My baby Courtney is sick too

[Samz5]

Just when we thought we'd seen the last of the big vet bills, our baby Courtney has come down sick.
Just for some background this thread details whats been going on with Tango our other sick cat http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=17448

Courtney is our baby cat, although she is 12 years old she always acts like a kitten and is the youngest in the group, all the other cats look after her and 'mother' her.

At the start of this week she was fine, playing and everything but Thursday night she didn't look right and I gave her a fuss, she felt boney and her eyes looked sunken and dull, she hadn't had any food that day, so into the vets yesterday where they checked her over and said she was quite dehydrated but not too bad, so they gave her some antibiotics and we made an appointment for this morning just in case they didn't work.
This morning she was no better so back to the vet, they are keeping her in on a drip overnight and have run some tests, the test results have shown high white blood cells and low red blood cells (anemic), some abnormalities in her kidney results but this could be a result of an infection, I think there are more test results to come.

What seems a bit strange to me is that Tango has been sick recently too, he came down with it fast just like Courtney has, slightly different symptoms (Tango was being sick) and slightly different test results - Tango had Liver abnormalities and Courtney has Kidney abnormalities but both had high white blood cells and a normal temperature, but in both it isn't the kidneys or liver thats actually causing the problem, it seems to be a knock on effect of the problem.

The vet never did actually find out what was wrong with Tango after about £600 spent on tests/scans/ xrays and medication, and were still not sure if he's going to be OK, hes on a course of antibiotics but last time he came off them he was sick within days, we have about 3 weeks to go before he comes off them so we'll have to cross our fingers.

Courtney might have to have an x-ray and ultrasound scan too, but at the moment I don't know how I'm going to afford it, I can expect a £200 + bill tomorrow when I pick her up, I hope they can find out whats wrong this time.

Oh and Bones decided to wee in the corner for no apparent reason just after we'd got back from the vet - fantastic! (sarcasm)

[dinahsmum]

Sorry to hear all this and hope it can be sorted quickly and relatively cheaply.
I do sympathise with the vet bills - they always seem to come together and to pick exactly the time you could do without demands on your finances. :?

[Mags]

Sorry to hear this Sam, it's strange that they have both been ill so soon after each other:? I hope your vet will be able to diagnose what is wrong without too much investigation........

Would your vet allow you to pay so much a week/month to help spread the high bills?

[Fran]

I'm sorry to hear this :( I hope the vet gets to the bottom of the prooblem quickly x

[tilly]

Hope they are both better very soon.

Sally

[yola]

Oh no - I do hope the vet can secure a diagnosis. It's not good for the purse (and so close to Christmas too) and certainly not good in terms of worrying.

Jsut a thought, you don't think someone, somewhere - deliberately or not - is adminstering some kind of poison that they're picking up do you?

[Samz5]

Just got a phone call from the vet.
Courtney is more anemic today, and he said he felt her bladder and it didn't seem as full as it should for the amount of fluid shes had, after feeling her tummy he said he felt some fluid had built up elsewhere, so he took syringed the area and the fluid was all bloody.
It could be that shes been in a car accident and has internal bleeding, or it could be a tumor that has burst and it bleeding - that would be why shes so anemic.
So right now she is having a scan to look for tumors, then we can make decisions from there, he did say if they open her up and find lots of tumors we should think about whether we want her brought round from the anesthetic :cry:.
All the worry of costs from yesterday have gone out of the window, I will find the money, I'm just so worried about her - its hard to take in because she was 100% fine a few days ago, now she is far from fine, I don't want to lose her.

[tilly]

Hope that you get some good new and that there isn't any tumors.

Sally

((((HUGS)))

[Fran]

Oh I am so sorry to hear this. I have everything crossed that the vets will be able to treat her {{{Hugs}}} x

[kado]

my thoughts are with you
hugs from jane and simon

[Samz5]

Well the scan didn't show up any tumors (not that that means there definatly aren't tumors) it did show that her spline is abnormal, her liver looks OK but the spleen was covering part of it so not 100% sure, other than that it showed that her intestines are thickened and this is caused by there being extra fluid (blood) around them.
So the vet gave me 2 choices, 1. do nothing and she will get worse 2. Open her up today and see whats going on, well theres no choice as far as I'm concerned shes having the operation today.
The vet said that if he opens her up and they find tumors that he will phone me and thats when I decide whether to just let her go..... just typing that has put me in floods of tears :cry:. I can't believe this is happening, my poor baby.

[tilly]

I have got my finger crossed for good news.

Sally

[Fran]

Everything crossed here too for good news x

[Moli]

Hope she gets better soon....

[Mags]

Fingers crossed here, I do hope she pulls through this...... x

[Samz5]

Thanks for you kind words, I'm feeling a little less emotional now, Me and my b/f have talked it all out and we know what choices we will make if the vet finds tumors, just have to wait for the call and find out how she is, other than this she is a very healthy cat, we just hope its something that can be fixed.
I will let you know what happens

[dinahsmum]

This is very sad news. Hope the op. shows that things really aren't that bad ........
If there are difficult decisions to be made, I hope you have the strength to make the right one. (((hugs)))

[yola]

Oh no. What a horrible situation to be in :( I do hope the vet finds nothing and is able to treat whatever the problem seems to be. Lots of hugs and wishes of good luck.

[Elaine]

Thinking of you all xxx

[dandysmom]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this; hope and pray the vet will find it isn't tumors, and that whatever it is will respond to treatment! Please do let us know; fingers crossed here for you........

