Post Operative Questions

"Seafire" wrote in message
...
Hi All:

This has been a terrible two days for Tania, my 13 year old feral female
Main Coon, and for me as well.

Christmas eve Tania started bleeding from her vagina. I took her
immediately to VERG [http://www.vetemergencyreferral.com] Xrays,
ultrasound, and blood tests revealed her uterus was infected, and a Spay
operation was needed. It was performed yesterday, Christmas day by the
director of the hospital.

I just brought her home. She is so happy! I was expecting that she would
attack me, but she is being very sweet, wanting to sit in my lap.

She has this clear plastic cone collar on so she can't get to her
stitches. The problem is that she can't eat because the collar doesn't
allow her to dip her head the way she is used to. Also, she has a
drinkwell fountain, and of course can't reach the water. I put some small
cups, cups smaller than the opening in her collar, filled with water.

Will she learn how to get around the impediment? Or should I see if there
is a smaller collar available? She is wobbly on her feet, bumping into
things, can't jump to her favorite places....

I am concerened about her not seemingly being able to eat and drink with
this thing on. She has to wear this for 14 days, then return to the
hospital to have the stitches removed.

Any ideas???

TIA
Bob

Yes....Take it off and watch her eat and drink a couple of times a day, and
then, put it back on......

"PanixNews" wrote in message
...

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

Get a small or extra small inflatable ProCollar - about $15.

Went to Petco, and bought the "small" Pro Collar as the extra small looked
way too small. It was $28.00 here in NY

It took a bit of struggle getting it on her, having to first feed her
every
day collar through the hoops, and then fasten it to fighting Tania. Not
too
much of my blood was spilled I suspect because I administered her pain
meds
just before I did it, and they tend to calm her down.

She is much happier, can negotiate the stairs, and even got up onto her
slumber ball in the Pilot House.

http://picasaweb.google.com/richard....64702839340770

Doesn't that look more comfortable???


You don't have to inflate the Pro Collar all the way- about half way is good
enough. She still won't be able to get at her stiches and it'll be much more
comfortable for her. If you inflate it only about half way, the Pro Collar
will be also act like a soft pillow when she sleeps.




You'll know how to
position the bowls by how far she can bend her neck.

Well, she can now reach her bowls which I elevated to the height of the
doughnut thickness. She doesn't seem interested in either food or water.
Worrying! The cone is no longer an excuse. She is much more active today.
Yesterday she could not jump to the sofa, and was wobbly on her feet,
today
she went all the way up to her perch. I also got a good look at her
stitches, they look fine, not as bad as I had imagined.

THANKS!! That Pro Collar is much better. Wonder why they don't offer that
as an option at the hospital? I mean, that place is not cheap. $2300.00 +
the take home meds, and you get a plastic cone.

Spay surgeries are usually more expensive if the cat has pyometra. The
surgery is much more dangerous and takes longer because the surgeon has to
be very careful not to rupture the uterus while he's removing it. Plus
emergencies are always more expensive than a scheduled procedure. VERG is
expensive but its a good hospital. I know the place. For a high-risk
surgery such as Tania's, you went to the right place.

I hope you've learned something from this experience and you'll get your
future cats spayed and neutered. Its not only about preventing pregnancies-
its about saving your cats' lives. You were very lucky this time. Next time
you might not be so lucky.

Good luck,

Phil

Phil P. wrote:

.... VERG is
expensive but its a good hospital. I know the place. For a high-risk
surgery such as Tania's, you went to the right place.

I was very impressed with the professionalism and kindness of the staff.
Very up front about diagnosis, treatment, and cost. They are available
24/7 365 days a year. Tania was admitted on Christmas eve, and operated
on Christmas day. The discharge interview was thorough, as was the
discharge report:
http://picasaweb.google.com/richard....19157150340514


I hope you've learned something from this experience and you'll get your
future cats spayed and neutered.

I think Tania is going to be my last animal companion. I am 62, and I
don't believe it's fair for a pet to outlive it's person. Despite what
has happened here, my animals are well loved and cared for, they are
family to me, not "pets". The answer is yes, IF I have the pleasure of
another cat in my life, he/she will be "fixed" as soon as they move in.

