Sammie slept most of Saturday again...we would take him water and put pads down for him, which he did not use...but he would go outside when we carried him and go potty some...
This morning, however, he wanted to STAY outside...so hubby let him wander under a watchful eye for about 10 minutes...he peed and it was surprisingly light in colour...we expected a darker urine due to him NOT drinking ALOT....so he must have been getting up in the night to eat and drink from the fountain (even though the water in the bowl beside him was caught from the fountain stream)
I slept til noon but hubby is just now making from scratch pancakes and Sammie is out there standing at his feet, hoping for a drop....and earlier when I was feeding the cats their canned food, he heard the cans pop and came running to get any licks in from their bowls that he could....which is a good sign for him!!
Well...Sammie has gone out twice this evening....asking on his own to go...and almost running to the door to get there...
He ate dry food and has drank water...now is laying on the cushion with his blankie back in front of the heat vent
His eyes are alot brighter...he is holding his tail up rather than keeping it tucked between his legs and he does not seem as lethargic...
You don't want to downplay this, it would be better to have him checked to be absolutely certain, as opposed to thinking it was something else and has resolved.
The vet can check his muscle tone and reflexes, make the appointment tomorrow if you can, always best to play it safe. These back injuries CAN and DO re-injure, so be sure, ok?
yes...I am going to try to get him into the vet hospital in the city within the day or two...I drive by there on the way to work...and I work 9:30-3:30...so they could keep him for the day and do whatever would be needed to check things out....
This would be the same local hospital that was treating him, together with the University in Ames, with his last back injury, so they already have records on file for him....and got a duplicate report from Ames concerning his surgery, which disc, etc....
Sooo..let's hope he can get in to the vet that saw him last time as well...again knowing his history....
He is going to spend the day at the hospital tomorrow....prayers that it is not too bad of news....
It is so strange....he lays on te cushion by the heat vent hardly moving...stiff...but man when I pop a cat food can he is up and running to get there to lick the bowls....
He goes outside and potties...yesterday he had a very dry/hard bowel movement then LOTS of more pliable "normal" right after that, so we were hoping he would feel better after getting THAT out of there!!!
But I am going to leave him at the hospital tomrrow, no food tonight in case they need to sedate to x-ray or whatever...and if he does not need sedated, they will feed him there...
I am hoping that it is just the cold...maybe arthiritis that is manageable with medicine...but NOT a slipped disc again
Xrays can help determine if arthritis is present, but muscle tone and reflex testing combined with xrays are best for determining if the back has been re-injured. Palpation and xrays can also determine if there are gas loops or impacted feces in the colon, but unlikely. While you're there, ask about his diet, they might suggest something else to help keep him regulated (like soft or canned food or one with a bit more fiber - remember with age, the diet may need to be changed).
Thanks....I am sure they will do all of those as well...while we were on the phone setting it up, they did find his records from Ames...and previous records....
he wags his tail, which is still a good sign as far as I am concerned...but he just seems sooo...off...lethargic and laying still but then up and walking normal, with the body sway and no stiffness...that is after he has laid in front of the heat for a while
This place is good, and they will plan on keeping him all day...well when I leave him about 9am until I get off work at 3:30 and get over there to get him...and pay the bill
Actually, they are fairly reasonable...
I had better activate my Best Buy Mastercard tonight!!
Thanks....hubby was home before me so he had the dogs out already....Sammie went normally and was still up and about when I got home, maybe 15 minutes later...he ate well...walked around some wagging his tail...now he is sleeping on his cushion by the heat vent...
but hubby is just now making from scratch pancakes and Sammie is out there standing at his feet, hoping for a drop....and earlier when I was feeding the cats their canned food, he heard the cans pop and came running to get any licks in from their bowls that he could....which is a good sign for him!!
