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

[phesina]

Dear Candace, I've never heard of that or come across a cat that had lost its sense of smell, so I have no advice or suggestions to give you, besides ask your vet LOTS of questions.

Did he come home today? I hope he will start to relax once he is used to being back in his safe haven.

Jenn has good advice about what to watch for re: jaundice. And Jenn, I am so sorry about your Bear.

We are all sending our prayers and good wishes and healing energies that Pyka will be well again soon.

Hugs and purrs,
Pat, Peony, Sydney, Poppy, Elmer, and Priscilla Angel

[Catty1]

Jenn...was caught up with Pyka - but your dear Bear. I am so sorry.

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Pyka's surgery was Thursday. We visited Friday. Visitors are put into an examining room and the pet is brought in there.

As I said in an earlier and longer thread - Pyka was quite freaked out on Friday, and barely knew what was going on, poor guy. Still oozing a bit from the nose, suddenly wriggling as if he was trying to get away - I guess the phentonol didn't help his clarity, though it helped the pain. We had a very short visit, and wondered if we had done the right thing.

Today - Sunday - three days post-op, we went again. What a difference! A lot of bandages had been removed. He knew Mom, and actually napped a few times, covered in his familiar old sweater from home (I don't know HOW many cardigans Mom has gone through! ). We visited for an hour and a half this time!

He did react if he heard the water faucet turn on - and a couple of times he very much wanted to get onto the floor and walk around. But we kept him on the table, on his blanket, covered up in his sweater...and responded SO well to head patting. Mom rolled up a bit of blanket and sweater so he could rest his head... Mom wrung out a facecloth with warm water and wiped his face down, which he has always loved.

We are bringing him home tomorrow...they want to do one more blood panel. Bilirubin is half what it was yesterday (think it has something to do with jaundicing -but all liver enzymes are normal, as is his blood count). They'll do it at 2 am.

Here are some pics of the sweet boy - I couldn't find the feature on Photobucket that makes pics smaller, so I apologize for the size (though his dear face is nice for ME to see!)

Pyka napping, Mom's TLC


Still napping and more TLC


On his blankie, covered with sweater


....couple more....

[Catty1]

"Camel head" and bandage


Neck bandage, feeding tube, stitched ear


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.

Thanks for prayers...a few more requested, as we hope Pyka starts to eat in the next few days.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for sharing these pictures with us. Pyka sure looks worn out. I hope that he'll start eating on his own soon. I'll continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

[Catty1]

I am just so glad that he could relax enough with Mom to nap a lot today! Friday - it just wasn't happening.

I think once he gets home and realizes where he is, he will just SLEEP for about 8 hours straight.

He would wake up at times and "honk" (his normal sound), and would be soothed back to sleep.

He didn't purr...but looked so comfy, which was great.

It may be a few days before he eats, but Mom will keep up the tube feed. She is to try him on his regular food in the regular place...if he doesn't eat it, then do the tube feed. Even if he mostly loses sense of smell, warming the food will help that a bit. And Mom always does that anyway.

[Medusa]

Aw, sweet boy. What a fighter! Blessings to you all.

[AbbyMom]

Catty1, those pictures of Pyka and your mom and very sweet. He looks so comforted....

Prayers on the way for a speedy recovery.

[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.

[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?