So Hugo has had some serious surgery [TMI incoming]. He had a stone obstructing his urethra that was lodged too tightly to push back into the bladder with a catheter (catheter couldn't pass it or budge it at all) and so the vet had to place an incision above it and from the best I can understand of what he said, essentially cut the tip of Hugo's penis off to remove the stone and cut a new hole for him to urinate through. Clearly, this is traumatic surgery in itself, and on top of that Hugo is naturally anxious and sensitive and when he goes to the vet he's so, so stressed. He had to stay overnight last night and when we picked him up he was barely responsive. Until we got home, then he went mad. Stumbling around, crying, and he had urinated in the carrier and there was a lot of blood mixed in (vet said to expect a bit of blood in urine but it was still upsetting to see). Eventually he calmed down and has been resting intermittently, he's been eating and drinking and has had several trips to the litter box and produced a small but healthy amount of urine that had minimal blood in it. So that's good news.
However, his incision is oozing blood. He keeps trying to lick it, which of course he can't manage with the plastic cone but whenever he tries he presses the edge of the cone onto the incision and that's gotta hurt, plus it irritates the incision. There's not a huge amount of blood but obviously I'd like to keep him from doing that if at all possible.
I'd also very much prefer not to have to take him back to the vet for another day. He has an appointment Wednesday evening for a post-op checkup and that's going to be hard enough on him when he's just got home. What I'm looking for is any suggestions or advice for how to keep him as calm as possible and maybe ways I might gently clean his back legs and tail--there's still blood and urine in his fur from when he was in his carrier and he can't reach to clean it. But he is very, very resistant to being touched there at the moment--he yelps and growls if we try. Are there any products you recommend? He doesn't really react to Feliway. Does anyone have any experience with cats who have had a similar operation?
I've ordered a new cone that should be a bit softer and lighter and hope that will be less stressful for him to wear and also less harsh if he presses it against his incision. Is there anything else you think I could do?
Thanks!
However, his incision is oozing blood. He keeps trying to lick it, which of course he can't manage with the plastic cone but whenever he tries he presses the edge of the cone onto the incision and that's gotta hurt, plus it irritates the incision. There's not a huge amount of blood but obviously I'd like to keep him from doing that if at all possible.
I'd also very much prefer not to have to take him back to the vet for another day. He has an appointment Wednesday evening for a post-op checkup and that's going to be hard enough on him when he's just got home. What I'm looking for is any suggestions or advice for how to keep him as calm as possible and maybe ways I might gently clean his back legs and tail--there's still blood and urine in his fur from when he was in his carrier and he can't reach to clean it. But he is very, very resistant to being touched there at the moment--he yelps and growls if we try. Are there any products you recommend? He doesn't really react to Feliway. Does anyone have any experience with cats who have had a similar operation?
I've ordered a new cone that should be a bit softer and lighter and hope that will be less stressful for him to wear and also less harsh if he presses it against his incision. Is there anything else you think I could do?
Thanks!