Thanks for the help, education, and support you folks have given me
during this very difficult time. In many ways, this has been harder than
the hard times I have had with my children.

Bob

Mark Earnest wrote:

I just hope she doesn't get
sea sick, as cats seem to when they get with you in the car.


No. Tania is a real NautiCat. She was perfectly fine during my longest
cruise from the San Juan Islands of Washington State to NYC. A 12 month
cruise down the Pacific, across the Gulf, and up the Atlantic, which saw
very heavy seas at times. Seasickness in humans is genetic, it must be
in cats as well. The Tan and I must have the non-seasick gene, motion
doesn't bother either of us. Good thing, as even here at the dock we can
rock a lot at times of heavy wind.

Bob

"Seafire" wrote in message
...
Mark Earnest wrote:

I just hope she doesn't get sea sick, as cats seem to when they get with
you in the car.


No. Tania is a real NautiCat. She was perfectly fine during my longest
cruise from the San Juan Islands of Washington State to NYC. A 12 month
cruise down the Pacific, across the Gulf, and up the Atlantic, which saw
very heavy seas at times. Seasickness in humans is genetic, it must be in
cats as well. The Tan and I must have the non-seasick gene, motion doesn't
bother either of us. Good thing, as even here at the dock we can rock a
lot at times of heavy wind.

And then you had to get home...
Oh, that's right, the ocean is your home!
Your residence is the whole world, just like
it is for us on the Internet.

Mark

I think Tania is going to be my last animal companion. I am 62, and I
don't believe it's fair for a pet to outlive it's person. Despite what has
happened here, my animals are well loved and cared for, they are family to
me, not "pets". The answer is yes, IF I have the pleasure of another cat
in my life, he/she will be "fixed" as soon as they move in.

Thanks for the help, education, and support you folks have given me during
this very difficult time. In many ways, this has been harder than the hard
times I have had with my children.

Bob

I've had cats all my life, and I often think how I wouldn't want to outlive
mine, so I know how you feel. But I've also thought when the time came that
I could adopt an older cat, rather than a young one or a kitten. Or even
fostering, which likely wouldn't work for a seafarer like yourself. It's
just hard for me to imagine any part of my life not shared with a feline.

Your Tania is gorgeous - a real beauty.

Kelly Greene wrote:


Where are you docked now?


Mill Basin Brooklyn NY. The Marina behind the Kings Plaza Mall.

Bob

starcat wrote:

I could adopt an older cat, rather than a young one or a kitten.

That's an option. But, watching a kitten grow up and mature into a
little tiger is a real joy.

It's
just hard for me to imagine any part of my life not shared with a feline.

I have had dogs and cats, together at times. In more recent years I
lived in a Manhattan apartment and worked a hectic job, so cats were the
thing. With Tania, I have come to enjoy cats more than any other animal.
There is something special with felines.


Your Tania is gorgeous - a real beauty.

Yes she is.

She is here beside me sleeping, she wants to be close to me all the
time. She has been drinking some but not eating yet. Still wobbly on her
feet day three after her surgery.

Bob

On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:15:12 -0500, Seafire
wrote:

Kelly Greene wrote:


Where are you docked now?


Mill Basin Brooklyn NY. The Marina behind the Kings Plaza Mall.

Bob

What do you do if you are the cats get sick while you're out at sea? I
guess the coast guard or something can fly in a doctor. Would they
send a vet?

dgk wrote:

What do you do if you are the cats get sick while you're out at sea?

Health issues are a risk one takes when doing this sort of thing. Not
just for Tania, but for me as well. There is a certain amount of
isolation involved. I have emergency medical kits aboard, for both
humans and cats, however, as you can imagine, they may be of limited use.

guess the coast guard or something can fly in a doctor. Would they
send a vet?

No. Likely they would evacuate me, and abandon both the boat and Tania.
In the worse case, there would be little chance of survival as I would
never leave her.

Bob