And an Update on Cayenne

Cayenne went to the vet about a week and a half ago and was given an anti-inflammatory and an antibiotic.  I think the anti-inflammatory is helping her.  She seems a lot more active.  "A lot more active" is a relative term, but prior to starting the anti-inflammatory, her daily activity consisted of strolling from one end of the couch to another twice a day, maybe one short stroll to the litter box a day, and moving from the couch to the window ledge to eat.  Now, she walks across the couch maybe a dozen times a day, sits on the coffee table for a bit, even strolled around the living room and entry way and bathroom yesterday.  Compared to Isaac's activity level, she's practically catatonic, but compared to her usual activity level, well, it would be like me going out to run a mile.

However, the antibiotic was upsetting her stomach.  She threw up, not every time she took it, but often after taking it.  The last couple days she was on it, she didn't have much of an appetite, either.  She would look at her food, sniff it, maybe lick it, then walk away.  I was worried because obviously if she threw up the medication, it wasn't helping her, and I certainly didn't want  her to throw up the anti-inflammatory when it seems to be helping so much, plus I don't want her to lose weight, plus I just don't want her to feel bad and of course if she is throwing up, her stomach must not be feeling good.

So I called the vet a couple days ago and asked if we could either switch her to a different antibiotic or add a medication to help prevent nausea.  The vet wanted to try a different antibiotic.  She's had it twice so far and seems to be tolerating it much better.  No puke in two days.  Plus, she only has to take this one once a day instead of twice a day, which she much prefers, because she does not like having pills shoved down her throat.

You know how much easier it is to give Isaac a pill?  To give him a pill, I cut a slice of hot dog, cut a little slit in the middle of it, and stick the pill in there.  He gobbles up the hot dog without even realize there was a pill in it and asks for more.

That trick does not work with cats, by the way.  They will eat the hot dog and then spit out the pill.

Anyway, Cayenne has not thrown up in two days.  Yesterday, she still had little appetite but she has eaten pretty well today.  I am feeding her small amounts at a time, but feeding her frequently, in order to help prevent an upset stomach.  And this way, if she does throw up, there is not so much in her belly to throw up.  Isaac thinks he should get fed more often, too, although he thinks he should get his normal amount of food each time.

Cayenne goes back to the vet on Monday.  Hopefully the infection on her belly will be cleared up by then.