Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all,
Woke up early to find a cat with a newly raw incision and a broken collar...Called the vet, where the receptionist charmingly told me that there was absolutely nothing they could do, since Mom's at work and I'm currently carless. Tape was their best advice. I emailed them pictures and told them to show them to my vet, who was adamant that we should call him if we had any questions,if we had any concerns, etc... Hmmph!
Here, have a picture.
And the incision....
The stitches held, but between the stitches is raw.
I don't understand how he could have done this... I don't think I could, and I weigh roughly 13 times his weight.
So, here are my questions for all you tripawd aficionados:
Have you ever heard of an eight-pound cat breaking his collar like this?
Do you think Gorilla Tape would help the situation, or due to its solid opacity just make him angrier at the cone? It'd only be on there for another night, he is *supposed* to get the stitches off tomorrow?
Do the stitches look like they're splitting open, or just raw? In your non-vet experience, do you think this means I will be having another week of this hell?
I want to thank you all. I guarantee I'd be insane without this community.
It just looks a little raw to me, like he's been licking it. If he's supposed to get them out tomorrow I would think the incision is mostly healed by now. My Jake split a couple of his open and we took him to the emergency vet. They said to just let it be because there are usually a second set of stitches underneath.
I thought those cones were pretty pliable, he must've been on a mission! I'm not sure I'd even worry about putting it back on him if he gets to have it off tomorrow and you're home with him.
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Now that is one determined kitty!! But we already know this kitty has more spunk than most!
Okay, not a vet...vut I agree with Elizabeth, it just looks more "raw and irriated" than anything else.
In my non vet opinion, I would stay away from gorilla tape!
Some kitty owners get baby onesies and put them on to help protect the incision. I would try that or rigging up some sort of "clothing" to cover it.
I u derstsnd your frustration of not being able ro get last the "front desk" to speak with the vet. I had thst same scenario with Happy Hannah's Onco. Yeah, "call me anytime...and good luck on getting through to me..eh...eh..."!
Hang in there...recovery doesn't last forever!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
lol well, he showed you, didn't he!
I would try putting a little bit of triple antibiotic ointment on it and then spray some bitter apple on it. You can buy that at any pet store. It keeps them from licking and works well. Maybe try putting a baby t-shirt on to cover the incision.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
elizabeth said
It just looks a little raw to me, like he's been licking it. If he's supposed to get them out tomorrow I would think the incision is mostly healed by now. My Jake split a couple of his open and we took him to the emergency vet. They said to just let it be because there are usually a second set of stitches underneath.I thought those cones were pretty pliable, he must've been on a mission! I'm not sure I'd even worry about putting it back on him if he gets to have it off tomorrow and you're home with him.
Elizabeth-
I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but all of your babies (angels and otherwise) are darling. The black fellow reminds me of my dearly beloved Emma girl, a golden retriever. Mr. Tuxedo is dapper and the little fellow on the right might have more fashion sense than I do!
He was on a mission. This whole experience has taught me what a resourceful and focused little bugger Murphy is. Strange how an eight-pound but very intelligent cat can cause more mayhem around the house (with one less leg than he's used to) than my thirty-pound Corgi can. Admittedly, the corgi is slightly less intelligent and a great deal more lazy. Emma could cause a lot of mayhem around the house but she was eighty pounds and, in her day, quick as a whip. She would open my bedroom door and steal a stuffed animal when I was little, causing me to scream around the house trying to rescue it from the slobber. Fun times. But this cat--Jeez! How did he possibly figure that out? That's thick, pliable plastic.
I fixed it with a great deal of duct tape. It's ugly, but it'll do until tomorrow. I almost want to take the tape off and frame it to show what a genius he is for figuring out how to rip it open. A nice conversation starter, I suppose.
Thanks,
Veronica and Murphy
benny55 said
Now that is one determined kitty!! But we already know this kitty has more spunk than most!Okay, not a vet...vut I agree with Elizabeth, it just looks more "raw and irriated" than anything else.
In my non vet opinion, I would stay away from gorilla tape!Some kitty owners get baby onesies and put them on to help protect the incision. I would try that or rigging up some sort of "clothing" to cover it.
I u derstsnd your frustration of not being able ro get last the "front desk" to speak with the vet. I had thst same scenario with Happy Hannah's Onco. Yeah, "call me anytime...and good luck on getting through to me..eh...eh..."!
Hang in there...recovery doesn't last forever!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Sally,
Determined is one word for it, that's for sure...
I decided to use some advice I got days ago on here from someone (don't remember who but if you're reading this, thanks!) to swaddle him. I had to look up swaddling videos and though he hated it for a few seconds, he quickly fell into a deep, purring sleep. I used the gorilla tape on his cone and it's now industrial strength. I guess my sleep-deprived brain didn't make it clear--I was only going to use the gorilla tape on the cone, not the kitty. That would've been quite an experience... I think tonight I'm going to set alarms for every hour so that then I can get up and check on him, see if he's being tricky.
The onesies would work better if he was a front-leg amputee, I think. He would be very cute in one but I can't quite see him being able to use the potty in one. Maybe some sort of scarf wrapped around him would work, with enough room so he could go potty? Although if a heavy plastic cone can't hold him, fabric probably won't either... I'm going to call him mewdini now.
I'm feeling so done with vets. In this case I think it's more the vets' office than him, buuuuttt.....
Thanks so so much,
Veronica and Murphy
I nave to commend you for keeping your sense of humore during all this!
Mewdini is quite the character! ,This cat is just not going to comply with anything he doesn't want to!
I had to laugh...I did think you were thinking of putting Gorilla Tape over the incision!! Yes!! I just admitted that!!! A d I'm not the one sleep deprived!!
Murphy, you are something else! Be a good boy and let your momma get some sleep, okay!!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!
I also wasn't sure where Veronica was considering putting the Gorilla tape.... Desperate times call for desperate measures.
After Mona's operation I only got to visit her at the clinic because she was going home with the vet. They brought her in to me all swaddled up in blankets, still hooked up to an IV. I felt like I was presented with a newborn!
I want to show you Mona's surgical site the day after the surgery:
It looks to me that Murphy's stitches are further apart but as someone said there is likely another layer of stitches. I'm sure you're keen to get the stitches out and the collar off but ensure that it has healed enough so you don't have any problems later.
The area is probably itchy for Murphy but you can sooth it with a damp facecloth. Mona never wore a collar. I'm not sure why some cats fuss with the stitches and others don't. If I saw Mona go to scratch the area I'd just drape the facecloth on her and she'd stop.
Hope you sleep well and Murphy is ready to get the stitches out tomorrow.
Kerren and Tripawd Mona
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