Hi Mew and Mom,

Sally has given spot on input! Glad to hear Mew is eating and drinking for you.

Was the leg sent off for pathology to know what the C was Osteo or otherwise?

I'm so sorry on the lack of pain meds that is infuriating, and it should never happen. We see it too often! I' m glad you advocated and got Mew what she needed.

Purrkins is a front leg amp he will be on three legs this July three years post op he had a soft tissue sarcoma on his wrist. He had his recheck in March and still cancer free.🙌🏻🎉

To answer your questions

1) How many days post op did you take off their sutures? What was it like after they were removed for them? 

 Purrkins stitches were taken out in 14 days. He was a FREE KITTY and usually once those stitches come out the majority get their sparkle back if they haven't already. The average for stitches or staples is 10-14 days.

2) How long until you let them roam other areas besides their recovery room?

We had instructions for restricted activity for 14 days until the stitches were removed. We stayed in a spare room "recovery room" 14 days. We brought a few things back into the recovery room day 3 Purrkins tried his foam pet steps. Day 9 he was learning the other pet steps and back up into a window seat all supervised of course. We wanted him to relearn in that room where we had exercise foam pads down so he wouldn't get hurt as he relearned his new body.

3) How many days post op did you let them try to climb furniture, stairs, etc.? 

Purrkins was free to do all kitty things after his stitches were out - he had free reign of the house on that 14 th day. He did all the house steps, and you name it that day he was so happy to be out of that room he had to check every ounce of the house to make sure everything was as he left it.;)  We have kitty steps to any area he frequents to protect that remaining front leg there is no jumping down. He uses his pet steps.

4) Did you taper them off their medications? How? And what were those medications? 

Purrkins was on Fentanyl, and I'm not sure what else in the hospital he came home with Buprenorphine and Gabapentin. His med duration was 12 days Buprenorphine and 14 days Gabapentin & then to acupuncture to help get off those meds with no pain.

As Sally has said all kitties and recoveries differ and what we are sent home for how long differ. What I know now I would have had Purrkins on both meds for 14 days. We did not have instructions to taper off the meds and believe we should have. Do ask your Vet about it. We have learned since that Gabapentin is supposed to be tapered off; however, I am unsure if that depends on how long they are on it or not? We didn't have any issues, but again we went for acupuncture.

The meds might be giving Mew loose poop, or we might be back to the original topic from the Ask the Vet forum. A food allergy? I would look into adding a probiotic and see if that helps along with the diet change.

Shout if you have other questions that is what we are here for.
Scratches and smooches to your little Miss Mew!
Holly & Purrkins❤️

bluemoon said rnrnI'm glad to hear Purrkins is still cancer free, he's such a cute boy!

Hi Vanessa,

Thank you! It is an enormous relief when we get the all-clear after those checkups they are nervewracking.

I also learned a lot from your posts/blog, thanks for putting the time in so the rest of us could learn a thing or two.

Your welcome that was what we were hoping to do when we documented Purrkins journey. Glad you have found some downtime to dig around on the site we have loads of information on here.

We did send the leg off for pathology so I'll be expecting those results around Monday or Tuesday.

We will keep our fingers and paws crossed for the best! I remember waiting on the pathology report and nervously waiting to hear back. Let us know, please.

Yes it's very frustrating to see pets not get the pain management they need, and also in my girl's case, medicine they can withstand the taste of. I was told that it was normal for her to be drooling after giving her her liquid medication

It is maddening! I want to see these docs have the same surgery and go home with nothing or something they can't tolerate in their mouth for pain. It would never happen, and it should not happen to our animals. GRRR! Drooling or frothing at the mouth is likely normal for anyone to have something bitter and nasty in their mouth right? BLAH 🤢Cats drool if the medicine is bitter or gross, but it is not IMO necessary ok "normal"!! It's not pleasant for them, and they should not have to endure when we have so many options these days. I mixed Purrkins Gabapentin (his was a capsule). I opened it up and mixed it with tuna water and syringed it back up to give it to him. Tuna water masks a lot of bitter meds.

But clearly not since she was drooling her medicine out causing my baby to be in pain for longer than she needed to. I finally got better flavored Gabapentin for her (we switched out the marshmallow flavor for chicken) and she's muchhhhhh more calm when it comes to administering time. I couldn't blame my girl for turning into a cat tornado

I would have been a tornado too! I'm sorry you guys had to go thru that. Its no fun for either of you! I am relieved to hear she is calm that means pain-free! Gaba has a sedating effect at first which is helpful! I'm glad you got something she likes and its working for you both.

When does she get her patch removed?

but I feel like she should have been given a different flavor as soon as I brought up how much she was drooling and how difficult she was to give medicine to.

