(no subject)
Neither the vet nor I expected it, but it's a liver problem. The liver function test results were out of normal bounds across the board, and way out of whack in a couple of places. And by "way out of whack" I mean the number should be 58, and it was 2,700. So her liver is pretty much running on fumes and evil intentions. There is no cause for this that is good news.
We still don't know anything like what it is or if it's treatable. I'm trying to stay upbeat -- she obviously feels okay if not great -- but this isn't really something that just happens for no reason and goes away by itself. Many of the causes are not particularly treatable. Dr. Hallman very gently emphasized that there is probably no good news to get, here. I agreed that I understood completely. Liver disease in cats: not a good thing. So it's looking more like a quality of life issue here than anything else.
I told him in as many words that she's had a good 14 years, and I'm not going to try to wring anything out of her she doesn't want to give me. I love her too much to let my own feelings prolong her suffering. But right now she's not suffering at all. She's still stealing my food and beating on her sisters and mugging me for tummy-rubs. At this moment she is on my pillow with her tail across my keyboard, purring. Obviously, then, her quality of life is pretty good.
She goes in tomorrow for more bloodwork, and possibly after that we will have an ultrasound done and hopefully that will help tell us where we are.
We still don't know anything like what it is or if it's treatable. I'm trying to stay upbeat -- she obviously feels okay if not great -- but this isn't really something that just happens for no reason and goes away by itself. Many of the causes are not particularly treatable. Dr. Hallman very gently emphasized that there is probably no good news to get, here. I agreed that I understood completely. Liver disease in cats: not a good thing. So it's looking more like a quality of life issue here than anything else.
I told him in as many words that she's had a good 14 years, and I'm not going to try to wring anything out of her she doesn't want to give me. I love her too much to let my own feelings prolong her suffering. But right now she's not suffering at all. She's still stealing my food and beating on her sisters and mugging me for tummy-rubs. At this moment she is on my pillow with her tail across my keyboard, purring. Obviously, then, her quality of life is pretty good.
She goes in tomorrow for more bloodwork, and possibly after that we will have an ultrasound done and hopefully that will help tell us where we are.