Hi - I started out on the paralysis topic because my cat is paralysed in rear legs. Had some really good advice from you all there which I followed. Saw my vet yesterday to 'learn' bladder expression. He did it - typical scenario when someone teaches you. I'm useless at learning like that. Have now read everything everyone's written on here and printed out/viewed more than 3 diagrams/xrays etc. 24 hours later and I am really, really depressed. Its turned into the worst (and seemingly most hopeless!) challenge of my life. Don't want to wake up tomorrow morning.
She's quite chubby at the moment. When she had a kidney infection my vet said she was 'terribly thin'. I started feeding her up at that stage and obviously she's not as active. I guess, judging by the comment from the person with the thin cat and long fingers (! - mine are short and stubby!) that this helps?
What oh, what can I do. The whole thing seems so life or death - although I know I can encourage her to pee (not actually empty her bladder) by other methods. Just that I have to do that more frequently.
Has anyone else had this problem? I feel so stupid that I can't help her - and she's always been quite a cross cat (though very loving when you do the things SHE likes!) so she's not that patient with me unless I have her lieing on her side in the sun.
Any suggestions?
Can't find her bladder!
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GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily
- Posts: 5011
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:00 pm
- Location: St. Helena Island, SC
Re: Can't find her bladder!
It's okay, and it will get easier, I promise 
Don't be so hard on yourself. You are absolutely doing the best for her that can be done...
YOu are a little panicked right now, but things will get easier, when you build some confidence. When you are so scared she will pick up on it and may not be as 'cooperative' as you would like.
Here's a link to an article:
How to Express:
http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/express.htm
Fortunately, I don't have a critter (sorry critters) that needs expressing, but there are a ton here who do, who will be by shortly.
Don't be so hard on yourself. You are absolutely doing the best for her that can be done...YOu are a little panicked right now, but things will get easier, when you build some confidence. When you are so scared she will pick up on it and may not be as 'cooperative' as you would like.
Here's a link to an article:
How to Express:
http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/express.htm
Fortunately, I don't have a critter (sorry critters) that needs expressing, but there are a ton here who do, who will be by shortly.
Karen, Andy's ^i^ mom
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Every one of us panicked at the beginning.
Do you use **closed fists** to try to push on the bladder? (Don't forget to remove any faceted rings so you don't cut into the abdomen.) That helped me with my doxie who is about the size of a large cat. My dog was also overweight when I started expressing during his paralysis. I'm now 1 1/2 years into expressing.
We really sympathize with your pain. It is terrifying the first few days to weeks until you gain some confidence. Keep trying. It may take some practice. If you are *really scared*, you can ask the vet for antibiotics until you are confident at expressing. This would help your kitty avoid a UTI- bladder infection.
Dianne
Do you use **closed fists** to try to push on the bladder? (Don't forget to remove any faceted rings so you don't cut into the abdomen.) That helped me with my doxie who is about the size of a large cat. My dog was also overweight when I started expressing during his paralysis. I'm now 1 1/2 years into expressing.
We really sympathize with your pain. It is terrifying the first few days to weeks until you gain some confidence. Keep trying. It may take some practice. If you are *really scared*, you can ask the vet for antibiotics until you are confident at expressing. This would help your kitty avoid a UTI- bladder infection.
