8
Nico was supposed to be a foster, but I was always bothered by the extra porphryn only from his right. The vet who neutered him noted it, too. I had a gut uneasiness and adopted rather than fostering him. Like many Holbrooks, he had URIs but they were minor and responded quickly. He passed physical after physical with flying colors, including heart and lung scans to check for common Holbrook issues. JUST LAST WEEK he was among my last three who were in for a minor URI, and he had a nose to tail exam-other than there being a bit too much of Nico to love, all three got clean bills of health beyond a few sneezes. Vet specifically said no lumps or bumps anywhere. We started antibiotics. Then came fresh blood from his right ear and then a tiny hard lump, very attached right under that same ear, and then a dark waay residue from that ear Nico cleaned out himself. I feared/assumed a Zymbal's Gland Tumor, and sent pics to Lilspaz68 who, sadly, agreed with me. So did the vet. After she took fluid and made multiple slides, she was gone FOREVER. That's OK, Nico was bruxing and boggling for the vet attendant and she and I were chatting away. When she FINALLY came back, her eyes were misty and she said, "You don't know how long I prayed and looked for a SINGLE CELL indicating presence of pus." But no luck.
I now consider Nico in hospice care, on antibiotics and Metacam painkiller. Wait and see. :-(