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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Deva - refusing all food and difficult to give meds
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Member Since:
12 December 2013
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12 December 2013 - 10:13 pm
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Hello there

A new tripawds member, Deva had her right front leg amputated 2 days ago. She is not crying, but has never been very vocal. She will not eat or drink anything at all, and the Vet said I should give pain meds and antibiotics only with food. Have tried all the tricks in the book, and am very nervous about holding too tightly to force a pill into her mouth.

HELP! The wound also looks quite red, although it could be bruising. 

 

Aside from this, Deva is resting quietly, is successfully using her litter tray (although only no. 1!!) and purrs when I snuggle with her. Am I worrying too much?

p.s. will develop a proper blog when I have some time over the weekend...

Would appreciate any and all comments.

 

Thanks!

Treacy

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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13 December 2013 - 12:01 am
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Hi Treacy thank you so much for joining us here all the way from Australia! I saw Deva's pretty pic on our Facebook page the other day, what a gorgeous kitty.

As Kendi, Salem's momma, wisely suggested in the chat just now, the baby food trick just might be the thing to get her to eat. I sure hope so! And hopefully our other feline members will have more tips for you! As I mentioned I am cat-stupid but thankfully we have very wise cat mommas here who can help with some appetite and medication tips.

Sounds like she's doing great overall. There's never too much worrying, we've all been there, but I'll tell ya, I think she's doing great!

 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
27 November 2013
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13 December 2013 - 12:05 am
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Please don't worry too much!  Remember she just had a major surgery!  It's been a week and I am now giving Salem miralax as he too has only gone #1.  I know this is scary!  But give that baby food a shot and please please let me know if it helped at all.  Like I said you might have to give it in the syringe at first.  But that is ok too!  Good luck!!!!

<3 Kendi
Mommy of furbaby Salem Bynx
came to my home in 2007
Lost his leg due to cancer
Left us Dec 2013 :(

Twin Cities, Minnesota
Member Since:
6 March 2013
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13 December 2013 - 7:00 am
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First: Stay Calm! Two days is not that long. As others have said, she had major surgery, which can have all kinds of side effects. I've had surgeries before where I didn't eat for days, either (and I kept all my limbs after all of them, too :p). Plus, she's a cat. Cats can be...difficult. The fact that she's going potty is a good thing (don't trust her purring--cats purr when distressed, as well. OTOH, if she's not hiding or displaying avoidance behavior that's good :-) )

Anyway...all of my cats have four legs...but I do have experience with hunger-striking animals :p Our tripawd dog Sampson was notoriously picky, and one of our cats, Momo, is in renal failure, and last year after he came home form a long hospital stay during a crash, he had lost half his body weight and wouldn't eat ANYTHING (and when he's feeling bad, he will strike again).

Some things to try:

(Low-sodium) canned tuna, smooshed up finely. You might even just start with tuna water/juice (or even just pouring some of that on a little kibble).

As other have said, baby food. The hot dog or ham (or other meat flavoured) kind. You may have to thin it even more and let him drink it (also helps with constipation).

The absolute go-to food in our house when all else fails: Fancy Feast Classic (pate)...again, you may need to thin with water.

You can also mix the tuna water in with any of those.

Some more doggy ideas (but could be adapted): boiled hamburger or green tripe (I use Tripett) smashed up and liquidy (or just smashed up--some cats are weird about textures)

Some cats/dogs will eat Nurtical (a food supplement in a gel/paste form). none of mine will that I know of (well, at least not the sick ones. The fat healthy ones will pack it away, given the chance :D )

Basically, find something horrid and smelly. :D None of those things will be a "lifelong food" source, but the trick is just getting her to eat SOMETHING. As the old saying goes, eating tuna/fancy feast/hot dogs every day for a few weeks might not kill you...but not eating anything at all definitely will. Get teh routine of eating going again, even if it's just a tiny bit, and that is often all the help they need.

Some other things to consider:

Always have your food sessions be positive. They can sense your frustration. Maybe that means you simply get her to sniff some food, or to take a small lick of baby food. Be happy and excited...and let her rest for awhile. Come back in a bit.

She may have GI distress that is making her not want to eat...you can also ask your vet for sucralfate or try some pepcid or other over the counter remedy (get doseage info from your vet).

She may also have trouble swallowing/mouth issues (<--more of a CRF thing, but still possible), so a more liquid diet might be preferable. Any of the above meat slurries in a shallow saucer so she can drink them will get in calories AND fluids.

