Cats: Angel's vet visit

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eieiohmy
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Cats: Angel's vet visit

Post by eieiohmy »

Angel saw another vet today! She had a rabies shot, a steroid shot, a FIV/Fleuk test which was NEGETIVE and one xray.

Her bladder was full and she showed me how to express and how much "pressure" to use.

The vet said she is old! Only two teeth and the xray showed her bones have started decalification (spelling) I asked her if she had to guess what would she say and she said in her teens 12 or 13.

She pooed on the xray machine, lol and on the xray she showed me how full she was. She said to give her a little Metamucil to help her go.

They wanted to get 2nd xray but Angel got more than a little upset with that. She said the only way to get a 2nd view was to sedate but only having had her a few days and her age she didn't want to do that.

The xray of the spine showed no problems. The 2nd view she wanted was pelvic.

I mentioned that you all said to keep her confined for the swelling to go down and she agreed. She said for 10-14 days.

She said to keep the wounds on her feet open, if necessary put a bootie on her. She warned that if it was too tight it would cut off her circulation. I told her how I wrapped her paw w/ vet wrap and put a straw in it. When I was done, I pulled out the straw so I knew there was enough space for the things to circulate.

Since giving her the bath she isn't biting at them any more so I am going to hold off puting booties on but I will get a pair of baby socks , just in case!

She started telling me about carts and I told her how I had seen them and how I found this website. My daughter laughed and told me to tell her how they made a cart for a horse. I told her about K-9 carts who has made a cart as large as for a miniature pony and as small as for a rabbit.

I MAY have helped another mom in need. She said they have a client who found a paralyzed wild rabbit and is raising it and asked where the site was. I told her but then emailed her when I got home with a link here and a link to the "success" page at K-9 carts where they show a picture of the rabbit on wheels.

IF she stays this way I would like to get a cart but that is something that financially will be put on the back burner.

THANKS everyone for the tips and suggestions you all have offered. It has really made this much easier.

Blessings, Christie
eieiohmy
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She also got antibiotics for the sores on her feet! *NoMsg*

Post by eieiohmy »

Carol T.
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Re: Cats: Angel's vet visit

Post by Carol T. »

Are you going to follow up sometime with the second Xray? I think maybe her pooing on the Xray table might have been her way of telling you what she thought about the whole thing!!! Somewhere...not sure which manufacturer it was...someone made a cart for a chicken or duck, too! Eddie's Wheels made one for an alpaca. Sure hope the "Bunny Mommy" checks out the site!! Wishing you continued good luck with your sweet little Angel!!!
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CarolC
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Re: Cats: Angel's vet visit

Post by CarolC »

Hi Christie,

OK, that is very, very good to know. You are going to have to watch her colon to avoid megacolon. Don't know if you had a chance to look up info on MEGACOLON in cats. I did not post a link for you because you said you love to research things on the Internet. It is very important to keep her bowel moving. If it gets blocked up, it may require a vet appointment to get her unblocked, often including one or more sedations while the vet cleans her out, and the vet bill is going to be a Whopper! My co-worker had to get her cat unplugged and it was $400. More importantly, there can also be permanent damage to the colon and sometimes the cat cannot be unplugged and may require surgery. Cats can die from megacolon. Here is a link about one cat with megacolon just to get you started. Sorry if the pictures don't open, it's an archived copy.

Bunny's story

It will get much easier to express her bladder when you get her colon cleaned out better.
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Jean
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Re: Cats: Angel's vet visit

Post by Jean »

Dear Christie,

How are you doing with expressing? With my paralyzed cat I had to go back to the vet every day for at least a week to learn this skill. Once you learn It you will never forget it but initially it can be very frustrating. Do not hesitate to ask the vet to show you again and again. Angel's health depends on it. Also, study the expressing page and try different techniques. I have always expressed Jaime on her right side. I have small hands and could not manage holding her up as well as expressing her. Find the technique that works for you. Please don't hesitate to ask questions expressing is a VERY IMPORTANT skill to learn.

I had Jaime for about 3 years before I bought her a cart. She has NEVER adjusted to it. She would rather scoot around on the floor. I'm not sure about other paralyzed cats. You might want to try to rent a cart before you invest a lot of money in one.

