Seeking honest opinions please, getting desperate
Discussion
I need some honest opinions.
We have a beautiful,sweet and gentle Maine Coon called Lucy. She will be 11 this year. She has suffered many years with Calici virus this in itself is manageable and she is lucky in one respect that she doesn't have oral problems with it, unfortunately she also has a high mycoplasma count and pseudonimas aeruginos. A combination of all these has left her with a chronic and very severe URT issues resulting in a horrendous amount of nasal discharge that she basically has to sneeze out, frequently and in copious amounts. This can be anywhere and often is. My house is covered if I'm honest even though I do my very best to keep on top of it.
She has had a bad flare up recently and it was horrendous
. It settled slightly but less than 3 weeks later she is flaring again. The worst is when you try and spend time with her she invariably ends up sneezing all over you.
We have tried her on every regime of drugs (natural included) imaginable, they all seem to work the first time but by the second treatment it doesn't hit, now most medicines are giving her severe diarrhoea, they only thing that was having some effect was steroids at ever increasing doses but even that is not enough to reduce it to a truly manageable amount.
Her vet is looking into an inhaler mask now and this really is the last treatment option available.
Now to be honest, I am struggling with feelings of guilt because more and more I am thinking-selfishly-that I can't deal with it anymore. She has been this way for many years but the severity is climbing. In herself she is generally ok and this is what makes it so hard. She does get miserable esp when it flares badly and affects her throat etc and I know she does get irritated (rubs her nose and constantly sneezing) but she copes. Her appetite dropped off badly at one point but steroids have corrected that!!
My question is how would you deal with it? would you persevere with a cat sneezing horrible thick mucous over your house or would you say enough is enough even though that cat does still have quality of life (though with issues)? I am in turmoil as is my husband, I also have a 3 month old baby and young son but whilst it does worry me with them they are not my main reasons for these thoughts.
I really need to hear other opinions please. My vet has already said he would support my decision if I decided to have her put down, makes me cry to write that. I just don't know what to do.
We have a beautiful,sweet and gentle Maine Coon called Lucy. She will be 11 this year. She has suffered many years with Calici virus this in itself is manageable and she is lucky in one respect that she doesn't have oral problems with it, unfortunately she also has a high mycoplasma count and pseudonimas aeruginos. A combination of all these has left her with a chronic and very severe URT issues resulting in a horrendous amount of nasal discharge that she basically has to sneeze out, frequently and in copious amounts. This can be anywhere and often is. My house is covered if I'm honest even though I do my very best to keep on top of it.
She has had a bad flare up recently and it was horrendous
. It settled slightly but less than 3 weeks later she is flaring again. The worst is when you try and spend time with her she invariably ends up sneezing all over you.We have tried her on every regime of drugs (natural included) imaginable, they all seem to work the first time but by the second treatment it doesn't hit, now most medicines are giving her severe diarrhoea, they only thing that was having some effect was steroids at ever increasing doses but even that is not enough to reduce it to a truly manageable amount.
Her vet is looking into an inhaler mask now and this really is the last treatment option available.
Now to be honest, I am struggling with feelings of guilt because more and more I am thinking-selfishly-that I can't deal with it anymore. She has been this way for many years but the severity is climbing. In herself she is generally ok and this is what makes it so hard. She does get miserable esp when it flares badly and affects her throat etc and I know she does get irritated (rubs her nose and constantly sneezing) but she copes. Her appetite dropped off badly at one point but steroids have corrected that!!
My question is how would you deal with it? would you persevere with a cat sneezing horrible thick mucous over your house or would you say enough is enough even though that cat does still have quality of life (though with issues)? I am in turmoil as is my husband, I also have a 3 month old baby and young son but whilst it does worry me with them they are not my main reasons for these thoughts.
I really need to hear other opinions please. My vet has already said he would support my decision if I decided to have her put down, makes me cry to write that
. I just don't know what to do.What's that, J&J?
