and finally, the last our trips to the vet

YUMIEKO, got her rabies vacc and deworm (as I failed to do that on my own at home).  Again, I like this kakak, she handle the cats so gently.  As for the other guy that handle YUMIEKO yesterday, he was the same one that handled BULAN last week.  I wouldn't know, but maybe he has some aura of anxiety that the cats can sense.  or perhaps BULAN has passed the info to the others heheheeeeeee....He is a nice guy tho, he shall improve with time =).

SO, on the whole, my pre-preparation is done. microchip: done. rabies: done. next is to get my flight ticket and the import permit.

As usual.. off the to vet

Today, I made two trips to the vet and I thought this would be the last of it.  2 cats in the morning, 2 cats in the afternoon.  BUT one of them was not cooperative, so another visit tomorrow.

In the morning, I took BINTANG and YUMIEKO.  Both of them were suppose to get their rabies vaccination, deworm and pet passport done.

BINTANG @ 4.22 kg

-deworm: done

-rabies vacc: done

-pet passport: done.

**she roared a bit, but she did fine =)

YUMIEKO @ 3.52 kg ( seems like she never grows)

-derworm: so far not possible at the hosp or at home

-rabies vacc: not done, couldn't even get her temperature taken properly

-pet passport: done

**yesss.. it was YUMIEKO who will cost me another trip tomoroow.  She didn't want to be held, she was so stressed out that her temperature went up.  Because her temperature was high, I dared not take any chance and hence did not push her to taking the shot.  I've asked around and the rabies shot is a requirement for export-import, so i'll still need to take her there...

In the afternoon.....

I took SUNSHINE and MICHIKO

SUNSHINE

-rabies: done

**she was ok, apart form a bit whining.  everything else is done.  she didn't get her rabies shot last week, coz she had just gotten her microchip. dun want double pain for her.

MICHIKO @ 4.9 kg

-deworm: done

-rabies vacc: done

-pet passport: done

**as usualy my cry baby would cry and whine, not wanting to be there, but he is manageable.

so for the sake of YUMIEKO, another trip tomorrow!

I shall hope tomorrow will be the last of my consecutive visits to the vet!

and again another visit to the vet..

This round: SUNNY / BELLA / MJ / DONNA

I didn't initially plan for this visit, but i) I left all their pet ID (wt microchip numbers) at the hosp, and I need to apply for their import by early next week, so I'd have to pick those up anyhow and ii) I don't want to have long gaps between their rabies shot, ( so that it'll be fine to have their yearly booster at one go), so I have to get all of them done within this 2 weeks.  I can only go at most twice next week and for each trip I can take a max of about 8 kg, so do the maths.

the number of trips for rabies vacc: (4 trips in 2 weeks=2 trips in 1 week)
i.   BULAN (4kg) + SUNSHINE: microcip (4kg)= 8 kg.
ii.  4 kittens (3.4+3.0+2.9+2.0) = 11.3 kg (overloaded)
iii. BINTANG (est: 4kg) + YUMIEKO (est: 4kg) = 8 kg
iv. MICHIKO (est 4 kg) + SUNSHINE (4 kg) = 8 kg


So I had to go today.  Was I happy to see the kakak treat my cats =).


SUNNY: he was ok, though moving around.
BELLA: she was absolutely fine
MJ: he didn't like it, he resisted the shot and had to be injected twice.  but single dose ya ;-)
DONNA: was absolutely fine

-I've collected their pet passports/ID thingy.  I'll post them up when I get the chance to, or I've a complete collection of all 9.

-3 more passports to go (BINTANG, MICHIKO, YUMIEKO)

-4 more rabies shot to go (BINTANG, MICHIKO,YUMIEKO, SUNSHINE)

planned visits: 2 more vet visit.  spaying BELLA & DONNA.  final vet visit for export permit.

another visit to the vet..

this round of trip I took BULAN and SUNSHINE.

BULAN @ 4.0 kg

i. passport pics.
BULAN had already gotten his microchip earlier on in January.  So today he only had to get the pet ID thingy done.  Pic taking with BULAN had been the easiest one so far.

ii. rabies vaccination
BULAN also got his rabies vaccination today.  *sigh* I wasn't very thrilled with today's visit to the vet due to this one thing.  BULAN didn't seem to like the guy who was suppose to give him the jab.  We spent so long to attempt the shot, but it was just not working out with BULAN and the guy.  I was getting stressed out, as I painted my own picture of the guy.  I was so so so hoping that someone else would come to the rescue and do the shot, and thank God someone did ( I like this kakak, I've always noted how kindly she handles the cats).  and when she did the shot, BULAN did not at all move a bit.  I concluded, there's something about the way u hold the cat, and pulled on the skin to prepare for the jab, otherwise, why did BULAN show totally different reactions to these two people right? with the guy, BULAN snapped at him as he was preparing the site of injecting.  with the kakak, I think she had the luxury of time to to this as BULAN did not at all react to her touch.  I don't want to criticize too much, but there's more to this other than BULAN's reaction alone.  And in my own opinion I have my own valid reason as to why I don't want my cats to be treated by him after this. 
  
