Conference misery::feline

    Hi - I will keep Spike in my thoughts. (I am the gal who's Saint
    Bernard has this done).  Hopefully Spike will do as well as Vacca
    Podjke did.  
    
    Let us know how everything goes. By the first of the week he should
    be all back to normal except for having the stitiches removed.
    (I always liken this operation to seeing someone put contacts in
    their eyes when  you wear glasses. OUCH, but knowing how contacts
    are made to fit the curve of you eye and when they fit are so
    comfortable.)  Spikes eyes will feel so comfortable after this
    operation.
    
    Barbara

Hi Sue,

Good luck to you and Spike...

But first, some words of wisdom...alot of Beth's face was shaved for the
surgery, so she lost alot of whiskers.  This made her pretty disoriented,
so you might want to keep Spike in a 'safe zone' till he regains his composure.
It took Beth a couple days, especially since she was still groggy from
the anesthesia.

I'll be home all weekend, so if you need someone to talk to, give me a buzz...
(603) 883-6997.  If Biff answers, say "MEOW!)"...
Hang in there!

Mary

    Spike is in my thoughts. You too.
    

    
    Thanks for your thoughts/advice.

    I talked to the vet's office as he was waking up (always a relief
    when they get thru the anesthesia ok).  His eyes are of course
    swollen, and will continue to be for a while.  But so far, so
    good.  The vet wants to see him again in 5 days to check the
    progress of the healing - to see if the size of the slices they
    took out were ok.  The stitches come out in 14 days.  I can't wait
    to see him.  
    
    Mary, I will create a little safe zone for Spike tonite when I
    bring him home.  I imagine he will want to sleep.  Did Beth need
    an elizabethian collar?

    Sue B. + 3

    Hi Sue,
    
    No, Beth didn't need the collar, but my vet had warned me to watch her
    carefully to see if she was scratching at her stitches.  Most of the
    work she had done was internal and her eyes were stitched closed, so it
    wasn't as bad as Spike's surgery.  Beth's eyes, or rather where her
    eyes used to be, are completely healed after one month.  Her stitches
    stayed in for two weeks.  There was alot of swelling, which is now
    gone.  You might try cold compresses (with your vet's approval) to
    relieve the swelling, but frankly, Beth would have none of it!
    
    Keep us posted!!  We ought to have an "eye brigade" of kitties!!
    
    Mary

    
    Well, Spike came home again today - we didn't have as smooth a weekend
    as I had hoped.  
    
    He came home 1st Friday night, understandably a bit wobbly.  He also
    was a little ticked at me because I wouldn't feed him (vet's orders -
    no food until Saturday morning).  His eyes certainly looked sore, but
    seemed ok to my untrained eye.  I was to give him amoxi every 12 hrs,
    and antibiotic ointment in his eyes every 8 hrs.
    
    On Sunday, as I was putting the ointment in his eyes, I noticed the
    conjunctiva (I think that's it, the part underneath the lids) started
    turning red, and he seemed to be having trouble opening his eyes much.
    So I called the vet, explaining that I had to leave Sunday night for a
    business trip, but that my cat lady was coming in Monday am to medicate
    him, but I was worried that his eyes started looking bad.  So the vet
    had me bring him in right away (on Sunday) to take a look.  Sure
    enough, he was starting an infection, and was running a slight temp.
    The vet said if I was going to be home, it probably could have waited
    'til Monday, but as I was leaving, it was good that I brought him in.
    (I like my vet, he never makes me feel stupid for being a nervous mom.)
    
    The vet switched medicines, and decided to admit Spike so he could be
    medicated at least every 4 hours while I was out of town.  This morning
    before I picked him, they gooped up his eyes and gave him sub-q fluids.
    
    So now he's home, and hopefully, the road will be smoother from here.
    His eyes are a little more open today, but they make him look pitiful
    with all those stitches underneath.  It sure is nice to have him home!
    
    Mary, he doesn't scratch at his eyes, but he does wash his face a lot
    after I put the goop on.  Did Beth do that?
    
    Happy Holidays from Sue B + Smokey, Spike & Trouble!
    

    Boy, did she!  You wonder why you bother putting on that nice medicine
    when they do their best to wash it off as quickly as they can!!
    
    I'm glad Spike is doing better.  They do look so pathetic, don't they?
    And they know how to play it up real good!!
    
    Mary

    I am glad to hear Spike is doing better now. (Come to think of
    it, when Podjke had his done, his face was so naturally wrinkled
    that we didn't notice the swelling, probably just one less wrinkle
    and with a face like that who would have noticed.???
    
    Keep us posted as to Spikes progress.
    
    Barbara

    Well, things still aren't going so well.
    
