Rufus came through his operation on Friday with flying colors and came home in the evening to recover. He was very wobbly when he arrived home, but was soon nibbling on some leaf lettuce. We both spent much of the evening napping, which is why I didn't  update.

   There turned out not to be any bladder stones, despite the suspicious x-rays. The vet thinks that they may have dissolved or passed since they were taken 2 weeks ago. I will be giving him pain meds for the next few days, plus the peanut butter flavored Baytril antibiotic, as well as some liquids to make up for him not drinking much water. There is still some evidence of a urinary tract infection which was quite severe. After the antibiotic is gone, he will be tested again for that. Much of his appetite is returning & he's eating lots of fresh veggies & fruit. 

   Thanks for the prayers, encouragement & concern for Rufus & I during this stressful time. It certainly meant a lot & I really appreciate it, more than you can know.

Rufus is still hanging in there. Saturday was a bad day & I thought I'd have to call the vet, but Sunday he perked up & was playing a bit & eating much more. He's now got 3 cans of Veggie O's snackies from Petland, which is enticing him, plus I keep tons of fresh veggies for him. He's tired of parsley & kale didn't last long, but endive is still tasty & of course both kinds of lettuce(green leaf & Romaine). He will eat a bit of carrot, which is sad, because they used to be his 2nd favorite food. The new Oxbow kibbles are ignored, unfortunately.
       We are still wrestling with the Baytril antibiotic every evening, it's peanut butter flavored, which doesn't impress him much. But it's definitely working, as his urine is much, much lighter, though not yet back to the normal clear color. I worry about him not drinking, but make certain all the veggies are well wetted when giving them to him. He is eating hay too, so I know he's getting some nutrients. If he stays at this level, we will still be going to the vet for the surgery on Friday, which I'm trying to think positive about. But's it's scary.

  Last Wednesday Rufus didn't eat much, since it was hot that day, I blamed the weather. However, it was cooler Thursday & he was still not eating his regular amount.  Friday morning I called the animal hospital.

   Rufus's regular vet was in surgery all day & couldn't see him, so I started calling others. I had wanted one closer to me anyways & the rodent vet I liked at that hospital had left. A lot of places don't treat small pets, but one recommended me to a really nice clinic that's about 20 mins away. It's run completely by females & is an small renovated house with trees all around. They are very patient & thorough, explaining things clearly and very considerate of the animal's feelings.

Happy Mother's Day!

   Spring has finally arrived in Cleveland. In fact, today it's even a bit hot. Unfortunately, by last weekend, I had a cold & severe cough, so I haven't been able to enjoy it. This is from an apple tree in the back of my apartment building, which was blooming last week. It's a lovely harbinger of the season.