Mr. Reginald Biscotti has returned home from the vet. They tapped his chest and drained about 13cc of fluid today, but they still don't know why his chest is full of fluid. The vet has cultured some of this stuff and is sending it out to find out what is going on. She did allow that there's a small chance that (a) BC's heart is not enlarged, but that the fluid in his chest cast a shadow that suggested that was the case and that (b) the sole cause of the fluid may be bacterial. If this is true, we may be able to successfully treat him with antibiotics and Lasix and keep him alive afterwards. This is a really tall hope, but I'm going to work as if this is possible.
On the other hand, BC is very likely to not make it much longer: having his chest fill with fluid puts a huge strain on everything and eventually he won't be able to get enough oxygen and will drift off, actually rather peacefully the vet said. (That was one thing I really wanted to know, if he'd be in any significant discomfort this way. Nope, probably not, she said; while it would be some work to breathe and he'd be a little uncomfortable, he'd ultimately become hypoxic and become euphoric--like any other drowning victim, she said--and drift off blissfully. Well, uh, okay.) I'm still really unhappy and angry that he's so sick, though.
Willow is getting thinner still and was talking to me today, which is a trifle unusual, so I think her time may be getting close. I've been watching her closely ever since her diagnosis for significant behavior changes or signs of distress.
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