Please keep us updated. We are here to help you succeed./Jean
eieiohmy
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Re: Cats: Angel's vet visit

Post by eieiohmy »

THANKS for the well wishes, CarolT!

Yes I do plan to have her other xray done. I am not sure when, I want to wait the 1 weeks of confinement and see what happens.

I just don't like not knowing so I know I will have it. I hate something being wrong and me not knowing what it is.

Oh, I do believe poo'ing on the xray table was her way of letting us know what she thought. The first time I expressed her she waited until I picked her and was holding and then poo'd on me! LOL!

Thanks again for the well wishes, Blessings, Christie
eieiohmy
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CarolC, Finally I think she is cleaned out!!

Post by eieiohmy »

CarolC, Thanks for the link! I am happy/sad to here all the stories of vet's recommend euthanasia and prescribing wrong meds. Happy for the fact that I thought it was just me, Sad because I know too many people that if the vet recommends it, they will do it.

I did read that and HOPE and PRAY that is not the case with Angel.

Instead of metamucial, I gave her oat bran and pysillium husk the afternoon when I brought her home from the vet.

I had heard that canned 100 % pumpkin was good for both diarrhea and constipation. I had gotten some for my spitz who gets constipated and remembered it , early Friday AM around 1:00.

she didn't like it so I mixed some food in. She wouldn't eat, I poured the "gravy" from the food in and then put a little, just food on top.

It ended up being a bigger helping than I had planned, she wouldn't eat it so I left it with her and told her "Just in case you get hungry". I woke up around 7 and she had cleaned the bowl.

She never acted like she wasn't hungry. In fact I worried about how hungry she felt.

She started to "leak" a little "colored water" Friday afternoon and when I tried to clean her up with a wipe she started to push. This caused her howl and growl but I could see her anus contracted and feel her belly pushing.

I thought I should give everything time to work so I cleaned as good as I could and let her alone for awhile.

Last night when I went in to express, I decided to do something they told me to do with My daughter when she was a baby. She got severely constipated and they say to insert a thermometer with plenty of lubricant on it. They said that was normally enough to stimulate things.

I did that , I felt terrible , she howled and growed. She went to pull away from and I noticed that trying as hard as she was to get away she was contracted and her anus was pushing out.
I saw that listed this morning on "Bunny's page"

So I decided to hold her up, thinking being in the "natural position" would help. Again I wiped her with the wipe to get things started.

As she was trying to pull herself away from me with her front paws, i had both hands on her stomach and she started to contract and I tightened my hands a bit and slide them down toward her rear.

I was surprised when it was working and I could see poo coming out. It was big but I knew there was more. I held her for a 1/2 hour and repeated the stand up, wipe and "massage toward rear" procedure and I could not believe my eyes when two very large, stools came out.

I actually thought about weighing it but by the time I got her bed, her and me cleaned up it was 2 am.

All in all her stool were a little lighter in color than when she first came here. Still had the same , really bad smell. It looked "wet" too, not as hard and dry as the last one, before Pooing on the xray table and I bet put together would be about 16 inches!

I woke up this morning and am still giving her pumpkin with her food. Not sure If I am going to give her oat bran / psyillium or If I should wait and see what happens, I don't want her to get constipated.

I checked her last night for dehydration and she wasn't. Also again, she never lost her appetite so I am hoping she doesn't have megacolon.

How long should I wait and expect another BM since having such a large one?

Thanks again for the link it was very informative!Blessings, Christie
eieiohmy
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Jean

Post by eieiohmy »

Thanks for suggesting that! I might actually try that again this week.

With expressing, it is trial and error and I HATE that. I hate feeling like I am taking to long feeling around and "squeezing" at her.

It takes me a few wrong place, wrong grip but eventually I find and get it out. The vet said I should feel when it is empty. I don't know if it is just because she was so full of stool or what but I don't notice a difference.

it was nice to see what the vet got out, now I have something to go on, what a "normal" amount might look like.

I am hoping that I get more comfortable with doing this because that will be much better on her and I hate that it seems I am doing so much "mean" stuff to her.

The too, expressed her on her side. I felt I put too much pressure on her when I stood her up so have been trying to get her to lay on her side and I don't think she minds it as much.

I will bookmark the expressing page and look at it often.

Thanks again, Christie
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CarolC
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Heavens to Betsy!

