Bunny's blood test results

I had been waiting in anticipation (and agony!) for Bunny's blood test results since early this morning.  We got an appointment at 12.30pm and off we went to the vet's. 

It is a relief of sorts that his blood test shows his kidneys and liver are fine and functioning well.  There is only an indication of dehydration (which is to be expected).  His white blood cells are also normal, which means there is no infection?  But wait...for Bunny's case, this is not conclusive because he is FIV+.  Having a compromised immune system, his body might not be able to react to combat any infection by producing an increase of white blood cells (as in the case of a healthy cat or any animal).  So, for Bunny, a normal WBC count does not rule out the possibility of infection. 

The other abnormality is a low platelet count.  This is quite puzzling, but again, we cannot draw any conclusion from this, but it probably can account for the fact that his vomit has brownish blood.  The blood is not able to coagulate.  Bunny has not vomited today, and I am really keeping my fingers crossed that the brownish vomit may only be due to the acid reacting on the lining of the walls of the stomach.  I felt there was a need to address this, and asked if we should begin force-feeding Bunny.  After all, it has been five days now that he has not eaten.  The vet said this is still not a necessity but we can do it, if I want to.  The vet preferred that Bunny eats on his own, because when that happens, it would be a good indication that he is getting well. 

But I did not want Bunny's stomach to be empty for so long, so we opted to forcefeed him.  We opened a can of AD and put a tablespoon of the tasty paste in front of Bunny.  He wasn't interested.  Then, the vet took a small blob and put it into Bunny's mouth.  He ate it, albeit reluctantly, but did not struggle at all.  All in, the vet managed to feed him about two tablespoons (we did not want to push our luck by giving too much), and with each blob, it got easier.  Bunny was more willing to eat the AD.  He chewed and swallowed all of it.  But he was fed.  He did not eat willingly.  Well, never mind.  At least he is eating. 

I will (force)feed him this way every few hours.  I hope he will eat without any struggle because in his condition, it is very important that we do not stress him.  He should be as relaxed as possible.

The vet told me that he often encounters this problem with FIV+ patients where you can't really be sure what is wrong, especially when the blood test shows that everything seems to be okay.  Their body might not react to problems as a healthy animal would.  So, the purpose of the blood test is just to eliminate possible problems.  For Bunny's case, it is probably not his kidneys or liver.  It may not even be his bladder as well. 

The vet also said Bunny's disposition looks good.  He is still very alert and his eyes are bright.  His weight has gone up a little, but that's probably due to the subcutaneous fluids administered yesterday. 

So, what is wrong with Bunny??

We still do not know.  Something could be wrong inside, but we cannot find out through our conventional methods. 

The vet still thinks it could be some infection somewhere, so Bunny is now put on another antibiotic, Baytril.  We are really hoping that Baytril will do the trick. 

The best bet now is that Bunny starts eating again.  If he does, the vet says we can close the case, be happy and it would be another case of "unknown cause".  

I understand that Bunny's problem is more complex because of him being FIV+, so please do help Bunny in sending him positive thoughts and prayers.  

Here are some photos of Bunny taken after I brought him back from the vet's this afternoon.  

I thought it would be good to let Bunny have a feel of the grass again after having been confined in the bedroom for a few days.  A healthy dose of sunshine might also do him some good. 

The vet said he had a full bladder, so I let him wander a bit in the garden so that he could ease himself.  He chose to do it in my planter's box!  Big brother Cow, is looking on.

Scratch, scratch, scratch, to cover up the evidence.

How are you, my friend?

Good old Bobby is always on hand to greet all his feline friends.

Ooh...I haven't scratched this for so long. 

Our rattan trunk is the cats' favourite "scratching post"

Happily scratching...

And now, it's time to groom myself.

I think Bunny feels much better after yesterday's subcutaneous fluids.  I'm hoping the AD will also perk him up.  Let the cause be unknown if there is no way we can find out.  I just want him to be well and happy again.  After all, sometimes, there is just so much that we don't know. 

Many thanks to those who responded with suggestions and thoughts.  Thank you for sharing what you know, and thank you for caring.

Get well soon, Bunny!

Bunny comes home

I've just brought Bunny home from the vet's.  The urine test shows excess protein, white blood cells and haemoglobin.  The blood test results will only be known tomorrow. 

Based on the urine test alone, it suggests possible bladder infection or mild kidney infection, but it does not show kidney failure.  Another possibility is the presence of all these large molecules in the urine indicates that the kidney filters are not working well.  If this is the case, it is a terminal condition.  I pray it is not this.  The vet also palpitated his organs, and Bunny did not show any signs of pain at all. 

However, the urine test isn't sufficient for a proper diagnosis, so it's best to wait for the blood test results tomorrow.  Upon checking Bunny's records, last year, he was straight-away given Doxy and Baytril (two antibiotics) and he recovered within 1 1/2 days.  The vet was tempted to put him on Baytril today, but since blood has been taken, it would be better to wait until tomorrow instead of simply pumping Bunny with all kinds of drugs. 

