I don't see the pet thread anymore.
Tonight I go to bed with a heavy heart. My new cat is at the vet's overnight to get a biopsy. Besides having feline acne, she may have an autoimmune disease or worse. My brain keeps trying to catastrophize.
If it is stress, from trying to get these kitties to cohabit, my boyfriend, who lives elsewhere, will take her as his only cat and I can visit.
I am sad for her discomfort having licked and chewed away a lot of skin on one leg and making hot spots on her belly. She came to me enormously fat too and I am praying it is not a tumor(s). I have only had her since May. She is only 4 years old. I have found the most wonderful talented vet. My first kitty needed two dental surgeries recently. This one, needs even more help. Because I adopted two special needs kitties nobody wanted, she is giving me a 10 percent discount for life.
I am worried that I have got a very sick kitty on my hands. Whatever comes next, I am glad she is here, She especially loves my boyfriend and he is offering to help me out financially with her too. My beloved dog Toby was not all that healthy but I nursed him and loved him for 9 of his ten years. I don't know how much time I will get with this new little love. I am scared. Her name is Lollipop. She needs your prayers, and so do I.
My cat Tess had feline acne. It took 3 years to get a proper diagnosis: pemphigus, which is a feline autoimmune disease where their immune system attackes their skin and hair follicles. She also has significant environmental allergies. And she's the cat who was keeping us up at night screaming at us. It's under control, but not in remission. I recommend getting your kitty to a good dermatology vet. Were it not for ours, Tess would have been put down about a year ago.
She had gone into remission on a long course of prednisolone, but then she nearly died - it tanked her kidneys, so just be aware of the risks. The prednisolone was fairly cheap at least.
The testing and treatment are not cheap, and I'm happy to share with you what our current treatment regimen is, maybe you can try a few things before spending too much money on this problem. As follows:
- Twice a day - We wash breakout areas (chin, neck, chest, belly) with a wet warm cotton ball with unscented castile soap, rinse with cotton ball, and dry with soft cloth.
- After washing we apply Muricin antibiotic ointment to her neck and chin, and CBD oil to her chest and belly, with a Q-tip.
- At the morning cleaning time, I give her some Renacare Potassium Gel (because she got a little kidney damage), and also some Liquid Immuno Amino Acid Liquid(mostly Lysine - you can find it on Amazon).
- At the evening time, I am giving her a concoction (that I mix) that is about 5mg of CBD + 1/4 (.25)mg THC + 3mg Melatonin. This has worked fairly well, seems to calm her til about 5am, which is better than what was going on before.
- Once a week I give her a subcutaneous allergy shot that the derm vet custom mixes for her. It costs $250 for a three - four month supply.
- My regular vet had suggested using a flea comb on her chin, which didn't really work, but there's no harm in trying - see if you can pull off some of the blackheads that way.
- She is on Royal Kanin Ultamino hydrolyzed protein diet (we tried Hills Z/D for years to no avail) - $55 for an 8 lb bag which lasts about a month.
Good luck - she's precious and I hope you can figure out what she needs.
❤️ ? ❤️
@ ghandigirl. Oh no!:-( No sick kitty;-( So sorry to hear. Hope she gets better soon. Sick children and pets hurt the most don't they?
My thoughts and prayers for you ❤️
I also recommend a homeopathic vet, or a Chinese vet (the two don't mix). I swear by both. Good luck to both of you with these kitty allergies, and please keep us posted.
Prayers going up for you and your kitty. Auto-immune diseases in cats are as difficult to get diagnosed and treated as it is for humans. I myself have several auto-immune conditions and the my kitty has too so I know what you face in getting proper diagnosis, which is a battery of tests and then diagnosis by exclusion in many cases...then determining what she responds to ..as they are unique individuals as we are and what works for one may not work for another. I thank you for the love ,care and concern you give these babies that come to you and send you much Light and Love and Healing Energy to both of you.
@ghandigirl I’m sending you a hug and praying for Lollipop. She’s beautiful. Hang in there and take it one step at a time. Please keep us posted. ❤️
Thanks all-
She is home and woozy from the sedation. The vet is not sure if it's a parasite or an autoimmune disease but she does think it's NOT a food allergy. My other cat is doing well with this one's Z/D diet so that's not money wasted...The last two vets gave her steroid shots and powder but did not find the root cause. This vet says it is an infection of some kind...
Such a beautiful little cat! I am hoping and praying for the very best for her. May it be something simple and easily treatable.
Have they looked into allergies? That seems a very strong possibility..food, diet, even your other pets or something in your home.
I am remembering Lollipop but not her specific course of issues from other threads. So my apologies if this was already discussed in detail.
I love dogs and all pets really but have a huge energy connection with cats.
Sending her loving and healing energies in her new home and from and through her new primary caregiver, your boy friend, as well as an expansion of her veterinarians intuitive wisdom .
I'm slipping into a clinical depression.
