Update on Sterling Locke [4] - (To Vet Today! #16 @%#(&^!! #17)

[sandragonfly]

ok, I called the vet first thing this morning - he chewed through half of my kitchen towel overnight. I've been PLACING his food in FRONT of him, of third different kibbles I tried, I can tell he wants to eat so badly, is so starved but could not eat.. or finish it! then goes to wanting other cats' food - they all eat the same food.

so the tech looked into my record and found result, said "everything looks okay and all is good." except for BUN level, a little high - "nothing to worry about right now." of course my boy needs some enough kibbles/raw diet then some water to stimulate his kidneys!

lately I've done some experiments with him, only two things that would help him EAT better!! are to soak the food a bit with warm water AND hold, hug him while he eats then he'd storm up a purr and finish most of his meal.. I don't know why it breaks my heart but it was sweet of him letting me hold him under my arm (I lay on my eblow) and knowing he can't eat comfortably without me there. that one I can't figure out why.

my cat, eclypse who occassionally needs a comfort strokes while she's eating - that's understandingable because she's deaf and needs to know someone safely is behind her. but locke, once I let my hand/arm go - he'd cowder, sometimes would run off and sulk then hunts over other bowls like a hungry stray. so I have to hold/talk to him all the way, and to let him know that his bowl is all his! today I will try him on a higher place and see if he feels more secured..

anyway, back to vet - I'm still not certainly satisfied to WHY he's like this, eating possibly so much but is so skinny so I called in and asked if they could squeeze us in today - we have an appointment today at 4! I'd really like to find out.

I'm really worried, worrier when it comes to physical exams, etc. and it drives me nuts. please wish us good luck!!

and thank you!!

[sandragonfly]

so we took him to the vet just now and it didn't went too long..

we found he has a BROKEN COLLARBONE... I never felt a thing until the vet showed me ...it was out of the place is all I can say. the xray showed the injury is about 5-6 months old so that was before I got him.

how could the @%#(&^ people do this to him OR didn't do snything about it???? now I see why he doesn't want to be picked up sometimes and utterly is a sweetheart who loves to be petted all over but is in pain.. I'm loss at words righht now.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh my goodness!!! So, they didn't notice the broken collarbone before? You think they would have felt that there was something not in place there when they saw him before.

Poor guy. So what will they do for the broken collarbone?? Does it have to be rebroken and resent to heal properly?

[Catty1]

Gina - wow...and then with the stress Sterling was under, a change for him and all the travelling.

IF the vet thinks surgery is needed, then go to www.imom.org and apply for funding. If your vet will work with them great - if your vet never heard of them, they will send a letter to him.

Some vets want all the money up front, some will wait for the funds from imom. Once iMom confirms that all funds are raised, then the surgery can go ahead.

And of course, a few of us get iMom updates from kuhio98...

So don't worry if the poor fellow needs surgery.
Those stupid owners! Do you have an email address to reach them and find out what the **** happened???

I hope some temporary painkillers will help Sterling Locke eat...and maybe raise his dish up on a 2 x 4 or something, and he won't have to lean as far. That explains why he would eat out of your hand - he didn't have to bend down and put pressure on the collarbone.

{{{{hugs}}}}

[sandragonfly]

okay, I am calmer now.

no, no surgery. the vet said it's unusual to have surgery on broken clavicles as it doesn't really joints to other main bones. it was hard to see on xray - we could see about "1/3" of clavicle poking out mass of muscle right by upper chest/neck as you could feel it poking his skin when feeling for it. and from how the fracture showed on the film, vet believed he was being kicked in chest.

I was mostly worried about the pain, I would imagine a sort of dislocated collarbone poking your windpipe trying to eat, the vet reassured me that otherwisely locke wouldn't have had tried blankets, pajamas and towels.. then I came to think of this, all were reachable higher (on boxes) than where his foodbowl was anyway. we also see no other obvious obstruction in lower body = good news!!! he potties very well, and just saw brown-bluish kitchen towel loggies in the litterbox.

still, we think it's affecting him most uncomfortably right now so he recommended to continue soak the food he likes in a bowl on something a foot higher, and try some prescription food/appetite stimulators if this continues as he didn't eat very much past this week. he also sent locke home with pain killers I asked for. the vet does not thinks he is in pain but I preferably so to test if pain is not the reason, and I would want to wait until after his next breakfast/dinner at a higher height before I start it.

the vet said it IS possible, IF he is in pain, that he'll have a quick-n-fix operation - taking off the edge of that poky bone by sawing it out then re-heals on its own along with muscles closing in place; less pressure I presume.

if that happens, ONLY the owners who gave him to my friend will pay for it. I have no problem and am all ready to report on them. my guts didn't really like one of fishy owners when I first met her anyway. I've just emailed her/them for his records, all of it and told them all about this.

jenn, with me since the end of june, locke was never seen by a vet - never had a chance or time until just today.

oh poor my baby boy... he was always so stiffy when I successfully pick him up or gets stiffed, sulks when I tried to. and I just relaized it's his first birthday tomorrow.

[Donnaj4962]

Awww, Gina, poor you and Locke! I am so glad that you took him back to the vet! Poor little guy. Many prayers that he heals nicely and no surgery is needed.

[phesina]

Oh, Gina, poor little Sterling Locke.. what a horror story.. so glad he is with you now to finally get the care and love he needs and deserves.

God bless you both.

Love,
Pat and cats

[Taz_Zoee]

Unbelievable! And these people are breeders??? Poor kitty has been living like this for months now. Who knows what would have happened if he wasn't with you right now.
Gentle pets to Locke.