July 31, 2009
Well ... Teddy has decided today that it's time to die. And with very heavy hearts, we have decided to agree with him.
Teddy has been battling an upper respiratory infection for the last 2 weeks. He has been on antibiotics for the last 10 days that should have cleared up the infection in about 3 days. We know enough about cat behaviour to know, based on his actions today, that he's ready to die now.
We will discontinue administering the antibiotics. We will discontinue force feeding him. We will continue to administer water to him orally by syringe, and we will continue to give him 2 subcutaneous injections a day of saline solution, to ease his suffering. If he does not die naturally by Tuesday morning, we have made an appointment for first thing Tuesday morning with the vet to help him over the Rainbow Bridge.
He hasn't defecated in about a week. The antibiotics upset his digestive tract. He hasn't eaten naturally for about a week. We've been force feeding him. We're hoping that by suspending the antibiotics he may actually develop enough hunger before he dies to want to eat a last meal.
Our grieving for him has already begun. After having him for 17 years, this is a very difficult time for us.
DSK
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