| Parents Speak The Benefits of Using Pet Sitters By Sonya Petrakis January 29, 2010 |
During his exam, the vet found a missing front tooth, two teeth that needed attention due to decay as well as tarter buildup. He was scheduled for a
teeth cleaning and any ancillary mouth procedures for the following week. As the day for his procedure approached, Minty vomited red blood. I called
the vet, and suddenly everyone was on the same page; something was terribly wrong with Minty. The vet suggested an upper endoscopy and biopsy
since he would be under anesthesia for the teeth, and we agreed. The biopsy showed "moderate" IBD, lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic infiltrates.
Minty was immediately put on 7.5 mg prednisolone. The vet mentioned B12 injections, but given Minty's fractious nature at the vet (he's a dangerous
screeching banshee), he didn't feel it was essential that we try it. He said "If Minty had the diarrhea form of IBD, I would insist on B12. But if you want
to try it, you might bring in your other kitty and I can teach you how to inject on her". Both these statements made me think a) it's not really worth
trying and b) my only option was to use my healthy cat as a guinea pig which did not sit well with me and I am quite squeamish with needles anyway.
I dismissed the B12.
The prednisolone which he had been on since July 1, had little effect on his disease. We've increased the dose, added metronidazole, probiotics,
enzymes, enteric formulations, naturopathic remedies, you name it. He's still vomiting nearly daily, six months after diagnosis. In my frustration, and
need for answers, I joined a Feline IBD discussion forum and found this site and was immediately struck by the fact that people were giving B12 to
their cats and seeing varying degrees of benefits. As the weeks wore into months of no improvement with Minty, I began to think more about B12 and
then became desperate to try it. Did I mention that I am squeamish with needles? It's putting it mildly. The thought of injecting my cat would make
me pace anxiously, arguing with myself that I was being silly, that I was going to hurt my cat over this, and all kinds of delusional thinking. But I just
can't do it, and I know it. My heart races, I get dizzy. It's dumb, but it's me.
Even for a few weeks after becoming desperate to try B12, I did not recall that Jane could inject. But eventually I remembered it, contacted her, and
she said yes she would do it. The vet was agreeable and Minty got his first series of injections in November/December. I mentioned above that pet
sitters book up quickly. While this is true for vacations and extended times away, this may or may not be true for the occasional one time visit every
week or so. Jane can generally find a half hour here or there in her schedule to fit Minty in. Plus, as one would expect of a pet sitter, she's
compassionate for her sick client and knows how important this is. She is truly Minty's Nurse-angel.
There are other benefits to having an on-going relationship with a pet sitter. As my story might have eluded to, the vet that I chose to take my cats to
was adequate at some things regarding this disease. But once it became clear that the prednisolone and metronidazole wasn't working he ran out of
ideas. But there were other things that were truly upsetting too. For one, I DID take my cat in for annual check ups and we DID talk about the
vomiting every single time. If we had perhaps started the prednisolone even a year earlier, the outcome might be different. Yes, switching the diet is
always appropriate with a vomiting cat. But a healthy cat doesn't vomit three to five times per month for years. Also, the front desk staff, being a
critical component of any vet office, needs to be competent.
About six weeks ago, the vet's office, completely and suddenly, ran out of the food Minty was prescribed. This was a food that he was tolerating with
the least problem and it was suddenly gone. I found this out when I had one can left and was coming in to stock up. I had to convince the woman
helping me that this was a crisis for a cat with IBD. She nonchalantly speculated that she thought the company might not be making the food anymore,
but had no proof of that. (Two weeks later, the food was back in stock.) I think this kind of situation would warrant a call to every pet owner who is on
the formula. With IBD, it's akin to no longer having a drug you desperately need in order to be well.
Jane happened to be coming by that day to give Minty his injection and I mentioned this to her. She told me that she could get the food at the vet she
has a business relationship with. It turns out Jane knew a lot about the vets in my area, but because she is professional, I needed to ask her opinion.
Minty is now going to an internist, which freed up Jane to tell me that she had not heard good things about the vet I had been taking Minty to. I chose
that vet when we first moved here from California because he was nearby, a rationale that I do not recommend. Had I known Jane when we moved
here, I would have asked her who she recommended for basic vet care and she would not have recommended this particular vet.
When I asked Jane a couple of months ago if she knew of a holistic vet to discuss Minty's diet, she had a name. She was also very familiar with the
internal medicine practice that I am taking Minty to now and is very happy that I ended up there. Jane knows my new vet through a local greyhound
rescue organization, a cause near and dear to her heart. In short, Jane is well connected and is a wealth of information. She even has a shepherd with
IBD herself, which I found out when I contacted her about the B12. All this knowledge was available to me, but I just needed to ask and I had no idea
that I should.
