Category: Bob

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Bob’s good news

It’s Thursday and like the past several weeks, Bob went to the vet.

But today was for xrays to look at the inner ear bone pockets (there is an official name which I can’t remember) – to see if there was fluid and gunk. If so, a surgery was set for Monday to open, drain and culture whatever it was, via openings under the chin. Yuck.

The good news is the xrays showed the bone pockets absolutely clear!

Dr. Clark then used a teeny catheter to extract what gunk he could from the middle-outer ear and see if it grows something that can be identified and targeted. He also did another even more thorough flush while Bob was sedated. Meanwhile we will continue on the drops but no surgery and most likely another round of whatever antibiotic is indicated by the culture.

The light box/cat house has been officially turned into Bob’s cat cave.

When we arrived home from today’s ordeal Bob got a drink, followed me out to the garage as I was unloading Bear and a few groceries, followed me back inside, got a bite to eat, used his litter box and then went to bed and started cleaning up.

The cleaning up is a great sign. When he was the most ill, he just didn’t. That he did today, so soon after sedation – wonderful!

AND, I think he is hearing more after the cleanout!

He’s still a bit wobbly but that could be the sedative.

“Srsly. Another trip to the vet and it is “to the moon” for you. But, I’ll have a bit more of that salmon, please.”

Srsly, Bob. I would be very pleased, as would my VISA card, if we didn’t have to go to the vet for awhile :) !!

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And so it goes

The good news is that yesterday’s vet visit for a progress check on Bob’s ear infection showed that Bob’s ear drum is already healing. Dr. Clark (and me, too!) was happily surprised.

Also, the ears continue draining. As Dr. Clark noted: “Lots of good ear snot!”. (My apologies if you were eating something when you read that). At any rate, a lot of stuff is coming out, but when Bob shakes his head, it still sounds kind of liquid-y so we have a ways to go.

The wobblies continue. BUT! – Bob is eating and drinking normally. He was having some trouble getting in and out of the litter box so his bathroom corner has been converted to an indoor sandbox on the floor and he is negotiating that fine.

Fortunately, Bob has never been fussy about what kind of box or what kind of litter. He stopped, looked a minute and then apparently recognized the litter and that was that.

He has been sleeping in his house aka my photo light box – a short trip to his food and the sandbox. Tomorrow, when he is out of it, I am going to take the door out and replace it with the foam mattress pad for a softer surface for him.

Other good news is that Dr. Clark said the dryer vent venue was not to blame for the ear infection, so I moved Bob’s bed back there. It is a sunny spot in the morning and a guy needs a sunny spot to close his eyes and stop the world from spinning.

Our mid-May heat wave came to an end and we are ramping up for our typically cool and rainy Memorial Day weekend. But along with the cool and cloudy, there have also been some sun breaks and very comfortable 60F daytime temps and blue sky. It is perfect for getting yard work done and I am happy that I found some nice people to do mine! I am still pretty sore and I am not a stoic, “just power through it” kind of girl. Nosirree!!! When the going gets tough, I hire help :) !

Bear continues to do very well. We are walking a lot and he has gained confidence being a bit further from me so we have opportunities for him to run and build muscle. His gate and stance look very good.

Below…another exciting Video by Liz. Bob IS a “just power through it” kind of guy and despite the wobbles, determined to make his rounds. I follow and when it seems like he’s had enough, he gets a ride home.

Bob Unbalanced from Liz Summers on Vimeo.

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Monday’s drama, Tuesday’s sang-froid

Mondays have had a bit of drama lately.

Bear in mind that life here at the family Summers tends towards the quiet and VERY non-eventful, so a “bit of drama”…well, all is relative, Yes?

Still.

This week’s Monday drama started between 3 and 4:00 a.m. with a bit of throw up from Mr. Bob.

That is not usually a drama kind of thing except that we are dealing with the ear infection and medications… BUT, it was a one time thing and did not seem like the last week’s throw up thing related to the drug.

As I was cleaning up and watching…Bob was walking kind of funny. He was walking and then kind of stumbling…like he’d had one too many. I put 2 and 2 together: ear infection and stumbling??? – balance issue with inner ear.

This conclusion made me concerned about the steps he negotiates to get to his food.

At 3:30ish a.m. on Monday morning, I dismantled the door/sawhorse arrangement that held Bob’s food, water and “house”/photo light box.

Everything important to Bob on one low level.

We start Monday with a lack of sleep (me!), a wonky sense of balance (Bob!) and a “so what’s up with you guys?” (Bear) – frame of mind.

Emails and phone calls with the vet.

Ultimately all progressing well…ears are draining – GOOD! Short term ramification of the draining is the balance issue and little or no hearing.

Monday evening.

The forecast thunderstorms missed us.

The forecast wind did not!

The rearranging of Bob’s table, lack of sleep = aggravation of my rib stuff.

I hired help for cleanup and various grounds keeping stuff. Not my favorite chore(s) anyway, so oh, Yes!!!

Tuesday.

I kept Bob in on Monday. The wobblies, lack of hearing – they seemed like a risk for wandering about outside. But, after the wind, etc., the air was clear, the sun was warm and he wanted out.

I thought some sun would be a good thing but I didn’t want him wandering in the woods when he wasn’t hearing and not 100% footing-wise.

He mostly likes the front porch so we reached a compromise.

Baby monitor that I used with Bear post-op.

Mr. Bob…enjoying the sunshine under the watchful eye of the baby monitor.

From Monday drama to Tuesday sang-froid: Perfect.

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Bob and the Vet, Part 2

We are home. Bob survived another vet visit. His ears are clean. Once they got the gook out and looked in with their mini-ear things – no polyps – YEA! But the right ear has a middle ear infection and his poor ear drum is ruptured – it can heal, though. I’m told it may take several rounds of antibiotics. The good news is after the first round of pills, we can switch to injections (under the skin – like the insulin) if we want. We’ll see how things go.

Bob was pretty cranky and hissing at everyone so I was asked to move him from kennel to carrier. It is not the first time, I’ve been asked to do this. He quieted at my voice. I opened the carrier into the kennel and he scooted in.

I cannot repeat his parting comments.

He and Bear touched noses in the Jeep and we came home quietly.

I am relieved. The polyps are not serious but once a cat has them, they tend to keep getting them – blech. Hopefully, once we clear this infection (4-8 weeks) and the ear drum heals AND we are more vigilant about ear cleaning…this is done.

To add to the general household fun, last evening I was running with Bear…in the woods…and I fell. I really fell. It happened so fast, I’m not sure what happened except that it was a full body slam into the ground broken by my left arm (a little) and my rib cage. OW! I lay there for a full minute getting my wind and kind of doing inventory. Nothing broken, I got my breath, a few light scratches on my shin…but ribs where I hit and the left wrist are pretty sore. Sore ribs make for very tough sleeping. Don’t even think about coughing or sneezing or laughing. I’m moving pretty slow today but this afternoon feel a lot better than I anticipated -just very tired. Early to bed tonight and hopefully a better night’s sleep.

Bob will have no complaints about heading to bed early. Bear picks up when I am not feeling well and he typically settles also.

Is it only Tuesday???