Home & Resting

Kona had her follow-up today. Her wounds are healing well, but she has another ear infection. I think probably caused by the dampness inside that "Elizabethan Collar" cone she had to wear for a week. And what a week it's been. Cone-head Kona knocking into chairs, tables, things off shelves, nothing was safe, even me! Every time I turned around, seemed I literally had a cone in my ass. Ouch.

She seems terribly tired from the whole ordeal.

This "new" vet at the emergency clinic says Kona has a "heart murmur" which is very concerning... I will admit that this scares me.

I ordered and put up a "trail cam" camera in the backyard this afternoon aimed at the spot where Kona was attacked. Hope I installed it right! Will find out tomorrow if it works....

As I still don't know what the heck attacked her... and I've been afraid to let her outside on her own. So I'm out there at night with a flashlight while she pees. Also if it's still dark in morning, following her with a flashlight. Honestly, it's nerve wracking... don't know what I'd do if confronted with some animal -- 

Tomorrow Ripley has his follow-up with his doctor. Worried about that too. Today he threw up... meds or disease?

I am drowning in vet bills.... worried and just plain exhausted...

Kona Attacked!!!

 Yesterday began as an ordinary day. I got up between 6:30 and 7 a.m. Let Kona out the back door to pee (yard is fenced in) and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, etc. and then I heard it.

A dog fight?

A dog yelping and crying out!

I fled to the kitchen to find Kona crushed against the back door. I let her in, she stumbled, bleeding profusely down her leg.

Of course, I freaked out. Swabbed off the blood. She'd definitely been attacked by -- something. I called around, found an open emergency vet clinic, rushed her in. I didn't know what had attacked her, thought maybe a raccoon as there was evidence of one in the pool the other day.

Doctor said it looked like a snake bite. As it was a puncture wound. Actually there were two bleeding punctures we could see. Looked like fangs had done it. They took her in said they would clean her wounds under anaesthesia and would call me when they were done. So I left her there.

Went back home, shaking. On the back deck, found strange marks (paw prints?) and pieces of Kona's fur. Evidently the thing had chased Kona up the deck. So wouldn't think it was a snake. Called the raccoon trapper who told me a raccoon would leave a full mouth bite, not a puncture wound.... 

Anyway, picked Kona up last night. 

 Kona The Cone Head

They found three different bites:

I found these weird markings on the back deck. So whatever bit her, chased her up the ramp. The watery substance is oily and still hasn't dried up. Kona's fur is in one of these photos and also something looks like paw prints...

Still don't know what creature got her. I looked around the yard, under bushes etc. I did flush out a stray cat, but that's it.

I am glad she's back home....Even if the poor dear is knocking into everything and knocking over everything. 

She's on an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication. 

So now seems all I do is dole out pills to both cat and dog.

Been A Rough Week or So

With Ripley recovering from surgery. The procedure went well, but he was in a lot of pain for the first few days. Hid -- first behind my desk, between the desk and the wall, where there is barely space to squeeze my arm and full of electrical cords. Then under my desk. He seemed to hate me, be afraid of me. Had to keep crawling on the floor, trying to give him some food, trying to comfort him. Finally, he's out and about but on a soft food diet... which he doesn't care for and sits at his eating station staring at me.... He also is not liking to be touched much, but did finally climb on my lap the other day and is back sleeping in bed with Kona and me at night... It's taken awhile to get him this far. Still worry about the hyperthyroidism. He has another appointment with the cat vet on the 28th. And we are still waiting for the biopsy report on the cyst that was removed.

Three pills, one twice daily, the other once daily for pain, for Ripley.

Morning meds and one pill daily for Kona, whose "elbow" is still swollen.  So morning walks are still short.

I'm tired...

Then this morning, the darn raccoon was back! Left a "present" in my pool. Damn! So spent some time this morning blowing up a jerry-rigged pool barrier to hopefully keep the little sucker from pooping on the first step of my pool. All the floats are tied to the deck rail with hooked together dog and cat leashes...  Then I put out some solar lights to illuminate the whole area. A real creative endeavour and it looks silly but I hope it works -- and the raccoon will move on to an easier toilet to use...  

Right Now

Ripley is undergoing surgery in my backyard.....

 

My shrink told me it was "abnormal" to worry so much about a cat. "Your cat's going to die someday, you know." she said. And that my "stress reaction" was "trauma based" and I should see a trauma specialist....

Don't know what to think about that.... I almost want to quit that shrink, but she prescribes my Xanax!

My grief counsellor (who has two cats) says I am very normal in my feelings... especially it all happening so close to Bob's death anniversary. She's says, it's normal to be stressed about his upcoming surgery and his hyperthyroidism diagnosis. That she would be too.

It's going to be a long day...