iii. deworm

BULAN also got his deworm pil today.  It's been expired for a while ordy, as I just didn't have the time to get them to the vet.  I can actually just purchase the pills, but I need to know their weight for the dosage.  Hence, I've been hunting around for a baby weighing scale.  anyone??

SUNSHINE @ 4.08 kg

i.  microchip + passport pics.
SUNSHINE got her microchip and passport pics taken for her ID.  She had been a lady =), apart from her paws pushing your hands away to resist u, she in general did fine.  Although, I have some preoccupations, that i don't feel like mentioning here, as it may come across as me being overly paranoid, but I think these are valid feelings.  I'll monitor this 2 closely and hope they both will be just fine.
Pic taking with SUNSHINE, was ok.  she wasn't as still as BULAN, but still she did better then her 4 kittens that went last week.


ii.  deworm
SUNSHINE too got her deworm pils.  She's 4.08 kg now? Yes, she's put on weight, and it's observable.  She was 3.2 kg, when she came in July.  3.8 kg after 1 month pregnancy.  3.3 kg 2 months after the kittens came.  and now she's 4.08 kg and looking healthy by weight and by coat =)

*SUNSHINE would've also gotten her rabies shot, but since she got her microchip in today, I figured she'll get the shot later.  Don't want her to have double the pain.

vet visit

The 4 kittens went for their 2nd vaccination

and the 4 seniors, went for their microchips...

while SUNSHINE stayed home, as she has just recovered from the operation.

BULAN: 3.9 kg
BINTANG: 4.0 kg
MICHIKO: 4.2 kg
YUMIEKO: 3.5 kg
SUNNY: 2.3 kg
BELLA: 1.5 kg
MJ: 2.0 kg
DONNA: 1.9 kg

with 8 cats in hands, of course I didn't have the chance to snap pictures... Oh it was my first time getting microchip for my cats.. I was told that they use quite a big needle for that, I was so anxious, but it was fine. The needle was bigger than the usual one for vaccination, but it was ok since they applied local anaesthetic on the spot where the needle goes in. What & Why microchip? well, a more extensive post on that later, and yes microchips are a 'need' for my cats not just a 'want'.

Overall, I'm so so so so glad, each one of them was fine after this vet visit. Nothing unusual at all!

Kittens off to the vet!

The kittens have turned exactly 3 months on the 18th Dec 2009, and they looked healthy and ready for their vaccination, so off we went!

SUNNY @ 1.8 kg
BELLA @ 1.38 kg
MJ @ 1.74 kg
DONNA @ 1.6 kg

vaccination & deworm-done! and here they are sleeping and resting.

a visit to the vet....

This is just to note that they went for a vet visit today..

BINTANG
-yearly vaccination
-deworm

She weighed 4kg. She was vaccinated & given deworm tab with no difficulty =).

BULAN
-yearly vaccination
-deworm

He weighed 4.2kg. He got kinda angry and tried to snap at the guy when he was about to be vaccinated. It wasn't too easy with the dewarming tablet...

MICHIKO
-deworm

He weighed 4 kg (at 9 months, hope he won't get too heavy). I took him along to save time, as trying to get the meds in on my own would be time consuming, but he just had to proove to everyone that he really didn't like to take meds. ermmm....

YUMIEKO
-deworm

She weighed 2.8 kg. Wohooo... I didn't know she was THAT difficult with medication. It was just taking too long that I ended up taking the tablet home. And it took me nearly an hour, before I finally got it in.

SUNSHINE
-deworm
-the ear..

She needed the deworming too, but I also took her in to check the ears. Ermmm... no diagnosis given, but she was given Surolan for her ears (which was the same thing given for YUMIEKO'S fungus not long ago)... I believe she's having mites problem... Owh.. she was well-behaved with the deworming tablet =)

Ermm.. I'm thinking of getting that small thingy that they use to feed tablets to cats... letme look around..

2nd vaccination for MICHIKO, YUMIEKO & SUNSHINE

Off they went for their 2nd vaccination... and as for SUNSHINE....