And I don't want to overlook the main reason one should know a pet sitter. We moms and dads of sick pets are susceptible to caregiver fatigue. We
need to be able to take breaks and not worry for a little while, (as much as is feasible). I was able to take a three day weekend for the first time in 6
months in December. It was wonderful to be able to do it, know everything is in control and that Minty is getting his medications on schedule. And the
main reason why it is important to take breaks was again proven to me by Jane when she noticed that Minty seemed dehydrated and looked like he
lost weight too. When you have a cat that needs to be fed every three hours around the clock, dosed at the same time every day, palliative medications
given for nausea, litter scooped frequently, vomit cleaned, poo poo cleaned, etc. plus caring for other pets in the household, you run the risk of getting
too close to a problem to see it clearly. My husband is there to give head scratches and love whenever the cats want it, but he doesn't know Minty's
intensive regimen like I do. Jane spotted the dehydration and alerted me to it. This only reinforces my trust in her when we go on vacation, because I
utilize her to a great degree when I am home.
So, to conclude, don't overlook the value of a pet sitter as an ally in your battles with this disease. If I move again and have to find a new vet, I will find
and talk to a pet sitter before I decide. If you are hiring a pet sitter, the same need for diligence applies. Check references and be sure to ask if he/she
is trained and comfortable giving injections as well as other medications. There are classes that pet sitters take to learn how to inject and pill pets and
vets will sometimes train them. Ask if he/she has any experience with cats or dogs with IBD. The answer may surprise you. If your cat is fractious,
like my Minty, vet visits have to be an emergency or greatly important to risk the stress of it. Therefore, a pet sitter who is confident working with
sick animals will be an asset if, God forbid, there is an emergency while you are away.
When you meet him/her for the first time, ask if they have a vet that they work with. Jane has a vet who she has a working relationship with. I trust
her to take the cats there since it is close by and she knows them well but we have also discussed the emergency room and she knows the folks there
too! The idea here is to have an ally and to get peace of mind and an occasional break. Ask if there is a different rate for special services like medicating
cats or injecting. Jane charges $20 for a half-hour to 45 minute visit, regardless of whether I am there or not, and it's for anything that needs to be
done for two cats. Even if a pet sitter comes once a month to help out for a few minutes, maybe do the B12 injection that day, and just look the cat over
and talk to you about your most recent vet visit, it's worth it to get another perspective. It's worth every penny to me when I open the door and see
someone who understands what I go through. Jane "GETS IT". We’re also in the process of getting some lactated ringers (fluids) to have available in
the house in case of any severe dehydration. This is also something Jane is familiar with and will be giving us a demonstration on how she does it.
As for Minty, the new vet has increased the dosage of B12 and it has especially helped his diarrhea, which has become a recent new problem as this
drags on. As I write this today, Minty is washing out from his 7 months of prednisolone and he is starting his first dose of dexamethasone, a stronger
steroid. I am hoping to have good news on Minty’s new medications and condition to report in a few weeks.
Update: July 29, 2010: The specifics are not known but Minty passed away on May 7th, 2010. Sleep well little man, RIP.
teeth cleaning and any ancillary mouth procedures for the following week. As the day for his procedure approached, Minty vomited red blood. I called
the vet, and suddenly everyone was on the same page; something was terribly wrong with Minty. The vet suggested an upper endoscopy and biopsy
since he would be under anesthesia for the teeth, and we agreed. The biopsy showed "moderate" IBD, lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic infiltrates.
Minty was immediately put on 7.5 mg prednisolone. The vet mentioned B12 injections, but given Minty's fractious nature at the vet (he's a dangerous
screeching banshee), he didn't feel it was essential that we try it. He said "If Minty had the diarrhea form of IBD, I would insist on B12. But if you want
to try it, you might bring in your other kitty and I can teach you how to inject on her". Both these statements made me think a) it's not really worth
trying and b) my only option was to use my healthy cat as a guinea pig which did not sit well with me and I am quite squeamish with needles anyway.
I dismissed the B12.
The prednisolone which he had been on since July 1, had little effect on his disease. We've increased the dose, added metronidazole, probiotics,
enzymes, enteric formulations, naturopathic remedies, you name it. He's still vomiting nearly daily, six months after diagnosis. In my frustration, and
need for answers, I joined a Feline IBD discussion forum and found this site and was immediately struck by the fact that people were giving B12 to
their cats and seeing varying degrees of benefits. As the weeks wore into months of no improvement with Minty, I began to think more about B12 and
then became desperate to try it. Did I mention that I am squeamish with needles? It's putting it mildly. The thought of injecting my cat would make
me pace anxiously, arguing with myself that I was being silly, that I was going to hurt my cat over this, and all kinds of delusional thinking. But I just
can't do it, and I know it. My heart races, I get dizzy. It's dumb, but it's me.