Bunny did not vomit while at the vet's, and he was "exceptionally well-behaved" when all the procedures were administered, according to the vet.  Good boy, Bunny.  But he vomited just now, while going up the stairs.  Sigh...it was a lot of brownish stuff again.  This really worries me.   

He is still not interested in food at all.  He was given subcutaneous fluids so his hydration is taken care of, at least until tomorrow. 

Bunny back from the vet's.

Cheer up, Bunnyphant!

Bobby checking in on his friend.

I just want to sleep and rest.

Ok, we won't disturb you, Bunny.

But please get well soon.

Many thanks to Cathy and Joe, for your very kind concern and thoughtful wishes for Bunny.  All positive thoughts for Bunny would help very much. 

It would be at least 20 hours before we know the results of the blood test tomorrow.  Time doesn't fly when we want it to...

We'll be keeping vigil on Bunny tonight.  

Sean is adopted!

Many thanks to Mandy for giving me the contact which eventually led me to Charlie.  Charlie has been looking for a dog, and I asked if he would like to take a look at Sean.

Today, I took Charlie to my mum's place, and Sean and Charlie took an instant liking to each other, as though they were good old friends! 

My parents also felt very happy that Sean will go to a good home.

Here's Sean, waiting while we dismantled his cage.

This is Charlie. 

Sean saying "thank you" to my mum.

And "thank you" to my dad, too.

Sean was rescued from the Klang Dog Pound on the day he was scheduled to be euthanised, together with 44 other dogs.  We sent all the dogs to Pahang, but Sean, along with 5 other dogs had symptoms of being ill, so we brought them back for treatment.  Since then, Sean has been fostered by my mother.  He has been neutered and vaccinated.   

In these 8 months, Sean has become a very obedient and grateful dog.  Though still playful, he is very alert and sharp.

Going into Charlie's car.

Bye, Sean... 

Have a good and happy life!

Thank you, Charlie, for giving Sean a good home.

Every time we manage to rehome any (former) stray animal, it is always an occasion for rejoicing and gratitude.  We are very thankful to all these kind-hearted people for choosing to adopt a street animal instead of buying a pedigree.  They are life-savers, in the true sense of the word. 

And thank you to everyone who has been helping us forward our postings for adoption.  We definitely need your help.  

Sean, up for adoption

ADOPTED!

Sean was rescued in Dec 2009 from the Klang Dog Pound.  He was then tested positive for distemper and the only symptoms were diarrhoea and a slight cough.  He was treated for both and recovered very quickly. 

Sean has been fostered by my mother since then and he is now more than ready for adoption.  He has been neutered and vaccinated. 

Sean obeys simple commands, is friendly and very adorable.  He is also very alert and is a good watchdog. 

Sean's age is estimated to be 1 year plus.

Sean and my mother.

He sits and shakes hands before eating his meals.

If you would like to adopt Sean, please send me an sms (012-6935870).

Please help Sean find a loving home.

Poor, poor tiger...

My friend, Mary, sent me this youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5ACVn73YL0
 
Apparently, this video was taken in a park in Melaka, and the tiger was placed at the entrance of the park. 
 
If you happened to witness such events anywhere, please do not support it. 
 
It is a form of animal abuse. 
 
Please boycott such events, and make it known to the management that such acts are inhumane. 

More pictures of Peanut and Butter

So, it's confirmed - Butter IS a girl!  How silly of me to have been duped for so long.  Guess I was concentrating so much on getting them well and healthy, I did not bother much about checking their gender.

Here are some updates and photos from Effi:

I fed them steamed chicken yesterday & they finished it in less than 5 mins!  My other job was taking their pic as I don’t want to miss every moment of their sweet little antics.



Hope you like their pics. Butter actually prefers to be with me all the time while Peanut will always want to be with my housemate Did.

Yesterday while having dinner, I was seated on my dining chair, Butter did a stunt by jumping onto me by scratching onto my jeans & after that she fell asleep on my lap...  She was so cute.. Peanut as usual, will be sleeping behind the mirror.

Hi Pea-Pea!

The cute little girl who has won everyone's hearts...

Play and be happy, kitties!

Butter is a girl?

Oh no....not again!  Can three vets get it wrong?  Three vets checked and told me that Butter is a boy, but now Wani text me to say that Butter is a girl!

Well, we got Princess wrong - he turned out to be a "Prince" instead. 

And now, Butter is a girl? 

Well, I do agree she looks very feminine and behaves in that way too....

So, Butter is a girl....well, we can call her Butter Cup or Butter Cookie then.

Effi says it's perfectly alright that Butter is a girl.  In fact, Butter takes to Effi very naturally while Peanut is more with Did. 

Sweet little Butter....

Peanut & Butter - pampered with lots of love!

It is really such a joy receiving photos and updates of Peanut & Butter from Effi.

Here's an account from Effi, writing from work:

I just can’t wait to go home to see them.. Still have an hour to go.. Goshh it’s really killing me actually..



Last night when I took them from Wani’s house, as usual they were exploring the whole house, and playing with each other.

