The last you heard from me was Rusty had just come out of the closet in the bedroom and was laying on the couch. He decided it was great place to hang out and chill for the rest of the night. He stayed there overnight too and is still there.
My daily prayer:
Dear God,
I know you are a bit busy right now. With the help of all of your angels and saints, both in heaven and on this earth, please help my little boy be as healthy and happy as he can be. While I would love for that be here with us, if the only way is to move on, let him go peacefully and quickly. Help us understand what is going on and give us the strength to pull through whatever the outcome is. Our lives and his life is in your hands. If his life is supposed to continue here with us, give him the strength to fight. If his life is supposed to move on, give him permission to let go knowing he loved.
The answers that come are not always what I expect but are needed.
In desperation to find new ways of pilling Rusty, I was watching video after video and came across Transdermal Gel. Never heard of it before! A bit more research showed the Lasix can be compounded into that form. I called the vet’s office to ask about that as well as Rusty’s general state. His vet (The Saint Doctor Scott Withman) is off until Wednesday but they had the ER doctors call me back.
- Call 1: Doctor #1 says they can get the transdermal but not sure if it will do anything for Rusty as it seems like he is near the end. I can bring him in if I want them to try anything but it doesn’t sound good. He did explain the current practices (based on the Covoid-19) for putting him down.
- This brought me a little comfort, knowing Nick and I could be in the room with Rusty if we had to do this but the conversation brought me to tears for the 100th time this weekend.
- I did tell the Doctor that if Rusty is really at the end, as long as he is not struggling, I will let him go here and then call them about what do next.
- Rusty’s answer to this whole conversation, Mommy feed me treats by hand! Just a few, but I will eat them if you hold them!
- Call 2: A different doctor, the one that actually worked on Rusty when he was brought into the ER called about an hour later. She wasn’t sure if we had been contacted yet. We told her we had been, what the conversation was etc. She asked us to explain what was going on with Rusty and told us not to worry about the medication right now. She is not convinced he was ready to give up
- Try to get him to eat and drink something. If he is going to fight, he will need some nutrition for strength. Don’t worry about slipping pills in or trying to put them down his throat. If he can start eating, we can have cautious hope and worry about the meds then.
- If he doesn’t eat or drink and is really ready, she is OK with the plan to just keep him here comfortable.
- She will have the office start the prescription for the transdermal so we will be ready just in case he pulls through.
- Rusty’s answer to this call: Mommy feed me 3 more treats by hand please.
- Try to get him to eat and drink something. If he is going to fight, he will need some nutrition for strength. Don’t worry about slipping pills in or trying to put them down his throat. If he can start eating, we can have cautious hope and worry about the meds then.
Nick and I decided we did all we could for the day and to be the pawrents we could, we needed to sleep. Nick slept on the other couch in the living room so Rusty would see him when he wakes up and so Nick could check on him and his breathing. I slept in the bedroom. We have his spot set up in there on the bed if he chooses to come in there. That’s also the room with the closet that he hangs out in so either way he will know that I exist and if anything happens while he is there, hopefully I would know. Before we went to sleep, I tried to give him some wet food and he ate some, not a lot, but he didn’t back away from it!
We set up a leaving serving tray with water, wet food, and treats and went to sleep. We slept through the night, all of us.
Rusty is still going. He is breathing OK (not perfect as it there are issues with his lungs). He ate more food this morning. He drank water. And still hanging out on the couch.
Still no litter box but no accidents either. Eventually his body will catch up, or let go.
Well, I have to get to work. Luckily we are both working from home so we can keep an eye on him. I will try to keep our tripawd family updated. We are literally on death/recovery watch. It can go either way.
Head scritches and Sandpaper Kisses,
Rusty’s Obedient Hoomin Servants for as long as we can be,
Gina and Nick
He’s absolutely gorgeous! Keeping you in our thoughts. Hugs xx
Keep fighting Rusty! We are all saying those prayers for you. Sending you gentle head scritches and lots of love.
Jackie and Huck
You definitely have all your bases covered. I l0ve Rusty’s reaction of eating more treats the whole time the Vets were “discussing ” him with you. He’s a strong willed kitty with a mind of his own.😎
He’s soooo loved and he soooo knows it! And he cl lovesnyou both too!!❤❤❤
Your prayer is lovely. And we’ll keep ’em coming on this end too
((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
You’ve got this Rusty! Little by little, treat by treat, you are getting stronger. We hope with all our heart to see even better news tomorrow.
Lots of love and warrior spirit to all of you. Keep us posted!
PS That second vet is amazing! What a great doc.
Checking in to see how your evening was with the Bunnyman. 🙏🙏🙏
Have you gotten any news on the transdermal gel? If he does have fluid build up, the gel may very well make him much more comfortable and it is a non invasive way to medicate. I lost a dog years ago to congestive heart failure and when she had her meds she was much peppier and more herself. I could actually tell when she was due just by her behaviour.
Still saying prayers, Rusty’s cheerleading squad is praying all across the United States for him to come back. I know this is an awful time, but in some ways for you right now it is a blessing in disguise as you can work from home and nurse him too.
Remember way back when he and Huck were recovering? Huck still loves those Delectable squeeze up treats. Oscar does too, lol. They come from all corners of the house when they hear me open one up, lol. They have them on Amazon and on Chewy by the way. I get the senior formula for the extra nutrition and ease on the digestive system.
Will be looking for an update… holding you in our thoughts. 🙏🤞🙏🤞🙏🤞🙏🤞
Jackie and Huck 💖💖💖
Sooo… he may be rallying, it is hard to say. We are very very cautiously hopeful right now.
He is starting to eat little bits of wet food while I hold the dish. After a few times of this, I crushed a dose of his meds and put in in the next round (about 3pm yesterday). He ate it. I managed to do that again around 7 hours later. I let him go over night, slipping in two small non-medicated feedings. Then I got at least a partial dosing this morning. The one thing about crushing the pills, if he doesn’t lick it clean, I don’t know how much was really taken.
He moved from the couch to his spot on our bed. He stayed there after I went to bed, making sure he was touching me somehow all night. He got up around 7am, drank water, piddled in the litter box, and went back to the couch. I was still lying in bed around 7:45. He got off the couch, came to the door and mewed for me. I, of course, came out to the hall, and he presented his belly to be rubbed!!
We went into the living room together, I opened the front door (with the storm door closed) and he looked out for a few minutes at CatTV.
He is still VERY low key, no purring yet. While the breathing rates are OK, there is a squeak/whimper/wheeze when he is breathing. To be fair, he is JUST getting medicated again in the past 18 hours.
The transdermal gel is being compounded and should be ready this afternoon. As soon as I get the call, I will go pick it up. Not waiting for delivery! I purposely pushed the last pill a little longer so the next dose could be the transdermal gel.
Thank you for checking in!!
Gina
Transdermal gel will be ready tomorrow. So I will have to hide pills in his food and keep my fingers crossed that he will eat it.
Geez, such an amazing little Warrior! To know that he is eating some os such good news. And to be engaged and check out what’s going on outside is also some more good news.😎 Probavly what made me smiled the most is him meowing to with tummy in the air for a tummy rub. Whatever Mr Rusty the Bunnymen wants, Mr Rusty the Bunnyman gets!
Prayers and pawsitive energy still being sent!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Checking in to see how you are all doing. Love and prayers to all of you.
Jackie and Huck
Hanging in there. He is resting. At least I know that I am now doing everything I can because of the transdermal meds. He seems to be rallying a little bit but I am still not hopeful or at least I am scared to hope.