Tag: amputation

Well, last night wasn’t quite as easy as the night before. Not necessarily because of the amputation but because when I went to go to sleep Freya had somehow managed to extend herself across almost the full width of the mattress. So I was mostly contorted, but that is something we cat owners know about. She made some small growling noises in her sleep, which is not usual and I’ve noticed she has been making a few noises like that as she snoozes/sleeps. Not necessarily alarming but different. She was also wandering a bit and I notice it takes some time from when she wakes up to be confident getting around. I also find that I pretty much follow her everywhere she goes, even in the middle of the night, just to be sure she’s OK.  And you know what? She seems to be.

As for getting around, well, she has made the choice it seems. I think I was saying that I was thinking of opening the entire lower floor to her today? I went into the kitchen area and then back to where I have set her up and the door to the other room was opn – the room in which I have stored all the stuff she shouldn’t be near yet – like the cat tree and so on. It is a rabbit warren of boxes and stuff and there she was, lying in the spot of sun in the little bit of  clear floor space there was.

Then a little bit later on I was again in the kitchen (which was still off limits), and she navigated the barriers I had set, which must have involved her jumping on the bottom stair, and sauntered in as pleased as she could be into the kitchen. She went into the loungeroom and found a place to hide so I just let her do that.  I had to leave for an hour or so (dropping off that feral kitten) and so I contained her within that room leaving water, food and litter tray in there.

When I got back (verdict of kitten – definitely feral and too late for socialisation and we know what that means) she was on the lounge itself, curled up as cute as could be. I had left a little step to the lounge and wondered if she had used it, especially as she jumped down in one go a little while later. Well, I soon saw first hand that she did not. I was so pleased. The couch is one of our favourite places to be together and so when I was curled up there and she jumped up to join me, well I’m not ashamed to say I had a little moisture in my eyes (allergies? no, happiness). And a little while later she clambered up the long way (ie over the arm) and after a little bit of a ‘will she, won’t she’ balancing act, she was there!!  I am so so proud of my little trooper.

She has also tackled her favourite cat chair but it wobbled a bit and so she didn’t stay there long. I’ve fixed the wobble so her next attempt should be better.

As for the ongoing battle for antibiotics, she ate most (most is good) of the antibiotic laced liquid this morning so I’m quite pleased. I’ve gone and bought some straight tuna in springwater and I take the liquid from that and mix it with a broth you can buy in individual sachets. to make a liquid and smelly concoction within which an antibiotic liquid can hide. This evening she again managed to eat most of the antibiotic mix, although I have to follow her around with the bowl, which must look a bit funny. But only 3 more days of antibiotics to go and then I can relax about her food (and start tackling her weight as tripods need to be reasonably svelte and Freya will need to lose some weight).

Pain does not seem to be an issue at the moment. Of course that is with all the caveats of cats being good at hiding pain.  The dose seems to be right (once a day liquid dose) and she is moving around quite freely.

Her incision is looking fine, no discharge, no swelling and so far no worries. Fingers crossed and double crossed that all is well there (she is a good healer – her recovery from the biopsy was a source of some joy to the vet) and continues well. I just compared it to the photo from Day 1 and it already looks better, marginally better of course, but hopefully not my imagination.

I think I might leave the e-collar on until tomorrow afternoon as I will be going to work in the morning for a few hours.  But she is OK with it for the most part although she bumps it when wants to rub against things – but she can sleep in it quite well and eat in it so I’m pretty fine with that. It’s a bit pathetic when she wants to lick her side but she forgets shortly (I read somewhere that cats are very much of the now and that seems to be very true).

And so Day 3 after amputation draws to a close and Freya is with me on the couch as I type away with a movie on in the background (Seabiscuit for those who may want to know).  It’s so like the way things normally are that the tight feeling in my chest that has been there since her diagnosis is beginning to relax. Not gone you understand, it probably won’t be gone until her incision is healed, and possibly only then minimised, as I know I need to remain vigilant, but it will be so much better.

ETA: A word on elimination. Freya has been weeing no worries and her balance is fine (the e-collar is the greater hindrance I think) and she did a solid elimination on Day 2 ie yesterday. Nothing so far today but I’ve mostly been giving her liquid food  to hide the pain killer and more importantly the antibiotics so possibly that is the cause. I’ll give her some more solid food before bed.

Today Freya managed to get around some more, she had a solid movement (oh joy) and has taken her required doses of painkiller and antibiotics.  The antibiotics in particular feel like a win – she doesn’t take them orally at all well and so I sneak them into some of her food (strong smelling fish broth) and for the most part she eats it. She sometimes stops and there is still food there and so I follow her around with the bowl, tilting it for her and after several impassioned pleas to be a good girl, she eats it all. I just hope that it continues this way for the next four days.

She slept well last night, sharing the mattress I moved downstairs into the room she is recuperating in. I managed to sleep quite well too. She has stuck quite close and usually is lying next to me as I read or type. I just had to move then to avoid having her sit on the laptop, or walk across it, as is her wont. I kept an eye on movements to see when I should give the next dose of painkiller – once a day is the recommendation but if need be I would move it up a few hours, but she did well. When I did notice the start of some discomfort I dosed her up (in food) and she settled.

