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Last Monday, a drizzly day much like this Monday, I was walking around the lake when I looked down and saw, in the middle of the path right before my feet, a little baby turtle about the size of a quarter:
One turtle to rule them all. Not a good place for a little thing to be with lots of walkers, bikes, and dogs, so I took the liberty of picking the little thing up to relocate.
Tiny and thoroughly disgruntled!
Such a pretty under-shell with even redder orange on its sides. It's definitely a baby painted turtle (Chrysemya picta).
On my knee for a steadier close-up pic. I grew up with turtles. My mom and I bought a little red ear turtle this size when I was a kid from another little kid selling him in front of the grocery store, and he grew to several inches and lived for 20 years. He liked to hibernate all winter under the bean bag chair in the living room. Cleo intimidated the cats when he'd scoot by.
I left little thing on the mud by the edge of the lake, a safer spot than the middle of the path, to decide if by land or by sea to scedaddle.
The edges of the lake have become loaded with turtles and frogs the past couple of weeks. More pics or it didn't happen soon.
Saki's spirits are still high, and she's been eating well for over a week now, but her weight is still down. Today's vet visit was worrisome. That mass on her leg is not a sebaceous cyst according to the vet. Since I do think it's a little smaller than last week, it is most likely a wound infection. She has a bit of a temp. And if it is that, I suspect it to be a Tuxie bite. Saki had been running terrified of Tuxie and hiding behind the futon a bit where he would chase her since the last couple weeks of March, and I thought it might be due to her feeling poorly, combined with her upped dose of methimazole--a side effect of which is hiding behavior. But it's quite possible the little asshole bit the back of her thigh as she fled. I may have even heard it happen. Sometimes I just want to find Tuxie a new home. I'd feel guilty if I had been the one who chose him, but she did. They had a lovely relationship, until he turned out to be so much bigger and an asshole to her. She has stopped the fleeing and hiding behavior since I got the Feliway Comfort Zone 2 weeks ago, Tuxie is not being an asshole, and Saki is being more comfortable with him and not running in terror, so at least there's been progress there. I sure wish I thought of the Feliway a month earlier, but glad I got it when I did and that it really works so well on them.
The other possibility the doctor gave us is it could be an injection sarcoma, since Saki is old enough to have had injections before they changed the formulas due to this risk. There are still other ongoing risks with injections for cats. Anyway, I'm really hoping Tuxie assholery is the answer. Dr C gave her a shot of antibiotic--and I didn't think to be worried about the fact that he gave her an injection for a possible injection sarcoma until I got home. And I looked up the antibiotic, called convenia, and found that it is highly controversial due to some adverse reactions. And I was already worried that Saki's weight loss due to intestinal issues could be cancer, so now there are multiple cancer sources to worry about. THERE IS SO MUCH FUCKING SHIT TO WORRY ABOUT!!! Goddamned mortality. And her blood pressure is still high. So we added a blood count test to the thyroid and renal panel screening for this week. I'm bringing her back in next week to follow up on the leg mass.
If Saki makes it to her 15th approximate birthday in September, I will consider us lucky. If she makes it to 16, I will consider it a miracle. Right now, she is feeling good and being her winsome self, and I'm soaking in all the Sakiness that is here today. We've got today. I'm trying my best to stick with that and cherish our time now.
Also, Nature sucks, and Tuxie can't help being a part of it and is being a good boy now, so I'm cherishing him, too. And Ms. Moo, who does her own thing, and knew what the hell she was doing when she foisted Tuxie off on Saki because she has smart instincts--she just wants her kibble and brushing, and is good to go.
I had a phone interview for one job today, and have one for another job on Wednesday. I'm trying hard to focus on dreaming the possibilities like I used to do, instead of sweating the fear-inducing as I've become accustomed to--neither is realistic, but the former is generative. It's just hard in the rain, even if we did just have 5 glorious days of sunshine. Life's been hectic busy; so what's new? Baby turtles, that's what.
One turtle to rule them all. Not a good place for a little thing to be with lots of walkers, bikes, and dogs, so I took the liberty of picking the little thing up to relocate.
Tiny and thoroughly disgruntled!
Such a pretty under-shell with even redder orange on its sides. It's definitely a baby painted turtle (Chrysemya picta).
On my knee for a steadier close-up pic. I grew up with turtles. My mom and I bought a little red ear turtle this size when I was a kid from another little kid selling him in front of the grocery store, and he grew to several inches and lived for 20 years. He liked to hibernate all winter under the bean bag chair in the living room. Cleo intimidated the cats when he'd scoot by.
I left little thing on the mud by the edge of the lake, a safer spot than the middle of the path, to decide if by land or by sea to scedaddle.
The edges of the lake have become loaded with turtles and frogs the past couple of weeks. More pics or it didn't happen soon.
Saki's spirits are still high, and she's been eating well for over a week now, but her weight is still down. Today's vet visit was worrisome. That mass on her leg is not a sebaceous cyst according to the vet. Since I do think it's a little smaller than last week, it is most likely a wound infection. She has a bit of a temp. And if it is that, I suspect it to be a Tuxie bite. Saki had been running terrified of Tuxie and hiding behind the futon a bit where he would chase her since the last couple weeks of March, and I thought it might be due to her feeling poorly, combined with her upped dose of methimazole--a side effect of which is hiding behavior. But it's quite possible the little asshole bit the back of her thigh as she fled. I may have even heard it happen. Sometimes I just want to find Tuxie a new home. I'd feel guilty if I had been the one who chose him, but she did. They had a lovely relationship, until he turned out to be so much bigger and an asshole to her. She has stopped the fleeing and hiding behavior since I got the Feliway Comfort Zone 2 weeks ago, Tuxie is not being an asshole, and Saki is being more comfortable with him and not running in terror, so at least there's been progress there. I sure wish I thought of the Feliway a month earlier, but glad I got it when I did and that it really works so well on them.
