DJ isn't eating. One of our older cougars, DJ has severe arthritis from living on cement for many years before coming to WildCat Haven. We do all we can to manage his pain, but when he stops eating, we know it's time for a change in meds. This time we were so concerned we decided we made an appointment to take him in to the vet clinic.
Not an easy task, but one we needed to do. Once we got there, we had x-rays taken and blood pulled to see what could be determined. The x-rays showed what we already knew, his front elbows are in bad shape. Even at a healthy weight of 125 lbs. the wear and tear on his front legs is hard on him. We took him home and hoped that the blood work wouldn't show any major problems such as kidney failure. When we got the results we were thrilled that his blood work looked good! So we are trying some new approaches to his pain and are hopeful that we will see him respond by eating and getting back to his old self.
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| DJ |
We will also be talking to an Orthopedic Surgeon to see if something can be done to address the arthritis instead of just medicating it. DJ is so dear to all of us and we will do everything in our power to give him the best quality of life we can. It's what we do for all of our precious rescues. And isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
Oh dear, we missed Keisa's birthday. She was a little bit miffed but seemed to forget all about it when she got a special treat of chicken hearts and a new feather toy to play with :) Thank goodness she doesn't hold a grudge! 
His blood work came back positive for Panleukopenia. We were stunned and frantic. The next two weeks were a blur of IV fluids, special diets, vet visits and 'round the clock care between three of us. We all worked at regular jobs so we took shifts watching over this fragile baby. I don't know that any of us got much sleep, but we couldn't imagine the thought of losing him. And somehow against all odds, Caden pulled through. But his trials weren't over yet. A week after he chewed off his IV catheter, I noticed when he walked, his back end would slip and he'd fall. At first I blamed it on him being weak, but after a few days, I knew something was wrong. We scheduled a visit to a Neurologist and took him in for a CAT Scan and MRI. The conclusion came back, neurological damage due to Panleuk.
There was nothing we could do. We were devastated, but through it all, little Caden continued to play and eat and thrive. Surprisingly, this tenacious cub didn't seem to be bothered by being wobbly or falling, he just got back up and kept going! It was then that we realized that even though he would always be a 'special needs' cougar, we could give him the quality of life he deserved and had worked so hard to survive! Today Caden is one of our biggest cougars, and while he is unsteady on his feet when he walks, he can run like the wind and loves his two cougar buddies, Leo and Cody! Every day is a good day for Caden and he's taught us a very important lesson in never giving up! There are always challenges in rescue work, but because of Caden, we've learned we are making a difference each and every day :) Happy Birthday Caden, we love you!
