Cat Ouched

The Snark

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Out watering the garden when I hear cat meows. Took me a few minutes to realize it was our cat, Snit, escaped. He was over near the road. Came when called, limping, on three.
Not exactly happy, he went off into a corner and curled up. Ignored the other cats. Did eat and drink water though. Just sit by himself. I went over his leg thoroughly several times. No visible trauma. Palpation said no bones broken. Just minor swelling of radius and ulna area and the paw is turned in 45 degrees and unwilling to use that leg.

Still off that leg after 3 days so I took him to the vet this AM. X-ray revealed nothing. The vet and I were perplexed and we did a close methodical search of the leg from toes up. She took note of a dark dot at the elbow. Finally got out the scissors and razor. A blood dot from a puncture wound. No pus. No other trauma, no fur loss, no scratches.

So we shall see. Almost nothing in the books on localized cobra venom effects. Cat metabolism being miles apart from just about all other animals. Fingers crossed the paralysis isn't permanent. Lucky it only got a limb and only one fang.
 
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The Snark

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Let's call it the new fashion statement of the discerning feline reptile inspector.
No motor control or muscular response at and below the elbow. Holds the leg in this guarded position so some muscular control at the shoulder. Still lots of purr and very much enjoys lap sits.
 
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EtienneN

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Oh I bet he'd love a nice warm blanket out of the dryer to lay on! Hope he gets well soon!
 

The Snark

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Oh I bet he'd love a nice warm blanket
He is a nice warm blanket. It's unfortunate he has extremely oily skin and requires constant cat baths (licking) and he isn't all that diligent. So every place he frequents ends up looking like an eco disaster in an oil field.
 

The Snark

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Progress report.
Day 4. He started developing edema in the foot. Still quite laconic and somewhat apathetic. Gave him a full neuro workup as best I could, side to side comparison. Appears to retain some sensory nerve capability. Bite site has become fully visible as it heals, just below the elbow. The large muscle groups below the elbow appear to be fully paralyzed. No resistance to extension or flexion.
Day 6. Massaged foot vigorously yesterday and again this morning. Much less apathetic and cat typical doesn't want his foot being held so sensory nerves are functional. Bite appears to have been into the extensor carpi radialis and venom infiltrated the surrounding muscle groups. But today he is almost back to his obnoxious usual self and is moving about, taking interest in his surroundings. Eating, drinking and bodily functions otherwise appear normal. I am attributing the edema mostly due to lack of exercise and possibly some venous restriction, neurologically caused. I'm hoping that he replaces some of his usual romping about the house and getting up in my face time with attention to his personal hygiene .
 
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Crone Returns

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Let's call it the new fashion statement of the discerning feline reptile inspector.
No motor control or muscular response at and below the elbow. Holds the leg in this guarded position so some muscular control at the shoulder. Still lots of purr and very much enjoys lap sits.
Snit is really cute.
 

The Snark

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Well, 10 days on. Edema is reduced. No change whatever in the use of the forelimb. No motor control extensor or flexor below the shoulder. Otherwise, he's subdued but cheerful. Easy to cuddle purrs out of him. It's strange how much a cat gets knocked down from the loss of a limb. I've known numerous 3 and even a two legged dog that shrugged and went on with life.
He goes back to the vet tomorrow for a follow up and booster shot. I suppose him coming down with one of the FVRCP pile would be the extreme of insult to injury.
 

schmiggle

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I got nothing. I'll let you know if I have any ideas when it's not 1AM anymore.
 

The Snark

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Went to the vet fighting bleak despair. I've been responsible for way too many animals getting put down. Came back from the vet elated. Let Snit out of his carry basket on the way home and he quit whining and lounged on the back seat. As we got near the house his purring could be heard over the diesel engine.

