Belle's vet visit

[Susan and the girls]

The vet thoroughly checked Belle's tail for any signs of fractures or inflammation or irritation, and there weren't any spots that revealed anything. She did a neuro exam, and said (thankfully) she didn't find anything neurological going on. She said that she didn't suspect anything like diabetes, since Belle isn't demonstrating any of the behaviors associated with diabetes. (I asked her about a geriatric profile, and she said she really would rather wait til Belle is 7.) Oh - we weighed her, and Belle has actually lost 3/4 a pound since the first part of May! (I think most of it is from running up and down the stairs here at the new house! Exercise certainly helps!)

I requested the x-ray to find out what was going on and she said that before they did that, she wanted to check one more thing. She checked Belle's anal glands, and found that they were really full and inflamed! I didn't even think about something like that, but she said that frequently animals (mainly dogs are affected) will keep their tails low when their anal glands are impacted because it hurts to lift them too high. Belle really mewed when she even got near them. The vet tech helped hold her, and my vet expressed them -- one had a great deal of very thick "stuff" in it. The other had something more like a yucky fluid. (Yes, I know, "TMI.") The vet thinks that is where the problem was.

She wants me to keep an eye on Belle's tail to see if it helps her raise it better. She told me it may be sore for a day or so, given the amount that was expressed, and if she's not lifting it like she normally would by Saturday, we'll do the x-rays on Monday to rule out any injury.

I asked how impacted anal glands can happen, and she said the when an animal "holds it" and doesn't go to the bathroom for an extended period of time, the glands can become irritated and full. I told her about the day after we moved in and how the cats hid in the closet for a full day - without eating, drinking, or pooping - and that was June 28. She said they normally see the glands swollen enough to cause pain about 2-4 weeks after the event, so the timeline is right for that. (She said that after the period of about 3 weeks of rain we had recently, her staff started calling her "the butt doctor" because she found herself expressing anal glands all day for several days. Apparently, dogs don't want to get their feet wet going outside to poop when it rains! LOL)

Belle was the usual ham for the vet staff. She purrs, butts heads, and carries on like she owns the place when we go there.... I'll never understand how she can be so social when we LEAVE the house, but when people come here, she hides. She got lots of loving and petting today -- the vet absolutely loves her.

I will keep you posted on how the tail lifts.... I'm just glad it wasn't anything serious. If we need to, we will x-ray on Monday. I'm really hoping this did the trick though!

[Mona]

Susan~

THat is precious!! I am so glad to hear this. Keeping fingers, toes and claws crossed that this is the problem with her tail.

I just love your little stories and updates, and when I go to the vet with Chloe I am going to have her anals checked too!! AND Honeybun when she goes in for her exam soon.

Thanks for the update and let us know how she does later on.

Mona, HOneybun and Little Chloe

[jason]

double thanks on the update, Belle is so fortunate to have you for a meowmie.

[kate & kobi]

That is good news! And an amusing story too; thanks for updating!

[Traci]

Heh, you can sue me now, Susan, I never would have thought about the anal glands!! Hopefully, that's all it was. Good news on the neuro exam, what a relief.

Keep us posted, I know how worried you are. Give Belle a kiss for us and hang in there

[Susan and the girls]

Silly Traci! LOL

I'm truly glad that's all it was, too! (Ecstatic might be the better term for it.... I was worried sick - could you tell???) And my vet was VERY glad it wasn't something neurological. When I asked her to make sure she did a good neuro exam, she said, "OH NO! Not Belle!!!!" And when Belle passed with flying colors, the vet wiped her brow, and said "Whew! I sure am glad it WASN'T something neurological!!!!" (She then told me a scary story about a cat she recently treated that has neurological issues, and it's not a pretty sight. Fortunately the story has a pretty good ending. That cat has recovered somewhat, and although they never found out why he was experiencing his problems with standing and walking, he's home now. The owner was thinking she might have to let him go, since he is 18 and also had his age going against him, and since they couldn't find out what was going on, but my vet convinced her to give it a few days, given his slow but steady improvements, and now he's home, doing much better.)

I'll keep you posted on my sweetness, Belle. So far, several hours later, she's still not holding her tail high all the time, but the vet said she would probably be a little sore. And I saw Belle's reaction when she barely touched that area.... it obviously was terribly tender.

When the vet finished with her "anal expression," I mustered up my best "Belle" voice and said, "I've never been more humiliated in all my life!"

I sure hope this takes care of it!! She's acting completely normal - which she was doing all along anyway, but I'm just glad to know it wasn't anything like a fracture or nerve problem!

Belle sends her "thank yous" to all who were and are praying for her - and so do I!