    Yesterday, I noticed Spike's corneas weren't clear, so back to the vet
    we went (after I had to tear the bed apart to get him out of the box
    springs where he likes to hide...).  The vet sedated him and took the
    stitches out early.  The inflamation in his eyelids were causing the
    stitches to turn in and rub his corneas, causing corneal abrasions
    (OUCH!).
    
    He came home late last night, but this morning, his eyes are a goopy
    mess.  On top of all this, he seems to have a URI as well (actually,
    the other two are sneezing too, and I have one too...).  So I am
    putting two types of goop in his eyes, a triple antibiotic, and
    something to dull the pain of the abrasion.  He's also on 50 mg oral
    antirobe 2x per day.
    
    I did ask the vet if all this trouble would alter the long term
    prognosis, and he said he thought no, when we get everything healed up,
    he should be much more comfortable.
    
    Boy this is frustrating.  And it's worse, because it was elective.  I
    am feeling guilty.  But the vet emphasized to me that I should not
    second-guess what I did - it is for his long term good.  But the
    short-term is hell!  Poor little guy.  He hides from me a lot now,
    because I sure he feels that every time I come near him, I pill him or
    put goop in his eyes (which he has always hated).  He's always been
    very shy and not a cuddler; I just hope all this doesn't put him into a
    shell forever...
    
    Well, thanks for listening.  I'm going to go see if he'll take a few
    pats and cuddles from me.  Hopefully, by Monday or Tuesday, we'll have
    good news to report.
    
    Sue B. + 3

    Sue,
    
    anything new? I feel so bad for poor spike. Please give him an extra 
    cuddle for me, OK?
    
    I know how you feel about hoping this doesn't put him in a shell
    forever! My cat, Tabitha, is a very sweet & shy girl. She LOVES Dave
    and I, but has only become so loving in the last year or so. When she
    was a baby, she had some problems that needed forced care, and I
    worried about the same thing. Tabitha did stay in a shell for about a
    month, but she came out & when she did, she was more lively than she 
    had ever been! I think that they DO realize that you're trying to help
    them, but they just don't like to sit still for it, that's all.
    
    Please give an update when you have time....
    
    Bonnie 

    Bonnie, it's nice to hear that Tabitha came out of her shell - I hope
    Spike does (and congrats on your engagement!).
    
    Things are about the same...Spike's eyes are maybe a little less goopy,
    but he still looks like a prizefighter after a 15 round bout.  His left
    cornea still has a visible abrasion, and he opens his eyes for a quick
    look, and then shuts them again.  I keep pilling him and putting the
    goop in, and he keeps hiding from me as much as possible.  He has a
    spot in an old suitcase in the closet, and I visit with treats and pats
    on a regular basis (glad I'm on vacation).  The last two nights, he did
    come out and sleep with me for a little while (I guess he figures I
    can't goop/pill him if I'm sleeping).  
    
    Tomorrow he goes in for a checkup.  We'll see where we stand then.
    
    Sue B. + Smokey, Spike & Trouble

    
    Well, we're still having a bit of a struggle.  Spike's corneas finally
    started healing, but with pigmentation (brown spots) and cloudiness.
    He was at the vet all last week getting medicated 6x/day as I was out
    of town.  He has an appointment for an optholomogy consult on Thursday. 
    My vet has never seen these complications (he had done quite a bit of
    entropion repair before, and he's the type of vet who would refer
    something he can't handle).
    
    At least Spike can still see some - I wiggled string for him last
    night, and he played with it.  He is eating well, and although he still
    hides from me a lot, he does come out and sleep with me.  Now we need
    to get him pain free, and see what we can do about getting the corneas
    cleared.  Hopefully, the opthomologist will have words of wisdom.
    
    I sure hope I haven't done something irreparable to the poor little
    guy.  We're keeping our fingers crossed.
    
    Sue B. + Spike (+ Smokey & Trouble)

    We're going to keep our fingers (and paws) crossed for Spike too, sue.
    Thanks so much for keeping us updated on his condition. I sure hope he 
    gets well soon, and this whole thing is behind you. The poor thing...
    
    Bonnie, Tabitha & Callie

    Well, it turns out that Spike also has a condition called "corneal
    sequestrum".  Has anyone had any experience with this?
    
    The opthomologist described it as a "mummufication" of the cornea,
    hence the brown spots.  It's actually Spike's immune system reacting to
    a herpes virus.  It happens mostly in Persion cats, only very rarely in
    Domestic Shorthairs, as well as Birmans, Siamese, etc.  (Spike is a
    DSH).  The vet said that all cases he had seen had a history of URI
    (Spike was a NYC alley kitten, and I'm sure probably had a bad case of
    it.)  They think that the cats that get this also have a genetic
    predisposition to it.  It is unique to the cat cornea.
    
