Esther Elizabeth has a UTI

[NedF]

Squirt it in quick. I always gave it to Smoggy right before his meal so after a few times he realized he would get some yummy food after his medicine. Very easy to give it to him after that. I would also recommend wearing those thin vinyl gloves when giving the liquid to prevent exposure to yourself. I'm now allergic to Clavamox and I wonder if it was from getting it all over my hands when trying to give it to the cat.

Also, Thunder had the convenia shot with no problems.

[BW]

Thank you Ned.  I have to give her food before the dose because it says give with food, and if I don't make sure she gets the food first, I can't be sure she will eat afterwards.  Getting her to eat when she should is not easy either. 
Ok, I will give it quickly.  Don't know if I would be able to manage it slowly anyway. >big sigh<
Good tip about the gloves.  And thanks about the info on the convenia, in case it is necessary.

[lesliek]

BW- The Convenia worked great for both of mine, but several people on here had trouble with it. Is there a food or treat that EE loves ? Try giving her that after the shot & if she stays with you ,make it her special time with pets & rubs or brushing if she likes that. I always give the med as quickly as possible, as soon as I get the end of the syringe into the corner of their mouth.

[August]

BW, wow, it sounds like you're doing a really great job.  I'll bet it gets easier so hang in there.  Esther sounds like she knows you're doing something good for her.

A pillowcase - that's a great idea!  I'd heard of using pillowcases for emergencies when a carrier can't be found, but not for giving medicine. 

Big hugs to you -- it probably feels like a long time more of meds, but it will be finished soon and Esther will feel so much better!

[BW]

August and Leslie,  I am very encouraged.   I just gave her the 3rd dose at 11:30 pm, and I dont' think I lost any of it this time.  The pillowcase is working great.  She doesn't seem mad at me afterwards at all.  And when I get her in the pillowcase, which I leave out on the bed all day long, she doesn't panic, and actually purred just now. (of course until I got the syringe near her mouth, then things got tense.)

I really believe I saw much less blood in her urine throughout the day today.  Kind of unbelievable considering I only gave her one dose yesterday.  There was a little bit tonight just now, but I am encouraged.  She is using her box with the white paper towels to pee, so it is easy to see how much blood there might be.

Thank goodness that is taken care of and we both can go to sleep now.  I am very tired.
I spent a lot of time walking around our little FROZEN lake today looking for Patches and the goose with the broken wing, so I could give them some corn.  They couldn't come to my yard because the lake is frozen. Thank goodness I found them both, and they got quite a bit. (of course the other geese and ducks did too, about 7 lbs of corn in all) I also saw the poor goose with only one foot, and was able to give her some corn too. She has an awful time walking on the stump. Sooo sad.   Haven't seen her since the summer, so she is able to survive without her foot it seems.  At least she can fly with the others.  the goose with the broken wing, will never fly again, so I worry most about her surviving the winter, especially with our lake frozen and the weather so cold.  I'm glad she has some other geese at the moment for company.  But when they leave, she won't be able to accompany them.

Anyway, I am tired out now.  Thank you all so much for your support and help for me and Esther Elizabeth.  It really means a lot, and  makes a big difference.

[Sandi K]

BW, Im very happy for you and Esther Elizabeth, that the Clavamox seems to be working.  Ive heard that for UTI's, if the anti-biotic is working, you should start to see results maybe even the next day so this is great news.  We used the Covenia with Sophers...or rather our vet gave it to her without asking our permission...she did not feel well on it.  We have used Clavamox many times and she tolerates it very well.  I have read that Covenia is prescribed for skin wounds, abscesses, etc but that some Drs are starting to use it for other things, with some success, but it seems to me the Clavamox, if you can keep on with it, might be the better choice.  Let us know how Esther continues to do, Im keeping my fingers crossed for you! 

[August]

Have a wonderful sleep, BW - it's so great how smoothly things are going with the medicines.  I've never had to do anything like that, and I can only imagine how much mental preparation it takes on the givers part!  And it sounds like you've already gotten the hang of it in such a short time.

Esther, feel better, drink your water, and continue to let your mom take care of you!

[catbird]

I'm really happy to hear that you have found a med routine for Esther Elizabeth that works.  Yes, when there is a UTI, the right antibiotic can bring quick and dramatic results.  I am sure she feels much, much better.

And heaven bless you for your care of those poor animals.

[BW]

August,   You wrote:
<<I can only imagine how much mental preparation it takes>>

Boy, you are right about that! Not only is it needed in figuring out what your tactics are going to be, in order to accomplish your goal, but also, (for me) it takes a lot of psychic "bolstering" to get the courage to begin the task.  I guess I am simply too timid a person to handle all of these more complex tasks involved in caring for animals. I always feel I don't have what it takes.   AND yet, I must!! As we all must, and as we all have done.

The medical treatments, seem to me to be quite daunting!!

Over the years, somehow, I have managed giving pills and giving liquid meds to uncooperative cats, I have learned how to give and managed, the insulin shots, and even succeeded in hydrating Barkley Peeperton for a couple years, and yet, I always feel inadequate and not up to the task.  It turns out that hydrating, though the scariest to think about was actually easier (after I eventually calmed down and got used to it) than giving liquid meds to cats that could bite and scratch and seemed to be unbelievably strong.

