angieh
20-06-2008, 05:43 PM
Friends of my old Merlin will be familiar with the background to his history (or should I say cystory?)
We went back to see the vet this afternoon and he still recommends that I book Merlin in to have his cyst removed. It is amazing how much better Merlin is after almost a week on antibiotics. The infection from the cyst had really pulled him down and of course, once he stops taking the anti-bi's it will creep up again. I don't think I had realised that his general condition was being so badly influenced by the infection and had almost accepted that it was due to his age - and it wasn't as if he hadn't seen a vet during this time either. It took a new pair of eyes - a new vet - to focus my attention on the cause. Poor old Merlin!
I've been advised to phone the main practice tomorrow and book him in for some time next week. He will have to have a day beforehand on IV and a day after the op on IV to flush out the anaesthetic. He will need to go to the main surgery (about 10 miles away) because they have overnight observation facilities there.
I suppose that if the worst happens and he passes away under the anaesthetic, he won't have known what was happening. If he pulls through, he will have a difficult time having to wear a cone and probably being miserable but could have a much better quality of life after he has recovered.
He has been like his old self these last few days, full of "cattitude" and it would be hard to see him start feeling unwell again when the infection sets in again, and I suppose that is the one certainty.
But it's still very hard to take the decision to make that phone call.
We went back to see the vet this afternoon and he still recommends that I book Merlin in to have his cyst removed. It is amazing how much better Merlin is after almost a week on antibiotics. The infection from the cyst had really pulled him down and of course, once he stops taking the anti-bi's it will creep up again. I don't think I had realised that his general condition was being so badly influenced by the infection and had almost accepted that it was due to his age - and it wasn't as if he hadn't seen a vet during this time either. It took a new pair of eyes - a new vet - to focus my attention on the cause. Poor old Merlin!
I've been advised to phone the main practice tomorrow and book him in for some time next week. He will have to have a day beforehand on IV and a day after the op on IV to flush out the anaesthetic. He will need to go to the main surgery (about 10 miles away) because they have overnight observation facilities there.
I suppose that if the worst happens and he passes away under the anaesthetic, he won't have known what was happening. If he pulls through, he will have a difficult time having to wear a cone and probably being miserable but could have a much better quality of life after he has recovered.
He has been like his old self these last few days, full of "cattitude" and it would be hard to see him start feeling unwell again when the infection sets in again, and I suppose that is the one certainty.
But it's still very hard to take the decision to make that phone call.