The Last Rudy Report of 2010

The last and best gift was very,very tired...

Mom 'rent: Hi Kitties - Rudy and Parker said that I could take over the blog for the final Rudy Report of 2010. We all wanted to say thanks for your support of our little orange creamsicle over the last three months. Rudy was one sick little boy and we know that your positive thoughts and prayers were a huge help in his recovery. I'm happy to say that he's 95% back to his old self. He still needs to gain a little weight back, but he's eating like a piggy and is back to tormenting his sisters and playing with his toys. He goes back to see Dr's. Joe and Wendy in a few weeks for a final check, and if all is well, he won't have to go back and visit them for six months.

This little family has always known how fortunate we have been over the last four years - that's how long Parker has been blogging! We watched as many kitties struggled with illnesses and accidents. We cried for families who lost their babies to the Bridge. For Rudy to become a sick kitty was a terrifying experience for our family. There were a few weeks where we were very scared for his outcome - thankfully he rallied and with the great treatment from our vets, he's here to welcome in 2011 with us. Life is a gift kitties, and our Rudy getting better was the greatest gift of all this Christmas.

Tonight we will welcome in 2011 with the family gathered around the fireplace and the little orange menace on my lap. Rudy will continue with his reports in 2011 and Parker will continue to grumble about him hogging her blog. In other words, our little life here in O Hi O will go on as usual - and that is a wonderful thing.

Happy New Year from all of us, Glamoupuss Puff, Pretty Little Powder, Diamond Doggie, Rudy Toots, Perfectly Parker and the 'rents.

And as Parker says - smoochies to all of you!

Our Inside Trees

Our big Christmas tree was awesome. We loved to play in front of it. Yesterday we had to say good-bye to our tree and watch it go back outside. It was getting too dry to be safe.

The glow of the lights were so pretty. Rudy liked to hide behind the presents.

I liked to patrol and sniff the branches.

We still have our little fake tree in the living room. It gets to stay until Sunday. It's good to hide under while keeping an eye on the 'rents. Sigh... I'm going to miss the holidays.

Wordless Wednesday

Parker's Favorite Present

Thanks Santa...

A Peek At Last Week

What a great time we are having kitties, here's some photos of some of the fun we've had. More to follow later this week!

That Peaceful, Cozy Feeling

Hi kitties! I hope your Christmas was awesome. I sure had a great celebration! I hung out here on Christmas Eve to wait for Santa Claws, and boy-oh-boy, he sure delivered the goods. Later this week I will show you some of the great times we had. But for today I need a couple of catnaps and some lap time to recover from all of the celebrating. We all have that peaceful, cozy feeling in our little corner of O Hi O. Hope you do as well, wherever you are.
Happy Boxing day!

The Best Spot in the House

Come On Santa!

Rudy has found the perfect spot to wait for Santa Claws. He's hoping for a squillion cans of Stinky Goodness. His appetite and attitude have returned. We've even caught him giving himself baths! He's playing with the bows on the packages and he's got his tail up. Mommy and Daddy says that his improved health is the best present ever! We want to thank you on this Christmas Eve for all of your good thoughts and prayers for our little orange menace, er, ah, miracle!

Remember kitties, go to sleep early tonight, Santa is watching!

Smoochie!

Howz about a Christmas smoochie?

Wordless Wednesday

Recovery Process

A lot of my recovery process has been spent right here, on Daddy's lap. There's really no better medicine in the world as far as I am concerned.

Flirting With Disaster...

Rudy feels better enough to tread in dangerous water. No One messes with Puff's tail! For the record, he did give it a whap and Puff decided to let him live...

The Good, the Bad and the Crusty

Who You Callin' Crusty?!?