Even for a few weeks after becoming desperate to try B12, I did not recall that Jane could inject. But eventually I remembered it, contacted her, and
she said yes she would do it. The vet was agreeable and Minty got his first series of injections in November/December. I mentioned above that pet
sitters book up quickly. While this is true for vacations and extended times away, this may or may not be true for the occasional one time visit every
week or so. Jane can generally find a half hour here or there in her schedule to fit Minty in. Plus, as one would expect of a pet sitter, she's
compassionate for her sick client and knows how important this is. She is truly Minty's Nurse-angel.
There are other benefits to having an on-going relationship with a pet sitter. As my story might have eluded to, the vet that I chose to take my cats to
was adequate at some things regarding this disease. But once it became clear that the prednisolone and metronidazole wasn't working he ran out of
ideas. But there were other things that were truly upsetting too. For one, I DID take my cat in for annual check ups and we DID talk about the
vomiting every single time. If we had perhaps started the prednisolone even a year earlier, the outcome might be different. Yes, switching the diet is
always appropriate with a vomiting cat. But a healthy cat doesn't vomit three to five times per month for years. Also, the front desk staff, being a
critical component of any vet office, needs to be competent.
About six weeks ago, the vet's office, completely and suddenly, ran out of the food Minty was prescribed. This was a food that he was tolerating with
the least problem and it was suddenly gone. I found this out when I had one can left and was coming in to stock up. I had to convince the woman
helping me that this was a crisis for a cat with IBD. She nonchalantly speculated that she thought the company might not be making the food anymore,
but had no proof of that. (Two weeks later, the food was back in stock.) I think this kind of situation would warrant a call to every pet owner who is on
the formula. With IBD, it's akin to no longer having a drug you desperately need in order to be well.
Jane happened to be coming by that day to give Minty his injection and I mentioned this to her. She told me that she could get the food at the vet she
has a business relationship with. It turns out Jane knew a lot about the vets in my area, but because she is professional, I needed to ask her opinion.
Minty is now going to an internist, which freed up Jane to tell me that she had not heard good things about the vet I had been taking Minty to. I chose
that vet when we first moved here from California because he was nearby, a rationale that I do not recommend. Had I known Jane when we moved
here, I would have asked her who she recommended for basic vet care and she would not have recommended this particular vet.
When I asked Jane a couple of months ago if she knew of a holistic vet to discuss Minty's diet, she had a name. She was also very familiar with the
internal medicine practice that I am taking Minty to now and is very happy that I ended up there. Jane knows my new vet through a local greyhound
rescue organization, a cause near and dear to her heart. In short, Jane is well connected and is a wealth of information. She even has a shepherd with
IBD herself, which I found out when I contacted her about the B12. All this knowledge was available to me, but I just needed to ask and I had no idea
that I should.
And I don't want to overlook the main reason one should know a pet sitter. We moms and dads of sick pets are susceptible to caregiver fatigue. We
need to be able to take breaks and not worry for a little while, (as much as is feasible). I was able to take a three day weekend for the first time in 6
months in December. It was wonderful to be able to do it, know everything is in control and that Minty is getting his medications on schedule. And the
main reason why it is important to take breaks was again proven to me by Jane when she noticed that Minty seemed dehydrated and looked like he
lost weight too. When you have a cat that needs to be fed every three hours around the clock, dosed at the same time every day, palliative medications
given for nausea, litter scooped frequently, vomit cleaned, poo poo cleaned, etc. plus caring for other pets in the household, you run the risk of getting
too close to a problem to see it clearly. My husband is there to give head scratches and love whenever the cats want it, but he doesn't know Minty's
intensive regimen like I do. Jane spotted the dehydration and alerted me to it. This only reinforces my trust in her when we go on vacation, because I
utilize her to a great degree when I am home.
So, to conclude, don't overlook the value of a pet sitter as an ally in your battles with this disease. If I move again and have to find a new vet, I will find
and talk to a pet sitter before I decide. If you are hiring a pet sitter, the same need for diligence applies. Check references and be sure to ask if he/she
is trained and comfortable giving injections as well as other medications. There are classes that pet sitters take to learn how to inject and pill pets and
vets will sometimes train them. Ask if he/she has any experience with cats or dogs with IBD. The answer may surprise you. If your cat is fractious,
like my Minty, vet visits have to be an emergency or greatly important to risk the stress of it. Therefore, a pet sitter who is confident working with
sick animals will be an asset if, God forbid, there is an emergency while you are away.
