There will be a good ending to this post!

There will be a good ending to this post!

So we took Leila to the big city hospital (very nice I must say).  They gave her another transfusion and ran some more blood tests.  She spent a night and a day there.  Just like our local vets, all the staff said how lovely and sweet she is (proud pawrent here) how she actually purred when they took out her needles from her transfusion and IV fluids.  I’m sure she knows that the people are trying to help her.  I’m also pretty sure that she told me she was going to be ok before I left her, but maybe I make up our conversations…

Her blood tests after her transfusion showed a big improvement, although the vets are still unable to say exactly what was the cause without a lot more testing.  She has to take vitamin K in the morning and antibiotics in the evening, vitamin K in case it is rat poison and antibiotics in case it’s an infection. There are also a few more shaved patches – I think she’s going for the poodle look.  I was able to collect Leila that evening.  It was the furthest I have driven since coming to Canada, with no sat nav, not a great map and on the wrong side of the road (for me).  It makes the journey more interesting.  Anyway, we made it home with no problems and she is very happy to be here.

The next day we went to the local vets to check her blood levels and she is back within the normal range!  We will get another blood test next week to confirm that everything is still going well.

Leila has yet another long recovery ahead of her. Craig and I have both had dengue fever, which has very similar symptoms in terms of low red blood count and lack of clotting.  The feeling is of being incredibly low on energy.  The lack of oxygen caused by low red blood cells (which transport oxygen around the body) can make you feel very short of breath and the smallest task can leave you shattered and needing a lie down.  Leila is sleeping a lot, which is good.  She is now eating a good amount.  The vets recommended beef flavoured soft food as this has a higher iron content than fish.  She is also drinking more water, which again is good for her recovery.  She is back in her box, which she doesn’t mind because she can sleep without Milo trying to play with her.  She is too tired to fight him off and he doesn’t understand that she is not well.  Clearly he can’t recognise illness well as he can pain.  Leila will probably be tired for around a week, but she lets me know when she is ready to come out of her box.

Thank you to everyone who sent us supportive comments.  It really helps me, and I tell Leila that everyone is thinking of her.