Those of you who know me have been around long enough to know that my breaks don't often turn into real breaks, and this was no exception. Jack, Jill, and Lila went off to another foster, and Jack and Jill did great, but Lila started to lose weight and stop eating, so she came back. She isn't doing well, and has been trying pretty hard to die on me, but I'm doing what I can to reverse that. She doesn't seem to be able to absorb food properly at this point, and she poops out a river of diarrhea each day, and with it an ounce or two of weight a day. She's gone from 1 lb 12 ounces ten days ago to 1 lb 3 ounces now. She isn't eating on her own at all, so she gets force fed every couple hours now, and a slew of other things to try to help her. Her routine this morning was being force fed, then sub-q fluids (which she gets twice a day), a shot of Dexamethasone (steroid), an antibiotic, and then Metronidazole to help with the diarrhea. It's a lot for a tiny little thing, and the prognosis isn't great, but we will keep trying until she gives up or gets better. (Late breaking P.S. After writing this earlier today, Lila decided she liked a new, high fiber prescription food I got her this afternoon, and ate most of a can. She has perked up before and then tanked the next day, so I'm not counting anything yet, but hopeful....)
(Lila before she started tanking...)
I also have three new little ones, in from outside at the little older age than we thought, and they need some help still feeling comfortable with people. An elderly man, who wife was dying (and did die in the process of helping them) called and asked (begged) for help with a sweet outdoor mom and her five kittens. One of our expert trappers captured them easily and she and I split them between us to socialize them all. They are coming along, some really easily, and one just a bit more challenging. Meet the new gang.
Spot, who is a gorgeous long-haired boy, and very friendly.
Pearl, who is a long-haired female calico, and is medium friendly.
Boots, gray boy, who is still pretty leery of me, but we'll get there.
They are stuck in the ferret cage for now, since letting them free in the room would result in them being under the futon fulltime. They get wet food from me, and pets while they eat, and I can hold the two long-haired ones, especially Spot, so far. We'll get there.
On the plus side, Francine got adopted and is doing great in her new home. Biscuit may be another new one since I last wrote. Was found on a porch all by himself, and he is a total lovebug. He's not feeling perfect at the moment and not sure why, but I'm keeping an eye on him too.
And fosters aside for a moment, poor Gracie had a dental today and 20 teeth extracted. Yes, 20! After having several extracted last year. She's down to 16 teeth and at this rate, we'll be able to stop having dentals at all in the near future. Cavaliers are known for their crappy teeth, and she's no exception. She's just home as I write this with pain meds and antibiotics for the next while, plus lots of TLC.
And that, my friends, was my "break," or the break that wasn't. We are going away for a week in the end of October so there will be a break sometime. Really. I'm going to keep telling myself that.
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