Followup Visit

First, I ended up buying that neat carrier from Foster and Smith, to replace the one I had worn out toting a lifetime total of 7 different kitties to hundreds of vet visits. I've had the new carrier sitting open in the house, and Khan has been using it as a "cave," so he was already comfortable with it. Today it was "used" for the first time, to take him for his followup visit. I was very pleased with it, and it got many compliments.

Khan was a good boy, as usual. His ear infection is about 70% cleared up after 2 weeks of oral Marbofloxacin and silver sulfadiazine drops. We have to do two more weeks of both, by which time he should be clear. We're checking in again in about 10 days.

I asked whether or not the ear ablation was getting to the "inevitable" point, and he said that we aren't there yet. When it gets to the point where they are coming back every month or two, then we are looking at surgery. Meanwhile, he said that there may be a mildly acidic solution that could be used regularly in his ear to ward off infections; he is looking into it. I also asked about the amount of thick mucous that forms in his right ear (it often forms plugs that eventually work their way out). He suggested trying the Cerulytic solution (that we use to clean his left ear) in very tiny amounts, to try to keep problems at bay.

I also decided to go ahead and put him on Cosequin for his arthritis, since the Adequan seems to have reached a saturation point in terms of keeping him comfortable. It's a powder, so I'll be misting his dry food with water to make it stick. I tried it tonight, but got the food too wet and sticky. Khan wouldn' t touch it. :-) He still seems to prefer Science Diet to the prescription, but his digestive issues have improved and I've now taken everyone off the Hairball Prevention food. They all loved it, but it's too high in fiber for him, and I can't keep him from snacking on the other food. (Besides, it's one of his few pleasures.)

Tonight he is purring beside me, no worse for his afternoon at the vet's. He actually enjoyed it, because for awhile he had 3 veterinary students fussing over him. He makes friends wherever he goes.