maxwell

So Monday I took Maxwell into the vet because he had lost quite a bit of weight (turns out it was nearly 3 1/2 pounds) and he was having trouble breathing. My vet sent us over to the animal hospital for chest x-rays and oxygen. Maxwell also ended up having an ultrasound (Echo) of his heart to determine whether his heart or his lungs were the primary cause of his breathing difficulties. While it turned out that he has an arrhythmia and his heart is enlarged, he also has a lot of fluid and extra tissue in his lungs. The doctor that we saw thinks that he most likely has advanced lung cancer and sent us home with ideas about how to make Maxwell's last days more comfortable for him. He is currently taking antibiotics to help reduce any bacterial infection he may also have in his lungs and to help rule out pneumonia, as well as a bronchodilator to help open up his airways so that he doesn't have to work so hard to breathe. I brought home some fancy foods to try and tempt him into eating and am so far very encouraged that he is enjoying his new food choices very much. He scampered off down the hall after eating for the first time in what seems like days. And I got out the catnip, which he is also enjoying. I frequently find him just sitting contently on the catnip piles on the floor. While his breathing is still labored, he seems to be enjoying himself immensely. Nothing like a little catnip to help balance things out.