veterinarian

ANNUAL ROUNDUP 2018

Thankful Thursday

Whew…it’s over! What you ask? The annual roundup. Dr. Neel from Vinton Veterinary Hospital and Tameka (our favorite vet tech) were here yesterday to give us our annual exams and vaccines. Yippee! Pffft!

 

2018 roundup

 

Astrid and Lisbeth were the winners. They didn’t need any vaccines. Cooper was the loser. He needed three. Cooper was up in everybody’s business until it was his turn. The top photo shows Dr. Neel and Mom trying to hold down 18 pounds of writhing ginger cat while Tameka attempts to trim his back claws. That was before he had to have his vaccines.

Giulietta was the last to get her exam. Though we’d all been confined to the kitchen, bathroom and vestibule, Dad couldn’t find her. As you can see in the lower middle photo above, she had managed to open the coat cupboard and hide inside.

We all got clean bills of health; though, Calista Jo has the eye “icks” and needs to keep getting terramycin. We suspected that. Best news of all, all our teefies look terrific.

Though Sawyer wasn’t part of the roundup, he was in the kitchen with us, as Mom wanted to get his claws trimmed. He was a total terror and exactly one claw was trimmed before the humans gave up. Way to go, little buddy!

We are not thankful that we had to endure this torture, but we are hugely grateful that it is over for another year. So, we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop. To join in click on the badge below.

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

We’d like to apologize to Angel Sammy, Teddy and Mom Pam for not writing a poem today. We and Mom are all exhausted after today’s ordeal and our poetry juices just aren’t flowing. We promise we’ll have one next week.

Purrs and paw-pats, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy and Sawyer

p.s. We are sorry for not posting more photos, but our gyrations caused most of them to be blurry.

 

 

SAWYER’S DISCOVERY

Doozy of a Snoozy

Like every Kitties Blue cat before him, Sawyer has discovered the antique dough bowl. For whatever reason this is a favorite snoozing, bathing, looking out the window spot and has been featured in previous posts. We gave up years ago trying to reclaim the bowl for use by Dad Tom, the bread baker. And for a very long time we have been adding something comfy to snooze upon.

 

Sawyer takes over cat (dough) bowl.

 

Kitties who have outgrown the dough/cat bowl continue to stuff themselves in for a nap. It even has been occupied my Mauricio and Astrid together…now that was a bowlful. As you can see, Sawyer has not reached the point where he is overflowing. But he has definitely spread out atop of one of Mom Ellen’s (15 And Meowing) cat mats.

To see original cat, Skooter, as well as some others in the bowl, click here to go to the 2012 post, “The Cat Bowl.”

Cooper Murphy/Misty May Update

Under protest, Cooper Murphy had another visit with Dr. Neel yesterday. He does have a fever; though, not as high as the 105 he had on January 5. It was 103 this time. The conjunctiva in both eyes are infected this time. Staining showed no additional problems. He’s also sneezing this time. He got another anti-inflammatory injection and will be on oral meds and the teramyacin eye ointment again for another ten days.

We also discovered that the little giant stinker was playing fast and loose with the scale last time. He weighed in today at 18 1/2 pounds. That’s two more than his last visit and more what we expected then.

Misty May’s eye is greatly improved. She will remain on the ointment until she returns on Friday for a recheck of the ulcer.

Thanks for all the purrs, prayers and POTP you have been sending. With any luck, this will be the final chapter for the eye “icks.”

 

LATEST VICTIM OF EYE “ICKS” SPEAKS OUT

Kitties Blue Health Update

It was my turn to be stuffed in a SleepyPod and hauled off to the vet on Wednesday. Yep, I got the eye “icks” too! I made the humans aware of my displeasure all the way there and most of the way back with loud protestations and tinkling in the SleepyPod.

The humans are getting better at recognizing this persistent and spreading infection. I had no fever and did not require an injection or any oral meds. But I am getting that goopy eye ointment. I have an ulcer on my eye as well. No one else has one of those. I knew I was special! It will probably take longer to heal than the infection will take to clear up, and I have to go back to the vet for a re-check. Again, special me! None of the others got to do that. Though we were told scar tissue may form, it should not occlude my vision.

Mau has two more days of meds and eye ointment, and his eye is looking good. We just need a few more purrs and prayers asking that I am the end of the line for this infection.

Friendly Fill-Ins: Week #90

Now that I am done with the health update, I am going to do the fill-ins. It is my compensation for being maligned so badly in the post, “Mini Rant on Tuxie Tuesday.” My fursibs were unkind, and they hurt my feelings. If Mom and Dad think the new collar with cute pandas is remuneration enough for that post as well as the trip to the vet, they are delusional.

