Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Yes, same with cats pooping can take a few days, and the meds can constipate. If she has NOT had constipation before? Give her a few days. If she has had bouts of constipation before, then I would give Miralax right away.
I gave Purrkins Miralax to help after too many days of no poop. It is a very safe and tasteless powder. You need to add a little water for it to be effective. (In Canada, it is called RestoraLAX®)
I syringed it to Purrkins, but many put in the wet food as long as Juliette is eating and your sure she is getting it. I would give her 1/8 tsp 2 times a day a.m and p.m. You should not get runny poos on that tiny doses. She is on antibiotics, too, so anything is possible. Worst case she gets a little loose poop, but you have poop:) And you back off of it or stop giving it to her.
I know there's also the donut-shaped stuff that might work. Have you ever tried?
I'm not sure what donut-shaped stuff means? 😁 LOL A different type of cone, inflatable one? If so, yes, lots of people have used the inflatable ones. I have not.
I agree cats are skilled and can make short work of the incision in no time! It is not a chance worth taking if you can't watch or know she is not getting to the incision, then yes, the cone is best. Giver her a break when you can watch! Purrkins did not get to his with the onesies on. He licked his onesie instead;) all cats are different. VERY FEW will NOT mess with the incision at all. It is a per cat basis;) You know and are doing a great job!
Big hugs!
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
marie4poches said
This is really strange !
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Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you very much Purrkins for this info.
Juliette has never had a constipation problem, well I don't think it's a little more difficult to know with 2 cats. But there, as the other cat has been apart since his return (he's really pitiful too, he's terrified.... probably convinced that a big bad tiger lives with us now, he's trembling and remains hidden, I can't wait for him to get over it, because he's the most sociable and clingy cat on earth).
Today is the 2nd day post op. She's fine, but like yesterday she fell asleep standing up again. It is special. The wound seems less oozing to me, but because of his strange postures, I still haven't been able to look well for today.
She eats a little, wet food, but hasn't peed again for over 24 hours now. She refuses to drink water, even without the necklace. The vet is going to give me sachets of Hydra Care to help a bit, I don't want her to get dehydrated.... I know it's not "worrying" yet but still, I would like to warn just in case . And I'm going to add more water to his wet food.
I saw that Miralax was selling at the pharmacy, so if nothing happens today, I'm going to go get some as it's easy to get to.
I have been re-reading everyone's messages from the beginning, and it is truly heartwarming and valuable. I feel much less alone and your advice, experiences and encouragement are invaluable.
Here are the other collars I was talking about, there really is everything, but in fact I think she wouldn't stop licking. I was able to put the camisole on for a few hours last night, and all she did was lick the garment....... She also licks the cone a lot....
To be continued !
Oh about the wound oozing. So, if it's more watery and less bloody, it's likely a seroma . This is a fluid build-up that builds up and leaks after surgery, usually at the incision site. Is the area puffy and swollen? This is normal, as long as it is more pink colored than red. And it should not smell. Let your vet know of course, just in case it's something else. But many new Tripawds have this happen and the fluid eventually drains and/or reabsorbs into the body.
Yes, definitely keep an eye on her drinking. Not drinking or urinating is something your vet needs to know about. Poop eventually happens, it's the hydration that can be an issue.
That's great the camisole is working! The puffy cones are helpful but usually need to be worn along with something else. Many pets can get around them.
I hope today goes well! You are definitely not alone, so let us know how she is doing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Excellent on the hydra care. I have heard great things about it. I hope she will lap that right up for you. Let us know, please! I had a friend use it with a sick kitty. Yes, I would also add more water to her food and mix well. Enough to help with fluids but not where she won't eat her food. It is a fine line. If she is only eating wet food, it's not such a concern in recovery. Cats are not great drinkers on wet food as they get what they need from the food, but that being said, the more fluids we can get in them, the better!!! Fingers crossed you will have pee soon!
