HELP - post op info Happy Update Post #8, pics- HE IS HOME #15

[Medusa]

Whew is right! Poor li'l Pyka has been through it! Lots of healing prayers headed his way.....

[Catty1]

I just called Mom - about 2 1/2 hours since he was brought home. She tried feeding him, no go. She took him to his litter box, and he peed until she thought the box would float away, and did a little #2, which he hadn't done at the clinic.

She also went to wipe him down which he wasn't crazy about.

I suspected he wouldn't eat this soon - because he went back to his carrier and SLEPT!!! I am sure he is totally pooped - and when he wakes up, he'll be in a bit more mood for food.

Sure hope so! And he sneezed ONCE - hope that is all!

[moosmom]

Candace,

Try putting some canned cat food in the microwave very briefly. That should trigger his sense of smell, or whatever is left of it. As your vet about an appetite stimulant. I might helps as well.

[jennielynn1970]

Awe.. those pics of Pyka. I just wanted to gather him up and hold him close! I'm glad he's feeling a bit better... he just needs to rest and feel more at home and then he'll eat.

C'mon Pyka... you gotta eat and get all better!

[Catty1]

Hey, he just got home! He needs a good sleep and THEN we can try the food. Poor guy just ZONKED out! It's like a hospital - there are staff there 24/7, taking blood tests at 2 am, etc. I was there! He needs a LOONG nap!

I think Mom tried too soon!

She always warms the food tins in warm water.

I'll check in with her later tonight.

[phesina]

Ohhhhhh... welcome home, Pyka!

Sweet dreams, brave soldier! And you can be proud of your battle scars.

So glad to hear how well he's coming along.

More prayers, hugs, and purrs,
Pat Peony, Sydney, Poppy, Elmer, and Priscilla Angel

[Catty1]

Mom is worried - he hasn't eaten, all he wants to do is sleep.

He is well hydrated, though.

I think he needs a long good sleep, then he will be more interested in eating.

What do you think?

He will be in his carrier for tonight. He has sneezed a couple of times...but likely her place(anyone's home) would be a bit dustier than the pet hospital. There was blood in his sneeze - but heck, the surgery was only Thursday.

Mom just worries - she hasn't had a cat this ill before. I think after a good sleep he will do better.

She's going to syringe some beef baby food tomorrow.

Prayers that he eats, ok? I think he will - if he doesn't, that mean old feeding tube goes back in on Wednesday. And was throwing that up.

[Catlady711]

I just saw this thread. I feel sooo bad for Pyka! He looks so tired, I think a good nap would help him feel better. I hope everything heals ok and he gets to eating soon.

His intense scratching (caused bytrying to reach the inflamed and horrid sinuses, we now know) had his one ear in a large hematoma. It was surgically removed June 4...and after the stitches and stents were out over a week later, it kept filling with fluid. The vet put a pressure bandage on, and said it wouldn't happen again.

The bandage was painful, and Mom removed it 2 days later. It was bloodsoaked...and the ear kept filling up.

So, while Pyka was getting the turbinectomy (Google it!), another surgeon 'quilted' his ear so that the tissues would start to heal together, and no fluid could get in.

Just a side note, this is the reason our head vet never just drains any hematoma, he always stitches them very similar to Pyka's ear.

[Catty1]

Catlady - the vet did stitch the ear, and there were stents in it...but according to mom, the hematoma had hardened, which is why they couldn't just drain and stitch it.

It's healing now.

I hope he eats!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear that he's home now and he'll be able to get some rest. I hope he'll start eating tomorrow. I'll continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

[Medusa]

I think that sometimes they know better than we do. Creamsicle didn't want to eat either after her spay and Pyka has been through much more than that. Maybe the poor li'l guy just needs to rest a bit more.

[sasvermont]

Gosh, it is breaking my heart to see this guy like this, although he couldn't be getting better treatment and TLC anywhere else. I hope he has a speedy recovery. I just want to run there and snuggle with him.

(((((((((((((((((Pyka)))))))))))))))))))))

[Catlady711]

Catlady - the vet did stitch the ear, and there were stents in it...but according to mom, the hematoma had hardened, which is why they couldn't just drain and stitch it.

It's healing now.

I hope he eats!

I meant the part about the "quilting" stitching. That's the only way I've ever seen a hematoma surgery done where I work.

Either way I'm glad it's healing, those things hurt and are not any fun to deal with for the pet or people.

I hope Pyka starts eating soon! Thoughts are with you both.

[Catty1]

Tuesday July 17.

(sorry, just realized this got long)

Went over to mom's today with some Whiskas milk. She was worried he was bleeding and might need another transfusion - and she showed me his blanket from overnight.

There were spatters with blood in them; bloody but not pure blood. He is swallowing sometimes when he is quite awake - and his poop is black. I am not really worried about this, as the surgery was in an area LOADED with blood supply - I am surprised he needed only one transfusion!

Mom has had to wrap him in a towel to syringe-feed him. I helped with the first feeding tonight by filling the syringe a little ways. She would then put it into the corner of his mouth and squirt it in.

I said I wished there was a better way to feed him - as the stress would raise his blood pressure and wouldn't HELP what bleeding there was.

He was a bit dehydrated when I arrived - he also got a couple of doses of Whiskas milk with a bit of water.

A few minutes later, he was hydrated.

Second feeding time - Mom held him and I just held the syringe - this all happened naturally - when he went "MOW" I shot the contents into his mouth from the front. He licked and smacked and swallowed. Got at least 5 good shots in - he was SO much calmer, I think because food put near the back of his mouth triggered a gag reflex. From the front - and mouth open already - it was easier.

I have so much office work to do at home....Pyka is going for a checkup tomorrow at the vet. Mom will ask for a hydration and a B12 shot. Hopefully he will perk up and start to eat on his own soon. He's SO bony!

Interestingly - I opened a window to cool the place down. Pyka went and sat in the window and sniffed the outside air. He sneezed a bit, and I got a damp cloth to wipe up the spatter. He looked down at the newly wet surface I had cleaned and put nose down and SNIFFED. I hadn't seen him do that yet! Of course, when Mom went out for a 20 minute walk, I stayed with him while he napped, and put an open bottle of Vicks under his nose. His tad of a sniffle cleared up after a few minutes.

After Mom came back, I put the Vicks back - and he turned his head away from the strong smell! WOOHOO! That's what I was hoping for, just to dry things up a bit.

Mom will ask the vet about something like this tomorrow.

QUESTION: Does anyone here think using a good ionizing air filter during the next few days of recovery is a good idea?

[Catty1]

Vet visit this morning: He got another morphine patch, and DIDN'T need HYDRATING!

Mom got some more food, and we got a larger syringe. Also, we found out that we need to work up to 1 1/4 can per day - but NOT NOW. LOL Maybe by next week.

Prayers the little guy will start eating on his own soon - as the food builds him up - apparently the AD post-op food is just PACKED with everything - he may start to eat.

Meanwhile - I am going over twice a day to perfect my squirt-into-mouth-while-meowing technique!