Together As a Family Again

Mom Paula is finally feeling up to helping us with our blog post for this week. We'll let you know what's happened since our last detailed post from Sunday, 7/1/18. We're finally "putting up" with each other without a bunch of growling and hissing, so we're back to our little family again.

Truffle and Brulee back together again, even though there is still a little hissing happening

Mom Paula: I finished the last post on Sunday with the fact that I'd heard from the vet and Brulee's fever had finally broken and going high and higher over two nights and days. The last phone call from Dr. McCann indicated that the fever had finally broken and there was no long any discolored nasal discharge, and that Brulee was eating a little of the kibble and treats.



I made the choice to let Brulee stay at the emergency veterinary hospital for one additional night because I wanted to make sure she truly was stable since only a few hours earlier the vet had indicated Brulee was still fighting her fever. The veterinarian agreed with me and said Brulee even ate a treat from her fingers when they were offered. I met a good friend for dinner that night and she was able to get me out of the house and get my mind off of Brulee's serious illness for a couple of hours. We talked about two of my other favorite topics (beside the girls); South Carolina Gamecocks athletics and music. I came home and was so exhausted that I didn't even call the hospital back later that night to see how Brulee was doing since I'd talked to them prior to leaving the restaurant. I think I originally fell asleep in the chair. I remember getting up and slowly walking back to the bedroom and Truffle immediately joined me on the bed and was resting on top of our red blanket. Truffle was more vocal than usual and she was a little clingy and stayed by me all night.

Truffle climbed onto my lap, which is a rare occurance

Truffle climbed onto my lap that night, which is rare for her. I talked to Truffle about her sister coming home the next day. I wish I could communicate with her like Coryelle Kramer does, but I talked to her as if she could understand what I was saying. I told Truffle she would have her sister home the next day, but that Brulee would smell and act a little differently. I tried to encourage her to be patient.

I was awakened at 6:30 am on Monday morning and it was the vet from the emergency animal hospital. She said Brulee had a great night, no more fever, no nasal discharge, looked great, and was eating (kibble and treats). I told her I'd pick up Brulee by 10:00 am because I'd been told by the front desk that I would be charged an extra day if I was after 10:00 am. I turned back over in the bed to sleep a couple more hours, or so I thought...

I received a phone call from the girls' regular veterinarian, Dr. Boyette, around 8:30 am. He had received Brulee's paperwork from the After Hour Clinic and the Emergency Veterinary Hospital. He agreed with me that she shouldn't receive any more vaccinations and was putting this information in her records. He also called to tell me that the results of the Urinalysis w/Sedimentation culture did grow bacteria, so Truffle did have a bacterial infection, which may be the cause of her recent higher test results. He wanted Truffle to go on an antibiotic and send off for another test: a Culture & Sensitivity MIC Urine test, which would narrow down the type of bacteria so we'd give her the correct antibiotic. He wanted her to begin on an antibiotic and would adjust it if the test results showed she needed something different. The cost of the test and the antibiotic is $187.43.

Brulee coming home in her red Sleepypod® Mobile Pet Bed

It was time to pick up Brulee. I took her little pink blankie off of the bed that both of them sleep on and placed it in the Sleepypod® Mobile Pet Bed, hoping that the smells of Truffle would rub off on Brulee, so there wouldn't be as much hissing back at home. The vet assistant said she'd never seen a cat so happy to see her carrier and that Brulee jumped right into it. She was sent home with some antibiotics and I was told to watch her closely and to take her back to her regular vet within 5-7 days. I paid the balance of the two additional days in the emergency hospital which totaled $ $645.94. Brulee was much more restless in the Sleepypod heading home than she usually is.

The reunion at home didn't go too well. Truffle had been used to being the only cat and getting all of my attention for 3 1/2 days. I let Brulee out of the carrier and she immediately began getting reacquainted with all of the smells. Truffle hissed (which is normal) and growled (which isn't normal). Brulee was very clingy and wanted to be everywhere I was. If I left a room, she immediately followed me to that room, which caused Truffle to be more stressed. Brulee didn't want to be picked up, but she wanted to be near me. Brulee was still sneezing at this time, but I didn't see any thick, discolored discharge. When it was time for bed that night, Brulee immediately jumped onto the bed and settled into the red blanket.

Brulee sleeping on Truffle's red blanket

Truffle jumped onto the bed to settle in and immediately began growling because Brulee was in her spot. Brulee didn't move! She settled down on that comfortable blanket and even I had to sleep a little contorted because of where she chose to sleep. Truffe awakened me during the night because she had decided to sleep on 3/4 of my pillow on top of my head and growled every time Brulee moved.

The next couple of days were a little stressful around the house. We had thunderstorms and fireworks on top of the girls getting daily medication and getting used to each other again. I continued to be stressed, but was trying to stay calm so both of the girls wouldn't pick up on it. I don't think I was that successful. Brulee has been very clingy this past week and wants to stay right beside where I am and she's been much more talkative. She is beginning to eat some of her wet food again and still loves her treats. 

Brulee sniffing the container of Tomlyn® Pill-Masker Paste

I was dreading trying to give Brulee pills this time because of the difficulty we had last time. I received a container of the Pill-Masker from Tomlyn when I attended Global Pet Expo this year to try out and had already used it with success with Truffle after her surgery. I met with the representatives again while attending BlogPaws this year and even shot a quick video to share my experiences. You can watch the video on the Tomlyn FB page.  I was anxious to try it with Brulee to see if we'd have the traditional battles we've had in the past. I opened the jar and let her sniff it. Before I knew it, she had placed her flat little face inside of the jar to get to it. I put some of the paste around the pill and she sniffed it and then ate it immediately and was looking for more!  Success!!! Tomlyn has several other products that we use and will share about later...

The Tomlyn® Pill-Masker Paste is so good that Brulee sticks her flat face down inside the jar.

Since giving both of the girls hasn't been a stressful ordeal, I could focus on blending our little family together once again. Truffle growled and hissed at Brulee for about 3 1/2 days. I was pleased on the morning of July 4th that Truffle got within a foot of Brulee on the bed and didn't growl. She let out a hiss, but she stayed there for quite a while. I think that was the first time I was actually able to breathe normally without feeling all of the pressure inside. 

Brulee only has one more pill to take and she goes back to her regular vet Monday afternoon for a follow-up. Truffle still has another week of antibiotics to take for the bacterial infection in her bladder. Dr. Boyette called yesterday to let me know he had received the results of the Culture & Sensitivity MIC Urine test. The results did show a type of bacteria (I'll share the full name after the vet visit next week) and luckily for Truffle, the Zenaquin she was already taking would fight this strain. Truffle will go with Brulee on Monday for Dr. Boyette to check her. He also wants to add 3 more pills to her prescription, which means an additional 6 days of antibiotics for her. 

First day Truffle and Brulee were within a foot of each other without growling and hissing

I'm hopeful things are finally getting back to normal. Truffle still has another 1 1/2 weeks of the antibiotics to take and will have another urinalysis in about a month. I've filed the claims to Trupanion Pet Insurance and hope to receive most of the expenditures back within a week. I pay a little higher premium because I selected no deductibles and a 90% reimbursement. Trupanion doesn't cover the vet fee (that was almost $150 between the two vets), but they do reimburse for treatment, medications, and other medical expenses. 

Thank you for all of the support, purrs, prayers, and good thoughts for my girls the last few weeks.