My completions are in teal italics.

1. The flu shot is something Dad and Mom get every year. It hasn’t stopped them from getting the flu every year, but Mom can only remember a couple of times getting it in the last 35+ years. We kitties are wishing some type of vaccine existed to keep us from passing around the icky eyes.

 

Misty May protests her trip to the vet.

 

2. I think everyone should take time to nap daily.

3. I (almost) always sleep on Mom’s pillow, because I can! 

4. I (almost) never am nice to Astrid, because it is so easy to assert my authority over her and make her scream.

 
Friendly Fill-Ins is a weekly blog hop hosted by Ellen (15 And Meowing) and Annie (McGuffy’s Reader). They each provide two incomplete sentences to be filled in by participants. You can find the sentences on their blogs every Thursday. To participate in the blog hop, click on the Fill-Ins badge. You will be taken to Annie’s blog to enter your link.

Purrs and paw-pats, Misty May

FINDING JOY IN YOUR LIFE

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

It is time to join our pals, Teddy and Angel Sammy, from Two Spoiled Cats for another poetry Thursday. Their mom, Pam, is now presenting a photo each week to inspire our thoughts and creativity. Here’s this weeks photo followed by my poem.

 

boy + puppy = joy

 

Joy

Pure joy can be found in the simplest of things:
The beauty of a rainbow after a storm;
The first crocus of spring after a drab, cold winter;
A hot cup of cocoa after shoveling snow;
The giggle of a youngster watching blown bubbles;
The smile on your child’s face as he meets his new puppy;
The gentle purr of a cat curled in your lap;
The support of good and faithful friends.
Life’s little pleasures are what keep us looking ahead
When both the smallest and largest of problems
Try to overwhelm us and break our spirits.
I choose to see and find the joy in all things.

Janet Buickerood Blue 01/24/2018

Each week Angel Sammy’s poem, which he transmits from the Rainbow Bridge is a must read. To read and find links to other poems in the comments, click on his badge. While you are there, check out the photo for next week’s poem and consider joining in the fun.

My poem this week is a good complement to Monday’s Sparks post. If you missed, Searching for Miracles, click here.

Thankful Thursday

Regardless of my poem this week, it continues to be difficult to find things for which to be grateful. Another of the Kitties Blue crew has become infected with the eye icks! We’ll fill you in on the latest vet visit on our Friendly Fill-Ins post. Dad Tom and I are grateful, however, that Calista Jo has finished her medications and appears to have made a complete recovery. We also are extremely thankful for a great AAHA-accredited and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and International Society for Feline Medicine (ISFM) Cat Friendly Practices® veterinarian, Vinton Veterinary Hospital. Even when Dr. Neel is out of the office, we know all the other vets in the practice are terrific and will give our fur babies the very best of care.

Thankful Thursday is a blog hop hosted each week by Brian. To join in, click on his badge.

 

 

SAWYER’S SLEEPY CATURDAY ART

Caturday Art

Sawyer is featured today in our Caturday Art, as he had a bit of a rough day yesterday. He had his boy bits removed, received his final vaccine and was microchipped. He was purrfect to and from the vet—sat quietly in his PTU and just watched what was happening outside the car window. And he was a good boy for Dr. Neel.

The photo I used for our art is from Christmas. After a long day of fun and frolicking, Sawyer needed a long nap.

 

Caturday Art with Sawyer

 

To create this art, I started by adding the HDR effect using Picasa. My next step was to add the Color Z filter using piZap. From there I went to Painnt and added the Ceramic Tiles effect. I then returned to piZap for the patterned border and then back to Picasa for the blue and white border. I am actually quite pleased with the outcome, especially as Sawyer’s toesies were not totally obscured by all my piling on.

Caturday Art with Sawyer

Here’s the original photo. The arty version is our submission in Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. To enter some art of your own and/or view the creations of your fellow bloggers, please click on her badge.

Sunday Selfies Reminder

Tomorrow is Cooper Murphy’s Gotcha Day, so he will be your host for our blog hop. Cooper is a bit under the weather and also had to visit Dr. Neel yesterday. His temperature was 105+ degrees. It may be difficult to convince him to snap a selfie, but we cannot miss his one-year anniversary of joining Kitties Blue. He wouldn’t mind if you’d like to send him some purrs, prayers and POTP. I’ll fill you in tomorrow on what’s going on with him.