MICHIKO, YUMIEKO & SUNSHINE to vet for 1st vaccination

Off they went for their 1st vaccination..... Happy to find that all three were still active and playful even after the jab.

2nd Vaccination

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Went for their 2nd vaccination today. Cost me RM60.00. Hope this week goes well for them. I've prepared raw chicken for them, in case they go moody and decide not to eat kibbles.

As suggested by the vet, I shouldn't delay spaying/neutering, contraceptives are not 100% guaranteed, duh!!! So Bulan is scheduled to be neutered next week on the 3rd of December. Hope all goes well. Bintang will later be scheduled to be spayed most earliest on the 18th of December. She will be given her 3rd contraceptive pill, to prevent her from calling in strays to mate with her, perhaps???

Bintang after vaccinated.
NO, I didn't put her there. That's just her usual spot.

Bulan sleeping after vaccinated.
This is one of his most usual spot for sleeping.
On my study table in between a printer and a box.

Unlike their 1st vaccination, this time around, it's been much better. They slept, seemed a bit weak in the afternoon. And by night time, walah!!! as usual, they ran all over the place and turned everything upside down. Yeah, despite of the mess that I shall be cleaning after, I'm happy that they're fine =).

A stressful week it is..

their condition after being vaccinated..
Bulan:
It's unusual for him to stay still. It's either he sleeps or he runs around all over. But this time, he stayed quiet and passive, I think he's had enough sleep but didn't have the energy to run around, he didn't even have the energy to walk to get a drink. It saddened me seeing him in such a condition, at least he was still willing to take a drink when I bring water to him.

Bintang:She appeared to be weaker than ever. She continuously slept, without eating or drinking anything, even when I brought water in front her, she'd push me away and then move away from me, facing the wall!!! I guess, she got irritated by me for forcing her to drink.

They both were not eating or drinking, I was warned of that for the first 3 days, but after the fourth, fifth, sixth day? It is indeed, worrying. Didn't know what to do, but the least I could do was to make sure they take in some water. Towards the end of the week, I tried giving them wetfood, Bintang refused to eat at all, Bulan ate but later vomitted. He vomitted twice, for 2 consecutive days. I learned that cats would most like to eat on steamed chicken. So I gave it a try, they initially still refused to eat. So we somehow forced them to eat, and I suppose they eventually learned that steamed chicken is tasty!! Yay!! Now, they're eating..No more worrying, no more crying for me!


picky eaters they are...
The thing about Bulan and Bintang is that they can't be fed the same thing for more than two times. I was giving them Friskies, Whiskas and Science Plan alternatively. They'd refuse to eat their food if it was the third time I had given them the same thing over and over again. So as of this week, I ran out of Friskies and Science Plan, so for a few consecutive days, I'd given them only Whiskas. There goes theory 1 for refusing to eat. So I bought Friskies. Didn't work. I found some bits of information that if they were feeding on Whiskas or Friskies, I should ensure that they drink plenty of water, I can't be sure of that, so decided to change to other brands. I had no idea how I'm suppose to choose 1. So went to petshops, they had a variety, I had no idea how to choose...So I just took any randomly...I took 1 kg of NutriEdge RM26.00. Afterwards, went to another pet shop. Hey, I found Smart Heart for kittens, never have seen it before and it's cheap RM15.00 for 1.5 kg, so brought that home, with 5L of Bengy litter sand RM11.00. Theory 2, is that, loss of appetite is probably a reaction after being vaccinated. So before I gave them NutriEdge or Smart Heart, I had learned that steamed chicken worked. So will stick with that, until they're much better. This part of the story is to be continued.....

the thoughts of spaying/neutering...
As for the spaying/neutering....It had been a lot of searching and reading for me, to simplify...They will both be spayed/neutered by the end of December 2008. So what I'm concerned with now is on their post-operative care. I will need cages to confine them separately, another carrier for after the operation, and another litter box to put into the cage, and I'd like to be home all day long for at least a week to care for them.

1st vaccination

I've been thinking of whether or not to get them spayed/neutered. From what I've read, they need to be vaccinated twice, before being spayed/neutered. So whatever the decision is, they need to be vaccinated. So today (4th November 2008) was their first visit to the vet.

• temperature check
• weighed. Bulan: 3.0 kg, Bintang: 2.7 kg
• vaccinated
• Drontal: deworm
• contraceptives for Bintang
• multivitamins?
• RM75.00
  
• next vet visit 25 November 2008

We haven't really decided on spaying/neutering, but once I mentioned it, they immediately said yes and put Bintang on contraceptives. Hmmm... It was meant to be a question, and I wanted to ask the pros and cons...*sigh* =) but as of this moment, it is decided =).