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- Aug 23, 2009
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I'm just sick. I lost sweet little Pearly May last night. I've avoided saying anything all day--guess I thought somehow if I didn't acknowledge that it happened that it wouldn't be true. But it is. The vet thinks she developed a bacterial infection of some kind that hit her hard and furiously, so at 3:30 this morning, after a loving kiss on her tiny little forehead, I had the vet put her out of her misery.
She seemed fine all morning--was hanging out under the highboy where she liked to hide to soak up the heat from the vent there. She was talking a lot, but I didn't think much of it. Later on in the afternoon, she looked a little bit off somehow, but it was nothing I could put my finger on. About 9PM, she looked like she was a little thinner than normal, so I thought maybe she was getting dehydrated from being so close to the heat vent, so I took her out and gave her an ounce or so of kitten formula and then Habibi came and she started to nurse. I put them in the bassinette and turned up the heat in the house a little, so hopefully she'd stay in the bassinette. After she nursed awhile, she took a little nap, so I moved to the couch to watch a movie--I fell asleep and when I woke up at 1:30AM I couldn't believe my eyes! She looked awful! She just layed there looking pale and then she had a little spurt of extremely foul smelling whitish diarreah that looked almost like the milk and formula had passed right thru her. I bundeled her up and raced her to the emergency vet hospital about an hour away (the closest ER we have) and the vet said she believed she was already septic, her lungs were crackling from the fluid that was beginning to fill her lungs. We discussed whether or not she felt it was too late to save her, and reluctantly I agreed to put her out of her misery--she had begun to cry quite a lot and I couldn't let her suffer any longer if there was no real hope of saving her. So I kissed her goodbye, caressed her sweet little cheek and let her go. I cried all the way home.
I was worried about the rest of my cats, but the vet didn't think whatever she had was communicable since no one else was sick, but just to keep an eye on everyone.
So, I have had an eagle eye on everyone today and no one is sick. The vet thinks she may have had some kind of congenital problem that exacerbated causing the infection. All I know is my heart is heavy and my house is emptier tonight. I sure hope there are animals in Heaven and that someday I can see this sweet little girl again. I have beat myself up all day about not having seen it coming. This litter has been a nightmare. I am making an appointment with the vet to get Habibi spayed as soon as possible. Bertha Rose is doing fine and although she is eating solid and wet food, she still nurses. Not sure how long after giving birth I should wait to have her spayed. Will have to ask the vet.
Anyway--thanks for letting me share my sorrow with you.
Susi
She seemed fine all morning--was hanging out under the highboy where she liked to hide to soak up the heat from the vent there. She was talking a lot, but I didn't think much of it. Later on in the afternoon, she looked a little bit off somehow, but it was nothing I could put my finger on. About 9PM, she looked like she was a little thinner than normal, so I thought maybe she was getting dehydrated from being so close to the heat vent, so I took her out and gave her an ounce or so of kitten formula and then Habibi came and she started to nurse. I put them in the bassinette and turned up the heat in the house a little, so hopefully she'd stay in the bassinette. After she nursed awhile, she took a little nap, so I moved to the couch to watch a movie--I fell asleep and when I woke up at 1:30AM I couldn't believe my eyes! She looked awful! She just layed there looking pale and then she had a little spurt of extremely foul smelling whitish diarreah that looked almost like the milk and formula had passed right thru her. I bundeled her up and raced her to the emergency vet hospital about an hour away (the closest ER we have) and the vet said she believed she was already septic, her lungs were crackling from the fluid that was beginning to fill her lungs. We discussed whether or not she felt it was too late to save her, and reluctantly I agreed to put her out of her misery--she had begun to cry quite a lot and I couldn't let her suffer any longer if there was no real hope of saving her. So I kissed her goodbye, caressed her sweet little cheek and let her go. I cried all the way home.
I was worried about the rest of my cats, but the vet didn't think whatever she had was communicable since no one else was sick, but just to keep an eye on everyone.
So, I have had an eagle eye on everyone today and no one is sick. The vet thinks she may have had some kind of congenital problem that exacerbated causing the infection. All I know is my heart is heavy and my house is emptier tonight. I sure hope there are animals in Heaven and that someday I can see this sweet little girl again. I have beat myself up all day about not having seen it coming. This litter has been a nightmare. I am making an appointment with the vet to get Habibi spayed as soon as possible. Bertha Rose is doing fine and although she is eating solid and wet food, she still nurses. Not sure how long after giving birth I should wait to have her spayed. Will have to ask the vet.
Anyway--thanks for letting me share my sorrow with you.
Susi
My heart is aching right now after reading about poor little Pearly May...I will keep you and your kitties in my thoughts.