My cat was hit by a car. What are her chances of recovery?

[VampireHeart82]

Hey, sorry it's been a while since I've been on. I have been really busy! We just had another check up yesterday morning and things are going good! Her colon is full but not impacted I have had her on stool softeners and am adding a little of that stuff made for hairballs that slicks up the intestinal track a little. We have not had any more bladder probs after that first bit of pink I saw the first week and she is emptying her bladder almost completely herself by grooming herself down there and then I help her finish. Her tail is still flaccid so it will probably stay that way. I am going to give her another 2-3 months and if there is still no nerve impulse improvement I will have it amputated. I can't believe it has already been a month and 1 week since her accident! It has gone by smoothly and the week she spend in the vet clinics seemed longer to me than the whole month at home!

[Jean]

WOW, Pandora is doing GREAT !!!!!!!!
Glad to hear she is able to urinate some on her own. She may very well get total bladder control back. But, if not she has an experienced mom who can help her. Pat yourself on the back. YOU have saved her life and given her a chance at a new life. /Jean
PS: Have you looked at the videos of "Poop on demand?" ( I'm terrible at posting links but someone will likely come along that can give you that link. ) I could give my paralyzed cats all the stool softener and hair ball medicine in the world but nothing can replace manually removing the stool. (Easy the stool down the colon and use the pinch method to move the stool through her rectum. ) It is so easy once you learn it. It will make it easier for her to produce urine as well as for you to express her bladder if you get that colon empty. Work this weekend to get that colon really small. The 2 areas of concern with pets and people with paralysis is bladder infections and bowel obstructions. Work to keep that colon as empty as possible every day so that the stool doesn't build up.

[critters]

My Koi, who was shot in the spine, eventually got about 3/4 of his tail function back; he dragged the tip most of the time, but it didn't matter.

Congrats on the improvement!

[VampireHeart82]

Thanks! I am still hopeing she will regain use. I love her tail and would hate to have it removed if not necessary. I have been trying to work on her colon this whole time but can't ever get it to move down. It does move down on its own and I do check her often. When ever one is at the end and ready to come out I take her to the bathroom and hold her cradled in my arm and gently squeeze on both sides of her rectom just under her tail and it always comes out but I can not get more to move down enough to come out and it doesn't come right down on its own. It takes a while I am hoping the Laxanip will help with that. Even with stool softeners her fecal matter is hard but it does keep on coming so as long as its moving I am happy. She is showing signs of feeling when I touch the base of her tail before the tail (in-between her injury and tail head) which she didn't before. Her rectom was flaccid after the accident but got some tone by the end of the first week. I am wondering if there are any sites that can give me an idea of how to tell if they are starting to have nerve repair. I have read so much online but I have yet to find a site that gives me an idea of what to look for. Or if anyone has an idea or two I would LOVE to hear it!!

Critters, we're you advised to have an amputation done on his tail? What kind of improvement did you start to notice and how long did it take? I know it's not the same kind of injury and every cat is different but I want all of the info I can get!!

[critters]

With Koi, and Buddy before him, I could just see more movement or more feeling in new places as time went by. Taking Koi's tail was mentioned, but not very strongly; that was the least of his problems.