Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Annette, I just wanted to let you know, If Obie doesn't poop for a bit, the pain medicine can constipate him so try not to worry about the pooping.
Purrkins did not poop for 7 days after surgery , I added Miralax to his food or you can add it to the baby food, it  is a powder it has no taste and safe to use.
It’s over the counter and you can find it anywhere drugstore Walmart Grocery store etc. If you use it just make sure you add water to the food or baby food if Obie is not drinking.
We have Purrkins brother who has a bad gut and we deal IBS with constipation. We have it under control and use Miralax with him daily vet & holistic vet approved!
I gave Purrkins 1/16th tsp of Miralax on the 6th day and 1/8 tsp on the 7th day. We got BM day 8💩 Those are tiny doses fyi. That is all it took. If you decide or need to try it I would just start small like that so you don't get the opposite effect and get it runny.
What is your litter box set up like? Is it a low lip litter box so Obie can get in & out of it ok? Lid on it? (take that off) You can help Obie in the box until he is up and moving . Hopefully he is starting to get up and move about!
Hugs, ear & chin scratches to Obie!
Holly & Purrkins
We documented Purrkins journey on his blog if you are interested in reading it we have a lot of pictures /videos. I know Obie is a back leg amp but most things apply to both. The biggest difference in a back leg amp is they have trouble getting up to place but they will learn! You might want to add some steps to help him get up to his favorite places. Front leg kitties have a harder time getting down from places. We have added steps to help Purrkins get down safely, he uses them!
http://purrkins.....ipawds.com
Kerren Mona's mom blog is 😉
Obie has a few different litter boxes, some low lipped, some high. Right now he refuses to go into them, or even pee at all. He's still not eating on his own.Â
We have a steps to get on the bed, and the day before he was using them. Today he is strictly a floor cat. Just not a good day for him.
Im sorry Obie did not have a good day! I do hope he peed! Do you have pee pads you could lay on the floor by his litter box? Add a little bit of litter.Â
Try putting him in the box and see how that goes. Is he getting around at all?
Floor cat is ok really, its good he doesn't do a lot in recovery and this will change! Keep trying to stimulate his senses with different foods would be my suggestion. Kitty food or my broken record is fishy foods worked great for us. Chicken and Herring, Tuna & Salmon these food I do not usually feed Purrkins I got knowing I might have trouble getting him to eat. Treats anything to entice Obie!
I know all kitties are not one size fits all but its worth a try! The smelly foods seem to get past the not wanting to eat.. Continue syringe feeding him until he starts eating again. Is he still licking the baby food. Right there was good sign to me!
He can keep eating the baby food until he starts to eat!Â
You can always call the vet again if you are concerned.Â
Hoping to here today is a better day for you both !
Hugs
Holly & Purrkins
This recovery part is so darn rough and, as you can see, quite the roller coaster ride that none of us get on willingly!
As usual, you've gotten great adivce from Holly and the link she gave you to kitty Mona's blog is full of good advice roo.
Yeah, the peeing is important. If need be, the Vet can express the bladder. Also, if need ve, a little dose of subQ fluids can sometimes perk them up enough to want to eat.
I know all this is disconcerting right now. For wherever it's worth though, it's all part of the recovery and it does get vetter!!! 🙂
Lots of hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Thanks everyone for the support and helpful tips. It's been a rough few days. Last night was the first night we didn't have to get up with him 2 or 3 times. I am hoping the worst is over.
Obie still wasn't eating, so we tried mirtazapine as an appetite stimulator which did get him to start eating, but made him super agitated, talkative and clingy. We stopped after one dose. However, he then ate the first kibble since his operation, but his poor stomach didn't handle it well. He bloated up and was miserable. After vomiting dry kibble, we gave him subcutaneous fluids. About an hour later, just as we were resigning ourselves to a trip to the emergency vet, he peed an enormous amount, followed by an equally enormous poop. Disaster averted!
He still isn't eating really well, but he is getting by. He will eat on his own if everything is perfect, whatever that means to him at the time. We found that putting food on his e-collar is very well received. Putting the exact same food on a shallow dish at the exact same spot generally is not. Â
He has started crying for no apparent reason.  The vet believes it is nerve pain.
Today his stitches will be removed, a big milestone!
