[Yorkieville200]

This morning, my tiny Kia did not get up at her usual time. I get up at 5:30 each morning to get ready for mass, and she usually squeaks and lets me know around 6:45, that she is ready to get up, too.

I was in and out of my bedroom, as I was getting dressed and I noticed she was really sleeping.

Finally, around 7:20, before I was going to leave, I went in and leaned over her, and asked her if she was ready to get up.

She didn't even lift her head. I gently lifted her into my arms, and she was soaked in urine. She never wets the bed. She had lost control of her bladder.

I offered her breakfast; her favorite food, she refused it.

I called the Vets office at 8:30 and they said my Vet was in surgery, but bring her in and another Vet would examine her, and my Vet would be available for a consult.

Kia couldn't put her weight on her front paws. She couldn't walk across the exam table. The Vet observed a head tilt and leaning to one side.

She said she suspected it is neurological. She ordered a Geriatric profile since Kia is almost 10 and 1/2 years old. She weighs 4#s.

She said it could also be an infection.

Her heart rate was normal, so was her temp.

The Vet checked her ears, but was unable to get the scope down deep enough to see the eardrum in one ear. She has tiny ear canals. My regular Vet can do it.

She offered me two options: hospitalize her and let the Vet observe her, or let her give Kia intravenous fluids to prevent hydration and take her home and observe her myself.

I opted to have her give Kia the fluids, and bring her home. She would have been terrified to remain there.

As soon as she was given the fluids, Kia was able to follow me back and forth across the exam room 6 times.

The Vet prescribed Clavamox and Prednisolone.

We brought her home and she immediately gobbled down 3 T's of her favorite food, and around noon, she asked for her cookie. And then she wanted to take a long walk around my property, checking under every tree and bush for bunnies.

We took a nap on the couch together, and when we woke, she demanded her dinner and ate it all, and asked for more.

The Vet called this evening, and said her protein and white cell counts are high, and wants her to finish the meds and be re-evaluated then.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Sheila