Post by CarolC »

That is incredibly good. I don't know how long you should wait for the next movement, but I'll bet she feels better.

I will forward your message to some people who may not read the message board this morning.

Major congratulations.

By the way, that is the way I express my dog's bowel, too. She only weighs 7 lbs and I hold her against my chest in a ragdoll position. Like you, I assume the gravity helps.

One thing I would suggest, now that you've got her in much better shape, is that you feel her abdomen and memorize how she feels empty of stool. Also, note how much better you will be able to feel the bladder now. :) Good for you!
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Bendy Kitty
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that sounds very familiar!

Post by Bendy Kitty »

our Mimosa growls and yowls and sometimes howls when pooping. mom has to hold her (pict is on the expressing page) over the litterbox and help get her started. With a lot of practice she has discovered the places to rub that seems to stimulate Mimosa to contract her belly muscles. You'll also find that soon you can feel the bowl loops and the last segment of the large intestine.
Sometimes mom helps by pressing along it towards the exit - times when Mimosa needed extra help the poop had little finger indentations in it!!!!

we know that yucky smell PU! we think it is from being constipated. Mimosa poops daily, but we don't fret if she skips a day. 16 inches!!!!!!!!!WOW. We'd say 4-6 inches is normal for Mimosa. She is a small cat, at only 5 pounds.

oh, she does the rabbit kicking too and sometimes waves her arms along with it.

it'll get easier, promise. we've bee expressing Mimosa for almost 4 years now!

headbonks and purrs

bendy
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Jean
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Re: Jean

Post by Jean »

Hi Christie,

Just wanted to make a few suggestions.

Expressing does involve trial-and-error until you develop proficiency. I know that expressing is stressful at this point but it will get better. Try to make expressing as relaxed for you and Angel as possible. Take some deep breaths. Try to have the area where you express her as quiet and free of distractions and stressors as possible. Pet and brush Angel with a soft brush as you take breaks from expressing her. Try to have plenty of time to relax and not feel rushed. It took me hours of feeling Jaime's abdomen to feel comfortable with locating her bladder, determining when it was empty, finding her bowel, etc. You are doing a GREAT job.

Christie I just think you are very special to have taken in this sweet angel. /Jean

PS: When Jaime's bladder needs expressing it feels like a small lemon. When it is empty it feel like a wad of chewed bubble gum. I express Jaime 4x a day. The longer the urine is left in her bladder the more likelihood of her developing a bladder infection. Plus, a very full bladder is difficult to find as well as express. Good Luck Keep us Updated !
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critters
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Re: CarolC, Finally I think she is cleaned out!!

Post by critters »

See, that's EXACTLY why I'm giving Buddy, my paralyzed boy, softeners instead of fiber; he can't push out all that extra bulk. You might try softeners instead.
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CarolC
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Re: CarolC, Finally I think she is cleaned out!!

Post by CarolC »

Yes, I agree. My dog is on lactulose (softener) and not fiber. I tried pumpkin but she didn't like it and it was a pain to refrigerate, etc. Lactulose is a syrup, a bottle costs about $12 and will last a long time, like 6 months around here. My dog likes it. The receptionist at my vet clinic gives it to her cat every day because her cat got plugged up one time. As a matter of fact, some people recommend a low residue diet to prevent megacolon, which is the opposite of bulk.
eieiohmy
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Re: Heavens to Betsy!

Post by eieiohmy »

Thanks again, I can't believe that much came out. What surprises me even more is twice today when I expressed her bladder, she went! ALOT for a little kitty.

The thing is her belly really didn't look different. It felt different but that was short lived.

This afternoon when I expressed I had a heck of a time. I couldn't find it, she poo'd before I got her to pee and then it was like she was expecting to hurt and was working against me. I would think I had it, she would stretch out her legs and I could feel it, slip away.

Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, pray that her momma gets it soon! LOL!

Blessings, Christie
eieiohmy
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Re: that sounds very familiar!

Post by eieiohmy »

Bendy thanks for the encouragement.

I just hope I get it BEFORE I hurt here.

I hate that a simple thing that her body has to do, is making her do causes her so much pain!

I also hate that she is doing when I am with her, I don't want her to think I mean pain.

That is awesome you all have been doing it for 4 years. I am in it for the long haul too.

Blessings, Christie
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