Tia is limping...

[Miss Z]

It looks like today will be the day Tia will be taking her first trip to the vets.

She didn't get up all morning, which is very unlike her, she just lay curled up in her plantpot and I just put it down to tiredness. At lunchtime, an hour or so ago, I was going to let her run around the bathroom, she loves doing this and its really good exercise for her. However, I tried to scoop her out of the pot, like I always do, and she squeaked. Pretty loud.

I was a bit shocked. I'd only ever heard Tia squeak as if she's in pain when her tail once got caught in the bars of the cage. I tried again, talking to her and gently putting my hand around her, and she let out an even worse sounding wail-like sound.

I untied the pot from the side of her cage and took the whole thing out, then I sort of slowly poured her out onto the carpet. I saw immediately that her right hind foot was held in the air. Tia took a couple of steps and she was definitely limping.

Of course, I've checked the foot and there's no evident punctures, wounds or infection, in fact, the foot looks pretty normal. The skin around it is a healthy colour and their doesn't appear to be the swelling or 'hanging' posture of a fracture. I have no clue how she's hurt it, the only likely outcome I can think of is that she must have fallen off the top level of her cage.

She has a vet appointment booked for 5. In the meantime, does anyone have any advice on what I could be doing to ease the pain for her? I've already made sure that she stays in the pot to give the limb plenty of rest and I warmed up some cotton wool (under my laptop!) which I've given to her as bedding. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[buttercup132]

Poor Tia! Is she dragging her leg at all?

[Beki]

Hey i'm really sorry to hear about your pet. if any swelling occours i would put some ice on to constrict the swelling from getting any bigger, hopefully no fluid will build up. I wish that it isn't serious! just try to relax, and just keep her attention to keep her attention somewhat away from the pain without making her do activity. take it easy.

[Miss Z]

Thanks you two. Tia isn't dragging her leg, she's holding it up, that was one of the signs that I thought meant it wasn't a fracture. There doesn't appear to be any swelling either.

Anyway, we've just got back from the vets. Poor little Tia was so scared, she peed herself when the vet tried to examine her and she kept trying to hide in my coat sleeve. She's had a painkiller injection and we now have a four day anti-inflammitory solution that we have to give to her orally. Other than that she needs a lot of rest and restricted exercise to stop her over-using the foot. The vet thinks she's either pulled a muscle in the sole of the foot, or she may have even hit her hip bone causing the leg to be too painful to walk on. Either way, these things have to take time to heal themselves but I hope her recovery is as stress-free as possible for her.

Right now I have all the lights switched off in my room to make Tia think it's night-time and that it's bedtime, so I'm having to get around by the light of my laptop!

[My Peanuts]

Poor Tia, I hope she will be ok. PLease keep us updated.

[Kalei]

Yes please keep us updated on poor Tia. It sounds like her poor leg is hurting. I hope nothing too bad is wrong with it

[Chilli]

Poor girl!
I sure do hope that your beautiful little Tia gets back to herself real soon.
Positive thoughts headed her way!

[Miss Z]

Thanks everyone.

Tia's had her first dose of her medicine today which she's taken like a very good girl. There's no improvement as yet as expected, it will take quite a while to heal fully, if it does heal fully, but at least it's no worse. One thing I really can't help her with is to get her to keep still! Seems she's bored of resting now and she wants to run around and play, not good for her recovery!

[My Peanuts]

Sounds like Tia is on track, even though she isn't better yet. Is she eating normally? If so, I think that's a really good sign.

[Miss Z]

I'm glad to say that Tia is a lot better and it seems that it's a lot less serious than I first thought. She's almost got all her weight back on the affected foot and she no longer goes tense when you stroke her around the leg area.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone! I'll let you know when she's fully recovered.

[Vela]

Glad to hear she is getting better! Hope she's 100% soon.

[My Peanuts]

Glad to hear little miss Tia is getting better

[Miss Z]

She's back to 100% normal now, the leg is fine and I think Tia's actually a little put out that she doesn't have to take her medicine any more

From now on, though, my heart's going to leap into my throat every time she jumps up eagerly when I bring her food! I've got my eye on her.

Thanks so much to everyone who sent kind thoughts and prayers ((hugs)).

[BC_MoM]

So good to hear Tia is feeling better!

See, Tia? The vet isn't so bad after all..