My Ragdoll Cat Adventures Part Three

14 October 2024 Blog Post 249 Emergency 

Had a bit of a rubbish weekend as I had a medical emergency with poor Jack. It started off as a normal Friday. I did some house work in the morning and the boys were all running around and helping me make the bed et cetera like they usually do. I managed to spill a bottle of strawberry scented cleaner all over the kitchen floor. I wiped up all the mess and carried on with vacuuming and mopping the floors. Jack was his usual self at that point. Then at about 15.00, Jack, who was sleeping on my chair, woke up and I looked and I saw dribble pouring out his mouth. On the chair there was this great big patch of wet where he had dribbled in his sleep. I did not know what to think at first but I knew it was not a good sign! Funnily enough, Leo last Friday had the same thing (although not as bad) and it lasted for about 30 mins then stopped. I did actually book a video vet appointment (free through my insurance) for Leo last friday and the vet reassured me it was probably a reaction to something he had eaten and hopefully will get better on its own, which it did. However, Jack’s dribbling was a lot worse than Leo had had. I was trying to think of all the things it could be and I wondered if he had come into contact with some cleaner I had used or it was an allergy or something. He seemed okay in himself and not distressed. I pondered it for a few minutes and then decided to ring the vet. It was 15.30 by this point and I knew the vets would be busy with the pre-weekend rush! They were very nice and helpful and when I explained the symptoms they said he would need to be seen in case it was toxic/poison he had ingested. I got an appointment for 16.30. I quickly got Jack into one of the smaller cat crates and he fit thankfully. He was looking scared at this point. I rushed around and got my bag and phone et cetera. I said goodbye to the other boys who were looking at us with wide frightened eyes! Then I got Jack in the car and drove to the vet hospital which was 20 mins away but because it was rush hour I was stuck in traffic the whole way so it took about 40 mins. We got there a bit late but it didn’t matter as they had told me it was like A&E and you get triaged and then prioritised. Jack had cried the whole way there and his voice sounded bubbly because of all the saliva in his throat. He was quiet in the waiting room. His dribbling was even worse by then due to stress. We waited about 10 minutes then a vet nurse took us into a little room. I managed to get Jack out of the crate. The vet nurse examined him and she said his breathing rate was fast, probably due to stress. His chest was all wet from dribbling and looked like it had a pinkish hue to it. She looked in his mouth but couldn’t see any ulcers or obstructions. She smelt him and said he had a bit of whiff of strawberries. I told her about the strawberry cleaner and even though I had cleaned it up it is possible he got some on his paws or from walking on the worktop. She took him away to bathe him to get any residual off his fur and said she would speak to the vet. I waited about half an hour. I was texting boyfriend to tell him what had happened. Then she eventually brought him back and he was all wrapped in a towel looking sorry for himself. She said I could keep the towel lol. She said he was very good at being bathed. I thought, well he would not have let me do it! The vet had prescribed a medication for him bit like gaviscon to protect his tummy from any toxicity from the cleaner. She said to monitor him and if still dribbling tomorrow to ring them back. I then paid the bill (was not as much as it could have been thankfully as she charged me for nurse time not vet time) and then picked up poor soggy Jack in his crate and we drove home. Got stuck behind two tractors and hit every red light on the way home Typical! Finally we got back about 18.30. The other boys were all a bit suspicious of Jack when I got him out the crate. Thankfully they did not hiss at him. They just sniffed him. Poor Jack was still howling and he wandered around checking every room to make sure everything was still the same. I texted boyfriend and told him we were back. Then Jack settled down and seemed okay for the rest of the evening. On Saturday, I thought he seemed a bit better but after he had his breakfast and our walk, I noticed he was still dribbling. It was pouring out of his mouth again. Then Leo started dribbling as well! I thought oh my god! Now he has come down with the same thing. So I rang the vet again and got an appointment for 10.45 saturday morning. Boyfriend took us this time. We were unsure about putting Leo and Jack in the same crate but actually they were okay. They were both so scared they cuddled up to each other. They both yowled the whole way there. They were quiet in the vets waiting room. The vet examined them both and said Leo did not seem too bad and he had stopped dribbling by then. Jack however was a soggy mess bless him. She had a good look in his mouth and throat and could not see anything there. She said one of his salivary glands and a lymph node were swollen. She said it would take a couple of days for the symptoms to subside. She decided though, to give him an injection of something that would stop the hypersalivation and then if that did not work there was an oral tablet he could take and she would leave instructions for that so I could pick it up Sunday. She said the jab is sometimes really painful for cats. Jack didn’t even flinch! He is a tough boy. After paying another big bill (ouch) we took them home. They were both a bit subdued. I had to give Leo the same gaviscon type medication and had to give Jack his daily doses as well. That was not easy! Got a lot of the stuff all over the floor and all over me! I did manage to get most of it in their mouth. They seemed okay for the rest of the day. Jack was drinking a lot as he was losing fluid via his mouth. He was still dribbling constantly and his chest was all wet. I kept wiping it with a flannel. He was like that in the evening and overnight. When I checked him in the morning there was a big wet patch on the towel I had put on the spare bed where he slept. Other than the uncomfortable dribble and wet patches he was okay and eating and running around in the garden on our walk. I rang the vet at 7.30am to ask about the tablet and the nurse said she would check with the vet and ring me back. She did not ring me back! I waited till lunchtime and then rang them again. At this point Jack’s dribbling was starting to slow down and was not as bad as the previous day. I spoke to another vet nurse and I said I was not sure he needed the tablet now seeing as his symptoms were improving. She said she would speak to the vet and get back to me. Finally two hours later when me and boyfriend were out shopping I got a phone call and the nurse said the vet had said Jack did not need the medication now as long as his symptoms were improving. So thankfully I did not have to go all the way back to the hospital and pick up this medication which I am sure would have been expensive! Jack was much better yesterday evening and this morning is back to normal now. I don’t know if it was that strawberry cleaner or something else he walked in and licked et cetera. I have bought a pet friendly cleaner to use from now on! I have still got a couple more days of that medication to give them twice a day so I have to try and get the stuff into their mouths without it ending up all over me!