Thursday, April 12, 2007

Vet Update from Rocky's Mom

Poor Rocky had a traumatic vet visit, and he has an even more traumatic one coming up tomorrow. And I'm furious! I've been battling problems with Rocky's ears for a couple of years now. He's seen 3 different vets in our city, and I've gotten diagnoses of everything from bacterial infection to ear discoloration because he produces too much ear wax. We solved the ear wax problem, but lately his ears have become worse and developed black nodules.

The vet today essentially told me, "His ears are full of tumors. They may or may not be malignant. No way to tell. Nothing we can do but give him ear ointment for inflammation (Animax). It'll get worse, but might not kill him. I've seen this before." I asked her what causes this and what the condition is called, and she said, "I have no idea what causes it and I don't know what it's called."

Yes, she actually said those things to me!!! So I called a competent vet in Indianapolis, who said the vet here, in spite of her rotten bedside manner, could be right, in which case it's a glandular condition that white cats who produce too much ear wax are prone to get. But it could also be cancer, and she couldn't believe the vet here didn't do x-rays or a biopsy.

So tomorrow I'm driving Rocky 80 miles to have further testing by a vet who actually knows what she's doing. He's a tough guy at home, but the poor little fellow is absolutely terrified of riding in a car. He doesn't even need a carrier because he goes almost comatose and curls up in a quivering fetal position and won't move.

Please keep us in your thoughts and Rocky could use lots of soothing purrs to comfort him during his 80 mile trip and biopsy at the vet. I feel terrible now for posting something humorous about this below. It breaks my heart to have to put my otherwise fearless baby boy through this, and I'm so worried about the test results.

~~ Sharolyn

38 comments:

KC and the Giggleman Kitties said...

Rocky and you will be in our thoughts and prayers for a great outcome.
And a vet that knows what they are doing!!!

The Cats Stephens said...

Oh Rocky! We are all pulling for you.

love,
Abbie, Eliot, Emily and Percy

mister jeter harris, hizself said...

deer rocky,
i'm thinkin uv u az u make yer long trip to da v-e-t!
i'm purrin an purrayin dat thingz will be ok.
i will also ask mi byootiful v-e-t ... da luvlee dr. landerfeld abowt dis. she iz not onlee smart ... she haz a grate bedside manner!
luv--yer frend--jh

Smeagol and Strider, Mystery (Sunnin' at the Bridge) and Gizmo too! said...

Please don't feel bad 'bout the last post, there was no way for you to know. We're sendin' purrs and purrayers for you and Rocky, and for the test results to be okay.

The Meezers or Billy said...

oh no oh no oh no Rocky. Oh, we is so sorry you haf to ride in the metal monster wif wheels for such a long distance. you will be in our purrayers all day tomorrow - we hopes it's nofing bad and that you will be ok. PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Unknown said...

Rocky, We will be praying for you as you take your trip to the Vet. We hope that you are calm for the trip, and that the doctor knows how to help you...We also hope and pray that it isn't something bad...
Purrs,
Us, Meezers

Daisy said...

First of all, please do not feel bad about your TT13 post below. I think every cat can relate to things about going to the vet.

Thank you for giving us an update about Rocky as soon as you knew. I am hoping the vet visit tomorrow will go as well as possible. A little bit of my heart will go with Rocky, because I am so sad that he is scairt of riding in the car. Pixie and I are sending soothing purrs for Rocky.

I am glad you found a good vet, and you will feel better once you have more information, I think.

Stay strong, Rocky!

Icon Baxter Bentley said...

Rocky, I can totally relate to your situation. I have very dirty (waxy) ears too, and a hard-to-keep-away yeast & bacteria problem. I hate the car more than I hate the Vet, and I know how unhappy you must be! Especially when they poke around in your ears.
I will keep my paws crossed for you and say a prayer that the Vet says you are OKAY. purrs...purrs...purrs

-Icon

keep us informed

Carolina Cats said...

We'll be thinking of you both and purraying for Rocky. It's ok to post something humorous, it will keep you from crying.

There's a page for stupid vet stories, your vet belongs there! There are right and wrong ways to say "I don't know" and that was definitely the wrong way!

