It was a hard decision. Well, it was a hard decision when I called on Wednesday to make the final appointment for Thursday. He was doing so poorly. He could hardly walk, he was constipated again, his eye was draining constantly, and his nose wasn't bleeding.
Yes, I said his nose wasn't bleeding. It hadn't for a couple of days. This did not look like a good sign, this looked like it was blocked. And I was beginning to understand that the feline herpes virus had progressed even further.
I gave him Miralax on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday he threw it up. I gave him fluids mid-afternoon on Wednesday, just hoping to help him be a little more comfortable (he lost a lot of fluids breathing through his mouth).
Thursday morning, he had rebounded. He was more active, he ate quite a bit (although he was only eating on the side of his mouth where his face didn't have the herpes) and he pooped. I called and cancelled the appointment.
I knew it would be soon, but not this day.
He had a good day on Thursday.
Yesterday was a whole new day. He didn't get out of bed. He wouldn't/couldn't eat. I gave him the kitten kibble he snarfed down the day before and he sniffed with interest, tried to pick up a piece and would just drop it from his lips. I tried people tuna, I tried three or different flavors of Fancy Feast and Friskies. He just turned his head.
He stayed in bed all day. His breathing was hard, nothing was going through his nose and he didn't rest at all. He was in pain and couldn't breathe comfortably. I called the vet's office at 3:45 yesterday afternoon, knowing he wouldn't make it through the weekend. We took him in an hour later.
The vet said when she was told we'd called, she made sure we were able to get him in. She said "you guys know when it's time".
He was sedated first, then after he was given the goodbye shot, he was gone almost immediately. It was peaceful.
He was almost nineteen, the last of the Little Guy litter. Sammy, Autumn, Angel, DaNiece, Opie and Richie. Katie and Mystie were his aunts.
Knowing that he's no longer in pain and great discomfort helps. Not much, but it helps.
Goodbye, Sammy Bobammy Bammers. We'll miss you.
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