Since Yanto's death, Rainy had become more quiet and had no appetite. He mostly slept or just stayed in his cargo. We were worried that he was depressed because he had lost his little friend.
But what worried us more was that, within 2-3 days, his voice was also hoarse and his appetite was decreasing. He also started having diarrhea and vomiting. Worried that Rainy was sick like Yanto, we immediately took him to the vet.
The vet examined him and found there was a slight swelling in his throat. It was like a sore throat. That's what makes the sound disappear. The vet also did a lab test to determine whether Rainy had the panleu virus or not. If so, Rainy will have to be hospitalized.
We were asked to wait ten minutes to see the test results. While waiting for the test results, I searched for information about the virus.
In this article it is stated:
Feline panleukopenia (FP) is a highly contagious feline viral disease caused by feline parvovirus that infects and kills rapidly growing and dividing cells, such as cells in the bone marrow, intestine, and developing fetus.
Typically, this virus attacks kittens, causing the following symptoms:
- Vomit
- Bloody diarrhea/diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
- High fever
- Anemia (due to a decrease in red blood cells)
- Fur or hair becomes rough
- Depression
- Complete loss of interest in food
- Hiding
- Neurological symptoms (e.g., lack of coordination)
Rainy experienced some of the above symptoms, but not all of them. I hope it's just plain diarrhea. When the test results came out, it was negative. I'm so grateful!
According to the vet, there is still the possibility that Rainy may have contracted the virus or contracted the disease from Yanto. Luckily, Rainy was fully vaccinated, so the virus didn't spread everywhere.
However, the vet prescribed 4 kinds of medicines:
There were three kinds of liquid medicine that had to be given to Rainy using a syringe, and one tablet that could be crushed and dissolved in water.
This is our first time giving medicines to a cat. So, bear with us.
On our first attempt, we put Rainy on the table. My husband held him and I was in charge of giving him the medicine using a syringe in his mouth. We petted him and told him to calm down. He was calm, but, as soon as the medicine was put in his mouth, he rebelled and managed to escape.
On the second attempt, my husband put Rainy on his lap and held his hands. Again, we petted him and comforted him. When I put the syringe in his mouth, he struggled and clawed. My husband held him (tight but still gently enough so he wouldn't hurt him) until I managed to give Rainy all the medicine. As a result, my husband's hands are full of scratches.
For the next session, we prepared our mental and energy again. At each session, we experienced progress: Rainy was able to calm down little by little, although sometimes he struggled or wouldn't open his mouth. Fortunately, the next day, his poop was normal and he didn't vomit again, so the administration of diarrhea medicine and vomit medicine could be stopped.
However, we still have to give two more medicines: viralys, which is gel-like with a citrus scent, and metronidazole, which is a cloudy white liquid. The viralys distribution went well because Rainy seemed to like it. But the metronidazole distribution was always a drama.
Now both medicines have run out and Rainy is getting healthier and he has gotten his appetite back. Thank God! I hope he's always healthy.
Thanks for dropping by. Have a nice day!
All pictures taken by me
Camera: Redmi Note 10s