When you meet him/her for the first time, ask if they have a vet that they work with. Jane has a vet who she has a working relationship with. I trust
her to take the cats there since it is close by and she knows them well but we have also discussed the emergency room and she knows the folks there
too! The idea here is to have an ally and to get peace of mind and an occasional break. Ask if there is a different rate for special services like medicating
cats or injecting. Jane charges $20 for a half-hour to 45 minute visit, regardless of whether I am there or not, and it's for anything that needs to be
done for two cats. Even if a pet sitter comes once a month to help out for a few minutes, maybe do the B12 injection that day, and just look the cat over
and talk to you about your most recent vet visit, it's worth it to get another perspective. It's worth every penny to me when I open the door and see
someone who understands what I go through. Jane "GETS IT". We’re also in the process of getting some lactated ringers (fluids) to have available in
the house in case of any severe dehydration. This is also something Jane is familiar with and will be giving us a demonstration on how she does it.
As for Minty, the new vet has increased the dosage of B12 and it has especially helped his diarrhea, which has become a recent new problem as this
drags on. As I write this today, Minty is washing out from his 7 months of prednisolone and he is starting his first dose of dexamethasone, a stronger
steroid. I am hoping to have good news on Minty’s new medications and condition to report in a few weeks.
Update: July 29, 2010: The specifics are not known but Minty passed away on May 7th, 2010. Sleep well little man, RIP.
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As I struggle mightily with my cat's IBD (as of this writing my Minty has still not achieved stable treatment), I was
happy to discover along the way that I had an invaluable ally in my battle. My pet sitter, Jane.
A little bit of background on Minty's story and how we met Jane. I literally did an internet search on "pet sitter"
and my town name. A few people had notes posted on their web sites that said they were not taking any new
clients. Jane's website did not say that but when I contacted her she said she was not available for the Christmas
holidays which was when I initially needed her, four months in the future. (That part is noteworthy: These pet
sitters book up fast! ) We decided to interview her anyway and get established with her for a future need. All this
transpired several months before Minty was diagnosed with IBD.
My husband and I took a few trips over the course of a year or so and frankly, depending on availability, we would
either have Jane pet sit or the neighbor next door. No further thought was given to it, other than that. When we
interviewed Jane, there were discussion about her skills with sick animals, which I'm sure she brought up. But
neither of my kitties were ill, so other than making a mental note that she was trained in injecting and pilling cats, I
didn't give it another thought. In fact, I was more thrilled that she knew how to use a SpotBot. She was told about
how Minty was a "puker" (mostly hairballs but occasionally food), at the time averaging three to five vomiting
episodes per month. As far as I can recall, he never vomited when she was on duty in those early days.
Fast forward to early Spring 2009. Minty began vomiting frequently. His occasional vomiting increased to once
weekly and then to almost daily. By the time he became due for his annual check-up, he was vomiting mostly food,
but vomiting bile was becoming more regular. I mentioned to the vet that the vomiting had become worse, and his
answer was the same it always was. When we discussed Minty's vomiting in years prior, the answer was: "Let's
switch his food again".
happy to discover along the way that I had an invaluable ally in my battle. My pet sitter, Jane.
A little bit of background on Minty's story and how we met Jane. I literally did an internet search on "pet sitter"
and my town name. A few people had notes posted on their web sites that said they were not taking any new
clients. Jane's website did not say that but when I contacted her she said she was not available for the Christmas
holidays which was when I initially needed her, four months in the future. (That part is noteworthy: These pet
sitters book up fast! ) We decided to interview her anyway and get established with her for a future need. All this
transpired several months before Minty was diagnosed with IBD.
My husband and I took a few trips over the course of a year or so and frankly, depending on availability, we would
either have Jane pet sit or the neighbor next door. No further thought was given to it, other than that. When we
interviewed Jane, there were discussion about her skills with sick animals, which I'm sure she brought up. But
neither of my kitties were ill, so other than making a mental note that she was trained in injecting and pilling cats, I
didn't give it another thought. In fact, I was more thrilled that she knew how to use a SpotBot. She was told about
how Minty was a "puker" (mostly hairballs but occasionally food), at the time averaging three to five vomiting
episodes per month. As far as I can recall, he never vomited when she was on duty in those early days.
Fast forward to early Spring 2009. Minty began vomiting frequently. His occasional vomiting increased to once
weekly and then to almost daily. By the time he became due for his annual check-up, he was vomiting mostly food,
but vomiting bile was becoming more regular. I mentioned to the vet that the vomiting had become worse, and his
answer was the same it always was. When we discussed Minty's vomiting in years prior, the answer was: "Let's
switch his food again".
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