Thank You

I appreciate all your kind comments about the poem, “One of a Kind,” which I wrote for Lily Olivia. I will add it to the sidebar along with the memorial photo I made for her as soon as I get the opportunity.

Kitties Blue and I also need to apologize for our lack of visiting your blogs. It probably will not get much better until we have Cooper Murphy healthy! I truly am sorry.

 

CONGENIAL CLOSE ENCOUNTER

Caturday Art

As she always does, Mom created today’s art for Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty’s Caturday Art blog hop. She agreed, however, to allow me to write my very first post. As I have never done this before, I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t do a very good job.

Our art today was created using a photo Dad Tom took yesterday afternoon after I returned home from the vet. That’s correct, you read that right! Yesterday I got my first vaccinations. I will share more about that after Mom shows off her creation.

 

Caturday Art

 

Astrid was in the shark bed atop the dining room table when I meandered by on my way to her cocoon bed (the bright blue and grey blob behind the shark bed. We exchanged no meows, growls, hisses or any other form of kitty communication but just stared at each other for a little while.

Caturday Art

Mom used the Thoreau filter from the Painnt app, added the blue scroll border using piZap and added the frame with Picasa.

Here’s the original photo for a comparison.

We are entering the arty version in Athena’s blog hop. If you’d like to enter or check out some of the other creations, click on her badge.

 

Now…more about me!

I had no idea anything unusual was going to occur. Dad put that thing my furblings call a PTU, which I rode in once before, on the dining room table. I got inside and checked it out and then went about my business. A little later Mom shut me in the bathroom. Dad came in with that PTU and loaded me in it.

We went to the car where I sat in the carrier on Mom’s lap. Sometimes I looked out the window. During the entire trip, I did not make even the teeniest sound.

Our vet Dr. Neel is on vacation in a place Mom called, “Paris.” We saw another vet and Tameka, who I hear is my fursibs’ favorite tech. She weighed me. I weigh  5.1 pounds now. Nineteen days ago I only weighed 3.9 pounds. I inspected every inch of the exam room and then got three shots. Because I was very growly, the vet wrapped me up like a “purrito” after the first one. I didn’t try to hurt the vet lady. And she gave me treats when she finished! Score!

I heard some discussions about returning in three weeks for another vaccine and some type of “boy bits” surgery. I need to ask Mau and Cooper Murphy what that’s all about.

On the return trip home, I didn’t make even the littlest chirp. Mom had some additional treats with her and doled them out slowly on the way home. Double score!

I spent most of the remainder of my day in Astrid’s cocoon or the SleepyPod. That was a lot of excitement for a little guy

Sunday Selfies Reminder

I’ve been informed that I must remind all our friends to stop by for Sunday Selfies tomorrow. I think Mom mentioned something about a “two-fur” from us. I don’t know what that is, but I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

How’d I do? Mom claims I was a bit wordy, and she’d be the one to know!

Purrs and paw-pats, Sawyer

 

A POEM: VISITING THE VETERINARIAN

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

Today we were challenged by Teddy and Angel Sammy (Two Spoiled Cats) to write a poem using the prompt letter “V.” Though they provided us with four possible subjects, 1) Vicious, 2) Vanity, 3) Vigorous and 4) View, we selected one of our own: veterinarians. We kitties complain a lot about having to visit the vet, but we know they have our well-being at heart. With that in mind, we are dedicating our poem to our veterinarian—Dr. Kathy Neel, Vinton Veterinarian Hospital, Vinton, Virginia.

Visiting the Veterinarian

Veterinarians are a necessary evil,
But we despise the upheaval.
When we see the PTU, we run;
Going to the vet isn’t really fun.
But we don’t want to grouse,
As our vet comes to the house.
Unless we need special care,
Which thankfully is very rare.
Fiona had to go almost every week
To see if treatment should be tweaked.
She didn’t enjoy those countless trips,
But a complaint never passed her lips.
The rest of us tend to meyowl a lot.
Good travelers we definitely are not.
But we always behave for Dr. Neel;
Though, being at the vet isn’t ideal.
If you have to go, try your nerves to quell,
As our vets are there to keep us healthy and well.

© Kitties Blue 11/08/2017

Fiona visits the veterinarian.

Fiona gets weighed by Tech Tameka on a visit to Dr. Neel.

 

Veterinarian Dr. Neel visits the house for the kitties yearly check-up.

Dr Neel, Tameka and Mom weighing Astrid at home.

 

If you would like to read Sammy’s poem, which he sends each week from the Rainbow Bridge, click on his badge. You also will find links to other poems in the comments.

