I drove around town with Rosie in the carrier on the passenger seat. She, like most of my cats, does not enjoy travel. I parked out at the hospital lot and sat for ten minutes with her in my lap, softly talking to her about all we have been through together. Then I carried her inside.

When it was our turn we waited for Dr. Bob in the examination room. She was out of the carrier on a pheromone-sprayed towel, which helped to calm her down. My heart was in my throat the entire time.

The doc came and the first thing he did was snap her back skin and said, "This is not good. It shows extreme dehydration," which I already knew.

He said he had to do an immediate test for Creatin levels and the other kidney indicators. He said he would also put her on hydration. He took her (she had already been weighed, at a very low 6 pounds - down from 9.)

In six minutes he came in with her and the results. Her C level was about 3, very non-critical but still bad. He told me it could be improved just from the hydration, but that it would be touch and go to see if any kidney permanent damage had been done.

Now to the causes!

He examined her jaw and teeth and found two abcesses and very unclean teeth. That is the origin of her awful odor. He told me to leave her in their care overnight and they would see if she improved enough tomorrow to begin working on the mouth problems.

She wasn't eating or drinking enough because of the abcesses. He wants to do some other tests, too. All this took about an hour and I left, "WHOOPING" all the way, with a side-trip to ship a couple boxes and an unplanned drink with my friend, Dr. John Bing.

Dr. Bing told me that I acted like I had just won the Irish Sweepstakes.

I feel like Rosie did!

Touch and go, it is. We'll see how tomorrow looks. But now I can eat again!

So I came back home and told the little family about it and they acted like they understand. I am sure they interpret my joy.