I can only imagine she is sleeping that way because of the cone at this point?
Purrkins licked his onesie on occasion, too, not excessively. If she seems to go after that area a lot, bring that up with your vet as well.
Do you have a multicat pheromone diffuser? It might help your other kitty feel less stressed with all the changes.
Hugs and smooch to Juliette, please!
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
Purrkins said
Excellent on the hydra care. I have heard great things about it. I hope she will lap that right up for you. Let us know, please! I had a friend use it with a sick kitty.
I forgot to ask about that therapy, thank you for bringing it up. It's a new one to me. I learn something new every day here!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Little news from Juliette 
We are now day 4 post-op.
Yesterday, I was really worried because despite the Hydra Care, Juliette hadn't peed for nearly 36 hours. But as I took my phone to call the vet, she decided to make one! I was relieved.
As she didn't want to take the Hydra Care by herself, or water, I had started giving her it regularly by syringe (5ml) 24 hours ago.
I was also worried about the poop not coming out and had planned to go to the pharmacy this morning to buy the Miralax, but in the end she pooped this morning too. So it's a big stress that goes away too, I'm happy.
Yesterday, I was surprised too, because apart from that she fell asleep standing up (again) in her litter lol, she hasn't slept at all all day. She was really awake, but seemed fine.
.
Today, it's a little in between, drowsy but still quite awake.
My other cat, Tao, is still traumatized. He is really pity because he is such an affectionate cat and always on me. I found a pheromone diffuser (Feliway), but so far I haven't noticed a difference yet. I imagine it will take a few days. I work a lot with smells since Juliette is often on top of me, I leave my clothes near Tao so he can smell them, etc. I can't wait for things to recover. He doesn't even come in the same room. Normally when the vet returns, he is aggressive with the other cat, but not terrified. It's really special.
Juliette's wound seems to be healing well, although I think it looks strange, it looks like there's too much skin and it's going to make motons (IDK is this word exists in English) or unnecessary "folds", but that's not the right word. I'll try to find and answer the question later.
Juliette is obviously more clingy and affectionate than normal, I don't know if that will stay, but it would be really nice.
I wish you all a nice weekend! I'm tired but relieved
!
YAAAY for POOP & PEE ! 
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😁😁😁
Yes, I would have been worried after 36 hours too! EXCELLENT job syringing her! I was hoping Juliette would lap the hydra care up for you. Does she not like the taste?
Awe LOVE the paw/hand pic💝
Yes, things will get better with the kitties; give Tao some time. I love you are scent swapping purrfect! You can also scent swap with a towel, snuggle Juliette in the towel, and then bring that towel out for Tao. He might even hiss or get upset with the towel, but that's ok. He will get used to the new scent. Keep doing it, and things will get better. I would do the same with Tao, cuddle him or wipe him down with a towel and take that into Juliette. It took over two weeks for things to return to normal for both our boys. Awe, Tao is a sweetheart too! I see he is a Polydactyl kitty❣️
I know what you mean about the extra skin Purrkins has the same. I thought it might tighten up all the way once it healed, but it didn't. It's better to have too much skin to heal than not enough to close. It does not get in Purrkin's way, but yes, it is a little pouch of skin that hangs. Once Juliette fur comes back in, you won't notice it as much.
Have you seen Juliette lay down and sleep since coming home? I'm just curious. Dear soul, I can't wait for her to ditch that cone. 🫂
You are doing a fantastic job. Now get some much-needed rest while you can, please.
Thanks for the update; we were wondering how things were going!
Give Both Juliette and Tao a smooch and scratch from us, please.
Hugs,
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
As always, excellent I sight from Holly.
And yes, YAY for pee and poop! Especially the pee!!!
The pictures are so sweet. Yes, love the paw in hand photo. And Tao is a very handsome fella's. So is Julotte using her cone like a "support" to hold her up?? Will she lay down when it's off? Just curious..