I'm more trapped on my own property than ever, and as grateful as I am for our outdoor space, summer has arrived and it has reduced the amount of useable outdoor space by half. Too hot to jump on my bike. Still can't really dance due to ankle/foot issues, but even that is starting to wear on me. My zoom-based French lessons are making me feel inadequate and are starting to feel overwhelming to me. I miss my orange cat. I miss my old house and town in VA.
I feel like it will be YEARS before I'll be able to travel safely again, but by which time I may not be able to (financially or safely). I worry about my husband's job. NOW he chats about Vancouver, so I ended up snapping at him last night that IT'S TOO DAMN LATE, I told you we needed to GO in 2017.
The grind of this slowly rolling genocide/wildfire has worn me out. Been doing a lot of house cleaning lately, which at least is productive, but also protective.
I go grocery shopping once a week and to a doctor's appointment or two each week. That's it. Hubby talked me into a dog walk around our neighborhood at dusk. Half the people were unmasked still. Couldn't wait to get home, but I'm starting to feel like I'm on house arrest.
I love my husband but we have NEVER in 30 years had so much together time, and it's starting to wear on me because I'm used to being way more autonomous and not have to answer ridiculous questions like "Who was that on the phone?" I feel crowded. I'm tired of his distractedness - to the point of leaving doors wide open (including refrigerator), car unlocked, etc., all with the excuse that he's "busy working". I'm annoyed at how he has ignored my warnings of what's to come since 2016, so far I've been right the whole time, while he just brushes things off and sits in his little bubble. I find this very taxing. I'd love to be wrong more often.
I worry any of us will get sick and die of CV-19 before we have a chance to see things get better. I don't believe the election will go well, nor do I see Twitler et al going anywhere.
I know I'm getting depressed because I'm having really nice dreams, mostly I'm traveling, including to a few places I've never been in real life yet. Silver lining, I guess? At first I figured that by this time next year things would be getting much better, but now I just keep seeing a long, slow, slog with no end in sight until ALL the oligarchs and autocrats are gone. And by gone I mean very dead. Which may never happen, so...
I don't feel safe off my smallish, urban property, but I'm starting to feel the walls closing in.
@laura-f I just wanted to say that your post really resonates with me. I struggled with mood issues even before all of this insanity and I’ve had to cave and go on a mood stabilizer again. Fun times. I don’t know if it’s really helping but sometimes it helps me when I read/see something awful to try to pull myself out of my own head by focusing on my immediate surroundings. Other than that, I’m pretty much always plagued by fear, but I know I’m not the only one (not the most comforting thought, but it’s something). I feel for you and I’m sending you positive, healing energy.
@laura-f I can’t pretend to know what you’re feeling but I can sympathize with you and hope that you’ll feel better soon. If it helps any I see everyone, including myself, slipping some. Maybe more than some. I’ve been so sad the past month or two and can cry at the drop of a dime. It’s simmering right under the surface. I think we are all feeling the weight of this situation. And for me when I think of what our family has been doing to be safe, then watch these people disregard safety precautions it just makes me so angry. Selfish, stupid, reckless and I can keep on going. I can work myself up into a good internal rage. I too am worried about 4 more years. But I am hopeful and try not to give that thought and power away. I try to think of the way it will feel when T is gone and we can begin cleaning up the rot and stench. Hang in there. You have a beautiful heart. You always support others. Hang in there. It’s reasonable that you’re feeling this way. It’s good to express it, get it out. We are here and you know this is a safe place for us all. I pray for peace in mind, body and spirit. Be well my friend. ❤️☮️
I’m really sorry that you’re hurting. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I were surrounded by some clueless neighbors who don't seem to give a damn. I can relate to a lot of what you have expressed about depression. I’ve dealt with various levels of depression and anxiety for most of my life, so I can also relate to that.
As you know I’ve posted some in the Covid-19 thread about the mental and physical state I've recently experienced. I was already living a fairly contained life because of some of my ongoing health issues. Because of my limited energy reserves, small social outings and/or having lunch with friends were all that I could manage without becoming wiped out. They were gifts to me. By the end of last year I had begun to feel a little better, so I was looking into some figure drawing classes in the spring. And then this pandemic struck.
I’ll be 68 on Wednesday. I’m fine with celebrating with my husband at home, since the weather is horrible here – 90’s and very humid. But it would be nice to celebrate with some friends. To do that safely would mean to sit outside, and it’s ungodly hot and humid here right now, so that won’t work. No way I'm sitting inside of a restaurant. I realize, though, that I’m lucky to have someone to celebrate with. It’s a funny emotional bipolarity … feeling very grateful and very sad.
I haven’t traveled much, although I’ve always wanted to. Something “more important” always came up as the years passed away. My husband plans to retire the beginning of 2021, and we had hopes to include some traveling before we became too cash poor or decrepit to get around. There are plenty of places in the US that I still haven’t seen – not to mention Canada, Europe, etc. – and I wanted to give that gift to myself. Our first trip was going to be to the Pacific Northwest and Canada (hubby has been there; I haven’t). Then we wanted to go to Paris. I’m not sure what I would have been physically capable of handling, but I was game to try it.
