Goosemoose Pet Portal - Frustrating Dilemma *with background info* (very long)

[Post from PRC, Sept 28]

Skylar is having a rough morning again. I think her pneumonia is coming back again. Unfortunately I have to wait until tomorrow to take her to the vet as it's closed today and I don't have $100 to spend at the emergency clinic again now that i'm in school.

I forced some baytril into her, tried a tiny puff of my puffer, and we had a shower together. (Yes, an actual shower). She didn't like the water as usual, so she climbed up onto my head and stayed there while I washed.... then I got my hands soapy and lathered her up while she was still on my head. I had to take her down to rinse her, but she wasn't feeling well so she didn't mind too much.

I let the water run really hot for a few minutes while we dodged the stream (didn't want to get burned). She's resting on my shoulders again, under a towel. She hasn't groomed her wet fur at all this morning so I put a towel over her so she wouldn't get a draft.

[Post 2, later that day]

After the shower and a dose of baytril, Skylar still was doing really bad. I talked to my mom and she said she would give me the money to take her to the emergency clinic.

I had a 3.5 hour wait to actually talk to the doctor, but because of her breathing problems they had taken her right out back to put her in the oxygen chamber.

When I finally got to talk to the doctor she said that her breathing still wasn't stable. She had given her an injection of baytril and they prescribed zithromax. They said that it seems like a bad strain of pneumonia. They said that they suggested that I leave her there overnight for observation and so they could keep her on oxygen.

With the hurricane about to hit this area of NS, my dad and mom suggested that I call them and see if I can bring her home. They said that her breathing was a little better and they were trying to ween her off the O2. They said to call back in an hour and check up on her and they would let me know what's going on.

When I called them again they said that they had to put her back in the chamber because her breathing got worse again. They didn't want her to leave the clinic so I have to pay to get her taxied to my clinic in the morning. My dad didn't want to have to drive in the hurricane at 7am to go get her.... so we thought this was the best option.

There's no way that I will bring her home until I know that she will be ok. It's not looking good though. This could be a losing battle this time.

Pray that she will get better.

So far I have spent about $240 of my parents money, which I have to pay back.... eep.

[Post 3, Oct 2]

Hello guys. I want to first thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for Skylar. She's a tough little girl but boy did she give me a scare.

As Cell told you, she spent a couple of days away from me. We had her taxied out to the vet clinic where I normally go, the following morning. There was no power anywhere at all because of the hurricane. The clinic had the vet's home number on the door in case of emergency so I called him to see what was up. He said that she did well with her O2 treatment that night and that she was ok to go home. The clinic was closed however so he said to just let her sit tight until the next day and he would continue with baytril treatment until I could get her home. Tuesday I was able to pick her up and everything has been ok since then. It's really easy to give her the zithromax because it's cherry flavored and she loves it.

[Now for the update and frustrating part]

Just wanted to update you all on Skylar's condition. She was doing really well for the first few days that I had her home. Now, her breathing is heavy again and she has a god-aweful wheeze.

I decided to give her, along with the zithromax, some doxy that I have from a previous episode. I hear that the combination works really well. I have also been given a refill for the zithromax.

Now, here's the frustrating part. She will not take the doxy willingly. I have tried mixing it with stuff and she still figures it out. I have tried squirting it down her throat. Not only is that a real struggle, but no matter how far down her throat I put it, she will hold it in her mouth and spit it out.

I'm starting to get REALLY upset here because I have tried and tried to do so much for her and she just doesn't seem to be getting any better. She's still eating and whatnot, but i'm really scared that this isn't really working too well.

Baytril doesn't really do too much for her anymore, yet the baytril injections is what she had during the few days that she was at the vet and she did well.

I'm running out of ideas here. I would really like some input from the vet techs in here. I know there are a few of you. Pneumonia isn't something to mess around with here..... and i'm afraid that this is going to be a really long battle.