Make sure they test for Coccidia...sometimes they don't check for that and just look for worms... Yes we will indeed have his stools checked for Coccidia, thanks :o) You know usually stress isn't the cause the diarrhea, it is usually something that was already there and the stress has lowered the immune system just enough to set it loose.... Does that make sense?? yes, totally, the same thing happens with hamsters but mostly Syrians. Syrians get wet tail because something shocks their immune systems when they are moved long distances. The bacteria are there but it doesn't strike them hard until they are stressed. Are his eyes clear and sparkly (no gunk)? his eyes get gooky when he goes out in the bitter cold but otherwise they are clear and no sign of infection, scleras are white throughout Is his nose runny at all...dripping?? No,no drips at all, dry most of the time and cold and damp when he comes in from the cold but dries up again What color are his gums? Should be a nice pink, not too pale.. very nice pink and well hydrated...been checking for that Does he feel extra warm? (normal is around 101º) no, normal How many rounds of shots has he gotten? one round of shots on December 19th In consideration of his breed mix, I would make sure to time his last distemper/parvo vaccination to be given after his 16th week of age (at the same time as his rabies vac). ok...what is the rationalle for that, just curious Did he get a vaccination immediately before you took him home? no, almost a month ago How old did you say he was?? 9 weeks Do keep me posted...I certainly get anxious when I hear the words "sick puppy"...aak! well, I really don't think he's sick with a fever or anything but he could still have something in his stools, so we'll have that checked. He's playing like a kitten, pouncing on sticks and leaves and chasing after toys and generally either getting into trouble or looking for attention...typical puppy stuff. He is napping much better now. He'll nap for a full hour now whereas he was only taking 10 minute cat naps before and crying a lot. Today there was no crying at all and he is back on his food eating about 50/50 steamed rice and dry chow. One thing I thought of was that darn oil tablet the lady gave him at the rescue. I don't know how long she'd been giving it to him but those things are big and I'm sure it was like giving him cod liver oil twice a day. I've discontinued that entirely and today he is having better formed poos and not feeling the urgency to get outside. Ugh! It's a horrid day today... freezing rain so the deck where I was letting him out is thick with ice and the poor thing is terrified. I am too...afraid of falling that is so now I have to trapse him through the garage and out the back garage door onto MORE ice but at least if he falls he will fall only the ground and not off the edge of the deck. I'll pop back in with at "Pupdate" later and let you know what a second slide of his stools shows. Thanks so much, Barb & "Lake" When I foster puppies, I always have my vet tech/or vet if necessary on speed dial!! LOL!! I have the whole routine down...

Hello all. Hope you all are fine now.. I had same problem in my left parotid gland 3 years ago...the story starts here.. I am living in dry and hot area..in the month of fasting (Islamic month of Ramadhan) we had 47, 48 degree temprature during summers....and i was performing fast (till 30 days).. l felt savere ear pain and blockage with 80% left ear hear loss after taking bath, and in the same time i was feeling parotid swelling...ENT told me happend because of your ear block and sent me to wash my left ear... They washed my ear and showed me some stones and i recovered from my ear pain and hearing problem... But my parotid was still swelled..different GP.s and ENT.s tried to fix my parotid with different antibiotics even lungs medicines but i did not feel any relax...in last ENT specialist advised me to take CT scan amd i scared and did not visit ENT again ..i found some massage therapy after googling...i performed daily basis massage my self...drinked lot of water...eat lot of sour candies and applied hot water presses..and with in 2 months swelling cured 100% . Did not come back till 3 years..But 5 days ago when i was out all the day during 45 degree centigrade temp and my car AC was jammed and stoped ... Returned to home and slept. Next morning my ear lobule swelled and i am feeling pressure behind my ear lobule..with some tenderness and itchy feeling. I am scared again...i dont wanna go to see Gps ENTs again... Please advise me...what is this..is this realy related with ear infaction or related with dehydration or extremely Dry and Hot weather?

I would *think* the FeLV/FIV testing would have been one of the first things done. Also the blood panel would show FIV if it were present. FIV is extremely similar to human AIDS, the cat can live with it for years and never have any health issues. Mouth and gum problems usually start in a cat that the FIV has become active or the cat's immune system is finally weakened. I do know that many cats that have had a rough start on life and have URI problems can develop mouth/gum problems also. I have a friend who has several "unadoptables" and a few are the direct result of chronic URI. They can be fine for awhile and then get flare ups that can involve their mouth and teeth. She just has to keep a good eye on those cats.

I am so sorry to hear this Abbey. You made the right decision and Annebelle was lucky to have lived such a long life with such a caring person as you. I hope all goes well with your own recovery from replacement surgery and that the bills will not be too overwhelming. I was following your post with keen interest (although it has taken until now for me to find the time to reply) because it is so parallel to my current situation with my own old cat. When I read your first post, it was as if I had written it myself. My old (21 and a half year old) cat just recently developed an abscess and accompanying swelling on her face. The vet tried convenia and it helped a little for the first week, but the swelling returned. At the followup visit the doctor used novacaine and specialized pliers to very quickly remove the two molars that were causing the problem, and dispensed a week's worth of antibiotic. I had high hopes that now the abscess would drain and all would be well, but no such luck. At the next visit the doctor opened the hardened mass, and when I went back a week later he showed me that the opening in the lump was still open, and told me to try hot packs. He said if she stops eating to bring her back and he would attempt surgery. I'm not sure I would go with this option because of my cat's advanced age, but I'm hopeful that this will not be necessary because the abscess is draining from the twice daily hot-pack treatment. So I'm hoping for a good outcome. Again I'm very sorry that Annebelle's story had such a sad outcome.