Asthma

I received the fairly cranky email below from Thomas, but I jumped right in to help since the fellow was obviously distraught over his kitty cat’s condition. All’s well that ends well and I must say I gave myself and the wonderful Dr. Phil a big pat on the back to get support for this situation in a matter of days. I am often told that there are no authors or radio hosts who do anything personal like this, but honestly I feel so fortunate to have made lasting and trusting relationships with some of the great practitioners and “thought leaders” in the animal world that it is a privilege to share them with all of you.

You need to update your web site. Philip Padrid has moved out of state and is no longer at Family Pet in Chicago. I wasted my hopes and time today as I have a cat just diagnosed with 2 months to live with asthma. Do you know of another cat asthma specialist in Chicago?

So I wrote him back that I was sorry to hear his cat was not well and I’d try to reach Dr. Phil, who only just left Chicago and is in transit to New Mexico. I hoped Dr. Phil would have someone else to recommend  but, in the meantime, if Thomas wanted to give me any particulars about the cat’s condition I could pass it along for any comments or advice from Dr. Phil.

Thomas jumped right back in as follows:

Thanks for getting back to me. My cat, Sandy, is a male and just turned 15 yrs old this mo. He has always been a strong, healthy cat with yearly vet checkups. Last year he had teeth removed and the vet said he had bronchitis and put him on terbutiline which I gave him 2x day. I took him in for check up a in July and they took X-rays (which the former vet never did). They said he had severe asthma and sent me to a specialist in Buffalo Grove, Illinois who said there was not much to do for him. The vet put him on Flovent 2x day and Albuterol 3-4x day which I give him religiously with an inhaler extender. Sandy is not getting worse since on the inhalers. He eats well and is still pretty active for his age and seems content.

Recently I got a card from the vet at Portage Park Animal Hospital wanting to take another X-ray. I am on Social Security Disability and ran up bills on Care Credit of $1200.00, which I am paying off interest free for 12 mos. My thought is to get another opinion and have his prior X-rays sent to the advising vet with the hope there may be something additional to prolong his life.

Thanks for your help.

I was able to reach Dr. Phil on the road and therefore could send Thomas this reassuring news:

Incredibly kindly, Dr. Padrid immediately was able to help you by suggesting the following:

Hi Tracie- I am in Charleston giving lectures. I was in my new home in New Mexico for only 4 days before leaving for this conference!! My poor new wife is all alone with the darkness and centipedes…

In answer to Thomas’ question, there are no other asthma specialists in the Chicago area. There is a faculty member at Missouri but she is only good in research. There are only 4 clinical pulmonologists in the entire USA and one of them (who is self-trained) still denies that inhaled medications have been used enough to warrant recommending them (although they have now been used successfully for 13 years).

I trained my business partners well in asthma care at Family Pet in Chicago. I would have him take the cat to my former partner Rae Ann Van Pelt. She will contact me for any questions, will send films to me if there is any doubt etc…

So Thomas, you were fortunate to be my listener and I am fortunate to have such caring experts on my “team.” I do hope the kitty continues to have success, as seems to be the case. If you ever do get a copy of THE CAT BIBLE® be sure to send me your mailing address so I can inscribe a bookplate inscribed to Sandy.

Tracie