Archive for June 29th, 2006

29 Jun 2006 Another Day Without Hugh
Author: Gail |  Category: Critters + Creatures, Hugh  | 9 Comments

Hugh at the vet, plotting revenge
Hugh at the vet in Scranton for a checkup, completely unimpressed

Hugh was diagnosed this morning with hyperthyroid, a disease more common in older cats which attacks their major organs and affects their entire system.

From the Winn Feline Foundation website:

Hyperthyroidism (also called thyrotoxicosis) is one of the most common diseases of the middle-aged and older cat. It is a multi-system disorder caused by an increase in the amount of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) produced by an enlarged thyroid gland. It was first documented in cats almost 30 years ago but the cause of the disease has been elusive. Although the enlargement in the thyroid gland is caused by a tumor called an adenoma, it is non-cancerous.

The most common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism in cats include weight loss, increased appetite (although some patients have decreased appetite), vomiting, increased thirst and urination, hyperactivity, and diarrhea. The high levels of thyroid hormones can cause the development of heart disease, and these patients may have a heart murmur, difficulty breathing, high heart rate and arrhythmias.

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29 Jun 2006 The ‘Four’ Meme
Author: Gail |  Category: Gail at Large, Memes, Polls, Quizzes  | 3 Comments

In a bid to try and get my mind off the conspicuous absence of furry paws laying across my feet and whiskers tickling my leg, I’m posting a rare meme, one that Kim sent to me by email.

I’m not tagging anyone with this meme, but feel free to fill in your version as a comment. Or if you have a blog and post it there, add your permalink here, merci beaucoup!

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29 Jun 2006 We’re Pulling For You, Hugh!
Author: Gail |  Category: Critters + Creatures, Hugh  | 8 Comments

Hugh at the vet, plotting the birds' demise
Hugh at the vet in Scranton, PA, November 30.

I just spent the evening at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic. I took Hugh in because he hasn’t been using the litterbox. I’ve been checking it every time he disappears, checking his water dishes, his food dish, petting his belly to see if it’s sore, and gradually I became convinced that something was truly wrong.

I’ve been spending more time with Hugh the past couple of days, monitoring his behaviour. I’ve watched him approach the litterbox then walk away a number of times. He’s been drinking lots of water, but barely eating half of his regular amount of food and I haven’t cleaned up any pee in a couple of days. I wasn’t terribly worried about the food because he was just as excited to eat his Greenies, and he still plays with me. In fact, last night we played ball and Hugh was as energetic as ever. So why wasn’t he using the litterbox??

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