Cat: broken pelvis+tail, eating+pee+poo problems, I'm scared
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:07 pm
Our MC boy (8 months) got out of our cat-proofed (hah) garden on Thursday pm, and disappeared for two days. He dragged himself home at Sat. midnight, in dreadful pain. We immediately took him to the emergency vet, who said he'd been hit by a car. X-rays showed a fractured and bent pelvis, and gaps where his tail vertebrae should be attached at the top of the pelvis. They put him on pain meds, catheter, etc. and kept him in for observation. We brought him home on Mon, along with half a ton of meds: Meloxicam, Lactulose, Bethanechol, Diazepam. We were told the prognosis was very poor.
Eating problem: On Mon.pm he ate quite happily, ditto Tues.am. We then started with the Bethanechol (but not the Diazepam), at which point he refused to eat. As soon as he smelled food, he would start to salivate, and then barf. I gave him water via syringe (although water is available, our cats don't drink it, just spread it around all over the floor and paddle), and waited for things to settle down. They didn't, he just lost a lot of weight. Wed.pm I started assisted feeding with a syringe, he doesn't love it but puts up with it. He still barfs, and not much goes down. I spoke to our vet and we took him off the Bethanechol today (Thurs). I pray this is the cause of him not wanting to eat. Our cats are raw-fed, and normally Raz is a real pig.
Questions:
- how long will it take the Bethanechol to leave his system?
- are we doing him a great disservice in taking him off it?
- does anyone have experience with this drug causing nausea?
- do other cats with this type of injury refuse to eat?
Pee problem: Raz seems to know when he needs a pee, and gets very agitated (it doesn't leak at all). He insists on repeatedly squatting in his litter box, despite the pelvic pain. I've read so much about expressing, studied every pic and x-ray I can find on google images, been back to the vet several times for lessons (he's a lousy teacher), and still can't do it. Raz will not lie on his side, he will only lie on his tummy, and even then my husband has to scruff him. His tummy muscles get very tense, and finding the bladder seems impossible. I did find it once and got two great squirts going, but not since - I don't think he has one any more. He's now very cross about the whole thing, and as soon as I put my hand on his tummy he growls, hooks my hand really hard (ouch!) gets up and walks off. Because of the pelvic damage I can't use one hand around his spine, I've been trying to express him using only one hand. If his hip area is even touched, he cries. Things are getting worse, not better.
Questions:
- can I damage or hurt Raz in my rubbish attempts to express him? I've read that urine can get forced back up to the kidney!
- does his bladder really need to be completely emptied, or is it good enough to just get some out?
- how will I know if he has an UTI?
- how much time do I have to learn in, before UTI becomes a real danger?
- is it usual for cats with this damage to know that they need to pee? The vet was amazed, and said it was a very good sign.
Poo problem: our cats normally poo every couple of days, and the stool is small, firm, fairly dry and very low-odour. The vet gave Raz an enema on Tues. as he was concerned the old poo had been in his system for too long. Nothing whatsoever has arrived since then. We haven't used the Lactulose yet.
Questions:
- should I assume that because the nerves controlling his bladder sphincter are damaged, the poo-controlling ones are too?
- will peristalsis still move the stool along the intestine?
- although he's not eating much, should the stool still arrive?
- how can I tell if he's constipated? I've tried to feel his tummy, but can't feel anything much.
- should I just use the Lactulose, or wait to see if I need to?
- has anyone experience of using ground flax seeds instead of Lactulose?
- given that he doesn't really drink water, would using Lactulose cause dehydration?
Raz is a beautiful boy, very affectionate, superbly healthy, delightful temperament (if a bit on the lazy side). He's very happy to lie in his new soft bed in whatever room we are in, he purrs whenever we talk to him or stroke him. His brother is quite puzzled why he won't come and play. I'm desperate to do the right thing, he's a real fighter, and I'm terrified that my inadequacies will lose him his life. This forum has been a godsend and a real mine of information, and I thank all who post to it.
Eating problem: On Mon.pm he ate quite happily, ditto Tues.am. We then started with the Bethanechol (but not the Diazepam), at which point he refused to eat. As soon as he smelled food, he would start to salivate, and then barf. I gave him water via syringe (although water is available, our cats don't drink it, just spread it around all over the floor and paddle), and waited for things to settle down. They didn't, he just lost a lot of weight. Wed.pm I started assisted feeding with a syringe, he doesn't love it but puts up with it. He still barfs, and not much goes down. I spoke to our vet and we took him off the Bethanechol today (Thurs). I pray this is the cause of him not wanting to eat. Our cats are raw-fed, and normally Raz is a real pig.
Questions:
- how long will it take the Bethanechol to leave his system?
- are we doing him a great disservice in taking him off it?
- does anyone have experience with this drug causing nausea?
- do other cats with this type of injury refuse to eat?
Pee problem: Raz seems to know when he needs a pee, and gets very agitated (it doesn't leak at all). He insists on repeatedly squatting in his litter box, despite the pelvic pain. I've read so much about expressing, studied every pic and x-ray I can find on google images, been back to the vet several times for lessons (he's a lousy teacher), and still can't do it. Raz will not lie on his side, he will only lie on his tummy, and even then my husband has to scruff him. His tummy muscles get very tense, and finding the bladder seems impossible. I did find it once and got two great squirts going, but not since - I don't think he has one any more. He's now very cross about the whole thing, and as soon as I put my hand on his tummy he growls, hooks my hand really hard (ouch!) gets up and walks off. Because of the pelvic damage I can't use one hand around his spine, I've been trying to express him using only one hand. If his hip area is even touched, he cries. Things are getting worse, not better.
Questions:
- can I damage or hurt Raz in my rubbish attempts to express him? I've read that urine can get forced back up to the kidney!
- does his bladder really need to be completely emptied, or is it good enough to just get some out?
- how will I know if he has an UTI?
- how much time do I have to learn in, before UTI becomes a real danger?
- is it usual for cats with this damage to know that they need to pee? The vet was amazed, and said it was a very good sign.
Poo problem: our cats normally poo every couple of days, and the stool is small, firm, fairly dry and very low-odour. The vet gave Raz an enema on Tues. as he was concerned the old poo had been in his system for too long. Nothing whatsoever has arrived since then. We haven't used the Lactulose yet.
Questions:
- should I assume that because the nerves controlling his bladder sphincter are damaged, the poo-controlling ones are too?
- will peristalsis still move the stool along the intestine?
- although he's not eating much, should the stool still arrive?
- how can I tell if he's constipated? I've tried to feel his tummy, but can't feel anything much.
- should I just use the Lactulose, or wait to see if I need to?
- has anyone experience of using ground flax seeds instead of Lactulose?
- given that he doesn't really drink water, would using Lactulose cause dehydration?
Raz is a beautiful boy, very affectionate, superbly healthy, delightful temperament (if a bit on the lazy side). He's very happy to lie in his new soft bed in whatever room we are in, he purrs whenever we talk to him or stroke him. His brother is quite puzzled why he won't come and play. I'm desperate to do the right thing, he's a real fighter, and I'm terrified that my inadequacies will lose him his life. This forum has been a godsend and a real mine of information, and I thank all who post to it.