She really doesn’t like the Cone of Shame and that almost causes as much trouble for her moving around as the loss of her leg does. It came off the first day and I did keep a watch and unfortunately she did start to lick the incision site so I put it back on. She just them managed to remove the soft cloth at the back of it, but it has stayed put. I think I might remove it tomorrow afternoon and observe her actions again. I would remove it tomorrow morning but I have to take a feral kitten in to the RSPCA and she will have to be left alone for the hour or two that will take.

That’s a whole other story. Suffice to say that on top of worrying and caring for Freya, a mother cat and six kittens turned up in my yard four days ago and after some feeding I got one of the kittens tonight and have placed it in a cage. It was not pleasant and I’m thinking that I might see if I can get a humane trap from the RSPCA but it seems like such an unnecessary complication in my life right now. I want to be focusing on Freya and her recovery but instead I’m having to spend time trying to work out how to deal with a feral cat situation! Part of me wants to just ignore it but I know someone has to take responsibility at some time.

I’ve also been doing some thinking about the incision as I got feedback that internal sutures without any external ones is a bit unusual. I know most of the photos I’ve seen are of staples and the length of the incision seem so long but Freya’s is about the length of my hand and looks quite … well, smart isn’t the word, but quite neat I think. I’m not sure if this is an Australian thing but my vet said he was old fashioned and didn’t use staples. He also made the call to make them internal and I’m guessing that was so she didn’t need to go back to get stitches out – she would probably have to be sedated and that would be unnecessarily harsh for her so soon after this procedure. He’s been a brilliant vet, and I feel quite lucky.

There also appears to be a different approach to amputation overall here (or at least at my vet) as Freya was only in overnight and back home the next day (the vet said I could have taken her home the next morning and that would have been less than 24 hours) and she is only taking pain killers once a day. I know from some of the other blogs that it can be days at the vet and the pain management regime seems quite intensive.  But Freya doesn’t appear to be in pain (no head to floor posture, etc that can sometimes be the only indicator) and she is currently lying on the incision, so I am making an assumption she is not in pain.

Freya has begun to want to investigate more and it was all I could to stop her sneaking in to try the stairs! I’m glad she’s feeling that way, but I’d like her a bit more stable before she tries the stairs. I am however thinking that I might open the bottom of the house to her tomorrow. I’ll have to go through and shift some of her favourite jumping places, and place some assists (small boxes) to the couch but that should be fine.

So, Day 2 is drawing to a close and it has been a good day.

Well, I’m calling it Day One. Day One After Amputation.

Today, 21 December 2012, I picked Freya up at the vet’s in the afternoon. After a hefty bill was paid (come on down pet insurance people!! Show me the money!! Wait – mixed metaphors there – who cares!) and pain killer prepared and antibiotics obtained (liquid form please) I see her.

She’s in a cage. She has a Cone of Shame. She is so pleased to see me!! I am so pleased to see her too! She’s moving around. Woops, bit unsteady there. Oh no, there it is. Not so bad really. Feel relieved. FYI, my vet used internal sutures, no staples, immeasurably less confronting.

I pick her up – it’s so quick there’s no time to wonder about right way and wrong way, she’s just in my arms. Then carry her to the carrier, she practically lunges at the thing. I think I actually got a face full of absent leg as she clambours in.

Back home and out she gets, weaving and listing,  into the luxuriously appointed recuperation room (the front room I use as a sort of library). I spent the last two nights clearing out obstacles and moving in a mattress for me and boxes for her, and decorating it appropriately.

It’s also Xmas and instead of heading home to Taree to my Mum’s, I’ll be here with the cat (don’t worry, I will be temporarily adopted for Xmas dinner). So I made the house a bit more festive and the recuperation room positively glows with candles (battery operated tea lights), crystals, flowers, colourful throws and beautiful pictures. It’s to be my home too for a few days (possibly longer as my bedroom is upstairs and that is where she normally sleeps, and I’m not sure how long until stairs are OK) and it needs to be beautiful and uplifting. The stuff I’ve read said make it dark and quiet and calm, keep her confined and all that, but I also chose to make it beautiful and inspiring.

She wanders slowly, listing to one side, staggering almost. Her front paws are a bit awkward as she lies down then gets up again. But lying down seems to cause no concern. Of dear, the Cone of Shame came off. Watch and observe if she licks the wound …. back goes the cone of shame (not agreeable to Freya at all).

She sees me prepare some food, lots of miaowing in agreement. Woofs it down, liquid pain killer and all – cone a challenge. The vet said she hadn’t eaten while she was with them, so really pleased to see that. She hasn’t gone to the kitty litter tray yet, which may pose a challenge.

Realise I need to give her some anitbiotics. Prepare the syringe and rapidly find out the ‘arrangement’ she and I had come to after her first surgery is null and void as the cone prevents me grabbing her by the scruff on the neck and prising  open her mouth. Dang. Darn. Drat. Review her known eating habits (all food fair game) and think if I hide it in some smelly tuna/broth then she might take it that way. Successs!!!

Right now? I’m creating posts on my laptop while lying stomach down on the mattress and Freya has taken up one of her favourite positions, curled up between my legs. Euphoria. Bliss. Contentment. Hope.

Bring on Day Two.