This is like an exit interview of sorts on my experience with healing Yoda. Instead of just simply saying every pet eventually dies, I'd just like to put on record my thoughts on how I've learned from it.
Yoda died from complications during his healing. In the process of healing from a major illness, the body will encounter a lot of stresses and trauma, which will be taxing on the body of the patient. If the body is not strong enough to rise to the occasion, it will succumb. Any means necessary to support the body in this process will help, as long as it will not bring more stress. Yoda died from a likely infection that resulted in pneumonia, which is not uncommon even with people . The pneumonia could be listed as the cause of death, but it wasn't the condition that led to Yoda's death.
Steps I could have taken to boost his chances of survival as he faces a healing crisis could be:
1. Alleviating dehydration by use of enema. IV would be resorted to in vet clinics, but vet clinics are like hospitals in that there are a host of pathogens lurking around. Personally doing an IV infusion is beyond my capability. Feeding liquids though the mouth would be fine for a cat with mild conditions, but a cat in critical care would not be up to swallowing enough liquids to cover for the loss of liquid through respiration and urination. An enema would be an easier way to rehyrdrate a cat, as the intestinal linings would easily resorb liquids for a severely dehydrating cat. I was only rehydrating my cat.
2. Keeping the cat's temperature high by avoiding exposure to drafts and by covering with a blanket, and with the use of red warm lighting. I was keen on exposing my cat to sunlight, and along with it I exposed him to unnecessarily colder conditions that wouldn't have been conducive to his healing. I should instead have placed him by my himalayan salt lamp, keep him amply warmed by it, if need be cover him with a thin blanket and allow his body temperature and the warmth from the blanket and the lamp to aid his healing. I remember how when I was small my mother would cover me in blanket and allow me to sweat through my fever, and let me sleep. Seven-Up would be my source of hydration, as it tastes better than water, which would taste so bland when I'm sick. With sugar in it, it probably went a long way.
3. Giving supplements that would boost his immunity. Honey, coconut oil, vitamin C. Not optional. I used honey and vitamin C, but I forgot about coconut oil. The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil The section, "antimicrobial properties of lauric acid and monolaurin," shows what coconut oil does against different bacteria. Aloe vera, oregano, etc. would also help. Natural antibiotics have no side effects, and many natural herbs are also anti-viral and anti-fungal, apart from being anti-bacterial.
4. Giving him probiotics in distilled or clean water. As I had used antibiotics, I gave Yoda probiotics and it helped him excrete his stools after the course of antibiotics. But I used a water I normally give them that had em-1 bacteria, which would normally be good. But I could keep him from these bacteria, as these could stress his system. In this case, a careful weighing of benefit vs harm would have kept me from using this water.
5. Making sure when he urinates, he doesn't wet himself and be subject to chills. I laid Yoda on a pile of newspapers, and not a cage with a bottom screen or mesh. I thought that he would be more accessible and that he would be more comfortable. In retrospect, that didn't make him more comfortable and got him wet. And even though I would wipe off his urine, it still wouldn't be enough to get him totally dry. Every bit of care and prevention counts, and here I missed out.
Details matter. Making the right choices matter. Having the right method and know-how matters. And lastly, being ready when that situation arises, yes, priceless. Especially when you only have conventional veterinarians available.
I'm still taking my baby steps on caring for pets. I do well with my koi, but I now know I have to be more prepared for my sole remaining cat. I've already bought a homeopathic pet remedy kit from Amazon. I need to have ready the supplies mentioned by Dr. Pitcairn in his book. And when I have these ready, only then will I get another cat to keep Kipper company.
Yoda died from complications during his healing. In the process of healing from a major illness, the body will encounter a lot of stresses and trauma, which will be taxing on the body of the patient. If the body is not strong enough to rise to the occasion, it will succumb. Any means necessary to support the body in this process will help, as long as it will not bring more stress. Yoda died from a likely infection that resulted in pneumonia, which is not uncommon even with people . The pneumonia could be listed as the cause of death, but it wasn't the condition that led to Yoda's death.
Steps I could have taken to boost his chances of survival as he faces a healing crisis could be:
1. Alleviating dehydration by use of enema. IV would be resorted to in vet clinics, but vet clinics are like hospitals in that there are a host of pathogens lurking around. Personally doing an IV infusion is beyond my capability. Feeding liquids though the mouth would be fine for a cat with mild conditions, but a cat in critical care would not be up to swallowing enough liquids to cover for the loss of liquid through respiration and urination. An enema would be an easier way to rehyrdrate a cat, as the intestinal linings would easily resorb liquids for a severely dehydrating cat. I was only rehydrating my cat.
2. Keeping the cat's temperature high by avoiding exposure to drafts and by covering with a blanket, and with the use of red warm lighting. I was keen on exposing my cat to sunlight, and along with it I exposed him to unnecessarily colder conditions that wouldn't have been conducive to his healing. I should instead have placed him by my himalayan salt lamp, keep him amply warmed by it, if need be cover him with a thin blanket and allow his body temperature and the warmth from the blanket and the lamp to aid his healing. I remember how when I was small my mother would cover me in blanket and allow me to sweat through my fever, and let me sleep. Seven-Up would be my source of hydration, as it tastes better than water, which would taste so bland when I'm sick. With sugar in it, it probably went a long way.
3. Giving supplements that would boost his immunity. Honey, coconut oil, vitamin C. Not optional. I used honey and vitamin C, but I forgot about coconut oil. The Properties of Lauric Acid and Their Significance in Coconut Oil The section, "antimicrobial properties of lauric acid and monolaurin," shows what coconut oil does against different bacteria. Aloe vera, oregano, etc. would also help. Natural antibiotics have no side effects, and many natural herbs are also anti-viral and anti-fungal, apart from being anti-bacterial.
4. Giving him probiotics in distilled or clean water. As I had used antibiotics, I gave Yoda probiotics and it helped him excrete his stools after the course of antibiotics. But I used a water I normally give them that had em-1 bacteria, which would normally be good. But I could keep him from these bacteria, as these could stress his system. In this case, a careful weighing of benefit vs harm would have kept me from using this water.
5. Making sure when he urinates, he doesn't wet himself and be subject to chills. I laid Yoda on a pile of newspapers, and not a cage with a bottom screen or mesh. I thought that he would be more accessible and that he would be more comfortable. In retrospect, that didn't make him more comfortable and got him wet. And even though I would wipe off his urine, it still wouldn't be enough to get him totally dry. Every bit of care and prevention counts, and here I missed out.
Details matter. Making the right choices matter. Having the right method and know-how matters. And lastly, being ready when that situation arises, yes, priceless. Especially when you only have conventional veterinarians available.
I'm still taking my baby steps on caring for pets. I do well with my koi, but I now know I have to be more prepared for my sole remaining cat. I've already bought a homeopathic pet remedy kit from Amazon. I need to have ready the supplies mentioned by Dr. Pitcairn in his book. And when I have these ready, only then will I get another cat to keep Kipper company.