[Samz5]

The vet phoned back, he had Courtney opened up and found a large tumor, it had spread, he said he could bring her round from the operation and she might last another day or 2, or he could let her go..... I told him to let her go.
I miss her so much already, I just can't believe it, I can't stop crying.. I have to pick her up later today. :cry:

[dinahsmum]

:cry:
You know you did the right thing.
In time the sadness you feel today will be replaced by the happy memories you have of her.
{{{hugs}}}

[kado]

I am so sorry for you. My thoughts are with you.

big hugs from jane

[Fran]

I am so very sorry to hear this {{{Hugs}}}

RIP Courtney....sleep well brave little girl x

[tilly]

So sorry to hear about your loss. It takes a brave person to make that kind of desion.
(((HUGS))

Sally

[yola]

I'm so very, very sorry. However, Courtney will one day thank you for your act of mercy. There was no other option left to you but to release her.

When the pain and sadness has diminished sufficiently, you will look back and know that you did the right thing.

Lots of love and hugs.

[sammy]

Oh Sam, I'm so sorry to read this. You might recall I lost my baby Mizzie a few weeks ago, so I know just where you are right now. It's an awful place to be, but my only comfort was the thought that she had a very happy life with me. You must hold on to those same thoughts, and to know that you did the very best for Courtney.

I still miss Mizzie terribly, but very slowly it does start to get better. Love and hugs to you. xxx

[Mags]

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss :cry: ((((hugs))))

RIP Courtney ...... sleep well...

[borderdawn]

Very sorry.
Dawn.

[EmmaG]

So so Sorry Sam :( RIP sweet Courtney, I lost my cat Lucy to tumours (she had a similar operation but we thought she could fight and recover - she was only 12 ;( - that was a couple of years ago, I miss her terribly but only really remember the good times), they go down hill very quickly after being operated on to find out what is going on. You REALLY did make the right decision to let her go.

(((HUGS)))

[Elaine]

So very sorry Sam and can only echo what others have already said.
Big hugs to you xxx
R.I.P. Courtney xxx

[catsinc4]

Im So Sorry To Hear ((hugs))

[EmmaG]

RIP Courtney

Lend Me a Kitten
I will lend to you for a while
a kitten, God said.
For you to love while she lives,
and mourn when she's dead.

Maybe for twelve or fourteen years,
or maybe two or three.
But will you, 'till I call her back,
take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to gladden you
and should her stay be brief,
you'll always have her memories
as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay,
since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught below
I want this kitten to learn.

I've looked the whole world over
in search of teachers true,
And from the folk that crowds life's land
I have chosen you.

Now will you give her all your love,
nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
my kitten home again?

And my heart replied,
"My Lord, Thy Will Be Done."
For all the joys this kitten brings,
the risk of grief I'll run.

I'll shelter her with tenderness,
I'll love her while I may.
And for the happiness that I've known,
forever grateful stay.

But should you call her back
much sooner than I planned,
I'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
and try to understand.

If by my love I've managed
your wishes to achieve,
in memory of her sweet sweet love,
please help me while I grieve.

When my cherished kitten
departs this world of strife,
Please send yet another needing soul
for me to love all her life.
~

[yola]

Emma - that's touchingly beautiful. I'm no longer religious, but the words of the poem you've posted reach right into one's soul. I do hope they bring some relief to the pain.

[Mags]

That is really beautiful Emma and I would think, appreciated a lot......

[Fran]

I love that poem..it's very comforting I think?

[Samz5]

Thank you all so much for your support.
I know we made the right choice to let her go, she would have been in pain after the operation and still bleeding inside, I wouldn't want to see her suffer.
We are kind of lucky she went so fast, she was so happy right to the end, my brother had visited last week and he said the same... no one could ever have guessed she was so sick and she only started going downhill on Thursday, even then We weren't really worried, just thought she was having a bad day.
We even discussed if we should take her to the vet at all, or if we were being like over worried parents, I'm so glad she went otherwise she would have died slowly.

Yesterday was hard, picking her up from the vet and taking her home... We had talked about showing her to the other cats because 3 of them were very close to her and when one of my brothers cats died they didn't show the living cat the body and she cried out for her for months.... so I sat with Courtney on my lap and 1 by 1 Tango, Rags and Mitz came to see her, first all of them were shocked and ran away but they came back one at a time and sniffed her and said goodbye in there own way, Bones wasn't close to her and didn't come to see her but he sniffed her towel after she had gone and I think he took in what had happened, I'm glad we did that, even though the cats seem sad today I know they will miss her and would have searched for her if we hadn't done it. Both me and my b/f felt a little better for seeing her and having our family back together 1 last time.

Then we took her to my mums, her garden is lovely and Courtney's grand daughter Chi (my brothers cat) is buried there, It just felt like a better place to put her, she is right by Chi now.

I want to share some pics with you of our pretty girl so here she is just 2 weeks ago
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/123sammy/06-12-03169.jpg

This is Courtney with her brother Tango

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/123sammy/Tangoandcourtney4.jpg


and with Rags who loved to wash her but it always ended up in a play fight

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/123sammy/04-10-14019.jpg


Thank you Courtney for 12 happy years together, I will miss you so much x

[yola]

What a beautiful gesture, showing her to the other cats so they could say goodbye.

Courtney was a sweetheart, I'm sure there will be a hole in your lives for some time :(

[Fran]

What a beautiful girl. I think you did the right thing letting the others see her, we did this when we lost our old girl last year and I do think it helps them understand {{Big hugs to you}}} x

[tilly]

Very loving of you to let the others say good bye to her as well.

Thanks for the gorgeous photos

Sally

[Mags]

Courtney was a beautiful girl and that was such a touching gesture allowing your other cats to say goodbye..... :cry: