Isabelle's Diliema

Isabelle aka Izzy

Remember Izzy?  My daughter Emily's cat?  The one that doesn't like me even though I took her in when Emily moved into an apartment that wouldn't let her bring her cat(she will take her back in August)? The one that after I feed her, clean her litter box, "try" to be lovey to her, she hisses and swats at me? But will purr and love on my Hubby?  Also will be sweet to my younger daughter.  The only cat I have ever met that didn't love me back... That Izzy.

She has a dilema.

She had a little mat in her fur on her hip.  She doesn't let me brush her. Although I tried. Emily and I even tried to cut it out. Also Hubby tried.  The mat, instead of shrinking or getting brushed out... it grew. Make that multiplied.  Over the past week or so, it is migrated across both hips and spread wider. AND now it is to the skin.. I can't get a comb between the hair and her skin. It also seems to be uncomfortable (she is sleeping flat on her tummy now instead of the kitty curl).

We decided she needs help. Professional help.
It's a Cat Grooming Emergency.

So...we franticly searched for someone that will see her ASAP.
Do you know how hard that is?  Groomers want you to make appointments 2 weeks in advance.  Some don't even want to touch cats (hmmm, I can imagine why). I finally found a Vet clinic that will take her Wednesday, but they didn't even ask her name, and wouldnt give me prices. They want me to drop her off at 7am, and they will call me when they look at her to give me an idea what it will cost... Not feeling good about this...  I also found, through the magic of Facebook and networking through a friend of a friend...found a Groomer, that not only took the time to call me back (and on her birthday!) she was honest and upfront about her thoughts about the situation.  We scheduled for Tuesday morning. If she doesn't think she can handle her (let's face it Izzy is a bit of a mean cat), then she will send me along. Then I will have to make the scary appointment.

We are thinking since she must be shaved...
might as well make her somewhat cute with a lion cut.

Have you seen them?
Let me show you what I am talking about...

Now, even though I think these are hilarious... I would not have this done to one of our cats, unless they HAD to get shaved. I think the natural hair, long or short looks best.  We had an elderly cat that got mats and I tried shaving with a razored letter opener. I thought I was so smart, zipping this through his mats and doing it myself.  He was a sweet old cat and flinched only once....
WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY SLICED HIM OPEN WITH THE RAZOR AND HAD TO TAKE HIM TO THE VET TO BE "GLUED" BACK TOGETHER.

Bad memory. Bad, bad.. Also why I refuse to try that again...

So, you see our diliema.
We have no choice.
She has to be shaved... might as well try to make her somewhat cute instead of having her hips alone shaved as if she had surgery.
Right?

Rocky Update

Or should I have titled this:
"How I Almost Killed My Cat".

Rocky. My dear sweet Rocky. I do love this cat. I mean really love this cat. I have for the 14 years we have had him. So, it is understandable how upsetting this has been.

Sergio, who I was sure was in denial, actually was more on top and accurate in diagnosing my cat. He was sure Rocky was NOT ready to die.

He is 17 years old. When the signs started showing up a month ago, how was I to think it could be anything else? I mean, he is old! He never complained or seemed sick. He just stopped eating and started sleeping more.
After four days of not eating anything, his eye and jaw swelled.
That is definitively not a sign of dying from old age.

OMGosh! Sergio~ I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. Lets take him in to the Vet. I humblely admit that I have made a huge mistake thinking it's just old age and that Sergio was in denial. My husband...knows best.

Now mind you we have talked to the Vet, already the day he stopped eating. Well, now that I think of it, we talked to his assistant.

My Vet kept him for the day, hooked to an IV because he was dehydrated, and confirmed Sergio's thoughts of infection. Rocky has an Abscessed Tooth, which has gotten infected as well as causing an infection in his right eye. He pumped him with antibiotics, removed as much as he could of the ...puss and junk, although could not remove the tooth due not being able to give him anesthetic at this time.

He is home on watch now. We must get him to eat and gain some pounds so we can go forward with abstracting the tooth. He is not out of the woods. Because of his age, putting him under is extremely dangerous, but, the tooth has to go. He will most certainly die if it is not removed.

He loves his drugs, eating somewhat :) and drinking a chicken stock as well as water. He is making much improvement. Looks a ton better!

Thank you for your prayers. It seems this old guy isn't on that last 9th life. He was just fooling around with number 8.

Riley Girl

Riley Girl, also known as Riley Ann, Riley Gonzalez, Big Boned Girl, Sausage, & CHORIZO is our eight year old Bleu Tick Coonhound. She is an amazing "little" family member that we rescued from the Pound when she was 5 weeks old.

Unfortunately, she contacted Parvo. Fortunately, she had this family that was madly in love with her and forked out a thousand dollars plus to save her life. We then spoiled this big baby for the next several years.

Hounds are an interesting breed. They HOWL. When they smell something, see something, or want something. It is really loud, and funny to most. Embarrassing to us at times.

She is lazy. Her breed tends to nap alot.

She also is extremely strong. She can drag you and when she wants something she can and will do whatever it takes to get.

Riley is also a bit overweight. She should not weigh more than 75 pounds. Currently Riley is "down" to 112. (She likes to snack with Sergio!)

Last week I took her for her yearly check-up, shots, and grooming (she needed a pedicure big time!).

I have the worlds best Vet. I have been going to him since I adopted Inky back in 1974, so uhm, what, like 35 years. (OMGosh). I know this guy and after all these years can read him like a book. When I pointed out a concern about a swollen gland in her neck, I immediately got that feeling that he did not like what he was finding. She has a mass nearly the size of a tennis ball pushing on her voice box. Not a good thing. Samples were drawn and lab work waited on.

Riley will be going into surgery on October 15th to remove this Canine Thyroid Tumor that we are not sure yet if it is cancerous (it appears to be). Regardless to the cancer, it must be removed.

Obviously we are nervous about her upcoming surgery as well as what will be revealed.

It is also a costly surgery and she may require trips to Purdue for Radiation. I have a wonderful husband that loves this old dog as much as I. We will make it happen. My girls also love her dearly. She is actually Annie's dog.

So, Riley, you are our Christmas! And then some. But, it is always something. By now, I have learned, you take what you get, and make the best of it.

So chin up. Riley is happy. She has even been spotted PLAYING with the other dogs and, RUNNING (this is huge!). So, there is that chance that it is removed easily with no major hic-cups and no cancer!

However~ All my Dog Lovers out there~ Pray for our Big Boned Girl!