Daisy is very ill

Daisy has been fine until Friday.  Friday he mainly laid in my chair by my computer all day.  A few times in the past Daisy has had a day where he just lays around all day.  So I let him be.  Saturday morning he still was laying in the chair.  He didn't seem to have no energy.  He would only raise his head when I petted him.  He wasn't looking good.

Saturday, of course, his vet clinic was closed.  A clinic, Flathead Pet Emergency, is open all weekend.  On weekdays they are open from 6 pm to 8 am.  I called them after 9 am and had to leave a message.  They called back after 10 am and said the doctor was in surgery and people were waiting, so it would be best if I brought Daisy in at noon.  I brought Daisy in at 12:30 pm.  Due to COVID one can't go inside the building and has to wait in their vehicle.  The parking lot was full and I had to park in the back until a vehicle left.

An employee came out and I explained how Daisy was feeling.  She took Daisy inside the building and I waited in my pickup.  And waited.  I fell asleep.  At 2 pm the employee came back and told me they had a few more critical injuries and it will take longer.  So I went home.

I got a call at 3 pm saying Daisy's abdomen was tender and they would like to do an x-ray/ultrasound and also take some blood.  After 4 pm they called.  The vet said Daisy's temperature was a little high, and then something about bile duct problem (obstruction?).  He wanted to give Daisy anti-inflammatory medicine and keep him overnight and check on him on Sunday.  He also was given an IV as his fluids were low. And Daisy needed to eat.

Today, Sunday, I waited for their call.  Finally at 4 pm I called them. Apparently they hadn't gotten around to Daisy yet.  They were going to do a blood test.  I got a call a quarter after 5 pm.  Daisy's bile(?) level which was high at over 4 on Saturday as now over 7.  The blood test showed Daisy's red blood cells were dropping and the vet didn't know why.  The white blood cells were ok.  He said he checked the blood to see if there were any parasites in the blood attacking the red blood cells, and didn't see any.

About the only option was to give Daisy steroids to help the red blood cell count.  The downside was that if there was indeed parasites in his blood then the steroids would be damaging.  Or do nothing.  If I did nothing Daisy would die, and it would be painful, so euthanasia would be recommended.  Since the vet didn't see any parasites I said give him the steroids and hopefully that will make him better.  It appears it is a 50/50 chance of working.

So we'll see what 24 hours will bring.  After 6 pm tomorrow they will do another blood test.  I am hoping for the best.

So last night was tough for me, and tonight is even tougher.  I have been with Daisy for 8 years and one and half months.  Other than a short trip to Las Vegas with Tammy many years ago, I don't think I ever spent one day or night away from Daisy.  Lately with the cold weather Daisy and I had been spending lots of time together.  Daisy will come in and sleep next to me on my bed late in the morning.  In the afternoon he insists on curling up right against me when I sit on the couch.  When I start the woodstove fire he comes and lays by me near the woodstove.  If I don't lay by him by the woodstove for a short while, later he will pester me until I do so.  Last night and today I kept 'checking' as I thought I had heard Daisy at the door outside, or I would look over to see if I he was laying on the couch or by the woodstove.

This is the best cat I ever owned.  I love this cat as much, or more, as anything else in this world.  I spent over one thousand dollars so far on his care this weekend and it is worth it if it helps him.  I hope tomorrow is a better day.