PET OF THE MONTH

Beeswax

Beeswax is a 16.5 year-old DSH.

The friendly, characteristic Beeswax has been a client at OMVS since June of 2003, when he came to us with a swollen face, due to an infected tooth.

Today Beeswax is maintaining quite well for a nearly 17yr old cat.

Beeswax has a very long and detailed story behind him:

Presented in November of 2003 with Bowel Motility problems, and very overweight Beeswax was sent home with a mature/weight control diet to attempt weight loss.
Seeming to do very well on the new diet, for the next three years – “No news is good news”. Beeswax seems to be doing very well!

Then suddenly Beeswax returned in February of 2006 for sudden weight loss, which we took radiographs (x-rays) to investigate, with no real answers, his owners decided to change his diet and keep a close eye on him.
Unfortunately Beeswax returned one week later for repeat bowel motility issues requiring IV fluids, radiographs, hospitalization, IV fluids, and a microlax enema. Upon discharge at this visit, Beeswax seemed to be more interested in socializing with his owner. And his owner was very pleased with the results. She was sent home with another special diet and advised to call us if there were any issues.

6 months passed and Beeswax was doing amazing! A senior pet letter was sent to his owners, with the response that we may have the wrong client/patient because it seemed that there was no senior pet in that household. Beeswax was doing incredible!!

Though in December 2007, Beeswax returned to the clinic again with bowel motility issues. Knowing the procedure that was performed at the previous visit was successful, the same protocol was performed and Beeswax recovered very quickly.
Once Beeswax was home and comfortable, he seemed to become very picky on which diets he chose to eat, so his owner was constantly in to the clinic trying another diet. (Beeswax is very spoiled, and could turn his nose up at any food just to try a new kind…)

Beeswax was put on a daily dose of Lactulose to keep everything moving through his bowels smoothly, as this motility issue is a common occurrence.
Though he was not fond of taking this medication, and it was a chore for his owner to administer daily, a little is better than none, and so his owner stuck with it.

In February 2008, Beeswax returned to the clinic for the same symptoms as previously. Further measures were taken at this time, with pleasing results. Though Beeswax went home feeling like a new cat, it was a rough recovery period for him and his owner. Beeswax would go on and off food, there would be days that he would lay listless on the floor, and his owner was giving up hope… Had Beeswax had enough of this ongoing motility issue? Had he lost the fight for recovery?
Beeswax was coming in to the clinic twice weekly for subcutaneous fluid therapy to keep him hydrated, and feeling well enough to eat. (Though his owner had to sit and hand feed him through this battle).
Beeswax held in there, and was recovering at a slow rate, but seemed to be doing much better!!

Then suddenly in September, Beeswax crashed again, and this time his owner had decided that Beeswax didn’t have the fight in him to recover from these symptoms. As he still did not have a great appetite, and that he was still being very picky with his food. Upon arrival, Beeswax was bright and alert, making this decision very hard on his owners. They decided to give it one last try, for the social boy. Beeswax rallied like no other time, and has an excellent appetite with a new choice of food.

Still to this day, Beeswax is doing very well, his appetite is amazing, and he is more playful than he has been in years.

Congratulations Beeswax, on being our pet of the month!

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