We also wanted to explore other parts of this country where we might consider moving to in retirement. Not going to happen now! You know this area of the country, @laura-f, so you understand the congestion and the oppressive heat and humidity in the summer. But I am grateful that, at least for now, people in Northern Virginia generally seem to be behaving responsibly with masks and social distancing (not so much the case in the Virginia Beach area). And I'm grateful that we have a sane governor.
I understand depression so I don’t know whether this will help you at this point, but I’ll offer it anyway. For myself, I’m trying, on a daily basis, to make room for being grateful. Just a little space for it, even if I can’t emotionally connect with it at that moment. If I can’t feel it, I still go through the motions. For example, although my health challenges the past 25 years have been maddening and often relentless, I am grateful that I haven't had to work the past 7 years. My husband works, so that support has always been there. I haven't had that added stress as many people do, some who are members of this community.
Besides making room to be grateful, I am also making room to grieve. @jewels, thank you for reminding me (under the Covid-19 thread) of the grief we are all experiencing. In my case collectively, as well as personally. Collectively … this country’s standing in the world, the lives we have lost, the crimes we’ve perpetrated against mother earth and against each other, the country that we never were (but deluded ourselves into thinking we were "all that" and thus too perfect to change). Personally … grief at my age, mainly roads not taken – wouldas couldas shouldas. I’m still here and I still have a life to live, for as imperfect as it is. And I know a helluva lot more now, as a crone, than I did as a young whippersnapper. Which means I also have a lot more to offer. Given our current restrictions, I'm just trying to figure out how to accomplish that.
Anyway, I feel like I’m babbling! Guess I’m making up for the lost time I haven’t been posting. I’m just sorry that you’re in this space, Laura. I always love your wisdom, your humor, and your moxy (especially when I shake my head, roll my eyes and say to myself “I can’t believe she posted that!”) Keep on shining that light, Laura; your voice is needed, now, more than ever.
Take care of yourself the best way you can. Lots of love to you, my friend. ? ? ?
@laura-f sorry you’re going though this. If you ever need to exchange travel notes, I’m here for you. If you feel like making a drive to the Bay Area for a hike, I will definitely make time for you. There’s a comet in the sky, Neowise, I saw it this morning, have you seen it? Maybe that will help clear some tensions and anxieties. You’re a beacon of light to this community and I’m so grateful for your intuitions and intellect. Sending you lots of virtual hugs.
share the love and light
Dear @laura-f I want to send you some love. You have lifted me up so many times with your energy, your wit, and just so much smarts. Thoughts of your posts bounce across my mind like a gymnast.
I want to give something back to you. But it’s hard to give back to you what you give us.
You even gave us a recipe once for pasta and tomatoes—dunk ripe juicy tomatoes in boiling water and slip off the skins. Chop over pasta with grated cheese and enjoy. Yum. I’ve made that dish many times when I need a food lift, a Laura lift.
You’ve been the spice of the forum.
Sometimes it’s okay to be down. Maybe it’s time perhaps for you to just flop down and let yourself go. You’re an empath, a dancer, chef, tv personality, and a messenger with a steal trap mind who does more in a day than most do in a month.
You’re a ninja warrior who lifts us up like Charles Atlas holds up the earth, with humor and truth, all the while keeping our facts straight. Take a needed rest, dear friend. Please know you are loved.
We will send you a blast of healing Wednesday night.
Do you have an holistic vet that you can consult with? Or even over zoom?
Maybe herbs would help depending upon the diagnosis.
Anita
I've been MIA for a while, trying to recuperate from a list of annoying maladies and just breathe through the days without self-imposed pressures. While taking some time to catch up on posts today, I found yours and I'm so glad that you've shared with us.
This little girl is all of us: https://twitter.com/ngu_spesh/status/1281259100450566146?s=12
Sometimes it seems as though we are all crying on the inside. Maybe we could get some relief if we could have a really good cry and get it all out. I go in and out of grief myself and am finding that we don't come to terms with our reality once. We keep cycling through those stages of grief and it can be quite debilitating. Thankfully, feelings can change and somehow, someway we rally again to fight the good fight. We rally to love and laugh again in spite of the darkness of our present world.
Laura, we absolutely adore you. You are funny and wise, smart and sassy. You are kind. I like nothing more than to read your posts when you are all fired up. If only you lived here, we would definitely meet outside for a coffee or a drink and laugh/cry as needed.
Two things: First, we have gifts in this community and you are going to experience a lot of love, light and healing coming to you. It's already begun. Listen to your spirit guides especially as we will send energy through them to you. Secondly, if you continue to feel you're into clinical depression, get help. Seriously, don't suffer.
You are going to get through this, Laura. I know it. Much love to you, my friend. Namaste.
I'm often tempted to offer counterpoints to dread at the state of the world by drawing attention to the "big picture" and the transformational potential. But then I have to remind myself that there's a significant age gap between me and many members on this forum. So I don't really know how taxing and anxiety-inducing it can be to feel like I may not live long enough to see the other side of these years of churning, let alone survive CV19.
So the only way I can appropriately respond, Laura, is to send light your way. Be kind to yourself, and let us know how you're doing.