Thankful Thursday

We also join Brian’s blog hop each week and tell you for what we are thankful. That’s a no-brainer for us this week. We are grateful that none of us have needed to visit Dr. Neel. We know some of our friends have not been that lucky. We send purrs, prayers and POTP to all of them.

To visit Brian’s blog and join the hop, click on his badge.

 

Purrs and Paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy

BITE ON BUTT REQUIRES VET VISIT

Thoroughly Poetic Thursday

As promised, I am here to report on my health. As it required a visit to the vet, and this week’s prompt letter for Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poetry day is “V,” I have written a poem entitled, Vet Visit.

Vet Visit

Off to the vet I was carted on Tuesday,
Which turned out to be a very bad news day.
I was bit on my butt by neighbor cat…
That low-down, dirty, mean brat.
Being the exceptional Cat Scout I am,
I refused to engage with this hooligan.
I turned the other cheek, so to speak,
And that stupid cat thought I was meek;
So took advantage of my good nature,
Thinking I’m a sissy ‘cause I’m a Cat Scout baker.
My a$$ has been shaved and a shot injected,
Can’t take the chance of getting infected.
When I arrived home from that horrid ordeal,
I had a plan to show bad kitty how it feels.
I went straight to the Hooligan Paddy Wagon;
Even though, my poor, sad butt was draggin’.
I had the engine revved up and ready to go
When I heard Mom yell loudly, “No!”
I think neighbor kitty should be arrested,
So this kitty he can never again mess with.
But, for now, from revenge I’ll be deprived,
As Cooper Murphy is too young to drive!

© Mauricio Blue 05/10/2017

Yep, I got bit again. I finally let Mom and Dad see it on Tuesday morning. Dr. Neel is on vacation so I saw another doctor. She was really nice, and I was an exemplary patient. Well, of course I was…I am a Cat Scout. I only made two little peeps on the way to the vet and not one while I was there or on the way home.

 

Mauricio in waiting room at vet.

Mauricio remains calm on exam table at vet.

Mauricio takes to Hooligan Paddy Wagon after vet visit.

 

I refused to allow a photo of my shaved butt here on the blog. Nobody wants to see that! All the furs shaved off my back after the biting incident in January had just grown back, and now I have a naked spot again. Pffft!

If you’d like to read Angel Sammy and Teddy’s poem and find links too other poems, click on the poetry badge above.

Thankful Thursday

You probably don’t think we have anything for which to be thankful this week. But that’s not true. That mean kitty only got one fang in me this time. My beautiful and lovely wife, Allie, and so many friends have been purring and sending me POTP. I truly appreciate that and am blessed to have good friends.

We are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday blog hop. You can as well by clicking on the badge below.

Ciao and meow, Mau

WE SURVIVED ANOTHER ROUND-UP

The petretary has been teasing you for the last few days with hints of a post about our annual round-up. For those new here, that is the day each year when our vet, Dr. Kathy Neel (Vinton Veterinary Hospital), comes to the house for our annual exams and vaccinations.

We decided to take that report into our newly pawticured paws this year. Before we go into detail, we’ll let you know that we are all basically healthy. Some of us could gain a little weight and some could lose as you can see. Cooper Murphy thought he was going to escape the round-up entirely, but he did get weighed. Dr. Neel had warned the humans that she feared he was going to get B-I-G. She was right! He’s gained about three pounds in two months. Here are our weights from small to L-A-R-G-E.

  • Lily Olivia = 6 lbs. 14 oz.
  • Misty May = 7 lbs. 1 oz.
  • Astrid = 7 lbs. 4.5 oz.
  • Mauricio = 11 lbs. 8.5 oz.
  • Giulietta = 12 lbs. 8 oz.
  • Lisbeth = 13 lbs. 8 oz.
  • Calista Jo = 15 lbs. 9 oz.
  • Cooper Murphy = 17 lbs. 4.5 oz

We all eat stinky goodness for breakfast and dinner, but we also have Hill’s prescription Metabolic + Urinary Stress kibble, specifically for Giulietta. It’s pretty impossible to feed those of us who don’t need this food something else, so we all eat it. This is why some of us who didn’t need to have lost weight. Astrid and Lily were pretty excited to hear that they get to have extra portions of stinky goodness as well as extra treats.

Lily has the beginnings of kidney disease (not too surprising based on her age) so the humans are going to have to see if she will eat k/d foods. She’ll eat just about anything, so that probably won’t be a problem. She already gets a nutritional supplement and vitamins. The humans were happy to hear that Lily Olivia’s thyroid values are within normal limits. So many kitties her age have hyperthyroidism and need meds.