    The vet said this problem is going to take a lot patience.  First, we
    will depress his immune system with cyclosporin (sp?).  This is the
    drug given to humans after organ transplants.  This will help get the
    eyes healed up by supressing Spike's immune system's reaction to the
    virus, which is what is causing the brown spots.  He's getting another 
    drug too, but I can't remember the name or what's it's supposed to do.
    
    Once we get the initial problems cleared up, we may try an experimental
    vaccine to help with long term treatment.  This is a problem that can
    recur, and will take long term management.  The vet summarized a lot of
    options last night, but I can't remember them all.
    
    Also, Spike's case is complicated by the fact that his eyes are very
    dry (which we already knew), so on top of the other medications, he
    will be getting drops and ointment for that.  Poor guy, he really hates
    getting all this goop in his eyes.  At least the entropion (which was a
    complication of all this) seems better.
    
    On the up side, Spike has started to brighten up a bit, chasing my
    other two cats and playing some.
    
    As I learn more about this condition and possible treatments, I will
    post it.
    
    Sue B. 

    Poor Spike.  How lucky he is to be in your care.  Please let us know
    how you (both) are doing.
    

    Herpes in cats is caused by Rhinotracheitis.  Rhinotracheitis is one of
    the upper respiratory diseases, but there is a vaccine that can be
    given to cats to help prevent it.  Sounds like this problem can occur
    in any cat, not just Birmans, Siamese, or Persians.  
    
    Hope Spike is on the mend soon.
    
    Jo

    Well, I thought I'd post an update on Spike....

    He's doing pretty well.  He's off the cyclosporin (the opthamologist
    didn't feel it was helping too much - his eyes are still not producing
    much tearing). 
    
    As a result, he gets medicated less often, and with just tears and
    bland ointment.  His eyes don't produce nearly as much "goop" as
    before, and he doesn't squint as much.  He's much happier, and has
    recently started sitting in my lap - he NEVER did this before!  He's
    playing like a wild-man with Trouble, and is generally much brighter
    than before (no more hiding in the closet).  He still hates getting
    medicated, but as always, tolerates it.  He sleeps on my right side
    every night, and wakes me up in the morning with little pats on my face 
    ("c'mon, Mom, I'm hungry!").  

    He still has a large sequestrum on his left eye that may take a few
    months to clear, or may even have to be removed surgically.  This means
    he still has some irritation and some squinting in that eye.  But we'll
    take that as it comes.  After we get it cleared up, we try the
    experimental topical vaccine.
    
    So, all in all, Spike is well on the way to successful long-term
    management of this thing.
    
    Relief!
    
    Sue B. + Spike

    Relief is great...so happy Spike is doing better.   He knows your
    trying to help him...so he is sharing his joy by spending "close"
    time with you.
    
    Keep us posted...
    
    Sandy

    Thanks for keeping us up to date;  please let us know how things
    go.
    

    Good news about Spike. Thanks for keeping us updated.
    
    Give him an extra hug tonight and tell him thanks for being
    such a good boy.
    
    Barbara
    
    

    Well, I thought I would post the ending to Spike's struggles with
    entropion and corneal sequestrum, in case anyone else runs across this.
    
    I think the last reply I posted on this, Spike had large brown plaque
    on his left cornea, which was causing him pain pretty much all the
    time, and I was medicating his eyes several times a day.  The vet (a
    kitty opthamologist) was hoping the plaque would vascularize (get blood
    vessels growing to it across the cornea), and the vascularization would
    cause the plague to slough off.
    
    Well, after a couple of months of medications, it was pretty obvious
    that the plaque was not coming off, and poor Spike was in pretty
    constant pain from it.   So the vet tried an experimental topical
    vaccine - "Felimune" (sp?) - one drop in each eye and in each nostril.
    
    Well, for a little while nothing changed (I was still putting bland
    ointment in Spike's eyes as many times a day as I could grab him).
    Then, a couple months later, I thought I noticed more blood vessels
    growing across his cornea towards the plaque.  Then lo and behold, one
    morning when I was cleaning the gunk out of the corners of his eyes, I
    noticed a piece of brown gunk in the regular gunk!  The plaque had 
    come off the cornea finally.  The blood vessels that had grown across
    the cornea receded over the next few weeks.
    
    So, now Spike's corneas are just about clear.  He still squints some,
    but not nearly as much, and he plays more with Trouble.  He still gets
    gunk in his eyes that we clean out every day, but that is about all. 
    I'm pretty sure he can see almost normally.
    
    So, the end to the saga is you can beat corneal sequestrum, but it
    takes long term care and long term management!
    
    Sue B + Spike (& Smokey & Trouble)