Dianne
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Cathy,
It took me 4 months to really start to get the hang of expressing Waffles bladder. Please don't get depressed, you will figure it out! My vet taught me how to catheter my male dog Waffles and I think I actually used that as a crutch because I did not go to totally expressing Waffles until a year went by and he got his first infection. I forget if it was Critters or Bendy that said this but I would agree that you have to press a lot harder then you probably are doing. It took me a really long time to find the "balloon" that is the bladder that everyone was talking about. Just try to relax, someone here gave me the advice of closing my eyes and just trying to find the bladder really feeling around with my hands. You almost have to capture the bladder between your hands then apply the pressure. When you squeese just in the right spot the urine will come out. Waffles bladder moves around a lot. When I finally located it I tried pressing at the top and front of the bladder. In other words try to push the urine out the direction it would normally flow out on its own, if that makes sense. Another thing is when Waffles bladder wasn't very full it was really hard to find his bladder. So if you can not find Spice's bladder give it a little time and try again. If the whole day goes by and you have no luck then definitely do what ever works to stimulate her to go. Getting out some of the urine is better then none. At least her bladder will not be getting all stretched out. Also don't be shy about asking your vet to help you. If your vet is close by then just make appointments for everyday to go over expressing. You try it first then have your vet empty Spice's bladder if you can not. The bladder thing is truly the hardest part of having a paralyzed pet. Anyone here will tell you that. Waffles was on a preventative antibiotic for the first year while I was cathetering him. Maybe your vet would consider doing that for Spice for a couple of weeks while you are learning how to express her. Just some ideas and thoughts based on my experiences with Waffles. Honestly Cathy, I never thought I would figure out how to express the bladder. Now it is almost easy. You can do this and don't feel stupid about asking us over and over again for help. We all understand and went through the same thing in the beginning!!! Do not hesitate to ask your vet for help. That is what their job is to help people take care of their animals. There is a huge community of people taking care of their special needs animals. It is time that vets get on board and start working with their clients with there special needs pets (of course there are some that are on board). You be a trail blazer over there in Ireland. If you can work through this I am sure that your vet will never be so quick to recommend putting down an animal the next time someone comes in with a paralyzed pet. Also remember that it has only been 2 months, it is very early in the healing stage of a spinal cord injury. No one can really say for sure if Spice will walk again. Don't give up, it does get easier! Keep coming back. (sorry this is so rambling) Beth
It took me 4 months to really start to get the hang of expressing Waffles bladder. Please don't get depressed, you will figure it out! My vet taught me how to catheter my male dog Waffles and I think I actually used that as a crutch because I did not go to totally expressing Waffles until a year went by and he got his first infection. I forget if it was Critters or Bendy that said this but I would agree that you have to press a lot harder then you probably are doing. It took me a really long time to find the "balloon" that is the bladder that everyone was talking about. Just try to relax, someone here gave me the advice of closing my eyes and just trying to find the bladder really feeling around with my hands. You almost have to capture the bladder between your hands then apply the pressure. When you squeese just in the right spot the urine will come out. Waffles bladder moves around a lot. When I finally located it I tried pressing at the top and front of the bladder. In other words try to push the urine out the direction it would normally flow out on its own, if that makes sense. Another thing is when Waffles bladder wasn't very full it was really hard to find his bladder. So if you can not find Spice's bladder give it a little time and try again. If the whole day goes by and you have no luck then definitely do what ever works to stimulate her to go. Getting out some of the urine is better then none. At least her bladder will not be getting all stretched out. Also don't be shy about asking your vet to help you. If your vet is close by then just make appointments for everyday to go over expressing. You try it first then have your vet empty Spice's bladder if you can not. The bladder thing is truly the hardest part of having a paralyzed pet. Anyone here will tell you that. Waffles was on a preventative antibiotic for the first year while I was cathetering him. Maybe your vet would consider doing that for Spice for a couple of weeks while you are learning how to express her. Just some ideas and thoughts based on my experiences with Waffles. Honestly Cathy, I never thought I would figure out how to express the bladder. Now it is almost easy. You can do this and don't feel stupid about asking us over and over again for help. We all understand and went through the same thing in the beginning!!! Do not hesitate to ask your vet for help. That is what their job is to help people take care of their animals. There is a huge community of people taking care of their special needs animals. It is time that vets get on board and start working with their clients with there special needs pets (of course there are some that are on board). You be a trail blazer over there in Ireland. If you can work through this I am sure that your vet will never be so quick to recommend putting down an animal the next time someone comes in with a paralyzed pet. Also remember that it has only been 2 months, it is very early in the healing stage of a spinal cord injury. No one can really say for sure if Spice will walk again. Don't give up, it does get easier! Keep coming back. (sorry this is so rambling) Beth
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Hi Cathy,
You remind me of Jean. She has small hands, too. Her solution is to express her cat lying down.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/msg/webbbs_config.pl?read=17351
Jean is the one who wrote the section here called "Expressing a cat who is lying down".
http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Express_a_dog_or_cat#Cats
There are medications you can give a cat to make expressing easier. You might ask the vet about that. They relax the sphincter so when you squeeze the urine comes out easier.
