Boomer going to the vet

lizardlady · Jul 12, 2022 at 01:34 PM

Could I ask for some special thoughts for my kitty Boomer. I found he had a swelling on one of his hind legs a couple of weeks ago. It didn't seem to bother him so I decided to just keep an eye on it. While the leg doesn't seem to have changed he seems to be having trouble eating. Normally he and the others get wet and dry mixed. I noticed he was having trouble with the dry food so I switched him to just wet. He is not finishing that. He also seems to be losing weight. Makes sense if he is not eating enough.

He had a problem with his teeth a couple of years ago. That lead to a horrid sinus infection. Maybe it's the same sort of problem?

He is a senior citizen, 17 years old. I'm hoping this is something treatable. Keep us in your thoughts, please.

MuddyBoots · Jul 12, 2022 at 01:44 PM

Praying for you and Boomer, hope all is a quick and easy fix!

Nammu · Jul 12, 2022 at 01:46 PM

Oo yeah, good thoughts and vibes coming boomers way.

rechu · Jul 12, 2022 at 01:52 PM

Aww, I'm sorry. I've had a rough time this year with cats' health too. I will send some healing vibes Boomer's way.

Jul 12, 2022 at 01:53 PM

Much love coming for Boomer

SlumberKitty · Jul 12, 2022 at 02:47 PM

Hugs, love, and prayers for Boomer

Travelinglady · Jul 12, 2022 at 06:40 PM

Prayers that Boomer will be okay.....

MuddyBoots · Jul 12, 2022 at 07:07 PM

Let us know how the vet visit goes!

lizardlady · Jul 14, 2022 at 09:34 AM

We haven't been to the vet yet. Our appt. is late this afternoon. I thought I'd share our morning adventure cuz it's sort of funny.

Boomer likes to hide during the day, but comes out for breakfast and supper. I thought I would put him in a carrier when he came out for breakfast. Except he did not come out for breakfast. My mind immediately went to the worst case scenario that he was too sick/weak to come out. I did a quick search, then decided to have my breakfast. He came wandering out while I ate, but he kept going back into hiding. Well, at least I knew where he was hiding and that he was relatively okay.

Finished breakfast, grabbed a flashlight and headed for where I thought he was hiding (under the bed in the guest bedroom). The bed is higher than usual off the floor. I got down on my stomach to see if I could spot him. Nope. Shifted around boxes of stuff in storage under the bed. Spotted him huddled up as far back as he could get. Scooted my shoulders under the bed. Couldn't reach him. Scooted further. Still could not reach him. Eventually I was having to creep forward pushing with just my toes. Then I felt one of the other cats walking on my legs. Miette, who has to be in the middle of everything, squeezed up next to me to check things out. She got told to go away.

I go back to creeping forward toward Boomer making soothing sounds and trying to coax him to come to me. No way!

Then when I could almost reach him I had an asthma attack! Envision this, I'm flat on my belly under the bed, absolutely no room above me, no quick out from under the bed and struggling to breathe!

Finally got my breathing under control and got close enough to get hold of Boomer. He is now in a carrier with some food. He will stay there until we get home from the vet.

Before anyone asks why not move the bed, I can't. There's so much stuff piled onto and around it there's no way. Plus Boomer would have taken off leaving me to hunt his new hidey hole.

downandlonely · Jul 14, 2022 at 09:40 AM

Catching cats can be tough! Hope the vet visit goes ok.

Nammu · Jul 14, 2022 at 10:06 AM

oo I’m sorry you had an asthma attack but as you said, funny. The things we do for our pets! I suppose he crouched there and watched you!

SlumberKitty · Jul 14, 2022 at 10:07 AM

LizardLady, I can sympathize. My Amelia is very hard to catch, and while she is indoor/outdoor, she is usually outdoor so I never know where she will be. Plus she is very skittish. I have to be patient and wait and do things on her schedule. Then when I do actually get her and pick her up, I have to slide her backwards into a pillowcase and then deposit the pillowcase into the carrier and shut the door quickly, or else she escapes and all hope of getting her to the vet is lost for that day, and then next few days as well. It is really hard to get her checkups done but every six months somehow we manage to.

Good luck with Boomer at the vet today. I hope that the news will be good. Also sorry about your asthma attack. HUGS if wanted, Kit

lizardlady · Jul 14, 2022 at 07:03 PM

Well, we are home from the vet. I don't have much in the way of answers yet.

The vet agreed with me that the swollen leg and weight loss are two separate problems. She tried aspirating the swelling and did not get anything. She did an ultrasound and said there's some fluid and some solid stuff in the swelling. We both agreed that given his age and the fact it's not bothering him we are going to keep an eye on it but leave it alone.

She said he has some plaque on his teeth, but otherwise did not see anything wrong in his mouth. Listening to his chest She said he has a slight heart murmur. Not unusual given his age. She drew blood and urine to send to the lab. We should get the results back Monday or Tuesday. That will help us figure out where to go from here.

So things are up in the air for now. Time to wait and see what the labs show.

Thanks everyone for your support.

Nammu · Jul 14, 2022 at 10:38 PM

My guy is 16-17 don’t know for sure could be older. He’s been with me 12 yrs and they thought he was 6 or 7 back then. He suddenly lost a few pounds a year and a half ago and looks like a gawky teen again. They found nothing wrong and he eats the same as he always has and plays and jumps with no problem. So it was chalked up to old age. His eyes and fur look great. So boomer might be one of those cats that get skinny in old age.

lizardlady · Jul 15, 2022 at 08:20 AM

Thanks Nammu. The vet thinks it might be something metabolic which could related to his age. Fingers crossed.

