Not a great night for Miss Macie.  At some point between 1:30am & 3:30am (yes, I fell asleep trying to watch a half-hour show), she threw up at the back door – not much, since she hadn’t done much in terms of dinner.  She didn’t want to go outside, was very shaky and lay down in the dining room.  I coaxed her out with a cookie, and we went to bed.  But then she was up at 4, 4:30, 5:45 & 6:45 – mostly to eat snow, but also peeing.  After that, we were able to sleep until 10.

Her back legs are losing quite a bit of strength, and she’s having trouble getting up the step to come in the back door.  😢

But the pill pockets were a success, she got her morning meds into her.  Didn’t want her breakfast, though she was eager to lick the spoons.  I added some bone broth and she drank that – so I’m wondering if her muscle loss is making it difficult for her to chew?  Gonna try the damned blender next…

1pm edit

The blender was NOT a success – she didn’t even want to lick the spatula.

3pm edit

My friend (and mom of my neighbour) Arlene came over last night to show me how to do therapeutic touch on her (she used to do this at Hospice).  I just tried it on my own, and Macie stopped trembling and has fallen back asleep, so I guess I learned something.  🙂  I just want her to not be in discomfort.

3:10pm update

Some GOOD news – Jasper's blood test from yesterday's checkup came back as perfectly normal and healthy.  PHEW!  I couldn't deal with more than one at a time...

5:25pm update

Just off the phone with the vet, and we have a new game plan for Miss Macie, after she consulted with the internal specialist, and whoever else will talk with her about our little enigma.

Readers Digest of what has gone before:  Her bad liver levels have improved significantly, and her anaemia levels were showing good improvement on Monday.  But she's not big on food, and is losing muscle mass, and quite weak (and making me cry, but that's not a medical thing...).

SO... first of all, she gets to reduce her prednisone – down from a half-pill a day to a quarter pill (wish me luck slicing those fuckers with that kind of precision – yes, I have a pill slicer).  Also, when she goes in for her blood test tomorrow morning, they're going to send her home with an anti-nausea injection, and a supply of cerenia tablets for the weekend, which should help increase her appetite.  (She'll keep on the Ompeprazole to ensure no gastrointestinal bleeding comes back, and the Spironolactone to keep trying to control the bloating.)

The internal specialist is also going to come up again next week to give her an ultrasound, just to make sure they haven't missed something else while focusing on her liver.  The vet made it very clear he is NOT to sedate her, but presumably she'll be less wiggly and excited than she was when she was asymptomatic, anyhow, so it shouldn't be necessary (she had an ultrasound at emerg on Feb. 27th without sedation, for reference).  He will also drain some of the fluid from her abdomen (not all, because it could send her body into another kind of shock, but the poor girl deserves some relief!) while he's there – this can also be done without sedation, and they assure me it's quick & painless.

She says the specialist isn't surprised about her not exhibiting symptoms when at her worst, but now visibly deteriorating as her health measurements are showing improvement – apparently this is quite common, although no fun.

So as long as she hangs in with us for a few more days, we've got a plan to help her feel better.  AND the blood tests are showing she's getting healthier, so hopefully tomorrow's injection will help her FEEL healthier, and eat her damned food so she has energy to romp around with her bored and grumpy brother again soon.  ❤️

6:15pm edit

Also, I am currently cooking 2kg of ground beef, and Jasper may be passing out in bliss...  Who's gonna break it to him that this is for his sister??

8:15pm edit

Yup, a tablespoon of ground beef on top of her breakfast mush, and she‘s finished most of it!  😀  (Jasper got a spoonful too, just because…)

8:30pm edit

Wednesday evening definitely happier than Wednesday morning:  https://youtube.com/shorts/35unObvLDgg?feature=share