Thankful Thimble Thursday: Sunshine, Open Doors, and an Evan Update

Hello, friends! It's Thursday, and Thimble is of course here for Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.

Today, Thimble is grateful for not only the sunshine, but for open door weather. When it's not too hot, I'll open the big doors for the kitties and let them enjoy looking out the screen doors. They always enjoy this.

Thimble is also thankful that, when I take her picture, the sun glints off my phone and creates lights on the walls and ceiling. She loves having starting contests with these bright and shiny lights.

I myself am grateful that both of my home's screen doors have windows that go all the way to the floor. That means all of my kitties, including hind limb paralyzed and therefore more landbound Evan, can really enjoy the view.

That's an old photo of Evan indeed trying to enjoy the view, but his sister Thimble sort of sat right in front of him. You can tell these are older photos, because it was before a stubborn hematoma permanently deformed handsome Evan's right ear.

How about a little update on Evan after his trouble with a nasty UTI earlier this week? Evan is starting to feel better. He's not 100% yet, but he's definitely improving, slowly but surely. His bloodwork all came back looking good. Well, except for his CBC, but the values skewed on that were indicative of him having an infection.

The above said, Evan's urine culture and susceptibility test came back indicating that he does indeed have a UTI, but the bacteria are luckily susceptible to the antibiotic that he's been on since Monday. Evan is on a 1 week on, 2 weeks off regimen with this antibiotic because of his chronic UTIs. Evan was just on this antibiotic not even 2 weeks ago. At that time, I started him on it earlier than usual because he was starting to display signs of a UTI. Then, when he finished that week on the antibiotic, within a few days his symptoms returned. Because this UTI is being so stubborn and Evan is so uncomfortable as a result, Evan's vet has advised me to continue the antibiotic for 3 weeks total.

Evan did stop urinating blood within 2 days of starting this round of antibiotics, so that was a relief. Because he's still having a bit of discomfort when urinating, though, I'm continuing his increased frequency of pain medication administration. He isn't as painful or restless as he was earlier this week, but this nasty UTI is knocking him down more than usual. I'm grateful he has been improving, but I do look forward to seeing him fully back to his usual self.

Oh, and on top of all of that, last night and this morning Evan was really struggling with his megacolon. All of his related meds were on board, and he did finally evacuate his colon, but the poor little guy is really on the struggle bus this week. Thankfully, though, things are starting to look a lot better for him.

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Last but not least, let's share the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I would be willing to pay more for _________.

2. I refuse to spend money on _________.

3. My _________ is a bit chaotic.

4. A fun fact about me is that _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle is from a few years ago. I scribbled it up after seeing a similar sign that said, "Coffee. Because murder is illegal." That's why there's a knife hanging out in the background. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I'll just pretend there's hot cocoa in that mug.

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Tip of the Day

 

Today's summer safety tip is all about sunburn. Just like us humans, our furbabies can get sunburned. This can happen during time outdoors, or even by sunbathing in windows or doors. And, just as with humans, sunburn can result in skin cancer in our cats and dogs. This is why it is incredibly important to be aware of this and to take precautions.

Keep in mind that cats and dogs with little to no fur are of course more susceptible to sunburn. In addition to this, those with light fur and skin, such as those that are white or orange coats, are also more susceptible. That doesn't mean furbabies of other colors are not at risk, though. In addition, the areas of the body most likely to get sunburn are the ears, nose, and belly, as in most furbabies these areas have less hair coverage. Again, though, this doesn't mean sunburn or skin cancer cannot occur elsewhere on the body.

What are the signs of sunburn in your furbaby? They are very similar to those in humans. A cat or dog with sunburn will typically develop pink or red skin, which is often inflamed as well. The sunburn is often painful, and the affected skin can also become dry and flaky. Hair loss can also occur around the sunburned area. These are all signs to be aware of, but they are also things that you want to try to prevent from happening in the first place.

So, what can you do to protect your furbabies from sunburn and potential resulting skin cancer? You can of course minimize their time in direct sunlight, whether that be while outside or while sunbathing in a window or door. You can opt for outdoor activities when the sun is not at its peak, as well as opting for shade when outdoors. When it comes to indoor furbabies, you can close doors and curtains to help protect against sunburn during the sun's prime time of the day. In addition to this, there are certain window types and window covers that can help block UV light. These could certainly be useful for frequented windows and doors, but this also of course may not guarantee full protection against sunburn or resulting skin cancer.

Finally, another option for sun protection is, of course, sunscreen. This is especially important for furbabies who frequently go outdoors in the summer sun, or even for those who frequently sunbathe indoors. There is pet-safe sunscreen available on the market. Many sunscreens designed for humans can contain ingredients that are potentially toxic to cats and dogs, so it is indeed important that you look for products formulated especially for your kitty or pup. What's more, as we always say, if you have any questions at all regarding sunburn and skin cancer in your kitty or pup, be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.