Dooooooooods...it's me! RUDY! With an early Rudy Report! Anyone have any Twinkies or Fritos they can spare? I'm starving! I need to tell you all what's been up with me lately. First of all, I am FINISHED with that awful, horrid, terrible, stinky, gucky, no-good medicine (Doxycycline). I kicked the Haemobartonellosis in the buttocks and my bloods are A-OK to stop having to take that medicine! I don't know who is happier, me, or Mommy. It's probably a draw. Anywho...
I am still a little picky about eating. Dr. Wendy went to a conference last week and she said she thought about me a lot. One of the speakers gave a lecture about older kitties and IBS and Pancreatitis. Dr. Wendy said that I fit the profile for a lot of what they were talking about. She thought and thought and when she saw me on Friday she spent a lot of time talking to Mommy and said the best thing we can do is to get me interested in eating as much good foods as we can and the best way to do that is to give me some liquid Valium when I turn my nose up at my foods. I started yesterday. All I can say is - IT WORKS!
'Lemme' back up a little bit...since October, I have been very, very sick. And I have lost a LOT of weight. I was eleven + pounds at my wellness check in the summer and during my illness I dropped to a little over seven pounds. I know, I know...we did not share this with all of you because it was just too...well, awful. I'm now up to eight and a half pounds. Progress, right? So, Dr. Wendy wants me to keep bulking up, but I can't eat just anything. It has to be good for my kidneys too. The solution, according to the experts, is to stimulate my appetite through the use of Valium. We did some Valium trials over the last three weeks, but it was with tablets and I did not want to take them. At all. Ever. Not even kinda'. So Dr. Wendy found a pharmacy that will provide us with the liquid version and taking it that way is a little easier on all of us. Yesterday Dr. Wendy gave me a dose while I was getting my Sub Q's at her office and loving up on her kids and the staff. The next thing I knew, I was very, very hungry! Bring on the stinky goodness, 'lemme at those Temptations, you got some Rx dry food? - cool! I'll eat it! Yum! So, I think we've found a solution for the time being. I keep eating, no meds. I get picky, a little Valium. So that's where we are with my health.
Here's something else for the report. It is no secret that I have never liked to groom myself or to be groomed. What can I say, it's just the way I am. So, as a result of my being sick, I look pretty scraggely, rag-a-muffinish, or as Mommy says, crusty! Since I am still such a delicate flower (ha! delicate flower - Mommy's words, not mine!), I cannot be taken to the groomers for a few weeks. We have to watch my stress levels. Kitties, the photo of me that you see is the awful truth, I look like seven miles of bad road. Crusty, skinny and sometimes a little cranky. But, I'm comin' back - trust me kitties, I am on my way.
And last, but not least - I want all of you to know that I can feel the purrs and the prayers and all of your kind thoughts. I'd blame Mommy for being a bad secretary, but she has really spent more time with me and my sibs than she has in front of the computer. She's a good 'rent, so I have to cut her some slack. I hope you kitties will as well.
I send you crusty love from my little corner of O Hi O -
Rudy-Toots
ps - Parker says that in case you were worried, she's still alive and well and eating like an industrial Hoover. Ha!

Diamond Time

Ready to nap and dream of 'Da Bears...

While Rudy goes to see Dr's. Joe and Wendy this morning for some Sub Q fun, I am going to take a nap and enjoy a Friday with Daddy. Mommy has to go shopping all day and then pick up the Rudester from his "spa" day. Honestly, he's a lot better, but he's not a great groomer (never has been) and he's gettin' "crusty". Since he hates grooming, we haven't tried to clean him up and stress him out even more. Four more days of his gunky medicine. Then more tests to see what his bloods have to say.
I am glad I am a dog. Yeah, I have to go out in the snow to take care of business, but you can wrap any medicine in a piece of meat and I'd happily take it!
Enjoy your Friday!

Secret Paws Is On Its Way!

We packed and sent our Secret Paws this week. Daddy was feeling artistic and drew a kitty on the box. I bet the people in the bloo long johns will have fun delivering this!

He Knows If You've Been Bad or Good...

Puff wants to know if Santa gives points for being pretty...

The Rudy Report

I still hate the medicine!

Happy Holidays kitties! It's me! RUDY! with your Rudy Report! I am very happy to report that I am still hanging in here. I'm at about 70%, I still fight the good fight with my medicine (7 more days...) and my appetite is a lot better, but boy-oh-boy am I ever picky about the foods. I have the 'rents buying stock in stinky goodness. AND - I think Parker has gained a squillion pounds. She sneaks up behind me after I pick at the food and hoovers it up before Mommy can catch her. I, on the other paw, still need to bulk up a bit. I'm still on the skinny side for me and I blame Mommy and the awful gunky medicine. It takes my desire to eat away. So then, I get a little Valium and I eat a little. Better living thru chemicals kitties...

The good news is that I have not had to get Sub Q's or visit Dr's. Joe and Wendy for over a week! I mean, it's great to visit them and all, but I prefer to stay home and enjoy our tree and the 'rents laps.

I appreciate your good thoughts and purrs. I'm still on the road to recovery.

