Ms. Thang has Accident!

[Scooby4]

This evening, I let my cat in and it was SEVERLY injured! I noticed it could barely walk from the hind quarters and there were somewhat matted hair. There was NO blood thank God!!! The cat came inside and collapsed! Even my dogs came and sniffed her. She didn't like that too much but they knew something was wrong.
I quickly and gently picked her up and brought her upstair where the dogs couldn't get to her and she could lay on my bed. She was panting slightly and it looked like tears were running out one eye! Luckily, I had an empty clothes basket and a pillow nearby. However, I had put her back on the ground to access her injuries before placing her in the basket. Bad idea! Her back left leg was going outward at a 45 degree angle! Her backend seemed to "wiggle" a bit.
I finally rushed her to the emergency clinic in town. (Only one for a 100 miles ) They got her and put her under sedation for x-rays. The vet came back and told me the bad news. Ms.Thang had dislocated her LEFT hip and BROKEN her RIGHT one!!! Now, she has broken the right one before years ago. The left hip the vet was not able to pop into place. It kept coming back out. He finally got it put back in but I think it's come out again by the time I got her home.
My vet's office isn't open tomorrow. I was told to keep her "immobolized" the best I could. She has already gotten out of the basket. Right now, I've isolated her to my former bedroom and have moved her litter box and food to it. She's already eaten some food!
I don't know what to do. I am unemployed and have NO money. I could barely pay the emergency vet bill. The vet suggested that she needed possible surgery on the dislocation that could cost between $400 -$500. The right broken hip she's had before and that surgery could be as high as $2,000. Although another vet, told me that surgery could be optional because that kind of injury tends to heal up on it's own. So I know from experience that it does heal okay.
Do you think it would be okay for me to wait a week and see how the injury is doing? The last time the broken hip they vet did nothing and it was fine. The dislocation is more of a concern. I really wish he had given me pain pills for the cat. The last time they gave me a week's prescription and she loved the pills! I think she almost got addicted! The doctor has given me the x-rays so I can pretty much take her to any vet I can get her too. I think she will do better just to heal on her own without the vet visit which would put her through surgery. I don't want to put her through surgery which is even more painful. This is frustrating.
I am also soo upset that I don't know what even caused the "accident". I saw a loose unkown dog in my yard prior to the accident. She wasn't bleeding so it did not look like a dog attack. She may have gotten hit by a car. I also noticed strange "white" seedlings on her fur as well. Maybe something fell on her? If someone did this to her I would like to find out and charge them the bills! I don't believe this was a complete "accident" on her own behalf.

[carole]

I am so sorry to hear your poor kitty is going through this, poor wee girl, she must hurt so, please ring the vet back and ask for pain pills, she is gonna need them i think,maybe you could have a garage sale or something to raise the money needed for her surgery, it sounds like she will need that too,its just so darn expensive at vets i know,sadly kitties cannot tell us what happened,i hope she gets better real soon .

[critters]

I've had several "hippy babies" do extremely well, even when surgery was impossible. Jazz has a dislocated him to this day; kitties usually form a "false joint" which does nicely. In fact, sometimes vets use this to advantage by cutting the "ball" of the hip off surgically (FHO) and letting the body do its thing.

I would DEFINITELY crate her in a crate big enough for food, water, a soft bed, and a small litterbox. Beauty, was was crushed, came out a little at a time after several weeks, as she felt a little better. Jumping was the last skill to come back for all of them, and a little bunny hopping, especially on stairs is typical, too.

Pain meds would be useful, until the worst is over.

Good luck; she'll probably be fine.

[critter crazy]

Awwww...... Poor kitty!!! I am so sorry for you, poor little thing!! I so hope your kitty gets better!!

[moosmom]

That's why I am such an advocate for keeping cats indoors.

I've been in your shoes, unemployed with no money. Fortunately, I was very lucky in that my cats are all indoors and have been healthy.

I'm sorry this happened to your kitty. I'm sure she's in alot of pain right now. I'd definitely look into pain meds, especially if you're going to take the "wait and see route", although I don't agree with it. I mean, think of how YOU'D feel if you had it happened to you and were in excruciating pain. But, that's only my opinion.

Please keep us posted on her progress.

