A Bad Run of Bad Luck

You know, we all have our ups and downs; trials and tribulations; peaks and lows; triumphs and agonizing defeats. It's not only part and parcel of life but part and parcel of our profession. As much as it pains me to admit it, we can't save them all and we are most definatly NOT all knowing or super heroes.

That said, I've had the worst run of bad luck with my hospitilized patients I've had since school!

Over-all, I figure I probably have a little better than 65% average with my hospitilized patients walking out the door. That's probably skewed a bit because I tend to only keep the REALLY sick ones because we don't have 24 hour care here, and my philosophy tends to be I'd rather have the pet at home where at least the owner can keep and eye on it and call the emergency clinic if it looks bad then having it here by itself. (Wow, what a run on sentance!)

So I only tend to keep the really bad stuff. The stuff that's sick enough I want it on IV fluids and the owners can't afford or won't refer to the emergency clinic for 24 hour care.

So, lets see. My dog that SURVIVED organophosphate poisioning only to come down with IMHA died. My pneumonia dog died. My last blocked cat died. I did have one cat in chronic renal failure that I diuresed that survived to walk out the door, but she's not doing so hot at home. And now I have another blocked cat in the hospital.

When he came in his BUN was 194, his phospherous was 11.something and his creatinine was 11.2. Oh yeah, and his potassium was >8.5. In non-veterinary terms that means that he's really sick. Fellow medical professionals probably read those numbers and said "Ouch!"

So I got him unblocked, IV catheter in place, urinary catheter in place, e-collar on, and medicated. Than he pulled all accouterments off overnight the first night. Dumb move kitty, those things were trying to save your life. The next morning and day he looked like crap all day after said accouterments were re-placed.

I didn't think he's be alive when I walked in this morning. He was; he stared at me out of the cage like he was murdering me.

I was never so happy to see such a "pissy" stare...

I hope he makes it.