Give Rocky a hug & purr from us and know that we'll be sending our GA's (Guardian Angels) along to watch over him.

Finny & Buddy's mom

Parker said...

Oh poor baby Rocky! We hope you will be OK and the the good vet will fix you right up!
Sharolyn - don't you dare feel bad, that's just how kitties feel about cars and vets and upsetting their daily routine!
Our whole family will sends purrs, prayers and positive thoughts for Rocky.
Keep us kitties in the know and give us an update!
Purrs to you Rocky and to you Sharolyn!

Just Ducky said...

Rocky sometimes humor is the only way to get through things like this. Try to chill out during the ride. We hope that the new VET can figure out the black inside your ears.

Anonymous said...

we'll be purring for you lots and lots. we pray that everything goes well for you.

Monica said...

Rocky, I'm sorry to hear about your distressing conversation with the VET. I'm glad that you have found one who knows what they are talking about and will take you seriously as any CEO should be taken seriously. Tell your mom to stay to the nice straight streets and stay off the curvey ones. The curvey streets are the worst ones.

sammawow said...

Please don't feel bad about the previous post - We think that most of us hate riding in the car. We are sending huge purrrrrrrs and prayers that Rocky will be better after seeing the new vet.

Love and purrs, China Cat & Willow

Kimo and Sabi said...

Some pet stores sell a calming product (often with cammomile) that is given to pets before a stressful event like traveling, vet visits, moving, etc. Purrrs to Rocky!

LZ said...

Oh Rocky we will keep you in our purrayers! I have lots of ear wax too. I'm sorry about the car ride but the VET will try to help you.

Chase

The Lee County Clowder said...

Hang in there, Rocky. It's OK to sit on the floor with your paws over your head. Maybe you can ride in your Mom's lap for some of the trip.

Rocky's Mom, have you tried putting a towel or blanket over the carrier? Maybe Rocky will feel better if he can't see the world rushing by.

FWIW I don't know who you are going to see, but if you are going to Indianapolis, you could do worse than Eagle Creek Animal Clinic.

{{huggs}} and puurrss from all of us to all of you, especially Rocky. We're thinking of you, guy.

Ivan from WMD said...

Poor little boy! I hope everything goes well tomorrow. Just pretend you're on a nip trip during that long ride. Then, later, you'll want to eat a whole bunch of stuff and you can say you don't remember a thing!

Rocky's mom, please try to not worry too much. And about the TT? I bet Rocky could have come up with 13 more!

Artsy Catsy said...

Thank you all so very, very much for your concern, support and advice! What would we do without you?

Rocky is feeling a bit off tonight, wouldn't eat and is very droopy. I'm giving him a special treat and letting him sleep with me without all the other cats.

Radcliff, Allie, Luna & Ozzie, the vet we're going to in Indy is Dr. Robin Wilson at Stoney Creek Animal Hospital. She was our vet when we lived in Indy & she was then at Allisonville Animal Hosp. And we're definitely using a covered carrier tomorrow - it's all ready to go with Rocky's favorite toys.

Kimo & Sabi, good idea! We'll check PetSmart in the morning. We usually have Bach's Rescue Remedy on hand, but we're out and you can't buy it here.

All you kittie and beans are so terrific! We'll let you know what we find out at the vet.

Sharolyn & Rocky

Lilly Lu, Iris and Maxwell Mufsa Millon said...

Hi rocky I thinking of you. My mama used the rusue remetday on Mu shue when i was intrdced. made a diffcince he only hissed growned and tryed to beat me up 3 or 4 times. Also onther great thing at pet smart is feline way spary. It has phomines and dose wonders mama used keeps it pulged in here at all time but she also has the spary that can be sprayed for streesful times like vet vists. Mama uses it wiff mu shue in the car just hold on to your catrot and it will be like i am holding your paw I be purring for you

your best freind

Lilly Lu

Kate (Pablo's mum) said...

Good luck with the v-e-t trip, Rocky! Sounds like your beans love you heaps - they won't rest until they know what's wrong with you, and we're all purring for you out here in the blogosphere! Even all the way down here in Australia.

Lux said...

