Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My little cat, Wubba, had her front left leg and shoulder blade removed nearly 5 weeks ago. The stitches came out 3 weeks ago but she still has little weeping holes. I'm terrified they'll never dry up and heal. Has anyone had experience of such a prolonged healing time?
Hi Wubba and Mom, welcome. Your future posts won't require approval.
Five weeks is a long time but I know you're not the only one who's ever dealt with this, and things will heal up. Have you shown this issue to your vet? If so what is their plan?
Is there any odor coming from the area? Is it hot, or does it look infected?
How come Wubba needed her leg amputated? How is she doing otherwise?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you for the welcome. Wubba was a rescue cat who came with a paw wound which never healed, started to swell and, despite antibiotics and opening it up to try to find the problem, the paw just got more and more swollen and ruptured. The decision was made that it'd be kinder to remove the leg.
The wound was very scabby but I got some Dermisol and when the scabs peeled off the wound looked quite healthy and pink but along the suture lines there are little holes still weeping fluid. The fluid was milky so the vet prescribed antibiotics which I'm 2 days into.
Not sure whether to keep the wound covered with nappy cream or to keep it dry. Any advice welcome.
Wubba is so lucky to find you! Can't wait to see some pics, here's how to add them.
It makes sense that he would have trouble healing, after all he's been through a lot and already had a weakened immune system. I would give the a/bs time to work, how long do you have to give them?
As far as the incision, go with what your vet says about covering it and using a cream or not. I would check on that. Most times, vets say don't put anything on there and leave it uncovered so air can dry it out. We recently found a product called Vetericyn that may also help with healing but again, check with your vet first and let us know what s/he says.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Welcome. I can't add much about the weeping except that I do know Vetericyn is a good product but like Jerry states ask your vet before you put something on there. They might just to let it drain the infection out from the inside out and not have that close up and cause more problems.
Michelle & Angel Sassy
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."
Update on Wubba. The vet prescribed a powerful antibiotic - Veraflox (UK). 2 days into the course the wound broke down and opened up to the raw viscera underneath. I couldn't believe it! I took her back to the vet who said to persevere with the course but this didn't sound right to me and I took the hard decision to consult another surgery. They believed it could be Candida overtaking the wound as a result of the antibiotic. To cut a long story short, we are washing twice daily with antifungal shampoo and dosing with Itraconazole. still using the antibiotics as the wound is open. The vet thinks it will take some time to heal gradually so fingers crossed for little Wubbsie. I had thought she would have to be PTS but the vet has seen a dog with a fist size wound that took 6 months to heal.
Oh no! Well I'm SO glad you went on your instinct and saw another vet. Just something to consider, you might want to check out the possibility of MRSA and mention that to this new vet. How much time are they going to give it? I would be very alert to any major changes and not let it go 6 months. I'm really sorry! How is she doing otherwise?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Somehow, I have missed this until today. actually I was out of town with no internet when it first went up. I don't want to scare you, but call your vet and DEMAND a wound culture! it takes just a few minutes and will tell your vet exactly what is going on. Is Wubba running a fever, lethargic, off her food? Any of these can point to infection. I am a bit overbearing on the MRSA
thing, but after what I went through to get TY diagnose, I feel entitled
. His treatment wound up being wound debridement and an injectable antibiotic for 2 weeks. They had kept changing antibiotics on him all the while, I was asking, could it be MRSA
, please check. Keep on them, the culture would tell them exactly what is going on. Keep us posted, Lori and Ty
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Thanks for your posts. I did query MRSA but she is fine in herself; eating well, cheerful etc and the vet said that the antibiotic she is on would be the one to treat MRSA if present. I do see improvement in the wound. It's now not as deep and is rising to the level of the surrounding skin which is encouraging. Her paw that never healed was lab tested and had significant amounts of Candida also so I think she may be prone to this.
I will be keeping your comments in mind as the days go on 
I hope your little Wubba is getting better each day, and healing well. I don't know much about this problem with a possible infection, but just wanted to check in and send some healing thoughts to her and you.
Hope she continues on a path to complete recovery soon.
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Thank you for all your good wishes and positive thoughts. I'm pleased to report that Wubba's wound is now almost healed, with just a little way to go now. The skin is pink and healthy and there is no swelling. Her skin started to get irritated by the antifungal shampoo so I switched to using clotrimazole cream (for athlete's foot) and it has worked.
If anyone else experiences wound breakdown in the future, please think of candida as well as the other pathogens mentioned, especially if preceeded by a course of antibiotics.
She's now active, happy and mischievous again. Unfortunately she will worry at the remaining wound if we take the come off before it's totally healed so she is still cone-bound!
I will post pics once she has her cone off.
Oh that is fantastic news!!! Thanks for the update. Just curious but if you're interested in writing a guest blog post about your experience that would be soooo helpful to other pawrents, we would love to add to the info in our blog about wound care. If you want to write one let me know via PM.
Yay Wubba & you, what a team!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
WOW! Just caught up on this!!!
GREAT UPDATE!!! So glad al k is well now!!! You are indeed a wonderful advocate!!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle
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!
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