I agree that is why they make compounded meds patches and long-lasting injections. There is no need for the drooling.

 Which I feel is the result of playing vet roulette and talking to a different person every time I called since this is a specialty hospital and not my usual vet. I also wish I had started her on Gabapentin prior to the surgery as I read on this site previously.

We can't go back, but I hear you I would have also liked to have started the Gaba before the surgery, but we learned of that after the fact along with the tapering off.

1) Did you stay home with Purrkins the day he got his stitches out? 

Yes, I was home with Purrkins. It was a day I won't ever forget as a lot of this journey is! He was so ready to be FREE and be a cat again! We were terrified for him to try the house & go back to his new normal to see how he managed. He did brilliantly; We were in Awe! We didn't need to worry as much as we did. Purrkins showed us how capable on three he was.rnWe did see areas in the house we had to adjust or block off we didn't anticipate would be an issue. If you are not home that day and you get the all free from the vet. Have Mew stay in the area where she has been recovering until you can watch and see how she does and what possibly might need changes.

2) + 3) That is definitely a great idea having the steps to make everything easier! I'm currently browsing Amazon for some as we speak

Fantastic on the steps did you find some? Measure the areas where you want to place them.

It will lessen the stress on the remaining leg. It will help Mew get up easier. Purrkins took to using his steps right away I used treats to show him one time, and that was all it took, placement is vital we have them in front of areas he would have been jumping up and down from. We added things in as we could and when we saw something needed to be adjusted in some manner. Think long term on three.

4) That's interesting that you also did not receive instructions to taper off. I plan on asking my vet ASAP but I'm glad acupuncture worked! I will definitely have to look more into that as well.

Please do ask and let us know what they suggest. Acupuncture helped immensely on all counts. Purrkins continues to go for acupuncture and Chiropractic adjustments for his "tune-ups" our Vet calls them;) 

As for Mew we finally had a non-watery incident today Followed by me quickly scooping her up and away because she is still wobbly so a possible face plant worries me a bit... I don't know if that's cheating.

Yay for formed poop! 👏🏻🎉Nope, I don't think it's cheating! 😁 If we can prevent a face plant, by all means, do "cheat"

Mew will appreciate it.

It’s never easy choosing amputation, and sometimes it’s still hard to see her wobble and learn how to balance herself but I know it was the right thing to do. Phew story time

No, it's not an easy decision! It is the hardest decision we ever had to make, and Mew WILL get her hop down and become more steady every day you will see improvements! It was the right thing to do you did this for Mew, not to her. Keep healing Mew rest is best! Keep us posted, please!

Holly & Purrkins

Great to hear Mew is comfortable fingers crossed she remains pain-free!

Sounds like a brilliant plan on tapering the Gaba as well!

It does seem like they are healed more at the 14 th day stitch removal. I think the people who did not get the FREE to be a cat at stitch removal where 10 dayers. The surgeon will let you know one way or another. We will keep our fingers crossed for all the ALL free!!

Excellent your Mom can come and check on Mew that will take some worry away for you. 

We look forward to seeing pictures we would love to see MEW she is a cutey in her avatar picture.

We rearranged our furniture and made things closer together, e.g., The sofa and the coffee table are really close together just enough for use to walk thru. Purrkins has stairs to the coffee table, and from there he hops to the sofa. Use the furniture as tiers if you can.

I have the nightstands closer to the bed then they used to be because Purrkins goes on those from the bed.
We have steps at the bed — steps to Purrkins window seats.

I quit using any furniture polish, so Purrkins doesn't slide around on the furniture. Things are clean but not shiny and most importantly not slippery;) We care more about Purrkins safety.

I don't know if Mew is a counter surfer or not but Purrkins loved hanging out on top of the kitchen cupboards!! Well two days after stitch removal guess where I found Purrkins! YEP scared us to death.  See i told you we know trouble here 

We were NOT prepared for that 👀- and it never occurred to us he would head right back up there. He had stopped going up there before his surgery.  Never underestimate a three-legged cat;) Purrkins being a front legger jumps the same way he always did and has no issues whatsoever - it's the getting down part that is concerning to us to protect that front leg. We put a door on the kitchen entrance to keep Purrkins safe while we are not home and night — just a forewarning. 

Have any questions shout we would be happy to tell you what works or hasn't for us. We all do things a little different here. We do the better safe than sorry approach and try to protect that remaining front leg. We also added rug runners, rugs and stair treads for traction . 

Keep healing Mew we will celebrate on your stitch removal! 🎉Did you hear back on the pathology? Has the scooting improved at all?

Keep us posted, please.

Hugs,

Holly & Purrkins❤️❤️❤️