Also, you can go back to the vet for another lesson in expressing if you need to. Many people here have gone back again for another lesson, not just you. Vets are used to it. :)
Also, you might want to see about getting her on preventive antibiotics while you are learning to express. That way if you don't get the bladder emptied every time she has a little protection against infection.
You remind me of Jean. She has small hands, too. Her solution is to express her cat lying down.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/cgi-bin/msg/webbbs_config.pl?read=17351
Jean is the one who wrote the section here called "Expressing a cat who is lying down".
http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Express_a_dog_or_cat#Cats
There are medications you can give a cat to make expressing easier. You might ask the vet about that. They relax the sphincter so when you squeeze the urine comes out easier.
Also, you can go back to the vet for another lesson in expressing if you need to. Many people here have gone back again for another lesson, not just you. Vets are used to it. :)
Also, you might want to see about getting her on preventive antibiotics while you are learning to express. That way if you don't get the bladder emptied every time she has a little protection against infection.
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Thanks so much for that advice and support ALL of you. Its so comforting to be able to contact people who have been through the same thing. And especially to know that it took others a very long time to learn this thing properly. I am so aware of how it will change our lives (hers and mine). The day the vet expressed her and I was very persistent in at least relieving her later in the day, we had a totally dry night in her soft little Pampers nappy. She was perkier in the morning, the two little sores on her were much better with the tea tree ointment and I was happier too! So I realise its important - maybe that's why I've got so depressed since! Anyway - thanks so much everyone again for your comments. I have another appointment with vet this afternoon to go over it together. He's very kind. Showed me a picture of a cat with no eyes (he had to remove them) which a client had left in the surgery as encouragement to other pet carers. The cat climbs trees and lives almost completely normally. Wish my little Spice could climb a tree again. She was always such a proud little cat,
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Buddy was an uncooperative little fart about expressing, too. I ended up having to pad the floor well (towel, etc), scruff him with my R hand, and express him with the L. Buddy's bladder was always a water balloon right between his hip bones, and it took a fair amount of squeeze to blow it all out. I then let him rest once it got pretty empty, then tried again in a little while (the bladder seems to reshape, and it's easier to empty).
Re: Can't find her bladder!
Thanks Critters - the vet expressed her this afternoon and told me I just wasn't going in far enough with my fingers. (Too timid I guess). So she's really perky now (which makes me realise how worthwhile it will all be when I finally learn). She's on top form this afternoon. Back to her bossy self which is such a joy!
Thanks again - I will try to be firmer! (He also told me I could go back every day for a month if I wanted to).
Thanks again - I will try to be firmer! (He also told me I could go back every day for a month if I wanted to).
Re: Can't find her bladder!
I too have a hard time to express my doxie's bladder (Wally)
Sometimes I am just lucky and other times I am not It has been almost ten months for me and I still cannot find his bladder. I keep him on large pads and most of the time he has large stains of urine, other times he dribbles but that is mostly when he gets excited, I keep him in the wraps sometimes and he seams to go pretty well with these. He does have deep pain feelings which is good, I just wish he would walk. You are not alone about having a hard time expressing the blader, it is not the easiest thing to do.Hang in there you are not alone.
Marilynb.
S
Sometimes I am just lucky and other times I am not It has been almost ten months for me and I still cannot find his bladder. I keep him on large pads and most of the time he has large stains of urine, other times he dribbles but that is mostly when he gets excited, I keep him in the wraps sometimes and he seams to go pretty well with these. He does have deep pain feelings which is good, I just wish he would walk. You are not alone about having a hard time expressing the blader, it is not the easiest thing to do.Hang in there you are not alone.
Marilynb.
S