Fanny's Dental Care

 

A few weeks ago, Fanny went to the Veterinarian to have her dental exam and teeth cleaned. This is my husband carrying her into the office.

I was sure that she had a dental issue because she had recently developed bad breath.  A sure sign that something was going on. 

A few weeks earlier, she had her yearly physical and the Vet saw that she had inflamed gums around a loose tooth. A full mouth exam is difficult to do on a cat unless they are under anesthesia. So we made a dental appointment.

I was pretty sure that she had a dental issue because she had recently developed bad breath.  A sign that something could be going on. 

A few weeks earlier, she had her yearly physical and the Vet saw that she had inflamed gums around a loose tooth. A full mouth exam is difficult to do on a cat unless they are under anesthesia. So we made a dental appointment.

During the dental exam it was discovered that she had three teeth that were decayed and needed to be pulled. The Vet called me before she proceeded but of course I gave her permission to pull them. 

When we brought Fanny home she was still quite "high" from the anesthesia and medication. Her pupils were dilated and she acted a little hyper. She was hobbling quickly ( she has that bad leg) from one room to another and constantly wanted food. It's the most active I've seen her in a long time.

Anyway, the effects of the anesthesia wore off in a few hours and she seemed back to normal.

I gave her pain medication when she seemed uncomfortable. She was getting a slightly stronger dose of Buprenorphine than she usually gets... due to her surgery.

For two weeks we gave her only wet food then returned to the Vet for her post-op visit. Everything was fine except there was a little inflammation at the site of one of the extractions. I had to give her a course of an antibiotic to avoid the inflammation from getting any worse. 

Starting back on dry food did not seem to cause her any discomfort. I was concerned about her biting and chewing since two of the teeth pulled were her canines. But I was really excited when I heard her crunching the dry food. She seemed to adapt.

Good oral health is so important to your cat's health. Fanny was never a fan of brushing but I do give her dental care treats every night and have her teeth checked every year. At the age of "19", I think she is doing pretty well.

You certainly don't want to ignore your cat's teeth since decayed teeth and gum disease can turn into a severe infection and cost you a lot of extra money.

I'd like to share a website with you which explains how you can provide good oral care for your cat:

https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/healthcare/cat-dental-care?lightboxfired=true#

Make sure you take your cat for yearly physicals. Your cat will love you for it.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!
Darlene and Fanny

PS: I'd love to hear from you. 

Do you have any stories about your cat's dental care?

Happy Easter

Hi everyone!

I am sorry I haven't posted lately. 

We have had a lot of medical appointments in the past few months, so haven't felt like blogging. Nothing drastic. Just having back issues again. Had an epidural in my lower back, but it didn't work due to scar tissue from previous surgeries. My husband has been having pain in his elbow and had a cortisone shot yesterday. So, nothing we can't handle.

But this is supposed to be about our dear Fanny. And I am sure she would be upset if she knew I had added some of our personal tidbits.

First, Fanny has been doing pretty well. It has been 6 weeks since her last injection of Solensia. It's an anti-inflammatory medication that is supposed to last a month or more. Up until now, after a month, she would start showing some signs of pain by limping more or keeping to herself (sleeping in the closet).  So far, she is interacting with us normally, walking with a minimal limp, and going up and down her steps easily. We'll be able to tell when it's time for her to get the shot again.

But in this blog today, I'd like to cover how the Easter holiday can affect your cat. There are many things that we have in our homes during Easter that are dangerous to cats and other pets.

First, according to the website, Preventivevet.com, Easter Lilies are extremely dangerous and can cause acute kidney failure. 

"Your cat only needs to ingest a small amount or lick even just the pollen off their fur or paws, to be poisoned by these lilies. Lily toxicity is incredibly debilitating and often fatal for cats"

Cyclamen and Amaryllis can also be dangerous. In fact, it's not a bad idea to keep all plants out of your pet's reach.

Chocolate is toxic for pets, especially dogs. And beware that the sugar substitute Xylitol, which can be found in a lot of Easter candies, can be highly toxic to your pets. It causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar and can cause seizures and liver failure.