Holly, we cut down one of our kitty boxes like you show on your blog. Thanks for that really useful tip. I didn't have anything to sand the rough edges like you did, so used duct tape. Effective and kind of sporty!
Recovery is no picinc. I am sorry this has been so rough for you guys!
Miratazapine did the same thing to our angel older kitty, super agitated and he become angry! It was not good.Â
Good job on stoping it! It is worth a try sometimes, usually we can get by with other means, by syringe or lots of coaxing ! Lots of different foods and smells! Warming the food can also help! We also use Feline Instincts Chicken liver powder .  This Chicken Liver powder is a great help for getting kitties to eat! You can sprinkle it on any food!! Purrkins will eat anything with the powder on top fyi😉
Both our kitties go crazy for the powder!! Purrkins is on a freeze dried raw diet we hydrate and top with powder!! Purrkins is one of those finicky kitties and this works every time . Thought I would mention it . Worth a try and last a very long time!
So glad he has peed an pooped for you YAAAY Â and YAAAY no more ER trips!!
As for the dry kibble , if you can just do wet food and Obie will eat it that should divert any more puking! We also have found more frequent small meals work best for kitties! Less acid is produced that way! They digest it easier!
Is Obie still on pain meds? Did the mention Gabapentin to you? That would be helpful for the nerve pain! Ask when getting his stitches out!! This might be all you need to get Obie past this and get him feeling better and with no pain he will start to eat for you!!
I am so happy to hear the cut out box helped you guys! YAAAAY and duct tape works too!! A sporty box sound PURRFECT!
Thanks for the update !! Keep us updated we want to hear Obie is back to his sweet self and your starting your new normal!!!Â
Hang in there it is coming!!!!!!
Hugs!!
Chin & ear scratches to ObieÂ
Holly & Purrkins
Alrighty, we have "some" improvement!! 🙂 🙂 Around here, any improvement is HUGE improvement!! 🙂
HAPPY POOP AND PEE DANCE TOO!! 🙂 🙂
As always, great advice from Holly. The Gaba should help of there is phantom limb pain
I lpve that putti g the food on his e-collar works when nothing else will! What a character! 🙂 🙂
Keep us posted! You're doing great!!!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
We are now at the end of the pain meds. But he seems much better today. Stitch removal went very well, and he slept most of the day after a nice long wash. We all slept through the night, the first time since he came back home. This morning, he figured out on his own how to use the ramp into the cat tree, and is snuggled up in his heated cat bed.
I asked the vet about Gabapentin, but Obie is a drug sensitive cat who reacts poorly to most medication. If he continues to have nerve pain, we will try laser therapy instead.
We are going to have to figure out how to "un-spoil" him. He has come to expect us to bring him dinner in bed several times a day. He also has come to expect being carried around in a low cardboard box lined with a fluffy fleece blanket. But that is a small price to pay for the improvement he is showing.
Thanks all!
Great news Obie. I think you should continue living like a king having breakfast in bed. 
I'm sure life will be much easier now that the stitches are out.
Hugs to all,
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Yaaay for stitches out! 
This is when the magic really happens!!
Obie showed you that today going to his cat tree!! YAAAY OBIE!!
We took Purrkins for acupuncture to him get off his pain meds and to help with recovery!
We started out with the needles then went to the laser acupuncture . It made
a huge difference in Purrkins. We continue to go every 3 months for tune up’s and chiropractic if needed.
Un-spoil Obie not a chance:) The only un-spoiling I would do is not carry him everywhere;)
Breakfast in bed why not:) Obie deserves to be spoiled all tripawds are!
Very small price to pay I agree !!! You guys did a great job with him and will continue !
Hugs
Chin & ear scratches to Obie!!
Holly & Purrkins
So happy to read this GREAT update!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Seeing Obie feel better, and do better, is soooo uplifting!!! 🙂 And getting some sleep on top of all that improvement?? PRICELESS!! 🙂
It is IMPOSSIBLE NOT to spoil a Tripawd!!! Truly impossible!! 🙂 🙂 A d why would you wsnt to "unspoil" him anyway? You know it makes BOTH of you happy 🙂 🙂 🙂
Keep up the good progress Obie!! 🙂 You're doing great! 🙂
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
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