What a Friday night. Odi who I rescued in PMB 8 years ago and who I suspect is around 10 years old now had been vomiting for 2 days but he does battle with fur balls so I had put down extra fur ball assisting pellets for him to eat and thought he would see himself right soon. Well last night I got home from feeding my moms cats and spending some time with them as she is away for a few days and I took one look at Odi and did not like what I saw. I settled him next to the heater and Andy and I decided to take him to the Vet in the morning. Next thing he started vomiting again but it was not fur ball I realised. I waited a bit and then he vomited again so we bundled him into his carrier, into the car and off to the Fourways 24 hour emergency animal hospital. Thank goodness we have such a facility and it is fairly close - 15km's away.
The Vet checked temp which was a bit high, took blood sample and saw his white blood cells were elevated indicating infection and that the blood cells were a strange shape. He tested for feline aids which came back as a mild positive. This means he may just have been exposed to the virus recently but is not full blown positive. We will need to test again in 3 months. There is such a terrible epidemic of feline aids in South Africa that any cat owner actually has that in the back of their mind all the time. It is terminal and a horrid death but the cats can be kept comfortable and live fairly long. It is transmitted via cat fights.
The Vet suggested Odi be admitted and go onto a drip and pain meds as he was displaying signs of "Bruxism" which is a sign of pain.
I was so upset but agreed that that would be best for him to get better and I like the fact that this facility is 24 hours with nurses doing regular rounds and Doctors sleeping in the facility to handle any emergencies straight away.
I phoned the Vet at midnight just to check on Odi and the Receptionist advised the Doctor wanted to discuss the X-rays with me. My heart stopped and I waited on the line expecting to be told that he had found a cancer mass. All terrible memories of Storm came flooding back into my mind. 6What he actually told me blew me away. They found several pellet gun bullets lodged in Odi's body which were visible on the X-ray. I knew he had been neglected when I rescued him all those years ago and I did suspect abuse but never knew this!
The lead in the bullets is causing him to be toxic now as well.
I was so very sad just thinking of the pain and fear he had been through before I took him in. People can be so terribly cruel.
The Vet called me this morning to advise Odi is doing ok but will stay in hospital over night again and I can visit at lunch time today and discuss the findings and options then.
I'm going to take his favorite blanket with me for him.
To all cat lovers out there and anyone who is caring and loving please send us purrs.
5 comments:
Pellet gun bullets?! Sometimes I really hate humans....So what happens? If the remove them--the source of the toxins--will that remedy the problem?
We're sending tons of purrs and healing Light to poor Odi, and hugs to you!
We are purring for your sweet Odi. I am mad, mad, mad that someone did that to him!
oh FIP is such a terrible, nasty illness, but most cats actually do test positive for it, it's when the cells began mutating (when the cat is exposed to other viruses and such) they become ill for real, well i suppose that's why it's called cat aids really.
that aside (if possible), the bullet thing, how disgusting, people are stupid, mean, evil, horrible creatures!!:(
lots and lost of good purrs and thoughts coming your way!!!
I'm so sorry about Odi feeling ill. He is not a spring chicken any more but I am glad you reacted fast to him being ill and that the doc has now located those horrible pellets. I hope he recovers soon.
OMG!! Poor Odi... i hate humans!! i hope someone shoots the evil person that shot him.
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