The plastic grass found in Easter baskets, if ingested, can lead to intestinal obstruction, sometimes requiring surgery.

And last, but not least, avoid sneaking food under the table to your cat during Easter dinner. Fatty foods can cause digestive problems and possibly pancreatitis. While the high sodium levels found in ham can cause neurological problems.

If your cat (or other pet) ingests something that could be harmful, immediately contact your Vet or call the animal-specific poison control center.

Fanny and I hope you and your family have a lovely, safe, Easter.

Remember: Hug your pets
               Darlene

Sources:

https://www.preventivevet.com/pets/easter-safety-for-cats-and-dogs 

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

ASPCA poison control 888-426-4435

Valentine's Day with Fanny

Fanny was my favorite Valentine.....
 Except for my husband, of course.
💘
She is so sweet and always willing to give us a kiss.
💋
Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. 

Fur babies are so adorable and make great cuddle partners.

They make you feel happy, keep you warm, and just plain bless you with their presence.

If she isn't cuddling with me, she's cuddling with my husband.
Men are big softies when it comes to cats.

As an update on Fanny's health, she has been doing pretty well lately. It's been almost 8 weeks since her last injection of Solensia, but I think she is about ready for another. They usually last at least a month. 

She has been kind of sluggish the last week or so. Lying around more. Not eating quite as much. So I'm thinking these are signs that activity may be causing her some pain.

She tried playing in her toy bowl, but fell asleep almost immediately.

I'll be making an appointment for the Vet Tech to give her another shot. 8 weeks is a long time between shots.

If you get a few free moments, please go to Amazon.com and check out Fanny's book...... if you haven't already.
"Hi. My Name Is Fanny"

You can get it with the QR code below.

Well, that's it for today.  

I'll let you know how she does after her Solensia shot.

Bye for now.
Give hugs to your fur babies.

Darlene

 

A Little Tipsy

Hi everyone. 

I am so sorry I haven't posted in a long time. 

I took a small break due to the holidays and just wanted to relax. My husband and I enjoyed watching movies and football games (American Football).🏈

Hubby and I  have aches and pains due to the cool damp weather that we have been having lately. We don't get rain ⛈very often so I enjoy hearing it on the roof but can do without the achiness.

We know when to apply heat or take Acetaminophen, but what about Fanny?

We know she has osteoarthritis. And cats hide pain and sickness so well. 

I did notice that she wasn't asking for food like she normally does. And when I did feed her, she didn't eat all of it. So I thought she may be uncomfortable. 

All she gets now is a monthly shot of Solensia (an anti-inflammatory medication) which she has been doing good with. But today, I thought I would give her a dose of Gabapentin (50 mg tiny pill). She hasn't had any in a couple months.

So this is what she was like afterward.  

I guess it hit her a little hard since she hasn't had a dose in so long. She was a little wobbly on her feet and staring into space with droopy eyes. My husband thought it was kind of funny.😀

When she used to be in constant pain (before the Solensia shot), she didn't get loopy like this from the Gabapentin. And at that time I was giving it to her every 12 hours. 

Anyway, it must have made her feel better. She slept💤with Bill while he watched the games and this evening she is almost back to normal.

The good thing is that she asked for food and ate everything, so hopefully, that means she is feeling better.

It's hard trying to figure out how a cat is feeling. Sometimes you can pick up on subtle cues if you are lucky. You have to be very alert to changes in their behavior.

We'll see how she does tonight and tomorrow. The weather is going to continue to be cool and damp.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I'm sure your fur babies got lots of presents.

Fanny and I wish you a Happy New Year and sending lots of love your way.

Hug your fur baby.

Darlene

 

Happy 18th Birthday, Fanny

This edition of my post is dedicated to Fanny's birthday and how we love our senior feline friends.

Fanny became 18 years old on December 4th and we were so appreciative of all the birthday wishes she received from her Facebook and other social media friends. She has friends from all over the world.