Oh, I'm so sorry to read about this - what helps Ninna on the road is a blanket or towel/s inside the carrier so she can burrow inside them.

Best wishes tomorrow from our home to yours. I'll definitely be purring loud and I'll make sure Ninna and Silky are, too.

The M's said...

We agree wif Kimo and Sabi, the bean boy has to take cammomille when he has a big test or something stressful to do. Hope you can find some in your area. We are purraying and purraying that Rocky gets better soon.

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Oh poor Rocky. :( I hope everything goes well during the car ride and at the vet's. I hope the ear problem is nothing serious.

Like Kimo and Sabi said, you can get products to help Rocky relax in the car, and if he really doesn't like the car ride, some vets will even prescribe a sedative.

Sending lots of healing and soothnig purrs out to Rocky and keeping him in my prayers.

Fat Eric said...

Poor Rocky! I am keeping my paws crossed that you don't get too scared in the car and that the new vet is able to sort out your ears and the problem is not too serious. Big purrs for you.

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Rocky

We is all so sorry yu has to take a long long ride in a PTU and go to da V-E-T. We will be finking furry much bout yu and sending all of our purrs to yu. We hopes it will help yu and dat dey doktor can gives yu sum gud noos.

Abby
Boo
Ping
Jinx
& baby Grace

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Omigosh, Rocky! We'll be purring fur yoo on dat long car ride and purraying dat da vet can fix yoor ears and it's nothing sereeus! We missed dis news yesterday cuz mom and dad weren't on da puter! Hah, we hafta go put da bitey on dem now.

Monty Q. Kat said...

Sending calming purrs your way, dude. I'm not big into car rides myself. I hope it's nothing serious, we're thinking of you!

*headbutts*

Tiki, Kirby, and StanLee said...

Poor Rocky. We are sending more purrayers and purrs that it's glandular and not cancer. We hope the covered carrier makes it not so scary.

Ann M & the Kitties said...

Purrs and prayers for you Rocky. Mom, don't feel bad about the post. It is the tough tiimes when we need a little humor the most. Even though Rocky doesn't need a carrier, wouldn't it help him to feel secure? Could you ask the vet for something to calm him down for the ride home?

Tommy and Teaghan said...

We're keeping Rocky and you in our prayers to keep you strong for your trip. Glad you have a vet you can trust to go to. And these other vets that don't know what they're doing are the same ones people trust to tell us what to feed our cats? What goes in is what comes out. Hopefully its something as easy as a change in diet. We'll keep our pawsies crossed.

Unknown said...

Rocky and Sharolyn,
We will be keeping you in our thoughts and prurryers today as you travel to the V-E-T. Positive thoughts going up for a good report!

Luv,
Dazey
Jesse
and Conner Cloud

Anonymous said...

We hope you're okay Rocky. It sounds like quite a ride and I personally wouldn't look forward to it. I'd have to say, as soon as you are up and about and feeling better, I'd start looking for a vet closer to home that I could talk to!

Aloysius said...

Poor Rocky! I had no idea that ears could be such a problem. I'll be thinking of you, Rocky, and praying to the Great Cat. Get better soon!

HRH Yao-Lin said...

ooooh I am soooo sorry. I really really hope it is all OK and that rocky isn't too scared. I will be thinking about him and sending loving thoughts xxxx please be ok cute cat xxxx

Victor Tabbycat said...

Oh, gosh. I lefted a comment yesterday, but it's not here. Rocky, we wish you the furry best. An Sharolyn, you's already taked him to 3 vets checkin on this, so you totally hafn't neglected it. The TT is zactly how cats feel.

The cat afore Bonnie hated ridin in the car an cursed Mom wif efurry cat curse she knew an a few she made up when they moved frum Illannoy to Whiskonsin.

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Oh Rocky we will be purraying and purring furr yoo. Our mum yoosed to werk furr a V E T a long time ago, and she sez try not to worry if it is the worst. She sez cat's wiv white eers are prone to gitting cancer if they go outdoors (Don't know if yoo do git outside or not) She sed the V E T did lots of opperayshuns on Poodins while she wuz theer, and they wuz all successfull.Hope efurryfing goes ok furr yoo and try not to git too stressed out in the car.

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