An advantage of being in the orient. Western medicine has three schools for animals in Snit's condition. 1. Best to put it down. 2. See how much money can be milked out of the owner with a prolonged series of tests and therapeutic regimen. 3. Wait and see.
Oriental medicine adds a fourth choice. Had a long in depth discussion with the vet, sitting in her private office. I had extensive contact for a solid year, one session a week, with a person who had extensive nerve damage. The vet gave me the normal clinical, I gave the vet what that person and I went through during that year. The vet called an ortho doc and we had a 3 way video conference. Snit's elbow is developing a partial dislocation. No muscles holding things in place. The consensus we reached; deep tissue massage therapy, lots of forced exercise, and general massage, and we are all trying to smoke out a competent accupuncturist/accurpressurist and establish a rehab regimen. As long as Snit doesn't develop acute distress he can darn well bite the bullet and put up with our harassment.
The bottom line with nerve damage and repair is slow motion. Nerves can regrow, anywhere from one mm to 1.5 cm a month and then they have to be retrained if there are no existing nerves to pass along instructions. So the long haul. I feel good about this. Better by far than my bullet since the horse will never be of use to humans again philosophy.

I'll let you know if I have any ideas when it's not 1AM anymore.
Excuses excuses. :bored: The headwaters of feces creek is a cruel and treacherous expanse. Any navigational aid will be much appreciated.
 

mantisfan101

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C’mon, little buddy, you can make it!
Tell Snit that I said this, really hope he’ll pull theough
 

boina

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Sorry, I can't come up with anything either, but I admire your efforts @The Snark to get your cat better.

(I just want to add a - rather depressing - caveat: cats often purr when they are feeling really shitty and even when they are in a lot of pain (not applicable here!). It's a kind of self calming mechnism.)
 

The Snark

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Three weeks on. Not much improvement. Basically almost no voluntarily muscular reflexes. But, he's adapting. Getting about the house quite capably and jump up on tables and chairs once again. His demeanor - personality has altered pretty drastically, from obnoxious extrovert to cautious and subdued. But he did take time out to destroy another box so it's not all not fun and games.

On a different note, my friends and associates have been suggesting a new name for him. And from this has come one of the worst puns I've ever heard: Le fete de trois.
 

The Snark

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He's getting by. A much subdued personality which Gnarly, center, approves of. IE they are no longer at war.
 

The Snark

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I'm getting the suspicion Snit may no longer be operating on a full compliment of sprockets and gears. He is spending an inordinate amount of time staring vapidly into space instead of his usual explore and destroy mode.
@pannaking22 I think we might have a set of book ends here. Can't Potty and Dots Not Connecting.
 

Crone Returns

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I'm getting the suspicion Snit may no longer be operating on a full compliment of sprockets and gears. He is spending an inordinate amount of time staring vapidly into space instead of his usual explore and destroy mode.
@pannaking22 I think we might have a set of book ends here. Can't Potty and Dots Not Connecting.
Don't dis my Snitten! I'd bet you'd have no -uh- sprockets if you'd been chomped on by a cobra!
 

The Snark

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@pannaking22 Heads up... their rear ends. You too @Crone Returns . The experts have weighed in. Extensive series of neurological tests on Snit are in order. If marked improvement is not evidenced in X time frame, around 2 more months, they recommend amputation of the leg to offset possible orthopedic problems with his spine.
And, no chance, honeybunchers. He came to us having chosen us as worthy witnesses in his dance. I'm just not reading hacking limbs off as a part of our participation.
 

Crone Returns

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@pannaking22 Heads up... their rear ends. You too @Crone Returns . The experts have weighed in. Extensive series of neurological tests on Snit are in order. If marked improvement is not evidenced in X time frame, around 2 more months, they recommend amputation of the leg to offset possible orthopedic problems with his spine.
And, no chance, honeybunchers. He came to us having chosen us as worthy witnesses in his dance. I'm just not reading hacking limbs off as a part of our participation.
Why can't they make a crutch/brace/prosthesis for his leg? That should brace him so his spine won't get hurt?
 
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