Whenever Peanut happens to be alone, he will make a sound to look for Butter.  He is so sweet...too bad I could not capture the moment on camera. 

Both of them sleep with me in the room on my bed. Just can’t let them sleep alone in the hall.


When I was getting ready to work this afternoon, both of them were sleeping at their favorite place – behind my dressing mirror. Worried whether they are doing fine at home without me, I kept smsing my housemate to check on them.. Thank God they are ok.

You know what, this morning Peanut wake me up sharp 7 to ask for his antibiotics while Butter was still sleeping on my pillow. Isn’t it cute?

Thanks again, for bringing them into my life!

It is indeed a great blessing to have found a caring and loving adopter like you, Effi, for Peanut & Butter.  Both of them are very good at timing and they are like alarm clocks!  And yes, Peanut can sit on his hind legs - he's very good at that.  Even while in my house, the two of them would always be together and the moment Butter is out of sight, Peanut will whine and look for him.  That is why I needed them to be adopted together.  They are very attached to each other.  Peanut looks after Butter, and Butter thrives on it.

Thank you for your wonderful account and photos.  

Peanut & Butter at Effi's

I'm always guilty of being a little paranoid whenever any of my fostered kittens are newly adopted.  I hope the adopters would understand that I just want to make sure they are adjusting well to their new environment, so, I'll usually like to know if they are eating, pee-ing and poo-ing, etc. 

Yesterday, Peanut & Butter were at Wani's, and according to Wani, Joned was the big brother taking care of them and following them around as they explored the house.  Isn't Joned so sweet?

As expected, Peanut is the more active one, and Butter wants everyone to cuddle him.  That's the way they were while they were with me too.  Both of them ate their food yesterday, and did their business this morning.  That's really good news.

Here are some photos from Effi, from her apartment:

Little Peanut with his new collar.  I've always noticed that Peanut has very big front paws.  Look at those paws! 

Butter has a new collar too.

Together...

I do miss those pretty blue eyes...

Peanut, always on the move (his photos are always a little blur).

Last night, I thought I felt Peanut and Butter nudging me as they usually do....Ahh, I've grown so accustomed to their antics already.

I'm really glad they have a safe and wonderful home with Effi now.  

Peanut & Butter at their new home

This morning, I fed Peanut & Butter their usual breakfast treat of steamed chicken, which they will always finish....very quickly.

Then, the usual routine is, Butter will rush out to the kitchen to see if Bobby has any left-overs, and Bobby will always move aside to let Butter have some.

That's my son, Jia-Wen, saying "bye" to both of them before going off to work.

Playing hide-and-seek around Bobby...

I spent the whole morning with them today, and took each of them and told them that they would be going to their new home.  I had already told them about it two days ago, and also yesterday, but today, they seemed to be listening.  Both of them put their heads on my chest and closed their eyes.  Butter slept for a short while, too. 

Soon, it was time to go. 

Effi Herawaty is Wani Mohd's friend & colleague and they both live in the same neighbourhood.  If you remember, Wani adopted Bandit from me a few months ago.  It was Wani who introduced Effi to me, and Effi had booked Peanut & Butter about a month ago. 

This morning, Effi text to say she was at Wani's apartment, so I could send Peanut & Butter to Wani's place.  I had packed the kittens' things already - Peanut's antibiotics, their Vetri DMG, their food, vaccination cards and their toys (their ball and Suki's feather).  

We arrived and was greeted by Wani, Effi, Did (another cat-loving friend) and Joned and Bandit!

 

Here's Bandit!  He has certainly put on a lot of weight, and is looking really good.

I let the kittens out of the carrier, and they wasted no time in exploring Wani's apartment.

Here's Peanut making friends with Bandit.

Effi carrying Peanut, talking to Wani.

Joned seems to be saying, "Hey, you look a bit like me..."

Between the two, Peanut seemed more at home, and Effi joked saying that it's because Peanut has black and white markings, like Joned and Bandit, while Butter is like a "Mat Salleh", ie. blonde with blue eyes!  Indeed, Bandit and Joned eyed Butter curiously...

You look different from us, but you're still very cute...

Effi and Butter. 

Peanut and Butter will be staying with Wani until tonight since Effi has to go to work later.  Effi didn't want to leave them alone in her apartment.  In fact, Wani and Effi babysit for each other's pets whenever one of them go back to their respective hometowns.  So, the kittens will be very at home in both apartments.  I was really glad to hear this. 

And Did, who is also a cat-lover, visits often and helps to babysit as well.  The kittens will have lots of "aunties" looking after them.

Butter seemed very at home under these stools.  Before I left, he was already fast asleep.  I whispered "bye-bye" and patted him. 

Peanut was still busy exploring the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen, etc.  It must be very exciting being in a new place.

I am thankful that Effi has adopted both of them together.  At least they won't be lonely, and they would always have each other for company.

Thank you, Effi, and thank you, Wani. 

Have a good life, Peanut & Butter.  I will miss you both lots. 

The house seems very empty now, and more so, this room feels so empty without Pea-Pea and Butty prancing around, and the sound of the bell in their little ball rolling about the room.