Thursday, June 3, 2010

Brighton's Home!


First of all, I want to thank everyone who has visited to check on Brighton over the past couple of days and will purrsonally visit each and every one of you this weekend, cuz I know some of you are 'new' visitors to our bloggie! And some are very frequent visitors...I treasure each comment and they feel like warm hugs, which I very much need right now!

On Wednesday night, about 6:00pm, I stopped by The Hope Center to visit Brighton, and they asked me if I was ready to nurse him at home...of course, I said Yes! They had taken out his catheter about 2:00pm and his bladder was empty so he hadn't urinated yet.

I was a bit anxious about taking him home, afraid he may reblock during the night, but I knew I could take him back if he did before he got into bad trouble again. I so wanted to sleep with him last night, but he was still dribbling urine a bit and he was a little woozy from the pain meds and relaxants he is on, so I set him up in the bathroom adjoining my bedroom.

I visited him every 15 minutes or so, staying with him, kissing-bonking-massaging him, and he was in the litterbox a lot! Just drip-drip-drip with lots of concentrating on his part. He wasn't really straining, but possibly due to swelling, he was having a slow go of it!

I stayed up with him til about 1:00am and he ate some baby food, nibbled at his favorite treat, t/d dental diet and he asked for attention...so I felt comfortable knowing I'd be awake again at 4:30am to get ready for work.


He did urinate a few larger clumps during the night, which was encouraging. So I loaded him up to go into work with me for Dr E to evaluate him and to collect urine for further testing, repeat his chemistry panel and give him some sub-q fluids.

I had a car full--Coco going with me for a pregnancy check as she was bred 21 days ago (YAY--2 buns in the oven); Bosco and Hiro with me for their last kitten vaccination (I've so enjoyed watching Miles and Pierro's activities the past couple of weeks!); and Bebes along for a 2nd urine culture to see how her UTI is doing on the new antibiotic (so far, she is behaving herself and using the litterbox...next step will be moving her into the guest bedroom and possibly changing her anxiety meds).

Dr E was able to express Brighton's bladder and collect a sample of urine, still slightly pink tinged and with a small blood clot in it. No crystals but lots and lots of white blood cells. He just started on antibiotics, but we submitted the sample for Culture and Sensitivity anyway in case he has a resistant strain of bacterial infection. Those results won't be back for 72 hours but hopefully what he has will be sensitive to the Clavamox he is on now.

She said a bacterial infection can also cause a blockage, with debris and mucous forming a plug. I would be happy if he didn't have to have a prescription diet, but of course, I would make any adjustments to all the cats 'lifestyle' if it meant keeping him healthy!

Brighton is on pain meds, and also meds to relax the bladder and reduce inflammation, but it's really only been just over 48 hours since his treatment began, so I am hoping as each day passes, he will become more comfortable and urinate more easily. Dr E added another relaxant to his meds, midazolam, which is an injection just once a day. He got it this afternoon and really seemed a lot more comfortable.

I am glad I have the next 3 days off and can be an attentive nurse. I am going to tempt him with all kinds of tasty stinky goodness, give him pedialyte to drink and buy him a water fountain, too.

I am purraying by this time next week, he will be feeling better, and enjoying the companionship of his buddy, Disco and will be back to sleeping with me once again!

34 comments:

  1. That is wonderful news! We are happy he is home and that there more kitties to be seen sometime in the future! Still purraying for you Brighton!

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  2. YAY for you Brighton!!! We are glad you are home & my sisters and I will be purring for you!

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  3. I am so glad that you are home again, Brighton. I will keep purring for you to have an easier time of it in the litter box. I know that litter box problems are a pain.

    Herman

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  4. We re all very glad that Brighton is home, and know that he will be happy having you taking care of him!

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  5. That's great that Brighton is home now. I'm sending him lots of healing purrs and hope he continues to improve as quickly as possible!

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  6. Happy to hear of the progress. I hope it keeps up. Keeping you in my thoughts.

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  7. We are so glad that you're doing better, Brighton and that you got to come home!

    Charlemagne and Tamar

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  8. That is wonderful news that Brighton is back home.We will keep purring for him to keep improving. He will feel better back in familiar surroundings.

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  9. WELCOME BACK HOME, BRIGHTON!!!!!

    YAAY, How wonderful!

    -Sherkhan

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  10. Hurrah! Brighton will feel a lot better back in familiar surroundings...
    Do you feed dry kibble? Grayce's problems were "fixed" by entirely cutting out kibble from her diet.
    MomKat Trish

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  11. Just great news; I'm very happy he got to go home with you last night and hopefully, he will get better with each passing day...I'm glad you are off work a few days and can spend quality time nursing and loving that sweet boy...I really hope you can get some rest=take care of yourself too, Teri.

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  12. Hooray - we're so glad Brighton was able to come home! We think it's easier for cats to heal at home (if possible.)

    We're still sending him lots and lots of purrs - and we hope that you've been able to get some rest too!

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  13. We are very sorry that Brighton has been so very sick :(
    We are thankful he is improving and we purr he will continue to do so!!
    Yes, kitty purrs do work :) We will add ours to the chorus to see if we can speed recovery,heehee

    Purrs Mickey,Georgia & Tillie

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  14. I am still purring very hard and loud.

