Thanks for your comments on "Rain." I did this growing up in FL too. Now I live in WA, so I get quite enough!

# posted by

Paula Adams Perez : 8:54 PM

Oh sweet pea, still here with you sending all my love and hugs to you all.

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:03 PM

Has Maggie recently had her rabies shot? this happened to my cat after his shot--a particularly strong batch. the vet checked and others had a bad reaction also. we had to wait it out with some cat tylenol.

# posted by

Joanne S : 9:06 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Our fur babies are our kids as well.
Just stay with her and love her the way I am sure she loves you when you aren't feeling well.

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:11 PM

thanks guys for all the well wishes.

She had her shots in March so i don't think it's that. right now we are waiting and watching. She still won't eat or drink which is so worrying.

So tomorrow back to the vet in the AM for more fluids!

thank you again for all your good thoughts! it really helps.
xxxox

# posted by

claudine hellmuth : 9:17 PM

Aw, poor Maggie, and poor you! I know the feeling of worrying about furkids. A couple years ago (when I'd commissioned that drum poppet for my husband) we lost our little chihuahua mix Booger to prostate cancer. So ever since then, if any little thing happens with the dogs, I freak out. Hope all is well! ((hugs))

# posted by

Anonymous : 10:23 PM

:( keeping you, paul and maggie in my thoughts.
sincerely,
hanna (fur mommy to neptune, nova, max, maggie, and omar)

# posted by

Anonymous : 10:54 PM

I just got in..
I'm soooo sorry!!!
I'll call you in the morning..
My prayers are with you and Maggie..
Much LOve my sweet friend..

# posted by

Bernie Berlin : 11:50 PM

what a cute kitty!!

# posted by

Unknown : 11:53 PM

Oh my dear Claudine-
I am so sorry to read about Maggie. I know what it is like to worry about kitties. Thomas and I spent many years worrying about our Paige kitty- taking her to vet all the time when things would go very wrong. (She even ate a deadly lilly once and almost died... Uuugh! That was the last time I had flowers inside the house...)

We got a call on the last day of teaching at ArtFest this year- April Fools day- while we were so far away from her and the vet said she would not make it- Sigh...

I never got to say goodbye. It was the worst experience I have even had.

Anyway- Stay near to Miss Maggie- love her and let her know she will be fine. I am SURE everything will be okay. She is very loved and watched over.

My thoughts are with you.

I will be reading for more updates...
XoxoxoxoX
Jane

# posted by

Anonymous : 12:33 AM

She's a beautiful black cat, some things that come to mind are spider bites, ant bites.

Have you had her teeth xrayed yet? She could have an abcessed tooth which could cause her to be lifeless and unable to eat.

Other thoughts I have are something in her tounge, under the tounge, or at the back of the mouth - I had a dog that ate a blackberry bush once, not good.

Parasites, I'm not sure where your at, but flees are a big problem in many areas which equals tapeworms.

# posted by

k baxter packwood : 12:41 AM

My dog Max is my dearest companion, so I know completely how you feel. Please know that I am thinking all positive thoughts for Maggie and you today Claudine. Between your love and attention and the vet's care, she's obviously in excellent hands.

# posted by

Kerri Jean : 9:08 AM

Don't worry little Chibby! She will be ok. Maybe she is just jealous of all the attention Toby is getting from his vet visits, that she decided she needed one herself. I can hear them talking about it now...Toby was probably telling her how great the attention is...ya just got to play it up a little...pretend you are sick...pretend you hate the vet...be dramatic....then...the world is your oyster! Bet they are in cahoots!!!! But when she snaps out of this she will be so grounded...
I don't mean to make light of your situation. Sick pets are so stressful, especially when they are your kids...fur kids. I just got this visual of the 2 of them talking and had to share my crazy thoughts....hopefully you'll get a little comic relief from this...

# posted by

cathy h. : 9:13 AM

You are surely being put through the wringer! Sending good vibes that Maggie feel much better today, so that you can.

# posted by

I need orange : 9:35 AM

Oh, Claudine! I'm so sorry! I'm sending get well soon wishes your way!!

# posted by

i *heart* paper : 10:27 AM

Hope to hear Maggie is doing much better by now!

# posted by

Sue Seibert : 10:40 AM

It's so nice to hear how much you love your furry friends! Maggie sounds like a fighter and she's young so believe in your heart that she will be OK. My thoughts are with you and Paul!

# posted by

Anonymous : 12:05 PM

Hope Maggie recovers soon!

# posted by

arvindh : 3:46 PM

Poor sweet little Maggie. I always freak out when my animals are ill. I hate that there's no way for them to just SAY what's ailing them, and I don't often realize they are doing poorly until it's really bad.

Great news on the test results at least. I hope Maggie bounces back soon!

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:10 PM

It's been a rough month for you.:( I know little Maggie will be fine. I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

# posted by

jen v : 6:29 PM

Yay for Toby bouncing back.

I am glad to hear that the latest news for Maggie is positive. Thank you so much for the update!! Big Hugs to you all!!

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:41 PM

Just checking in to see how Maggie is doing. I hope you are doing okay, too. It is so difficult to concentrate on anything when they are sick.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:11 PM

Oh, I'm glad she's better! We had a lab puppy who got mysteriously sick like that: we thought he had ingested part of a bread wrapper and ended up having exploratory surgery since the tests and xrays showed nothing. It turns out he had parvovirus (despite innoculations)! It just took IVs and a lot of love and he came back fine for a long life!

# posted by

Paula Adams Perez : 8:31 PM

Claudine, also try broth (chicken or beef) over her food. We do that for our dogs (but it's more because of their semi-holistic diet than to get them to eat)...but I'm sure it would work. Glad she's doing ok!

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:20 PM