I personally appreciate that so many of Fanny's friends love cats and respond so kindly to her.

Since she is a senior, she has some medical issues that we are dealing with. A couple of years ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 kidney disease. Her Veterinarian follows her lab work closely and has her on a renal diet. My job is to watch her closely to make sure she drinks enough water and that she is peeing enough. We can't let her get dehydrated.

She loves her water fountain. If your senior cat starts to lack interest in drinking water, try a fountain. They like the running water.

 Another medical issue Fanny has is osteoarthritis in her lower back. You can look at an old post from last year where I talk about how Fanny was becoming less active and not jumping up on the bed like she used to. She wanted to be picked up so she could join us on the bed. At first, we thought it was that she was just spoiled but that wasn't the case.

Then in May of 2022, she suddenly couldn't walk and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

We initially thought she broke her leg or dislocated her right hip. But X-rays showed arthritis and she also had severe inflammation in the part of her leg which is comparable to a human's knee. 

The Vet ordered her anti-inflammatories and pain medication.

Right now she is getting a once-a-month injection of Solensia and it seems to be working well.

(Solensia is a newly approved drug for cats with osteoarthritis)

It is expensive, but the other meds she had to take made her lethargic.  Her other meds costs $30 each (Gabapentin, Buprenex and Lactulose) and Solensia costs $75. But her quality of life is so much better with it. She interacts with us more and is walking better. She uses her steps to get up on and down from the bed. I'm happy with her progress.

So one thing she hasn't recovered from is losing her best friend, CC who was 20 years old. As you probably know we had to put CC to sleep in 2020 when she deteriorated from end-stage renal disease. It was difficult for Fanny because they had been together for 16 years. She was lost without CC.

Anyway, I just wanted to mention how we have to help our little friends to adapt to old age. 

*Watch their food and water intake.

*Make sure they are using the litter box. And make sure the box has a low entrance so they can get in and out easily.

*Get a dental check-up. With age they may have decayed and loose teeth.

*Watch to make sure they are grooming themselves.

*Don't skip their regular Vet check-ups. Talk to your Vet about what your baby needs and what your options are.

Our senior cats are precious. They're part of our families.

I want to wish each and every one of you, a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy 2023.

🎄🎅🤶

Hug your pets!

Until next year.....

Darlene

Keeping your cat safe at Christmas time

I hope everyone is ready for a joyous Christmas this year.

This Christmas, we are keeping it simple. We put up a small tree in the living room and solar lights outside.

We haven't had to worry about Fanny bothering the tree anymore. She doesn't seem interested in it like when she was younger.

Although she does have to knock over the wise men of the small nativity scene we have under the tree.

Important things to remember for cats at Christmas*

• Keep an eye on your Christmas tree. Christmas trees for cat owners can be a nightmare – especially if your cat likes to climb!

• Festive plants like poinsettia and berries found in holly and mistletoe are poisonous to cats, so keep them out of reach

• Tinsel and other decorations can be dangerous if they are swallowed

• Festive foods are often poisonous for cats – from chocolate and raisins to onions and garlic

• Cats can feel stressed and anxious at Christmas time. Make sure you give them space and a safe place to hide.

 Fanny and I wish you and your cats a safe and Merry Christmas.

Give your little fur ball a hug!

Darlene

*https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/cats-at-christmas

Go to this site for more helpful tips on how to keep your cat safe at Christmas.

Fanny Went On Vacation

 

It's Tuesday morning. Mommy and daddy are going on a short vacation and Fanny is going to board with the lovely staff at our Veterinarian group. 

Here she is in her carrier.

She did not resist getting into her carrier. There were no cries as she rode on the back seat of the car. Things, so far, were going smoothly.

Two days prior, I had noticed Fanny scratching at her right ear. So when I was checking her in at the Vet, I asked them to check her ears and give her a quick general check-up.

I handed over Fanny's bag to the Boarding Tech, Ryan. The bag included all her meds, her prescription food, and a toy. They had me fill out a form that lists her meds, dietary requirements, routines, allergies, etc.

