Its been a terrible week for us, our Persian Gizmo took ill at 4 am on Wednesday morning while we were all sleeping... He jolted and upon us waking and turning on the bedroom light he stood up on the bed and rolled over to the right... We picked him up and as he tried to walk his front legs couldnt support him and he rolled onto his side again. We comforted him and rang the emergency vet who recommended we waited till the morning when they opened at 8.30. For the next 4 hours we took him to the toilet then kept him on the bed where at one point we thought we would lose him. Eventually we got him to the vets where we were told after examination he had Vestibular disease.

To understand what the disease is, one must know what the vestibular system actually does. This system helps a body know if it is properly oriented in relation to the earth. It tells us if we standing upright or falling and it is directly responsible for informing the eyes, hands and legs on how to move. It keeps us from falling, allows us to navigate uneven terrain and it gives us the ability to focus on moving objects without becoming dizzy and nauseous. In essence, it keeps our equilibrium steady.

The vet said that given antibiotics, steroids and a drip and kept under observation that there was a good chance he would recover but it was 50/50 and from experience could go either way. We left him in their hands and rang later that day and arranged a visit. Upon seeing him it was clear that he was worse.... he couldnt move, didnt seem to recognise us and wasnt meowing or anything as he was throughout the first hours of the episode. After staying for a while with him we left and arranged to speak to the vet in the morning after his course of drip etc.
We fully expected good news but it was the opposite, he was worse and was making no effort to stand etc. The vet was more or less preparing us for the inevitable. We went to see him at 4 and had agreed after a lengthy discussion between Claire and I that we would ask for 24 more hours to see if there would be any improvment. When we got there and seen him he just didnt seem there, no signs of fight, no ability to move and when Claire lifted him to cuddle him he was wet on his side where he had wee'd himself unable to move for the toilet... It was then we realised that this couldnt go on and the decision the vet recommended was the only outcome for his welfare.
We had to make the hardest decision we've ever had to make and ask for him to be put to sleep :( Although we had read that this was generally recoverable it was obvious there was some other issue that had caused this such as a brain tumour or something...
We cuddled him while the injection was given and he slipped away peacefully.
That was on Thursday and we're both shattered by it, fit and healthy it would seem and no ill health thoughout his life and now hes gone.
Here we are now on Sunday going through the grieving process and its just a rollercoaster... so many emotions to deal with. One minute we laugh at the quirks, goodtimes and memories then the next we're crying our eyes out as we wonder why this happened. We're trying to focus on the fact that he had an amazing happy life, no ill health and lived to nearly 14 which is a grand age for a Persian.

Anyone who has pets will understand how we feel at this time, its really tough but we just have to think of the good times and also the fact we were home with him when this happened.

Gizmo, we loved you so much and hope your with Tosca, our other persian somewhere chirping away :)
We'll never forget you bestest lad :)

Vestibular Disease

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