Stay the course. Juliette is at a good pace of recovery.
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!
You have received wonderful advice all the way around and I just wanted to hop in and say hello and wish you well. Recovery is a very stressful and scary time even when it is going well. Juliette and Tao are beautiful!
Hang in there, you are doing a wonderful job. I played music for Huckleberry also, and had cat TV on for him if one of us wasn't with him. I could not use a cone for him as he was feral, but we ended up doing ok in the end.
Wishing you the best on your journey
Jackie and Huckleberry
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Aww this is such great news! I think Juliette heard you picking up the phone to call the vet, so she decided to go to the litter box! GREAT!
That first photo of you and her is absolutely adorable. And Tao is one handsome kitty. I love that he is a polydactyl cat 🙂
The Feliway was a good decision, hopefully by now you're seeing the positive effects. Keep up the great care!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You are all so kind, your words and encouragement do me a lot of good!
I'll try to go in order 🙂
For Hydra Care, I don't really know what's going on. I don't know if she just refuses to drink, or if she doesn't like the taste at all. She still refuses to drink water, it's strange, and she definitely prefers anything with fish (Hydra Care is chicken only), so maybe it's a bit of both, not wanting to drink and not very excited about the chicken. At least, with the syringe, it's going well. I'm still looking forward to it being replaced.
As for her positions, yes she lies down. However, Juliette has always had really strange positions, she particularly likes to be upside down... and now she continues to do the same thing, you will see in the photos. She lies on her stomach and on both sides, even on the operated side, which surprises me every time. What is particularly new is the fact of sleeping "upright" in different places, I have no idea why.
With the cone and position, she really looks like a big hairy caterpillar when she's lying on my leg! And I also put the photo when I went to take her to the vet the morning of the operation, with a heavy heart.
Today we had special events. First of all, Tao ventured to set foot in the same room as us. After smelling, he made a point of spitting while looking at Juliette. She ignored him, turned and closed her eyes. It was really priceless lol. So I guess that'll help Tao see that it's not such a big deal after all. Thank you for sharing with me the experience that it took two weeks, it reassures me. Maybe the Feliway is starting to work. It was the good news of the day.
Now comes the worst. I put a cami on Juliette to be able to give her moments of respite with the cone. She was licking the camisole but I let her do it a bit bit by bit. On the other hand, by dint of licking, it created back and forth on the garment which touches the stomach a little, irritated the scar and brought bleeding which lasted all day when she was standing, and it seemed suffering at first. I was really sad. So I stayed with her all day to make sure she stayed in bed as much as possible and to monitor her progress. It was really a clear liquid, oozing but very red. There's no smell, no sign of infection. I think it's going to be ok, but it felt like stepping back two days. It's sad to create a problem by trying to do well. I was very discouraged, but I know it will pass.
I remembered that I could use the Alfred app on my old Ipad, so it's like a surveillance camera with a motion detector. I turned it on for the night, just in case and I figure it will come in handy when I have to go shopping.
And yes, Tao is a great polydactile. He had 3 more claws, the vet told me she had seen that just twice in her career. He is really a little demon with his big paws because he has grip. He can leave with my crayons, rip the wand off the blind in the bathroom, and stuff like that. He drinks the liquids in the glasses with his paw, a real soup ladle! When he was little, he made me see all the colors lol, but he is an exceptional cat, more like a dog in fact, he interacts enormously and constantly with us. He is already 14 years old, I hope he still has several more.
And I forgot to say that Google translate is really funny sometimes, even though I understand English well, I often use it because it goes faster. The other day Jerry wrote to me to keep watching Juliette's fluid intake, but Google told me to watch her alcool drinking hahaha. it was really funny.
Thank you all once again!