Reason I ask is that Norman has chronic Calicivirus I was hoping would resolve with good food, warmth and rest.
It doesn't seem to bother him that much - nothing but NOTHING will put him off his FOOD - although he likes a chew on things, I'm guessing because rather like a teething baby, his gums are sore.
Reason I ask is that Norman has chronic Calicivirus I was hoping would resolve with good food, warmth and rest.
It doesn't seem to bother him that much - nothing but NOTHING will put him off his FOOD - although he likes a chew on things, I'm guessing because rather like a teething baby, his gums are sore.
I should clarify her general life is good, she is in every other aspect a normal cat, except when she has a severe flare up where it does make her miserable for 2-3 days. Now if this happens more and more frequently I will know what to do, but it is me who is struggling to cope. I just need to know how many would cope with it. I've spoken to a couple of people who have said they couldn't so.got me wondering about others thoughts.
The background of her was too show that this is not just something that has happened in.the last couple of months etc.
The background of her was too show that this is not just something that has happened in.the last couple of months etc.
This is not going to help, but I think it is too individual to answer fairly ....
I know that there are people who couldn't have coped/wouldn't have wanted to deal with some of the things I have with my dogs (daily urine testing, daily injections, incontinence, cancer, operations). To me, it was part and parcel of dog ownership, but I wouldn't dream of telling someone else what they should or should not cope with, and wouldn't expect anyone to do it to me. You know your pet and circumstances and 'thresholds'/limitations best.
Sorry you're in this situation
I know that there are people who couldn't have coped/wouldn't have wanted to deal with some of the things I have with my dogs (daily urine testing, daily injections, incontinence, cancer, operations). To me, it was part and parcel of dog ownership, but I wouldn't dream of telling someone else what they should or should not cope with, and wouldn't expect anyone to do it to me. You know your pet and circumstances and 'thresholds'/limitations best.
Sorry you're in this situation
Thanks moorx. I know what you mean, something I regularly tell clients!
I looked after her for four months post rta with every other day dressing changes, trips to the vets twice a week for months, with her urinating around the house on occasions (not done for a while) nursed her through flare ups of her condition. I'm just not sure I can do it anymore but I feel so bad thinking like that.
I would normally do everything and anything for my pets (and have) I just feel beaten this time.
I looked after her for four months post rta with every other day dressing changes, trips to the vets twice a week for months, with her urinating around the house on occasions (not done for a while) nursed her through flare ups of her condition. I'm just not sure I can do it anymore but I feel so bad thinking like that.
I would normally do everything and anything for my pets (and have) I just feel beaten this time.
Mobile Chicane said:
Bex - have you thought about contacting Cats Protection and having her re-homed?
There could well be a Mad Old Cat Lady who'd be happy to take her on.
No would not do that to her or to another person, she is better as a single cat (used to stress wee at times with other cats around and occasionally without) It would not be fair to home a cat that is probably actively shedding and producing copious mucus that goes everywhere (my face and neck the other day) Cats Protection would be crazy to take her on, she has had thousands spent on this condition over the years luckily via insurance.There could well be a Mad Old Cat Lady who'd be happy to take her on.
bexVN said:
Thanks moorx. I know what you mean, something I regularly tell clients!
I looked after her for four months post rta with every other day dressing changes, trips to the vets twice a week for months, with her urinating around the house on occasions (not done for a while) nursed her through flare ups of her condition. I'm just not sure I can do it anymore but I feel so bad thinking like that.
I would normally do everything and anything for my pets (and have) I just feel beaten this time.
Then you have done an incredible amount (more than some would) for her already. There is no shame in feeling the way you do - many of us have been there at some point.I looked after her for four months post rta with every other day dressing changes, trips to the vets twice a week for months, with her urinating around the house on occasions (not done for a while) nursed her through flare ups of her condition. I'm just not sure I can do it anymore but I feel so bad thinking like that.
I would normally do everything and anything for my pets (and have) I just feel beaten this time.
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