Dr. Neel checked Giulietta’s eye freckle, and it remains unchanged.

Best of all, everyone’s teeth passed inspection.

Here are a few photos from the round-up. Most were taken during weigh-ins and pawticures.

 

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Yesterday’s post, which includes a giveaway, has additional photos. Click here to see our review of the Purrfect Pouch, which was highly useful during our exams. If you leave a comment there, you’ll have the opportunity to win one!

If you have several anipals in your family, and they dislike going to the vet’s office as much as we do, we suggest you check with your vet as to whether they would be willing to make “house calls.” We don’t enjoy being poked, prodded and stuck, but it is way better having it done at home in familiar surroundings without the stress of being stuffed into a PTU and taking a road trip.

No humans were significantly harmed during this year’s round-up. A few minor punctures and scratches were inflicted. Dad Tom demanded that we share this photo.

 

Round Up 2017-12

 

If you’d like to read about or see photos from previous round-ups, here are the links.

Annual Round-Up – 2013

Monday Meowsings: The Round-Up – 2014

Thankful Thursday: Our Yearly Round-Up – 2015

Our Annual Round-Up Does Not Make Us Thankful – 2016

So, that’s it until 2018, unless one of us gets sick. Paws crossed that won’t happen.

Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy

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PURRFECT POUCH REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

Purrfect Pouch is pretty darn near purrfect. I’d been searching for something like this product when Fiona was sick and we were giving her daily meds. When I was contacted and asked if I’d like to review the Purrfect Pouch kitty carrier and grooming sack, I jumped on the opportunity. With Fiona now an angel, we have little reason to go to the vet’s office except to pick up food, and we have SleepyPods for transporting Kitties Blue. But I knew we had a round-up coming up. That’s when Dr. Neel comes to the house for annual exams and vaccinations. I was certain the Purrfect Pouch would be helpful for controlling those squirmy fighters among Kitties Blue. I was right.

Though I will be reporting on the round-up tomorrow, here are a some photos of the Purrfect Pouch in use.

 

Purrfect Pouch

Giulietta getting her pawticure.

 

Giulietta was so funny. Before I could get her head out, she turned around inside the pouch and tried to come out the unzipped backend. As she was getting her claws trimmed on her back paws, we couldn’t zip her in.

 

Purrfect Pouch

Lily Olivia getting her pawticure.

 

Can you believe, it took three people to hold down Lily Olivia even when she was in the Purrfect Pouch. For an 18-year-old cat weighing only 6 pounds and 14 ounces, she has plenty of strength when she doesn’t like what’s happening.

 

Purrfect Pouch

Lily Olivia having her blood drawn.

 

Here’s a photo of Calista Jo in the Purrfect Pouch ready for transport. It has a carry strap to go over the shoulder, but I also needed to put my arm under the pouch to hold C.J. At 15 pounds and 9 ounces, Calista is too heavy to hang from my shoulder.

 

Purrfect Pouch

C.J. was quite content once she was zipped into the Purrfect Pouch.

 

As you can see the Purrfect Pouch works for both small kitties, like Lily Olivia, and LARGE cats, like C.J. An adjustable neck opening helps make this possible. It is a good idea to adjust the neck band prior to putting your cat inside. If not, little cats like Lily Olivia can escape through the neck opening.

Other features offered by the Purrfect Pouch are hook and loop front closures for paws. It is machine washable and folds for storage or for tucking into a purse or luggage. The Purrfect Pouch also is suitable for transport or grooming of small dogs.

Though the pouch totally unzips at the backend, if your kitty doesn’t want to go inside and starts flailing, it can be difficult to get her and all four legs inside. Regardless, I am quite happy to have this in my arsenal of kitty paraphernalia. My goal is to be able to trim everyone’s claws (without being mutilated) so they don’t need to make a trip to the vet for this.

We received two Purrfect Pouches and are giving one away to a lucky reader. To have an opportunity to win, please leave a comment on this post prior to next Monday, May 1, at 5 p.m. The winner will be selected using Random.org and announced on Tuesday, May 2. If you don’t win, you can order your Purrfect Pouch by clicking here.

Disclosure: Kitties Blue received the two Purrfect Pouches free of charge to test and review. We were not financially compensated for this post nor told what to write. The opinions are completely those of Kitties Blue and their human based on our experiences. We do not recommend items we would not personally use.

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