10.16.2011

I have not been getting much rest lately, largely in part because Fenimore has been ill with some kind of infection. He scratches and licks almost constantly. He has made red welts on himself with his claws. I feel so bad as his "mommy" because we cannot bring him any kind of relief. It nearly breaks my heart to hear him fussing to himself because I know he's so uncomfortable.

Today when I dosed Feni I realized that I had lost track of all the different medications we have given him in the last two months. That made me feel bad too, because that wouldn't have happened if it was D or myself. Feni deserves no less consideration.


The first thing Dr. R had us try, back in August, was our trusty Dexamethasone, a steroid that Feni has taken numerous times in the past for his neck and back. He tolerates it well but it has side-effects for the adrenal gland so he never stays on it for long. Once we started weening him off, the itching came back and Dr. R had us try the antibiotic Clavamox. On the first of September, when Feni was finished with that but still exhibiting the problem, Dr. R switched him to a different antibiotic, Simplicef. Feni started a second round of Simplicef on September 13th. On September 21st Dr. R changed Feni to Prednisolone, another steroid. Yesterday Dr. R started Feni on Atopica, which suppresses his immune reaction and then we're supposed to bathe him twice a week with Etiderm, an antiseptic shampoo.

We haven't seen any improvement yet but it's only been a day. I am trying to stay hopeful.