Godspeed Rocky

Our friend Rocky decided it was time to head to the Bridge. We will miss him very much. We send our purrs and our prayers to his family - the Food Lady, the Man, Skeezix, Mao and my beloved Tripper. We're sure the Bridge 'nip is preemo and the vixens are happy to see you. The only problem is that we'll miss you so very much.

A Packed Bag

We think he's feeling a lot better.  That, or he wants us to ship him to a new home...either way, he's definitely improving.

A Rudy Update

Blankie and Daddy = good!

I think that I have a little of my appetite back. I nommed some stinky goodness with gusto last night. That's the first time I nommed with gusto in weeks. I am still a little tired but I manage to give the 'rents a run for their money when it's medicine time! 13 more days of that icky stuff.

Your good thoughts are helping me! Thank you!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part...

I think I've found the perfect spot to wait for Santa Claws!

ps - Rudy ate! He seems to have a little appetite!

Thank-you

Mommy told me about all of the wonderful and encouraging comments all of you have sent my way. While I am recuperating in Daddy's arms I will focus on all of the positive purrs and prayers that you are sending my way.
Thank you all from the bottom of my little furry heart. You have no idea what your support means to me.
Love,
Rudy-Toots

The Rudy Report - Haemobartonellosis

You say it's time for my medicine?...let's roll!

Ia Orana kitties - It's me - RUDY! with your Rudy Report a few days early. I thought I would take you to school today and teach you all about Haemobartonellosis. It's a parasitic disease that attacks your bloods and it makes you very tired and it makes you very picky about eating. I know this because I have it. Haemobartonellosis - say that 3 times real quick kitties! Anyhow, we have not been around very much and until I am all better I am afraid we'll be commenting even less. I require a lot of 'rent time now.
The treatment for Haemobartonellosis is 21 days of Doxycycline (liquid) and I am here to tell you that I really, really don't like to take it. I even kinda' sorta' sometimes make Mommy cry a little. I can't help it - it's awful! AND, since my appetite is not so very good, I have to take a little Valium as well. Good times kitties, good times...
No one knows how I got it. We only are outside on the upstairs deck and Diamond swears he did not bring in any fleas. He's on a monthly treatment for them and always has been. Dr. Joe and Dr. Wendy says it only takes one rotten nasty flea and that in our little corner of O Hi O there have been many, many cases of kitties coming down with this terrible disease. Dr. Joe says that it's the worst year ever for it.
The other bummer is that every 2 or 3 days I have to go to see Dr. Joe for Sub Q fluids and a check up. I now call it my home away from home. Mommy drops me off in the morning and I get to spend quality time with Dr. Joe and Dr. Wendy. The only good thing about this is that I get to see their two kids when they come in after school and I play with them! That's right kitties, I have become a rock star at the vet's! All of the vet techs and the receptionists know me by name. They all say I am very sweet and loving. What can I say? I am very sweet and loving - except when it's time for my medicine! I'm not out of the woods yet, but I think I see a light at the end of all of this. We want to thank all of you again for your good thoughts and prayers and support. A special shout out to the Creek Cats who made Mommy feel so much better when they told her that their foster Sweetie had the same thing and she came out of it fine! And - thanks to Zoolatry. You are such a sweet friend!

Wordless Wednesday

Rudy Update - Home!

Hi-ya' kitties, I came home last night!

What an ordeal! I had so many pokes and prods - so many tests! I'm really stumping the experts...all of my labs are perfect...until they looked at a stain of my bloods and Dr. Wendy saw an itty-bitty infection in them. She thinks that I may have been bitten by a flea and that I got an infection from it. She says it may have been months ago and that it only takes one little bite for this to happen. My bladder infection is all gone - so that's good news. Now I have to take some more medicine (C-Doxycycline 50 mg) for 21 days!!! Both Mommy and I are so happy that we'll have 21 days of quality medicine-taking time together...

I do feel better, the Sub Q fluids helped perk me up and the great news is that Dr.Wendy and Dr. Joe said that I can eat whatever I want - I need to bulk up. I have lost over a pound in the last month. So now I have lots of Rx stinky goodness that tastes great! I really hope that this stoopid flea bite was the culprit and that I can put all of this behind me.

Both Mommy and I want to thank all of you for your good thoughts, advice and prayers. We know that they are helping and that we are very blessed and lucky to have all of you as friends.