[TopCat3]

Healing thoughts and prayers being sent for your dear little kitty and hoping she is pain-free and mobile again as soon as possible.

The garage sale that someone suggested was a good idea. Do you have any working neighbours you could offer to do their ironing or small errands for a small fee? Every little helps. I wish you luck in finding a good job that pays well soon.

[Scooby4]

Thank you for the support. My regular vet is cheaper and good. However, he's not open on Wednesdays. The other vet I've been using is part owner of the emergency clinic but he's never seen my cat before. I usually just take my dogs to him. I don't like him and was in the process of trying to go back to my original vet.
My best friend has a really good vet but he is almost 40 miles away from me. He's cheap and very good. I like him just as well as my original vet. However, I can't imagine putting kitty through another long drive in her condition. My original vet is less than a mile from my house! I just wish he was open today! That is why I had to get other "subsitute" vets to cover the times I am unable to go to him. Last time it was his vacation. So it isn't necessarily a situation where I don't want to go to the vet. Just can't use the ones I like and trust for a few days.
The kitty is "better". I've got her put into my old bedroom with ALL her supplies. She's been eating some. She's gone under the bed and isn't coming out without a fight! So I may NOT be able to get her out to take her anywhere. I was hoping I could call in some pain meds for her atleast. Maybe the other vet will atleast do that since he knows the vet that treated her last night and I got the x-rays.
My gut feel is this will heal on it's own without surgery. The doctor also suggested that "removal" surgery. He didn't deem it quite necessary. He didn't even mention too much on surgery on the broken side. The last vet said these types of breaks tend to heal on their own. It did and she was able to jump again. This time I don't think she'll be able to jump much.
My cat is normally inside. She was let out so she could sit on the front porch. She has a boyfriend that lives across the street though. She doesn't wonder off where I don't know where she is. Mostly she stays on the front porch or yard. She's never been much of an outdoor cat.

[carole]

I think it is of a necessity you get those pain meds, there is no way she is not in pain, a break is very painful for human so i cannot see it any different for a cat, i am at a loss as to why you were not given any at your original vet visit or did not think to ask for them, she is suffering be sure of that, so please find a way to get her some and fast.

[critters]

I wouldn't do a FHO unless it's necessary, like if arthritis develops or something. Let her heal, then you can do it later if you need to.

[QueenScoopalot]

I'm sorry your kitty is hurt, but really the only way she's going to heal well and without pain, is crated! This way she is not moving around creating more problems. Is there anyone you can borrow a cage or kennel from? Maybe a nearby shelter could loan you one? This way she can get the rest she needs, and the meds she needs. Poor girl.

[Scooby4]

I got up this morning to check on her. The food I had given her was gone completely AND she came out from under the bed!!! What was funny was she almost walked out like "What's wrong?" I was SHOCKED!!! She's still can't walk much on her back legs too well but she is walking some.
My thoughts are that the pain medication that I had struggled with her taking must have kicked in. I had put some in that food yesterday. Never thinking she would ever eat the food. My problem now is that I don't know exactly when she ate the food to know when to give her another dose. I did put a drop or two more of the medicine in her new bowl of food this morning just in case. She still hasn't eaten that whole bowl yet.
My friend is going out of town and we share a carrier. Actually it's made up of parts from two carriers, one mine and one hers. She lives 20 miles from anyways. So I kept the cat in a separate bedroom that she likes.
The funniest thing happened this morning too. My ferret usually runs around in the mornings when the dogs are outside. Her and the cat share some space during that time. Sometimes the ferret steals her food. They don't always get along. The ferret can't get get into the room the cat is in. Well, I kept hearing something scraping at a door. It was the ferret trying to get into the room with the cat!!! She seemed to have sensed something was wrong because she NEVER goes to that door when she's out. I finally took the ferret into the room to see the cat so she would calm down. It seemed to make her feel better once she saw the cat. I then took the ferret back out so not to make the cat move. Overall, it was a "good" visit!!!
I may have to take kitty to the vet to get her hip popped back in again. It may have popped out again. Although I am thinking that it's now going to be one of those "trick hips" and slip in and out naturally. She's still going to need surgery on it eventually. I am just waiting to go to another vet to get it done.