Speaking of bowls, you may have to change it up. Saucers, plates, shallow bowls, deep ones, raised dishes, dishes on the floor... cats are finicky creatures. It's weird how sometimes it's not the food, it's the presentation that matters :p

Try hand feeding--if you have a slurry, let her lick it off of your fingers. If it's more solid, like Fancy Feast, tuna, or tripe, etc., offer her tiny pieces at a time.

If it has been a LONG time, and she is not eating, you may have to syringe feed. (Some meds come this way too) It's not the greatest thing...but honestly, if they are feeling that bad, they don't offer a ton of resistance, so sometimes it's actually easier.

Good luck! I will post more if I think of something I forgot :-)

 

"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all."
-Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

"May I recommend serenity to you? A life that is burdened with expectations is a heavy life. Its fruit is sorrow and disappointment. Learn to be one with the joy of the moment."
-Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

New York, NY
Member Since:
3 December 2012
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13 December 2013 - 7:11 am
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Hello! I don't have much time to write and I'm on my phone right now so I'll check back in later but wanted to quickly let you know when Jill wasn't eating much on a chemo medicine she was in I did get her to slurp up the gravy in fancy feast gravy lovers. She wasn't too keen on eating the actual FOOD in the can but she slurped up every bit of the gravy! Also I know you're in oz so pain management might be a little different but if a pill is hard to give her maybe ask your vet for something given by liquid? Jill was in buprenex which is an oral syringe you just squirt in their mouths.

Hope this helps a little!

Xoxo,
Erica and kitty tripawd jill

Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo

Member Since:
12 December 2013
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13 December 2013 - 8:50 pm
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Wow - thanks everyone! After talking in the chat room yesterday, I bought some baby food, but she turned her nose up at that. Tried some warm chicken broth - which she usually goes crazy for...nope.

So this morning, I rang the vet. I bought some special A/D food so I can give the antibiotics crushed up and mixed with water- through a syringe. She absolutely HATED me doing that, but gotta be tough!

The best thing is a product called nutrigel - concentrated and I rubbed a bit on her gums. After a bit of tail flicking, she decided it was ok and has licked a few blobs off my finger.

About an hour later - I have managed to get her to eat a slice of ham cut up into pieces. YAY!!!

Appreciate all the advice and support. Whew, I think we are getting there :)

Virginia



Member Since:
22 February 2013
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13 December 2013 - 9:14 pm
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Deva is a beautiful girl! Lover her markngs!

Sounds like you're making progrss...SLOWLY, but SURELY!

Yo've gotten great advice from our kitty mo mas and from our "go to" source when our furbabies aren't eating. Sam's mom refused tolet him get away with not eating, and everyday she came up with so e new concoctions.

Keep us posted, okay. In the meantime, continue to focus onher victories as she's had some! Peeing! Resting comfortably! Walking! And, you got her meds in her! And ham too! YAAAAAAAAAAAY FOR ALL THOSE VICTORIES!!

Hang in tnere! It WILL get better!!

We are here withyu. You are not alone.

Hugs!

Sally and Hapoy Hannah

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!

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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13 December 2013 - 11:29 pm
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Oh what great news! I've never heard of Nutrigel, thanks for sharing that bit of info!

P.S. Thank you SO MUCH for becoming an official Tripawds Supporter ! We are honored by your gift to the community, thank you.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
12 December 2013
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14 December 2013 - 4:44 am
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jerry said
Oh what great news! I've never heard of Nutrigel, thanks for sharing that bit of info!
P.S. Thank you SO MUCH for becoming an official Tripawds Supporter ! We are honored by your gift to the community, thank you.

Are you kidding? Least I could do. It is me that is thanking YOU. Read your story today. Wow, I totally agree with your philosophy. Life can get hectic and crazy, and really it is all about making time for the important stuff. Thanks so much I feel like I have a wonderful support group here. p.s. got a bit blog crazy tonight...

ribbons
10
14 December 2013 - 7:50 am
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Please watch this video clip. I force fed rabbits for years and I was very impressed with this womans competence.

Hope it helps. I am not a cat expert, I am horribly allergic but I can vouch for her methods and tips.

 

Member Since:
12 December 2013
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15 December 2013 - 12:56 am
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thank you for the video. I have had to use the syringe to get the meds in. It takes a lot of patience. Now that I have a bit of a routine going, things are much better. I am working out how to crush up a tablet and add the least amount of liquid and a bit of something tasty to make it bearable. Yes, Kathy was very confident. That is half the battle cos cats absolutely know when you are stressing out! Deva had a big drink of water and ate some dry food this morning, not a lot, but I think she must be getting back on track.

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