Poor Hermes - RIP My Love

[lilspaz68]

He's finally eating the corn!!

 

[Joanne]

I'm glad he feels well enough to eat now. I used my oxygen concentrator that I have from lampworking for my girl Lily. I just used it to get her through the day though, so I could euthanize her. What are your plans for your poor old man?

 

[lilspaz68]

I'll see how he is over the weekend. He definitely feels better that's for sure. Cesar did really well in there as well But I probably will take him in on monday or if he worsens I can run him in tomorrow morning.

 

[EDK]

Take him in...tomrrow? For what? Nothing like putting him down I hope i mean I know it's not a life to always be o oxygen, but if there's no other way, or is it just to get him medicine?

 

[lilspaz68]

Take him in...tomrrow? For what? Nothing like putting him down I hope i mean I know it's not a life to always be o oxygen, but if there's no other way, or is it just to get him medicine?

No I would have him pts. Today he's doing better and was boggling away as I stroked him. But if it worsens I will definitely take him in. As soon as they lose interest in things, and their eyes dull, and they are starting to struggle or just "go through the motions" then it really is best to let them go. I think this may be our last weekend, but for now he's enjoying what we have.

 

[lilspaz68]

I have spent a lot of time with Hermes over the last couple of days. His condition confuses me as it does not react like typical respiratory at all. The lasix seems to have perked him up, but his breathing is still mostly the same, its just he's brighter and more active. Today I decided to make up enalapril and add that to see if we really are dealing with heart issues. He just had his first dose.

On Friday he was eating but still relatively quiet.

Very responsive to my touch, tipping his cheek for rubs. Also snatching food from my fingers or liking it off enthusiastically.

Last night he started going off the bed and exploring. At first I thought it was panicked breathing making him move around,but it wasn't. He just wanted to be places and was climbing. His favourite place seemed to be cllmbing up on the rocking chair that was piled with stuff and sitting up there grooming, and sleeping. When I would go over to see him he would lick my hands in a relaxed manner.

 

[jorats]

Poor sweetie, keeping my fingers crossed that he's getting better.

 

[EDK]

I see...hmm...well ya it's your call and gotta do what's best for him, I was hoping he'd get better though, sounds like he is a little, but like you said his condition is spontaneous, good one minute, drops the next, but i'll keep hoping for him

 

[Godmother]

Interesting that he is responding to Lasix. Fingers crossed for the enapranil. It must be wonderful to have the O2 concentrator for these situations. At the very least he's had a few more days of enjoying life.

 

[Joanne]

He looks pretty bright in those pictures from Saturday night, and obviously he wasn't in the oxygen when he was out on the back of the chair, so this may not be the end of his story...

 

[crumbilina]

This picture makes me melt. Nom for RPOM...

:heart: What a sweetie!

 

[lilspaz68]

He was only in the oxygen once.

These are his pics from today...

 

[Joanne]

This picture makes me melt. Nom for RPOM...

:heart: What a sweetie!

I will second.

He is looking great today!

 

[ChrisK]

Looks like the oxygen may be doing some good.. He looks good in those last two photos.
*fingers crossed*

 

[mamarat]

Wow he looks so much better.

 

[lilspaz68]

Looks like the oxygen may be doing some good.. He looks good in those last two photos.
*fingers crossed*

But he only had it the one time...so its not the oxygen.

 

[mamarat]

When my girl Cookie had pneumonia, vet gave her oxygen once for about an hour then I was sent home with Baytril and Zithro and after 4 days I did see an improvement. She went on to live to 33 months. (She was 20 mos when she got sick) Good luck with your sweetie.

 

[EDK]

I hope not, but if it is...I hope he's with you in your arms

 

[lilspaz68]

When my girl Cookie had pneumonia, vet gave her oxygen once for about an hour then I was sent home with Baytril and Zithro and after 4 days I did see an improvement. She went on to live to 33 months. (She was 20 mos when she got sick) Good luck with your sweetie.

Its all rather confusing. he's been on antibiotics for months, including baytril /zithromax. Mainly just stabilized. He's been on doxy/baytril for about 2 months now. Losing weight, thinning through the head and lately it has been the deep laboured breathing with no congestion, no sounds. I assumed pulmonary abscesses which sucks but you can make them more comfortable in the last stages with dex. Welll....he was having an open-mouth breathing attack, and I gave him a shot of dex...NO response at all. Then I tried the lasix, and his cooler extremities warmed up, but his breathing was still quite laboured. So I took him off (stupid me!) and he really regressed, with the dex giving no response still. Added back the lasix on Friday morning, and he improved. Maybe it was his heart so I started him on enalapril on Sunday morning...and now we wait to see if things improve further. As I said he's old before his time (but we lost his daddy and his brother suddenly died in June) so I think that is genetics. He is a happy boy though, he bruxes and boggles especially when I am giving him a massage or a cheek rub

 

[Unepuce]

Such a beautiful manrat! I would have seconded that picture had I seen it in time! :heart:

I really hope the heart meds keep helping him and give him many months of quality time. He sure seems to enjoy his life... why doesn't that surprise me? :wink2: