osiris updates from June 2022 to finally 25/05/2023

That's funny tonib! I read it and read it and was a bit puzzled to be honest. I hope all is well with Osiris and the other cats. Do they mix together yet?

You were up late last night lotsofcats as I know what time I posted afterwards & it was only half an hour after yours!

Typing all this (& there is more to come) I found I didn't have records of the external blood tests although I'm confident that nothing was found but I will add the next few months after I've got the details from the vets as soon as I can get them.

Sadly after a 2nd brain tumour, its removal & then a stroke, the head vet died on Good Friday and all the 5 branches will be shut this Monday as its his funeral to which I will be going.

Apparently as "one of his special clients" I was kept informed of his health and when arrangements were made, after the 2nd tumour operation, for a diary for visits at his home I did book a slot but that was cancelled due to a hospital appointment as was the re-arranged one. That 2nd one had been for a Monday & was cancelled on the preceding Friday. Unfortunately that weekend he had the stroke so there were no more visits arranged as it was too much for him.

I will miss him both as a good, caring, straight talking, ethical vet but also as an intelligent, friendly man with a sense of humour which was quite quirky at times, which I appreciated. When I told him a year or more ago that Osiris was only eating "human food" he asked "which human does he prefer tough & old or young & tender"!!! Not everyone's humour but he knew I would appreciate it . I still remember him asking, at one appointment with Roman, couldn't I bring him something more interesting than a cat bite abscess. I often reminded him that he'd not been on duty when I brought Roman in when he ruptured his cruciate ligament but I think Roman made up for it with his unstable diabetes, hyperthyroid etc. especially as this was first diagnosed was during the covid pandemic. the vet really put himself out to try & get it stable, being called every day between 8:30 & 9 morning & evening to tell me how much insulin to give based on my glucose level testing at home. This continued for several weeks until he thought I could work it out myself.

Arrr bless look at his shaved tummy.
The abscess looks like it healing really well.

Well the funeral was typical of the vet, he wrote 2.5 A4 pages (including some pics) to put at the front of the order of service. The flowers in the church were more Caribbean, red, yellow/gold & green including bird of paradise flowers & these particular flowers were printed through out the order of service. Those colours are the colours of Grenada where he was an Associate Dean at the University. The priest's initial words included "I've officiated at many, many funerals but this is first time I've had a bird of paradise behind me!" The flowers at the back of the altar were a smaller version of the large displays but also had a miniature of the actual Bird of paradise as well as the flowers :0

One of the hymns was Jerusalem & written along side the hymn was "(raise the roof)". Apparently he was a ballroom dancer & when the coffin left the church for the graveyard it was to everyone singing "Lord of the Dance"! The soil for people to add to the grave was handed out in big stainless steel dog bowls

All in all it was a real celebration of his life more than a sad funeral service. People (who asked) were told to wear any colour but black, he was known for his love of colours, a pink suit, a kilt & yellow socks were mentioned at different times in the eulogies!!!

19/4/23
Osiris has got even more picky with his food over the last week or so. He's also got matted fur at his rear, he's had them before a year or so ago, due to arthritis affecting his ability to groom himself as well as he normal would. However he finally stopped finding anything that he liked to eat & I wondered if he was having problems with his teeth or nausea (the latter often associated with kidney disease) as he was lip smacking a bit more than normal, so booked him to the vets for 19/4/23 at 10:15 am with the vet whose being doing all the tests on him over the last months. I made sure that he had no food after 10:30pm the night before & water after 7:30am the morning of the appointment in case they need to do test which required sedation. His Solensia injection was due in a few days so they could do that at the same time.

the vet examined him, found some slight tartar but no signs of problems in his mouth. She checked his heart rate which was not untoward. He's lost 0.2Kg.

We were planning some blood tests when she continued checking him over moving down over his body to his abdomen just in front of his haunches. Then I saw her face change & she concentrated more. She could feel an irregular mass which felt too firm to be faeces.

I'm glad I'd prepared for sedation as he was kept in for bloods & an ultrasound.

His bloods didn't show anything really, his potassium was improved but still slightly low but acceptab;le as not been getting the supplement if not eating. kidney values fine.

However the abdominal scan showed a 3.5 x 3.5cm intestinal mass through which the intestinal lumen (the actual open tube of the intestines) travelled. It was still open so no blockage. His lymph nodes are enlarged and rounded, which makes her suspicious of metastasis and there were multiple small hypoechoeic nodules through the liver (some had been seen in his last ultrasound at the end of November, when it was thought that they might be from liver regeneration & still could be but in view of what else has been found may not be ) His adrenal glands were seen this time but not a problem. His spleen, bladder, kidneys all with in normal range.

Diagnosis an intestinal mass which has relatively rapid growth as not palpable 2 months ago(when the vet last saw him). We discussed sampling but given Osiris's age, other issues & suspicious metastasis he is not a good surgical candidate so what's the point.

Treatment a monthly steroid injection, Depomedrone, along with his Solensia and we'll monitor his quality of life. We go back in a month to the same vet but obviously earlier if any concerns. The steroid will help with any inflammation with the side effect of improving appetite

This vet is lovely & she likes Osiris, apparently he chats away to them all when kept in. When I went to pick him up I was able to see the scans & she explained what I was seeing & what it meant.

So it may well be months rather than weeks but it's not good news. Just look after him while I still have him. It won't matter that I have part eaten packets of sliced meat filling the fridge & continually searching the supermarket & pet store shelves for anything we haven't tried yet. Unsuccessful pet food will be happily eaten by other felines here & I get plenty of choices of sandwiches for lunch!!!

The steroid certainly improved his appetite when he came home, he hadn't had any food from 10:30pm the night before until 5:30-6pm so that may have also helped but he tucked into food with gusto after the vets !!! It's possible he was given a little food at the vets but not sure.

I ditto all what cazypops said . Its very hard reading this . I too know he will be spoilt rotten to the end. I think Stevie and Shady were meant to be, previous adoption was not meant to go thru , they are drstined to be with you , to fill a void when the time comes ❤️ Until then enjoy him.

Hugs to you xxxx 

tonib I’m so very sorry to read this 😢and don’t really know what to say 😿other than like what as already been said “ spoil him like crazy and give him lots and lots of love ❤️ and cherish the moments you have together ❤️make special memories x
I’m so very sorry, sending hugs to you xx