I took Sparky, a 11/2 year old tabby, to the animal hospital yesterday on an emergency. The doctor on duty met me there after she had to go birth a calf for a farmer. Sparky has a recent history of UTI and bladder trouble, and she was just going to give him a shot of Metacam (an anti-inflammatory) and was going to send him home. Long story but another vet there had treated him for the same problems about 3 weeks ago and toldme it was probably related to stress. So I asked her to kennel him overnight until the office opened Monday. It would be very quiet and restful for him. She agreed.

Dr. Brothers called this morning from the hospital about Sparky. Good thing we left him there overnight. He is distressed and has trouble walking normally. The bladder is so swollen and the bladder walls are thick and hard. They are going to put him under and insert a catheter first, to get the urine out. Then he will get all kinds of tests, one for any kidney damage. The prognosis is that in many male cats this is a recurring thing and if so he will need the operation that re-routes his bladder functions. I had a cat once named Trotsky who had this and he got that operation. It was expensive. Very. It cost $650 way back in 1978 out in California. I can't imagine what it costs now, but we'll examine that 'bridge' when we come to it. But it gave trots another six years of life so it was worth it. So I will call the doctors at 2:30 or 3 today for a follow-up.