For the past few weeks, I felt she had been doing well and I had stopped giving her Gabapentin. Actually, she refused to take it anymore. Even with the pill pockets. It kept her pretty lethargic and without it, she seemed more alert and her interactions with us increased a little. So all I had been giving her was her Lactulose so she wouldn't have to strain when she had a bowel movement. 

We said goodbye and were off to Palm Springs🏜. The next day I got a call from Dr. Veit. She said she checked Fanny's ears and could not visualize her right ear drum. It was unclear if it was because of some sort of infection or that it was ruptured. She was going to culture her ear and start her on Tresaderm ear drops. 

 She said she repeated Fanny's lab work and that her kidney function was stable. In fact, it had improved a little. She had gained some weight and it was suggested that we pull back on the amount of food we were feeding her. 

The last thing we discussed was trying monoclonal antibody therapy since she thought Fanny was still having pain in her right hind leg and possibly her lower back from the osteoarthritis. Fanny doesn't put much weight on her right leg and this is causing weakness/problems in her left leg. Her limp is quite pronounced. The medication is Solensia and it is an injection for osteoarthritis that is given monthly. We agreed to try it.

We came home from our trip on Friday but it was too late to pick our baby up so we picked her up Saturday morning. 

She had boarded for 4 nights/5 days. The Boarding Tech gave us an update on how she ate, the time of her last meal, and that she had no problems with using the litter box. Her last poop had been that morning. They gave her the ear drops already (day 3) and we just had to give them for two more days. The doctor will call us with the culture report when she receives it.

My husband asked Ryan if he had any difficulty getting Fanny into her carrier. Well, it seems she went into the carrier herself. Hmmm. I guess she was ready to come home.
Here she is after she came home. She seems to be putting weight on her right hind leg and she walks faster.

I received a call on Tuesday with the culture results. It was a yeast infection in her right ear. Luckily, Tresaderm ear drops is good for yeast infections. She has not been scratching at her ear anymore. I can restart the drops if the infection reoccurs.

She was ready to cuddle. She missed my hubby much more than me as you can see from the photo above. A real hug.

With me, it was a semi-cuddle (semi-hug). lol

Here she is with her new favorite toy. Since she had the injection she has been much more active. Playing with her toys, going up and down her steps to the bed with ease, talking to us, following us around, and just generally doing much better. 

Even though the Solensia injection is expensive ($75) it may be worth it. It's nice to see Fanny more active. That will also help control her weight.

Here are just some bonus pics of Miss Fanny. Looking all cute and sweet.

The boarding went fine. Fanny did not come home upset or unsettled. And I felt secure knowing that she was in a facility where the staff know her very well. And they treat her like the celebrity she is (or she thinks she is).😉

Sorry. I know it's been a while since I blogged. I hope you enjoyed this edition. 

And I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and ate lots of turkey 🦃and pumpkin pie.

Please remember..... Give your "fur babies" daily hugs.

Until next time...
Darlene

P.S. Thank you Western Veterinarian Group, Torrance, California

Fanny's Halloween Scream!

Fanny's perfect "scream face"

Well, Halloween is here and everyone is excited.

Candy is on everyone's minds. Sugar highs await us.

Costumes are receiving final touches.

Time for the annual Fanny Halloween photo.

I just wanted to let you see how Fanny and I prepare for it.

First, she is too old to go out "Trick or Treating". Second, she would never agree to me dressing her up in a costume.

Fanny is almost 18 years old and is not as active as she once was.

So I decided to chronicle our preparations for the photos.

First, you see a couple of cute little pics of her just chillin'. These depict what she most commonly looks like.

And here is one of her sticking her tongue out and touching her nose. Most likely after eating.

Now it starts to get a little interesting. 

The trick is to catch her during a yawn.

Here is the beginning of a yawn.

Here, she is in the middle of a yawn but she is lying down. I wasn't happy with the effect yet.

Another yawn, but she is still lying down. Not quite what I am looking for.

