Thanks a lot! I wonder if the local compounding pharmacy can make the chews here (Raleigh NC)? I will look into it. I can only guess that my vet got caught up in the wild conversation between me and some of the staff that are friends of mine so much that important info didn't get handed to me. I had my dog there for her checkup at the same time and she's the class clown. I blame the holidays also for why the pharmacy didn't include anything other than a flier stating their new (reduced) office hours. I am only guessing what the medication is. I have no piece of paper from either my vet or the pharmacy that states what I bought. The vet phoned in the prescription, the pharmacy called me and I went by and picked it up. The tech told me that I was to pump out 1mg and apply it three times a day, alternating ears. I will be calling the vet tomorrow for more info. My ancient cat has always been a handful. I have had cats my whole life and I've never seen one like her - which is why I said she is mentally ill. She just doesn't do the things a normal cat does. Her bad bathroom behavior has existed her entire life, even when she was a tiny kitten. I'm an ex-zookeeper and can tolerate a lot of poop. She doesn't seem to be seeking out fabric to urinate or poop on because of a behavior issue, its more like she will only take 10 steps away from wherever she is sitting to use the bathroom. She has chosen to claim the basement as her kingdom and there are two large litter boxes that she will use to pee in, poop is a different story. I don't mind, when I get to be her age I imagine I will be painting the walls. She is one of those cats that will put up with any sort of medical treatment first thing in the morning when she's hungry. As long as food is involved I can catch her and do whatever. It is the second and third dose of the day that are my problems. If things aren't done just right she will freak out and hide. She's very good at hiding and I am very busy so I don't have a lot of time to move everything around to find her. Any medical or clean up tasks have to be done by me, no one will help me. I just worry that this whole experience is going to be way too much trouble and with her being 21 years old, it wouldn't surprise me if her kidneys or liver will show some problems after the thyroid is corrected... If she was visibly suffering I would do whatever it takes, but she seems the same as she's always been (aloof and cranky). Any weird stuff is the same weird stuff she's done for 21 years. I would consider the iodine treatment if she was younger, but she isn't. Thanks for your help. I had read most of those posts before I ever learned my cat had the same problem. I read and re-read everyones experiences with their hyperthyroid cats and it just seems like my problem is a bit different, more of a mechanical problem - How am I going to get this cat to put up with this treatment for the rest of her life? This isn't a cat that runs up to me to be petted or fed - she's not that friendly and she'll actively avoid humans for long stretches of time; and I'm busy and work long hours. How long is she gonna live? I've never had a cat live past 15 before.

I have Hasimotos but not PCOS. I've been using compounded hormones for years. In June I had my levels tested and after reviewing the results my Dr said she wanted to add just a little more progesterone and DHEA. She would like to add testosterone but I can't tolerate it. OMGoodness! What a difference! Reduced whole body inflammation, eye puffiness, facial skin was near porcelain, libido, anxiety all improved. So after the end of that month, I asked her if we could bump it up a little more. She did...it was too much so the 3rd month we went back to June's amt. That's when all hell broke loose and I thought I was going to die :o Here's what happened. When I got the new formula in June, it was "gritty" in texture. It absorbed but this was the first time the cream was gritty. I just thought it was the progesterone and/or DHEA. July's formula (more progesterone) was gritty as well. August's formula was smooth. Remember, I backed off July's progesterone to the June amt. Emailed my Dr about the formula difference. She said it was not supposed to be gritty and can't even absorb unless it's totally smooth and micronized. Well obviously it CAN work and DID. So I start on the (smooth) Aug. formula. Some of what I started to experience...face started breaking out, pore size increased, libido...gone! Swelling/inflammation came back, heart palpitations, digestive issues, fatigue, insomnia, emotional and cognitive problems and much more. I could barely put one foot in front of the other. Took me a little while to figure out what was causing all this as I have so many other physical problems including MS, FM. When I did figure it out, I stopped using the cream. Took about 3 days to start feeling better. I stayed off of HRT for about a month. I'm now on half of the dosage till I can do a retest of my levels. This is nothing to take lightly! These hormones can make or break you. I've been from one extreme to the other and shook out like a rag doll. Along with treating my dog for heart worms (rescue dog that came to us with heart worms) and not being able to leave the house (because he had to be still and keep his heart rate and blood pressure down but would experience separation anxiety whenever left) it's been a long, stressful, and debilitating summer.