On the good news side, he came out of hiding to eat breakfast. He loves chicken. I'm going to cook some for him today to see if that tempts him.

rechu · Jul 18, 2022 at 06:42 AM

I hope the weight loss is just his age. I took my 14-year-old cat to the vet recently for her vaccines and a general check-up. She weight a bit less than last time, but the vet said it wasn't concerning and overall she was in great shape for her age.

Rapid weight loss is what is generally a sign of a more serious problem.

I hope the tests help you get a better idea of what is going on.

SlumberKitty · Jul 18, 2022 at 04:25 PM

Any news on Boomer's results as of yet? You doing okay?

lizardlady · Jul 19, 2022 at 07:31 AM

Thanks Slumberkitty.

I'm sad this morning. Boomer died during the night last night. He started not wanting to eat over the weekend and stayed under the bed. Seemed like he knew he was fading.

Open Eyes · Jul 19, 2022 at 07:51 AM

Oh I am sorry Boomer passed away last nite. Often they try to hide away someplace when they are dying. He was 17 years old which is definitely a senior. You did your best by taking him to your vet. Sometimes a vet doesn’t pick up on what is failing. It’s very possible his heart just failed and he passed in his sleep.

lizardlady · Jul 19, 2022 at 09:08 AM

Thanks OE.

The vet and I discussed the idea that he might be at end of life. We did the blood work to rule out something treatable.

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Boomer going to the vet

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MuddyBoots Monster on the Hill Member Since Sep 2020 Location: by the river Posts: 4,123 (SuperPoster!) 3 4,829 hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 01:44 PM #2 Praying for you and Boomer, hope all is a quick and easy fix! __________________ Live life for nothing but that sweet sweet melody.
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Nammu Crone Member Since May 2010 Location: Some where between my inner mind and the solar system. Posts: 71,352 (SuperPoster!) 13 53.6k hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 01:46 PM #3 Oo yeah, good thoughts and vibes coming boomers way. __________________ *Nammu* …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann
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rechu Magnate Member Since Apr 2016 Location: Somewhere in South America Posts: 2,212 8 1,039 hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 01:52 PM #4 Aww, I'm sorry. I've had a rough time this year with cats' health too. I will send some healing vibes Boomer's way.
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Anonymous32448 Guest Posts: n/a	Jul 12, 2022 at 01:53 PM #5 Much love coming for Boomer
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SlumberKitty Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jul 2018 Location: CA Posts: 27,329 (SuperPoster!) 5 117.7k hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 02:47 PM #6 Hugs, love, and prayers for Boomer __________________ Dum Spiro Spero IC XC NIKA
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Travelinglady Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Sep 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 48,025 (SuperPoster!) 13 22.9k hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 06:40 PM #7 Prayers that Boomer will be okay.....
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MuddyBoots Monster on the Hill Member Since Sep 2020 Location: by the river Posts: 4,123 (SuperPoster!) 3 4,829 hugs given	Jul 12, 2022 at 07:07 PM #8 Let us know how the vet visit goes! __________________ Live life for nothing but that sweet sweet melody.
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downandlonely Legendary Member Since Mar 2018 Location: United States Posts: 10,760 (SuperPoster!) 6 10.6k hugs given	Jul 14, 2022 at 09:40 AM #10 Catching cats can be tough! Hope the vet visit goes ok.
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Nammu Crone Member Since May 2010 Location: Some where between my inner mind and the solar system. Posts: 71,352 (SuperPoster!) 13 53.6k hugs given	Jul 14, 2022 at 10:06 AM #11 oo I’m sorry you had an asthma attack but as you said, funny. The things we do for our pets! I suppose he crouched there and watched you! __________________ *Nammu* …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann
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lizardlady Legendary Member Since Nov 2002 Location: Mid World Posts: 17,488 (SuperPoster!) 21 7,515 hugs given	Jul 15, 2022 at 08:20 AM #15 Thanks Nammu. The vet thinks it might be something metabolic which could related to his age. Fingers crossed. On the good news side, he came out of hiding to eat breakfast. He loves chicken. I'm going to cook some for him today to see if that tempts him.
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SlumberKitty Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jul 2018 Location: CA Posts: 27,329 (SuperPoster!) 5 117.7k hugs given	Jul 18, 2022 at 04:25 PM #17 Any news on Boomer's results as of yet? You doing okay? __________________ Dum Spiro Spero IC XC NIKA
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lizardlady Legendary Member Since Nov 2002 Location: Mid World Posts: 17,488 (SuperPoster!) 21 7,515 hugs given	Jul 19, 2022 at 07:31 AM #18 Thanks Slumberkitty. I'm sad this morning. Boomer died during the night last night. He started not wanting to eat over the weekend and stayed under the bed. Seemed like he knew he was fading.
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Open Eyes Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Mar 2011 Location: Northeast USA Posts: 23,115 (SuperPoster!) 13 21.3k hugs given	Jul 19, 2022 at 07:51 AM #19 Oh I am sorry Boomer passed away last nite. Often they try to hide away someplace when they are dying. He was 17 years old which is definitely a senior. You did your best by taking him to your vet. Sometimes a vet doesn’t pick up on what is failing. It’s very possible his heart just failed and he passed in his sleep.
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lizardlady Legendary Member Since Nov 2002 Location: Mid World Posts: 17,488 (SuperPoster!) 21 7,515 hugs given	Jul 19, 2022 at 09:08 AM #20 Thanks OE. The vet and I discussed the idea that he might be at end of life. We did the blood work to rule out something treatable.
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