Thoughts on Cat Injury(?)

[The Snark]

Update?

 

[pannaking22]

Update?

Beat me to it. Poor guy is still at the vet. Missus has been going in to visit him to try to help him feel better. He hasn't been eating much, still kind of shaky, and seems to be refusing to defecate (though he stared down the nurse he doesn't like while pissing right next to the litter box). They think him not going is in part because he's still in pain. Otherwise no sepsis or fever or anything like that, so it's really just waiting until he eats on his own and defecates before we can take him home again. He's been perking up and has been a purring machine whenever one of us comes in, plus he lays exclusively on the blanket we brought in for him.

I suspect he's not eating anything because he's in a cage in the back with dogs nearby. He doesn't eat or anything when he's anxious (he's already a fairly high anxiety cat), so I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that's at least part of the current issue.

 

[The Snark]

He hasn't been eating much, still kind of shaky, and seems to be refusing to defecate

I suspect he's not eating anything because he's in a cage in the back with dogs nearby.

After effects of general anesthesia commonly cause sluggish or impacted bowels. It can take a while for autonomic functions like peristalsis to kick back in. Sounds like you have a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. IMHO personally, I'd be up in the vets face demanding what exactly they can do that I can't that justifies the lack of TLC it would be getting at home in familiar surroundings. It's not a lab specimen and has fixed routines it likes to follow so how can this best be accommodated?

(I have played this buffet before, and play it on a regular basis with the human species as a part of my job. Average Jane/John is more or less trapped, having to take the word of medical professionals and the professionals are following morbidity reports and not taking into account the quirks, needs and desires of the patient and patient's family. Seek out a middle of the road like turning inpatient into outpatient.
Maybe the cat all comfy at home will be better off and can you be given the instructions and acquire the equipment to give the cat enemas, or if required, pack the cat back to the vet for them? This is an extremely common scenario with humans. Put 'cat enema' in your search engine.)

 

[pannaking22]

After effects of general anesthesia commonly cause sluggish or impacted bowels. It can take a while for autonomic functions like peristalsis to kick back in. Sounds like you have a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. IMHO personally, I'd be up in the vets face demanding what exactly they can do that I can't that justifies the lack of TLC it would be getting at home in familiar surroundings. It's not a lab specimen and has fixed routines it likes to follow so how can this best be accommodated?

That's exactly what the missus and I were talking about last night, so we're going to bring him home today. There's no need to keep stressing him out there. Bring him home, let him settle back into what he knows, and see where it takes him.

 

[pannaking22]

Little guy came home yesterday, so now he's just resting on his own turf. Still breathing really rapidly and hasn't defecated yet, but he's quite a bit more alert than he was before, keeping half an eye on us as we move around and looking to the window when a bird flies by. He's still being stubborn about the food though, so we're syringe feeding him, but he has started showing some interest in his normal food even if he isn't eating it yet. Maybe today he'll finally settle down enough to eat.

 

[Crone Returns]

Little guy came home yesterday, so now he's just resting on his own turf. Still breathing really rapidly and hasn't defecated yet, but he's quite a bit more alert than he was before, keeping half an eye on us as we move around and looking to the window when a bird flies by. He's still being stubborn about the food though, so we're syringe feeding him, but he has started showing some interest in his normal food even if he isn't eating it yet. Maybe today he'll finally settle down enough to eat.

I'd baby him with homemade turkey or chicken broth. About a week until he's more to himself. It's better to make homemade because the boughten stuff has too much salt. Little slivers of the meat. Maybe he needs babying. Keep a close watch on him. To me something doesn't feel right.

 

[The Snark]

To me something doesn't feel right.

Never discount empathy and gut feelings.

 

[pannaking22]

I'd baby him with homemade turkey or chicken broth. About a week until he's more to himself. It's better to make homemade because the boughten stuff has too much salt. Little slivers of the meat. Maybe he needs babying. Keep a close watch on him. To me something doesn't feel right.

Never discount empathy and gut feelings.

Looks like he was busy last night. He got most of his body bathed and he isn't breathing nearly as rapidly. He may have eaten a couple pieces of hard food as well. Urinated in the litter box as well, which was appreciated (he went next to it on Wednesday). Very perky this morning, flopping onto his back when we got up so he could get pets. He hasn't done that in a couple weeks, so that's a good sign.

We watered down some of his favorite wet food so we could syringe feed him last night. He wasn't super happy about it, but he didn't struggle nearly as much and it looks like it gave him some energy. When he walks around he's still not moving quickly (understandable since he probably lost some muscle mass with all of this), but he isn't staying low to the ground and his legs aren't buckling under him anymore. More babying certainly necessary, but it looks like he's slowly improving.

 

[pannaking22]

Update: we finally saw him eat some hard food. Only a few pieces, but him getting up and getting it himself is huge. Still waiting on a confirmation of him defecating, but it looks like he did that over the weekend as well while we were asleep or out running errands. Getting a little more energy each day, so now it's just forcing him to walk around a bit to start rebuilding muscle.

 

[The Snark]

How about another update?

 

[pannaking22]

How about another update?

Staples got removed from his stomach on Friday, so I think that all in itself is nice since he can more comfortably move about. He's been having issues making it to the litter box and has actually urinated on the couch a couple times, so the doctor ran a urinalysis and he has a bladder infection, so more drugs for him. But he's doing a good job staying hydrated and all his levels look good. Besides that though, he's definitely recovering, eating more frequently and getting some energy back. Today hasn't been a great day for him, but this is the first day he's been off of all painkillers in like 3 weeks, so he's probably feeling it a bit. He's lost a lot of weight throughout all of this, but hopefully he's truly on the up-and-up now.

 

[pannaking22]

Little guy just trying to relax today

 

[The Snark]

Little guy just trying to relax today

Hey guy! Rooting for you. This is how I relax. I just finished off another box. You need to try that. Great entertainment!

Going through the ancient mental archives to my orientation when I got the job as vet assistant in my college days. Essentially, 'Cats are stoic. Their nerves don't report to central like most other animals. All discomfort is pretty much the same. This also applies to their potty duties. They don't know how urgent things are, sometimes right up to the moment they start leaking'.

 

[pannaking22]

He's surprisingly non-destructive (as opposed to the new cat who likes nothing more than to tear around knocking things over and attacking the shoes), but I did catch his attention with the laser last night. He didn't go after it, but his pupils got massive and he watched it move around him. A good sign!

 

[pannaking22]

I guess a final update is in order for anyone still interested, he's made a full recovery and is tearing around like his crazy old self again. It took almost 3 months before he was moving off the couch consistently and from there it was just building up muscle and gaining weight again. It took about 5 months for him to get fully back to normal. Absolutely crazy ride, but we're happy he pulled through and is all better.

 

[Ellenantula]

I guess a final update is in order for anyone still interested, he's made a full recovery and is tearing around like his crazy old self again. It took almost 3 months before he was moving off the couch consistently and from there it was just building up muscle and gaining weight again. It took about 5 months for him to get fully back to normal. Absolutely crazy ride, but we're happy he pulled through and is all better.

SO happy for you guys and your sweet kitty! Love a happy ending!

 

[The Snark]

That news made my week. Sure was a long hard slog for you all.

 

[DARAPTOR]

That was an emotional rollercoaster for me