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Jun. 28th, 2004 01:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
senoritafishHow nice - I came in this morning to find a Krispy Kreme donut waiting for me on my desk; I remember on Friday AL saying she had coupons and was going to bring some in. I work with such nice people.
I am sad and worried this morning. I had noticed Bob had not been indoors much over the past week, but I didn't think much about it because it's summer time, and he often spends most of his day sleeping in a sunny spot out in the yard. I was gone from six am until almost dark Monday and Tuesday, and after that, I did see him sitting at the patio door, but not wanting to come in - I opened it and offered, but sometimes, he'd just rather sit and look in, so I closed it again. Also not out of character for him.
On Friday, I took off early because I had spent so much time driving to La Jolla earlier in the week. The typical June gloom had actually cleared, and the kids were running up and down the street. There's a group of teenage girls that live about four houses down from us, and Avalon is fascinated with them, maybe because she has no sisters. I had already retrieved her from their yard several times, when she headed down there again, and I saw Bob start after her. I think I mentioned he seems to be a little protective of her. But he seemed to be moving slowly, and his balance looked off. I walked up behind him, and was horrified to see his hipbones sticking out in stark relief to the rest of his body. I pinched his skin from the way it went back down, he seemed to be a little dehydrated. I went and got him a bowl of water, which he drank some of, but not like he was ragingly thirsty. I brought him in the house to keep an eye on him, and he hopped in the the towel cupboard in our bathroom, where he's spent most of the weekend. He has very little appetite - I've tried tempting him with some tuna and mashed up a sardine for him, but he takes a few licks and then turns away. He does come out of the cupboard whenever he hears water running, and I replace the water in his bowl every time I see him emerge. He's always been very picky about his water, and if he thinks anything is floating in it, he paws at it to clear it away. He's been doing this even with the fresh water I give him.
We are constantly having emergencies when we have no money, but Dad is fond of Bob as well (being his namesake), so he offered to help. John called this morning, and they said the soonest they can do anything is if we drop him off tomorrow morning. They will probably have to do blood work, but I'm sure it must be his ongoing urinary tract problem. Despite feeding him special senior cat Science Diet, low in the chemical that cause it, he has a constant problem with developing crystals in his urine. Usually, feeding him prescription SD food, which raises the pH of his urine, will solve the problem, but he can't eat it forever, and it will return at some point. I just hope we can get him eating again.
I know he's at least 15 years old, and he won't be around forever. I may have to face that sooner than I thought, especially with the health problems he's had. I don't want to. I want my buddy to stick around as long as possible.
Please?
I am sad and worried this morning. I had noticed Bob had not been indoors much over the past week, but I didn't think much about it because it's summer time, and he often spends most of his day sleeping in a sunny spot out in the yard. I was gone from six am until almost dark Monday and Tuesday, and after that, I did see him sitting at the patio door, but not wanting to come in - I opened it and offered, but sometimes, he'd just rather sit and look in, so I closed it again. Also not out of character for him.
On Friday, I took off early because I had spent so much time driving to La Jolla earlier in the week. The typical June gloom had actually cleared, and the kids were running up and down the street. There's a group of teenage girls that live about four houses down from us, and Avalon is fascinated with them, maybe because she has no sisters. I had already retrieved her from their yard several times, when she headed down there again, and I saw Bob start after her. I think I mentioned he seems to be a little protective of her. But he seemed to be moving slowly, and his balance looked off. I walked up behind him, and was horrified to see his hipbones sticking out in stark relief to the rest of his body. I pinched his skin from the way it went back down, he seemed to be a little dehydrated. I went and got him a bowl of water, which he drank some of, but not like he was ragingly thirsty. I brought him in the house to keep an eye on him, and he hopped in the the towel cupboard in our bathroom, where he's spent most of the weekend. He has very little appetite - I've tried tempting him with some tuna and mashed up a sardine for him, but he takes a few licks and then turns away. He does come out of the cupboard whenever he hears water running, and I replace the water in his bowl every time I see him emerge. He's always been very picky about his water, and if he thinks anything is floating in it, he paws at it to clear it away. He's been doing this even with the fresh water I give him.
We are constantly having emergencies when we have no money, but Dad is fond of Bob as well (being his namesake), so he offered to help. John called this morning, and they said the soonest they can do anything is if we drop him off tomorrow morning. They will probably have to do blood work, but I'm sure it must be his ongoing urinary tract problem. Despite feeding him special senior cat Science Diet, low in the chemical that cause it, he has a constant problem with developing crystals in his urine. Usually, feeding him prescription SD food, which raises the pH of his urine, will solve the problem, but he can't eat it forever, and it will return at some point. I just hope we can get him eating again.
I know he's at least 15 years old, and he won't be around forever. I may have to face that sooner than I thought, especially with the health problems he's had. I don't want to. I want my buddy to stick around as long as possible.
Please?