Although she is giving me a great yawn....still lying down. But this is a perfect way for the Vet to check her teeth, right? If only she could do this on demand.

And now...the "money shot". 

The perfect Halloween photo of her yawn. She's upright. Fangs (canines) in full view and her ears are flattened against her head. 

She looks scary now...for sure.

Anyway, that's how I get my Fanny Halloween Photo.
Now, the final product!

Hope everyone has a wonderful, scary, but safe, Halloween.

Please remember to keep your pets indoors, especially if you have a black cat. There are people that try to hurt black cats around Halloween. Most shelters will not even allow adoptions of black cats around this time of year just for that reason.

Remember to hug your pets at least once a day and remember that we are blessed to have them.

Until next time.....
Darlene

If Being Spoiled Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right

Okay. Look at that face. 
I will admit that I am biased in thinking that she is cute. But she is such a sweet old girl. 

I have a comforter folded up on the bed and she found it to be the perfect pillow for taking naps.

Back in May of this year, she became lame in her right hind leg. Those of you who have followed her journey know that she has to take daily medication to help her with pain. She has severe arthritis in her lower back and can't put weight on her right leg.
Since then, she has made a lot of adjustments to her everyday routines.

Here she is by her water fountain, which she loves. She'll sometimes spend hours lying near it.

And will sometimes just lay her head on it or drink without standing up. We can tell if she has been sleeping with her head on the water since her neck and whiskers are really wet. I removed the waterfall feature from the fountain because the top of her head was always getting wet.

It's important for her to drink water since she has kidney disease. We observe her litter box every day to make sure her kidneys continue to function.

She has finally started grooming herself. Grooming is an activity that I follow closely. When cats are not feeling well, they tend to ignore this routine.

A well-feeling cat commonly will wash their face every time they eat.

You don't want their hair to get matted. This can happen if they are unable to groom themselves. So it is very important that you try to brush them daily.

Fanny has difficulty raising and straightening her hind legs so she doesn't groom her hind quarters like she'd like to. That's an area that will be prone to matting.

Before, Fanny didn't like to be brushed, but now she seems to love it and it seems to relax her.

Another activity that I have to observe closely is that she is pooping and that she isn't straining. Our Vet has prescribed a laxative that I give her daily.

But, I think she is doing much better. She seems to have adapted to her limp. She takes frequent rest stops when she walks a long distance. 

She is interacting with us more. 
She is more vocal and her appetite has increased.

Love❤ 
Fanny loves to be cuddled and pampered. (spoiled)
Who wouldn't?

Show your pet some love❤

Please share any stories you may have about a pet with aging or medical issues. Would love to hear how they (and you) are coping.

Darlene
 

Decrease Your Pets Stress During Vet Visits

Here is a great article addressing how to decrease the stress on your pet when you take them to visit the Veterinarian.

https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/pets/2022/06/13/maro-decrease-your-pets-stress-during-veterinary-visits-beaver-lawrence-county/65360073007/

 Luckily, Fanny doesn't seem to mind going to the Vet. She has been going to the same office her entire life (17+ years). Even though the actual Vets have come and gone, she recognizes the atmosphere and seems quite comfortable. 

Everyone there uses a calm and friendly voice. They practice minimal-stress handling which Fanny and I both appreciate.

It makes a difference that they place a nice soft towel or blanket on the examining table instead of having the cat lay on a cold, bare table.

Good girl

You may not have a cat, but the article may give you tips for your dog or other small pet.

Personally, I make sure there is something soft in her carrier for her to lay on. And as I have mentioned before, calming (Pheromone) collars are good, too. If you don't usually use a Pheromone collar on your cat, I suggest you put one on a few days before their scheduled visit so they get used to it and they won't stress as much on the day of the visit.

I'm sure a lot of you have your own tricks that you use on "Vet Days".  Would love to hear them. You can leave comments here on the blog or you can contact me on my Facebook Page.

https://www.facebook.com/DarlenesBookshelf/

Here's wishing you and your pets a happy and safe Labor Day.

Darlene