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  15. Oh what great news & great update on all the kitties! Coco prego again! Happy for Beebs too being a good kittie & using the litterbox. Glad you will have 3 days off to not only play a great nurse to Mr. Brighton but also to yourself hopefully! Catch up on some rest after your whirlwind return since your vacation.
    xoxo

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  16. That is great that Brighton is doing better! We are still sending him lots of purrs and prayers!

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  17. Oh CurlieSwirlie Teriflower,
    how could it be that we missed this post this morning? Mom let me come by and check every hour.

    We are so glad Brighton is home.
    This is going to be a good week-end and you and my mom are going to be full time nurses 24/7

    Brighton is going to get better and
    Then everything will be great again. and mommie Coco is going to have two kittens? Oh this is so exciting.

    I have been calling Miles "orange alert" he is always up to something and mom and dad are watching him. I am also a very careful big brother - he does some nutty stuff!

    Guess what? I really like the ponazaril that Wedgewood pharmacy made for me. It tastes like chicken and mom lets me lick the syringe after I get my medicine.

    We have been purring and praying like crazy for Brighton to get well again. and and and we will be sending perky vibes for a delightful recovery week-end.

    Dear Missie Teri, please get enough sleep. I always force mom to go to bed at 10:30 sharp so I can snuggle with her for at least a half hour.

    bonks to all of you. You are loved so much.


    ps: tomorrow dad is letting mom race out and shop like crazy for a few hours then she is coming home to scrub the entire house and carpets and guess what? we are getting baths - yes, daddy and Blizzie but also ME and tiny orange alert Miles.

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  18. A big welcome home to Brighton from all of us Good Cats! Sending more healing vibes and purrayers for his continued improvement.

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  19. We're glad Brighton is hope and continuing to improve! It's wonderful that you are so knowledgable about all the kitty vet stuff to help him get better. We'll be thinking of him and sending purrs as he continues his recovery!

    And yay on the buns in the oven!

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  20. Teri oh my gosh!!! I checked your blog before calling you to say hello tonight, so I could sound intelligent about current events at FurryDance... and the first thing I see is that Brighten is home... Home? Home from where? And then I read and read all about it all the way to the bottom.

    I mean, you and I just had dinner together a week before your trip... and I see that all this happened right before you returned.

    The last time you went away, you had a flood!

    I am so sorry to hear about all this trauma - for you and for poor Brighton. However it seems that all is on the upswing. Thank goodness.

    What a wonderful mother you are. Little Brighton is so lucky to have you and all the skilled and kind people you know in the vet community. I will call you this weekend. And will be checking this site everyday! Let me know if there is anything I can do.

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  21. Wonderful news! We will continue to purr for sweet Brighton!

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  22. Purrs to Brighton from us...ok? We are so happy he is back at home!

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  23. I am thrilled he is home to get the lovin he needs. You are both in my prayers. xoxo

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  24. We are so happy to hear that Brighton is home now! Purrs and purrs that you will keep improving and make a complete recovery very soon!! My mummy's woofie had a blocked urinary tract a few years ago and now he is on meds and special diet. But he is 10 and going strong!
    Lots of purrs, Keiko, Kenji & Pricilla

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  25. Oh Teri this is the best mews I could hope to read...HOME again and watched over with love and care!

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  26. So glad to read all the info about Brighton.
    We are still sending purrs and purrayers, and it sounds like he is on the road to recovery.
    Poor little guy.
    And Miss Coco... expecting again?
    I'll bet she is the best Mommy cat ever.
    Thanks for the updates,
    Love & Purrs,
    ML

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  27. Welcome home Brighton! We are very happy that you are home again with your Mum to nurse you and love you. There is no place like home.

    I'm a serial blocker and know what a bummer all this can be, so Brighton fella, I empathise big time with what you are going through.

    Big fat rumbly purrs for easy peeing headed your way

    Whicky Wuudler

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  28. uze gots ur handsful! purrin fur you to haves energy and purrin fur ur sweet babiez to be all well and purrin fur da kittenz to be borned and healthy.

    me haz question. duz cornish rex haves soft fur or am dat da devon?

    Katie Kitty Too

    p.s. weze out bid u onda pop art cards... noo bid am at 5.50... purrz n hugz, Katie Kat

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  29. What great news! We're glad that Brighton is home and feeling a bit better.

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  30. That's terrific news.I'm so happy he's home...hugs

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  31. We are sorry to hear about Brighton being ill but are pleased to hear he is back home with you now. Home is the best place to be when you feel icky.
    We will purr for you, with our paws together tonight before we go to sleep.

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  32. Oh my dear friend! I didn't know about Brighton. I have this blog bookmarked now so I won't miss any more.

    It is so hard on we pet parents when our babies are sick, especially when they are hurting or having such difficulty.

    I am hoping and saying prayers for him just as I do for my own little one, that his meds take hold and he is finally up and out of this.

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  33. Oh good for him.Glad hes on the mend aas they say.

    Happy Weekend to all!

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  34. Hurrah! We are doing the happy dance for Brighton. We know he is not fully out of the woods yet but are so glad he is able to be made comfortable at home. He'll be much happier with his mum at his side.

    You are in our prayers, dear Brighton. We will continue to pray for you until you are 100%.

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