Yet another trip to the Emergency Room!

This time it was Ms. Megabyte2. She hadn’t been acting her normal self at all and we were both very concerned about her. She just had no energy and although she sleeps a lot anyhow, she was sleeping more than usual and not playing and running around like she normally does. I’m sure you pet owners know how you can just sense when something isn’t right. She wasn’t going to the bathroom at all. Ms. Pat and I decided to take her to the Vet but first we took her temperature. It was 105*. Yep, definitely something wrong and the Vet said to bring her right in… she was a sick girl.

The Vet did a quick examination and took a urine sample. He then looked at the sample on a small portable microscope. He immediately diagnosed her with FIP. which is Feline Infectious Peritonitis. He gave her a steroid shot and gave us some Prednisone tablets to give her for the next few weeks.   He told us that FIP is incurable and although this is usually always a fatal disease, it can often be controlled with medication. Ms. Pat and I were devastated and in shock. Our hearts were broken as we took her home.  Ms. Pat started researching FIP on the Internet and she was shocked even further.   The diagnosis was pretty grim.  We both cried all night and were wondering what to do next. 

The next day we decided to call our Vet in Arizona who helped Megabyte through her pregnancy and other illnesses to see what she had to say.  We told her what the Vet here told us and about the Urine test that led him to his diagnosis.  She told us to find another Vet and get a second opinion because FIP cannot be diagnosed with just a Urine sample.  We called another local Vet here in Custer and they told us to bring her in.  When we arrived at the Vet’s office, her fever was 105.6*.  She was very lethargic and a very sick little girl. 

The new Vet confirmed the opinion of our Vet in Arizona and said that FIP cannot be determined solely with a Urine test.  She said we needed to do further testing to determine exactly what is going on and really questioned why the first Vet didn’t do more testing before diagnosing her with FIP.  She said the fever could be caused by any number of illnesses.  So, she drew a large sample of blood and overnighted it to the lab.  Since it was Friday, we won’t know the results until Monday.

Meanwhile, the doctor gave Megabyte a shot of antibiotics and some antibiotic pills to take at home.  She also gave her some fluids under her skin because she was really dehydrated.  We took her temperature yesterday morning and it was back to normal so we’re hoping the antibiotics are starting to work.  She is still a very sick little girl.  She's not eating and drinking like she normally does and not going to the bathroom like she should but we are praying she is getting better.  Monday, if the Coronavirus test comes back negative, we will know for sure it is not FIP.

It’s in Gods hands and we put our trust in him.  We sure don’t want to lose her.

Mike

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