The other possibility the doctor gave us is it could be an injection sarcoma, since Saki is old enough to have had injections before they changed the formulas due to this risk. There are still other ongoing risks with injections for cats. Anyway, I'm really hoping Tuxie assholery is the answer. Dr C gave her a shot of antibiotic--and I didn't think to be worried about the fact that he gave her an injection for a possible injection sarcoma until I got home. And I looked up the antibiotic, called convenia, and found that it is highly controversial due to some adverse reactions. And I was already worried that Saki's weight loss due to intestinal issues could be cancer, so now there are multiple cancer sources to worry about. THERE IS SO MUCH FUCKING SHIT TO WORRY ABOUT!!! Goddamned mortality. And her blood pressure is still high. So we added a blood count test to the thyroid and renal panel screening for this week. I'm bringing her back in next week to follow up on the leg mass.
If Saki makes it to her 15th approximate birthday in September, I will consider us lucky. If she makes it to 16, I will consider it a miracle. Right now, she is feeling good and being her winsome self, and I'm soaking in all the Sakiness that is here today. We've got today. I'm trying my best to stick with that and cherish our time now.
Also, Nature sucks, and Tuxie can't help being a part of it and is being a good boy now, so I'm cherishing him, too. And Ms. Moo, who does her own thing, and knew what the hell she was doing when she foisted Tuxie off on Saki because she has smart instincts--she just wants her kibble and brushing, and is good to go.
I had a phone interview for one job today, and have one for another job on Wednesday. I'm trying hard to focus on dreaming the possibilities like I used to do, instead of sweating the fear-inducing as I've become accustomed to--neither is realistic, but the former is generative. It's just hard in the rain, even if we did just have 5 glorious days of sunshine. Life's been hectic busy; so what's new? Baby turtles, that's what.
Tags:
- cats,
- fauna,
- greenbelt lake,
- job stuff,
- moo,
- mortality sucks,
- saki,
- turtles,
- tuxie,
- vets
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I don't know where things stand on the research for that cancer now, but I think a healing abcess from the EVIL Tuxie is more likely. And I find that Corrigan can be the most awful of cats, too- when he's not cuddled up with Pansy or their mommy, Chloe. As they've gotten older he seems to have just the two settings- making his sisters and mom growl and hiss at him, or cuddling and mutual washing. Go figure.
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I do think the Tuxie bite is most likely and I'm going to focus on that and not borrow trouble and see what the doc has to say next Tuesday. Until I plugged in the Feliway, their relationship had been the most strained yet the past couple of weeks and this would make sense of how much Saki was running from him and also her poor appetite. Poor thing might have been in quite a bit of pain. I'm hoping the Feliway will keep this from happening again, and if I see her starting to run from him like that again, I'm getting HIM on kitty prozac pronto. Or making him a goddamned muzzle. Today I watched Saki walk calmly past Tuxie and give him the dirtiest look--thatta grrl!
From:
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Over here we have toad road-crossing patrols. People go out at night with buckets and torches to collect adult toads at one side of busy roads and help them cross to their spawning ponds on the other side.
http://www.uksafari.com/toadscrossing.htm
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Those patrols are awesome! Thanks for telling me about them. (-:
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*hugshugshugs*
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Thank you, bb. *squishes you*
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I hope there is a good outcome when it comes to the mass on Saki. My Minx can't get rabies shots anymore because the last time she developed a cyst at her incision site.
Hope a new job is in sight soon for you!
*hugs*
From:
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I'm focusing on it being a Tuxie bite--it would explain a lot--and trying to keep my mind off the alternative--she's got enough cancer possibilities already with her intestinal issues. I hate that there is so much risk with innoculations.
Thank you! I've gotten a lot of call from recruiters this week and an interview to go to on Monday. I've had so many interviews in the past 2 years though, but I'm having a feelign there's a good chance on this one. Plus is it is good work, long term, and there are benefits. Minus is it's almost as bad a commute as last month's.
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It's been rainy here but I like it too.
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We've gotten a good solid rain today, and I do like that better than solid clouds with a little drizzle. We sure need it.
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I hope it does turn out to be a Tuxie bite. *pets Saki*
Good luck with the interviews!
From:
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I do think the Tuxie bite is most likely, and I'm trying to focus on that and not borrow trouble. I'm hoping the Feliway will keep it from happening again. It was nice to see Saki walk past Tuxie today and give him the dirtiest look--thatta grrl!
Thank you!
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That was kind of you to rescue Mr. Turtle. I had some when I was young, too. They're so interesting.
*hugs for you and your furries*
From:
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It was a nice excuse to get to pick up and hold the pretty little wee one. (-:
*squooshes you back and they send purrs*
From:
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**pets and purrs for your kittehs -- especially Saki**
Good luck with the job search!
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Thank you! That''s just what I need.
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