I noticed a sore between Fezzik's shoulder blades and called the vet on Friday. They said that if I dropped him off they would work him in between appointments. So I dropped him off about 2:00 p.m. When I got home Buto was looking at me and I am fairly sure she was saying "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HIM?" As the day progressed and it got nearer to closing time of the Cat Clinic - I called and they said that they were going to keep him overnight and I could check on him in the morning. Buto slept close to me all night and started meowing promptly at 7:00 am on Saturday morning.
The clinic opens at 10:00 am on Saturdays so I stayed in bed till about then and then waited for a bit after to make sure that when I called he might be done. When I called they told me that Fezzik was definitely ready to come home so I said I would be right over to pick him up.
When I got there the receptionist told me that Fezzik was eager to go home and that the doctor would be right out to describe the problem and medications. She then went to retrieve Fezzik and when she brought him out he was wearing a bandage that looked like a sweater and he was obviously not pleased about it. She put the carrier on the counter and placed a bag of medications next to it. A few minutes later the doctor came out and explained that it was intra-scapular dermatitis. Of course when she said it she used a much longer scientific sounding name that I can't remember. She then proceeded to tell me that the bandage needed to stay on and if it needed to be changed I should bring him back. Next came the medications that need to be given twice a day. The first is an antibiotic liquid that tastes bitter and should be given with tuna juice or cat food gravy. The second is a nerve interrupter capsule that should be added to some wet food and the third is a small pink pill that is an anti-inflammatory and anti-itch medication. I pointed out that Fezzik doesn't like tuna, tuna juice or wet cat food of any kind so she took the capsule back and said "Plan B".
I stood waiting for about 5 minutes when an older lady came in huffing and puffing and placed her cat carrier on the shelf. The cat was a longhaired black cat and I reached over to pet her and the woman said, "She's VERY sick". So I pulled my hand back and asked what was wrong and she said that the cat had asthma. The thing I found interesting is that the woman was huffing still and I started to think about the saying that pets emulate their owners. My thought is that if the woman takes care of her asthma, then her cat will probably be better too.
The doctor returned with a liquid nerve interrupter - a milky liquid that has to be refrigerated and shaken before use. My thought as the doctor was describing how to give it was that I am going to have to give Fezzik 3 medications twice a day. Not only that, but I have to do it for 2 weeks - possibly longer.
The first few days have been tortuous and Fezzik has learned that there are certain times to avoid me. I have had to get creative to make sure that he can't hide under the bed. He learned to spit out the pills and so I have to be extra careful to make sure he swallows them. The liquids are challenging because he can squirt them out the side of his mouth.
All in all it has gotten easier and he seems to be adjusting, but we both still hate it. The sore is getting better and amazingly the "sweater" doesn't seem to bother him.
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