The photos are really priceless, so beautiful! The clear liquid that leaked out might actually have been a good thing and relieve some pressure. As long as it is not just blood and there is no bad odor you should be ok. Seromas are fairly common. You can put a facecloth into water, wring it out very well, and use it as a compress on the incision. Just hold it gently with a little pressure a couple of times a day. That may also give her some relief. It also helps to stop the skin from pulling as the incision heals. They can get scabby and it itches as it heals.
If Juliette is eating wet food she is also getting a source of fluid from that. Wet food is about 80% water so it does help with the hydration. I got some fancy feast broths and Delectables for Huckleberry and he did enjoy those. Since I brought Delectables in the house 4 years ago, all 4 of my cats go wild over them when I pull them out. Some like the Churu a lot, but my cats turn their noses up to them. Most cats love them though. These are great ways to get fluids into Juliette if her appetite is getting better. I would stay away from the dry food if you use it until her eating and drinking become more normal. Tuna juice, bone broth are also good sources of fluid.
Amazon Canada Delectables Squeeze Ups
There are some links so that you can see some of the higher fluid broths and treats. As she recovers her appetite should improve and her drinking should increase. The different medications from the surgery and for pain control can really mess with their eating habits but this is only temporary. I am glad you have the Hydra Care to help, seems like it is making a huge difference for her.
I used to see a lot of polydactyls years ago but it seems they are not nearly as common now. Does he ever have problems with his nails growing into the pads of his paws? Where the extra toes come together always seemed to be where there would be a problem if there was going to be one. I do love how they can grab on to things with those beautiful massive paws!
I am grateful for the wonderful translation programs that they have today! It allows communication to be so much better where it used to be such a difficult barrier.
I hope some of this is helpful for you. You may have gotten some of this from the others that I missed so I thought I would throw it out there for you.
Jackie and Huck
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry
I'm glad she does not mind the hydra care being syringed. She doesn't hate, or you would know it. Have you tried tuna water yet? The water out of a can of tuna. That's also an option she might love it.
Oh, I'm delighted to hear Juliette does indeed lay down and love seeing the images. The standing to sleep is a first for me;) I think sleeping on the amputated side is comfier for them. Lay on your side and imagine that arm shoulder not being there. It would be comfortable & flat on that side. I think it shocks us all when they lay on the surgery side in recovery!
Yaay, for Tao coming in the room! The spitting will get better, and I'm delighted to see Juliette did not mind, lol. Keep the diffuser going and keep doing what you are doing. You will continue to see little improvements.
I hope it's not bleeding today? She must have licked the shirt for some time. Good; there is no sign of infection!
These were our aftercare instructions.
After Care Instructions – note (The hospital iced the incision for three days while Purrkins was in ICU)
The incision should be kept dry & free of debris until it is fully healed. You may put a t-shirt on him to prevent exposure and discourage licking. Please, Monitor Purrkins incision daily for any sign of infection which includes redness, increased temperature or any white or yellow discharge. If any of these signs are seen, please have him rechecked.
Wound Care Instructions –
Please apply a warm compress to Purrkins incision 2-3 times a day for the next 3-5 days or until seroma resolves. Heat a moistened clean washcloth in the microwave. Place in a sealed ziplock bag & apply to Purrkins incision for 10 minutes at a time.
Purrkins loved his warm compresses.
Brilliant on the app. I did the same it gives you peace of mind and a little break, alerts when they move. We used the app for years and then got the Wyze cameras.
Awe, Tao lol how cool to have so many toes & he makes use of them too cute.
LOL on the google translate -I wondered if it translated all of our words. Thankfully, it does exist even if it is not purrfect;)
Hugs,
Holly & Purrkins💝💝💝
marie4poches said
And I forgot to say that Google translate is really funny sometimes, even though I understand English well, I often use it because it goes faster. The other day Jerry wrote to me to keep watching Juliette's fluid intake, but Google told me to watch her alcool drinking hahaha. it was really funny.
LOL! No more red wine for Juliette! 😉
How is her seroma today? Any more drainage?
Love the pics!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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