If you ever have to do it, August, the pillow case is a wonderful tool.
I never had to resort to it before, but it really helps. I have been getting behind her, holding the pillowcase around her neck with one hand, (with the comforter kind of over that a little) and then leaned forward over her body, to peek at her face to find the mouth, and then grabbed the nearby syringe and inserted it in the corner. I guess that is a form of LeslieK's method of lying across her.

So far so good, fingers crossed for future doses.

[BW]

Catbird, glad to hear that the Clavamox can work so quickly.  I thought it might be my imagination, now I am really glad.  At the moment, Esther is just sitting in her paper towel litterbox.  don't know why, she seems very content there.  It is almost totally clean, except for one little corner, so I don't think she has been peeing much all night.
And Sandi, sorry to hear Shophers didn't feel well on the convenia.
I hope I don't need it for Esther.
However, that said, I have a bunch I would definitely need it for if they every needed an antibiotic.  I can think of 5 or 6 that I absolutely could not give any med to, and about 3 that I could not even begin to catch to take to the vet. 
Getting them to a vet would involve a day or so of complex logistics, getting them cornered and then sequestered in some sort of big pen first (maybe with a son to help) and then maybe even trapped in a trap with food, after withholding food for a while.  Yup pretty sure maybe 3 of them would require a real trap.   From my rescuing days, I have a couple really nice traps, much better than a have-a-heart trap (which I also  have).  I don't really like them at all.
Just realized this is really OT, sorry about that.

[merrihart]

I'm glad to heare things are going well for Esther Elizabeth. 

the goose with the broken wing, will never fly again, so I worry most about her surviving the winter, especially with our lake frozen and the weather so cold.  I'm glad she has some other geese at the moment for company.  But when they leave, she won't be able to accompany them.

Can you erect some sort of shelter for her?  Nothing too elaborate, just a kind of 3 sided box arranged so that the wind doesn't whip in and protection from snow?  Some straw in the box for padding and warmth?  I always feel for the birds who are in dire circumstances due to injuries.

[catwoods]

I'm glad that the antibiotic is now working for Esther Elizabeth, and that you've been able to get through the medicating process!

[BW]

Well, I was not as successful today as yesterday, and I will try to do better tonight.  ESther  has been marvelous.  She still came and sat on the opening in the pillowcase and let me put her rear end in it and bundle it up around her neck.  I swear it is as if she wants me to give her the med.  However, when I put the syringe in her mouth, I did not squirt fast enough, got only about half in her mouth with her head twisting etc. and I think I lost some, and hope it wasn't too much but am afraid it might have been too much.
does anyone know how bad it is if you don't get a whole dose in for one dosing???  I don't want her to have a set back.
I will certainly try hard to get the whole dose it tonight.

She is a funny little cat.  She comes over to me on the bed, and cries up at me beseechingly, almost as if she is asking for more med.  I tell her I can't give it to her till tonight.  I looked and sure nuff, there was a bit of pink on her papers.  So it is almost as if she hurts and comes up to get the med to stop her from hurting again.
<big sigh>  I will try harder to get the whole dose in tonight!

[BW]

Merrihart,  I have often thought about how I could make some sort of shelter for the bad weather, but I really don't see any way of doing it.
First of all, I have a bulkhead on my property. And the geese do not hang around my yard, they hang around the other end of the lake where the water seems to remain free when it freezes.

Hurt Goose was waiting by my bulkhead when I got home tonight just after dark, and it was still pretty bright out.  I gave her a lot of corn I had just bought, so her tummy is full.  She and the mallards, and a few dear little coots all go off somewhere else on the lake after dark.  They have to be careful of predators.  At the moment there is a little island in the middle of the lake because of the lower water level, but they don't always go there.
My neighbors cat is let outside all the time, despite the rules against it.  No pets are allowed out without a leash, but this neighbor doesn't care about rules.  today, I looked out and the cat had just jumped ON TOP OF a female mallard!!  All the ducks dashed away into the water, and the female was able to flap a lot and get free and jump into the water too, she was ok, I believe.  I dashed out into the yard, and chased the darned cat away, she knows she isn't allowed in my yard, but of course she is a cat and a predator and it is her nature.  It is not her fault, it is my neighbor's fault for not following the rules.
I have not seen our little chipmonk since he got his cat either.

We also have foxes, and racoons, and even big snakes, so it is not safe in my yard for winged critters to  spend the night. or even the day often. And last year a big hawk attacked a mallard in my yard,  I immediately ran out and chased it away and it dropped the mallard, and the duck got away ok, I think it was ok. 

I would imagine, and hope, that if Hurt Goose stays around the mallards she might be safe, and they are at least other waterfowl for company.  Patches has lived here for 13 years, so they must know where to spend the night safely.  It is a cruel, harsh world out there for our dear critters.  Nature is NOT kind.

[Mandycat]

BW,
If you have a community association, and your neighbor is breaking rules, perhaps you need to report him to the association.  Either that or talk to your neighbor.  Perhaps he is unaware of the rule.  Tell him that his cat may be picked up by animal control if the association finds out that it is out without a leash.

When you give the medicine, try gently grabbing Esther Elizabeth by the scruff of her neck after you have her in the pillowcase to better control her head. Or put your hand across the top of her head with your thumb and middle finger right behind her mouth.  You do have to have the syringe in your other hand and ready and act quickly to get it in her mouth.  I know how difficult this this and am sorry that you don't have another pair of hands to help.  You are doing a good job and the best that you can do.