Well, the little birds hatched. There were four of them, not three. I went to check on them earlier and something tore up the nest and the little hatchlings were lying on my porch. They weren't eaten, it just looks like they were knocked out of the nest and fell down. I'm not sure what caused it. I have some cats outside, but they either stay in my backyard, or venture off into the woods. They never go around to the front of my house. Could it have been possums? I see them every now and then on rare occasions, but I always chase them away because I don't like those things. Oh well, the damage is already done. I doubt the parents will come back and rebuild again this year. I plan on buying a birdhouse to hang up on my porch in hopes they choose it as a much safer, out of reach, alternative next time. Needless to say that I'm a little bummed out. :/

btydrvn, thank you : ) I think everyone has different needs, and want different 'styles'. I think yours is manicured, clean looking, whereas ours is 'quaint', and more on the casual side. And I agree, if you want less care, don't get fish! I hear you about fencing and the wildlife. Ours is in the city but close to the mountains, so not a true city atmosphere or neighborhood. Still, our neighbors are close, so we put in a privacy fence. It's not prevented most the wildlife, but the wild turkey and deer no longer visit, and yes, that makes me sad, too. We live in bear country, but have had no visiters to this house, thankfully. Austin, a 16" waterfall should be absolutely fine for bringing oxygen into your pond. Our single pump moved twice the amount as our pond holds, and therefore runs the pond through the filter skimmer and biofilter more than once a day. For your pond, 3 ft to 3-1/2 feet should be sufficient for goldfish (and good choice, there, as Koi are gorgeous, but very destructive to plants). Remember, you will most likely have to get into that pond at some point. You might consider digging out a shelf before your liner goes in) for some container bog plants (dragonflies love those). You just cut a shelf out with a shovel, you cannot add one really as the soil will be too loose and it might 'tilt' over time. Consider some type of cave for your fish, either a purchased one or one of your own making. They need protection from the sun in the winter when your plants are died back, and protection from the sun in the early spring when your plants are growing, and protection from wildlife. You need plants. They provide shade and much needed oxygen. Hardy water lilies, which you'll trim back in the fall and lower to the pond floor. They should survive and come back in the spring. The pond plants will keep your pond healthy, balance, and your fish healthy and alive. I strongly recommend adding plants first (lilies, underwater, bog) and giving your water and pond a full 2 weeks minimum to age. We waited 4 weeks. Then add your fish. Google how to introduce fish to a pond. Get them from a reputable breeder. Comets, shubunkins - any non-fancy goldfish (though I think those look fancy!) will be fine. If even one fish looks sickly, or swims sideways, do not buy any! Go elsewhere. That is nothing but heartbreak. Pond stones provide aeration. We have a couple we use all summer and winter. Water... your water needs balancing, which is why the wait. You can and should get a water testing kit... however, there are 2 schools of thought there. First, overfeeding can cause an increase in ammonia, so don't overfeed (get the food that koi eat, pellets that float on the water), and net up any left after a minute or two) and do test ammonia levels. PH levels - some people panic over those. Without going into massive detail, goldfish are hardy boogers, and I've have 2 ponds with extremely high PH levels... eventually we just put the fish in and they thrived. High PH levels are common discussion on another forum, and I wouldn't stress over that at all. It's only when PH levels go up and down within the same day that it becomes dangerous for fish. Most don't. Mostly, don't stress : ) Overwinter... Easy. Around the end of summer, you can add Pond Salt (google it) if you wish to increase the fish's slime, which is a protective coating. Not necessary, but nice. Lower your lily plants to the bottom of your pond if they aren't already there, and cut off all dead and dying pads, flowers, stalks. Add a couple pond aeration stones if you don't already have them. Start decreasing feedings as the temperatures turn cooler. When you pond water temperature reaches 45 - 50 F (7-10 C) and pretty much stays there or lower, stop feeding your fish. Nothing. No matter how much they beg, and they will. They will go into a sort of hibernation. They can get any needed nutrition from the algae in the pond. If is warms up to summer like temps for a brief period, don't feed them during your winter months. Even if they are swimming around more. Stay calm, if you can't find a fish or 5. They hide. They sit at the bottom part of the pond and barely move. You can get a pond warmer if the aeration stones aren't strong enough to keep an ice 'hole' in your pond. Again, even in hibernation, fish need oxygen. As the pond warms up in the spring, when it becomes warmer than 45-50 F (not the outside, temp, the pond temp) you can resume feeding... slowly at first, then your normal schedule. One last thing... never, ever slap your open hand on top of the water, never slap a board on ice to break it up, this creates minor shock waves, and yes, that can kill a goldfish : ) Do teach them to come to you when you feed them by gently tapping the water with a finger each time you drop in food at your pond's edge. Soon they'll follow you everywhere in the pond, mouths open, telling you they are starving! Lastly, gold fish won't starve : ) Enjoy your pond!