Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all. Loooong story, made short: cat showed up 6 months ago and after returning her 9 times to her owner and the shelter twice, we decided (with her owner's blessing) to take her in. Two days before we were going to make her indoor only, someone shot her, shattering her back leg. We took her to a specialist, but ended up having to amputate.
Since then has been a nightmare. She won't let us pill her for the gabapentin, didn't eat for days and won't drink water. Took her to our vet (who we've been trying to replace) and he dismissed everything we said... then took her off the gaba and told us to give just the narcotic liquid.
Her pain is not controlled at all. We called the ER last night who told us we could give both the gaba and narcotics, so we tried and she still can't really calm down.
We're at our wit's end. We are desperately looking for suggestions to ask the vet about to help with the pain or ways to help calm her.
What we're doing already:
- gabapentin 100mg 2x day (if we can even get it in her)
- buprenorphine .3mg 2-3x daily (8hrs)
- plug in calming pheromone, in a kennel with her favorite blanket and a couple of small soft toys, and we're taking shifts so she's never alone.
Hello,
I am going to get this approved so someone with a kitty can jump in and possibly give you some advice.
Thanks
Michelle
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Dawn I'm so glad you posted. Wasn't sure if you were able to make contact with our Helpline team, and I texted you but didn't hear back.
Sorry about this scary and tough situation! How long ago was the amputation? And do you know how old she is? Any other health issues that might be causing this?
Also, what is her activity like? Could she be doing too much right now so that the pain meds aren't able to help? Is she confined to a small area so she doesn't overdo it?
Just trying to get a bigger picture so we can offer some suggestions.
Cats can be very tricky to treat but good pain control is really important for a good recovery. You are doing everything right as far as checking out possible sources of the pain. But it does sound like she could use another opinion. Are there any other vet clinics with specialty care services near you, and preferably a cat friendly practice? If you want to message me your location I can try to help you find a vet with more pain management experience.
For now, I would ask your vet team about spacing out and alternating the medications to 3x day for more consistent pain control. Also, ask about Pregabalin, which is know to provide more effective relief when Gabapentin doesn't cut it. And be firm in your request so they know how much this is affecting all of you. If you don't get a good plan for control, ask for a referral from them to a pain management specialist.
I hope this helps! Stay tuned for more suggestions from the community.
Hi Dawm...
Yes, glad to see you posted here after we spoke on the Tripawd Helpline yesterday.I have also contacted Holly, the kitty expert that I spoke to you about. Have to run to work but just wanted to remind you that you are not alone and, as we spoke yesterday, recovery doesn't last forever.
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!
Im sorry your Kitty (what is her name? ) was shot and is now struggling with pain management . I have some of the same questions as Jerry.
A couple of things. When was the amputation? Did she spend the night at the clinic or come home the same day? Was any long-lasting medicine given at the time of amputation?
The thing about pain not being managed is that it takes longer to get on top of it, and it sounds like that is where you are now. If you have trouble getting meds in, the ER could have administered a long-lasting pain medication. Zorbium is a transdermal buprenorphine that lasts 3 days. So, that is frustrating to me. Did you tell them or anyone you are having difficulty administering these meds?
My biggest questions is what are you successfully getting in? If these meds are not getting in, she is miserable!!!
Gaba and buprenorphine are excellent pain management if they are getting in! The gabapentin can be given every 8-12 hours, and I would give it every 8 hours right now. Our instructions were to give the gaba and buprenorphine one hour apart.
Since the gaba is a capsule, you can pill her. We use this pill gun, VetOne Pet Piller for Dogs & Cats, 12 count. It is long, which is nice to get in right down the hatch. You might have to burrito her in a towel to get it in. You need to tell us where or what the issue is in giving these meds.
You can also open the capsule, dump it in a small amount of stinky, high-value food, and stir it well. ( SMALL amount to ensure it is eaten) Some people here have successfully used Fancy Feast Whitefish to hide gabapentin. Hills AD is another excellent choice to hide meds in; these foods are given just for a med time. You could also open the capsule, add a churu tube, mix it, and slurp it back up the syringe to a syringe it to her.
We have a post Administering Medications to your Cat with ⬅️many tips in it.
I would find a new vet as soon as possible. Here's a link to see if you have a cat hospital near you: https://catfrie.....fessional/.
I hope something here will help!!
Hugs
Holly, Purrkins, and Saxton in the sky 💫
💝💝💝
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