anesthesia- help!

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,765
Location
North Carolina
I know how much you miss her. I had a stroke in the spring of um....2020? 2021? LOL, STROKE BRAIN STRIKES AGAIN!!! And was in the hospital for about a month. It was so hard to rest, mostly because I was missing and worrying about Hekitty. I knew she was in very good hands, with a neighbor who loves her dearly, but it was so hard being away.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #43

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
Good news, finally! Picked up Lu at 2pm. She has been thru Hell this last week, poor baby. But right now she is laying on my lap! When I got her home she hid on me. Had to fight her to get her out and she was not happy! Had to force her out tho because I have to force feed her right now as well as to try and give her some meds. As I mentioned yest. the vet went in and cleaned out the socket and ground some of the bone down and they also sewed a flap over the hole. they had her on continuous fluids as well as antibiotics and pain meds. They also washed her up really good because she wasn't bathing. they gave her lots of Vitamins as well but said she is otherwise healthy! The antibiotics are long lasting, the pain meds are long lasting too. The reason she seems to not be able to see and walking into things is from the pain meds. they said it's comparable to us being drunk! They sent me home with special food and syringes...because I have to force feed her. ugh! she's a tough one to catch and the hell she puts up is so tiring and emotional. I was able to get most of her food into her earlier with the help of my dad. She then paced for over an hour because she wants to hide but can't find anywhere because I had to block of doorways and in front of cabinets and anything else she can squeeze under. I've made little bed areas around the house for her but apparently she doesn't care for any..lol I had to close my bedroom door to keep her from going under the bed so looks like I'm sleeping on the couch the next few days. I also was worried about not being able to give her the food myself. I found this place on line that's actually a pet sitting website but in the sitters profile they list things that they have experience in. so I messaged one girl who lives very close to me and she's agreed to meet and see if this is something she will be able to help me with for a few days. it's not extremely expensive, it's $22 for 20-30min I believe..but it's worth it to have an extra set if hands! So that's the update! thank you again everyone ❤
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #45

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
Lu is sound asleep finally! That Zorbium sure does a number on them. I wascreadibg a Reddit thread and sure enough all the same things people were writing is exactly how Lu reacted. This is the first time she's actually sound asleep on her own, meaning not laying on me. I feel terrible force feeding her but I know it's for her own good. She still cannot see or maybe I should say focus. Which is a side effect of the Zorbium. it's really acarey seeing her this way but the vet explained it is comparable to us being drunk. She still had not ate or drank on her own but did drink a tiny bit of tuna fish water earlier. I wish she wud start eating! she has started cleaning herself tho which is a giant step in the right direction! Her and I have been sleeping on the couch. I have the bedroom closed off from her because that's all I need is for her to hide under the bed, I'll never get to her if that happens. I thought I had everything blocked off yest but she squeezed herself under the gun cabinet in the corner of the spare room. my dad was able to get her out, thank God! my hiuse looks ridiculous with all the towels and blankets in front of furniture and cabinets and dressers and couches! i have to go to work tomorrow and I'm dreading it. I'm not going to be able to concentrate at all worrying about her but like the vet said, she'll be fine, it's just as if you had surgery and you don't like to be bothered afterwards either! I'm going to try to stop home tho regardless. I also found a pet sitter service and messaged one girl who lives very close if she wud consider helping me give Lu her meds abs she said yes! we had a meet and greet today and she helped me force feed Lu. it went very well. she us coming back around 7:30-8pm tonite. It's about $24 for a 20min visit but it's very helpful for me! my poor dad has been helping and he's older and I don't want him doing much more, he's been such a HUGE help the last week. Ok, I'll stop rambling. Thank you all for all the support!!! ❤❤❤
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
I agree, you are doing a wonderful job looking after her. Hopefully she will feel better in a couple of days and start eating on her own. I dont know what food she normally eats but maybe she will lick a soft food like a mousse. Try putting some on your finger to see if she will lick it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #49

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
Hi everyone!
It's been an exhausting and overwhelming week! update on Lulu. it has been a challenge force feeding her. I've done my best and even hired someone to come help me (I'll post about that at the end). On Monday I HAD to go to work. I was not able to force feed her in the morning but she did eat a little on her own. Lunch time my dad met me at my hiuse and we got some food in her. When I got home a few hours later from work, I noticed she had not moved all day from the same spot and she didn't seem to have any interest in moving and looked lethargic. called the vet and they had me bring her in.. again They said she looked OK, her vitals were good and no temp. she was a little dehydrated but they said not extreme but gave her some fluids anyway. Since she still wasn't eating they gave her an appetite stimulant and anti nausea meds. Also.. she still cannot see 😭. They got a reaction when checking her eyes on Saturday and they said hopefully it was the pain meds making her vision blurry. On Monday the vet I saw did not get a reaction but then used a brighter light and did however, her sight is not returning and its heartbreaking.
She has been eating on her own now, ALOT, thank God 🙏. She is trying her best to get back to "normal". the vet did say on Saturday and the other vet on Monday, that they do not believe the vision issues were due to surgery/dental extraction (her reg vet office not the place that did the extraction). When I look back over the last few weeks, I now am beginning to realize that this may have been happening already. I had to move the bedroom around a few weeks ago (was due to have knee replacement surgery last Wednesday but canceled becuz of Lulu). I had to make room so I cud use the walker to get in and out of bed. She was not pleased with this move and began pacing for days. She wud also just sit and stare off into nowhere. Cats do odd things so I just wrote it off to being a cat and not liking the change. She wud also look around as if she was seeing something that wasn't there. So I am feeling as this was something that was already happening 😭 she was also given an antibiotic to fight any bacteria infection during or after the dental extraction called Enrofloxacin, which can cause blindness in cats. I'm wondering if this pushed her vision issues over the edge. I checked the dosage for cats and the correct dosage was given to her. I'm just sick about this and hurt for her. My vet and the reading I've done all say that cats handle blindness very well. She is getting around, knows where her litter box is as well as her food. I did add another litter box and I have 4 places around the house with food and water. she jumps up and down on bed but still trying to navigate rest of the house. I'm sick about it but I'm here for her and we will get thru it together, I'm scared and I'm sure she is.
About the help I got to help force feed her. I did a search for traveling vet techs and a website called MeowTel popped up. Its actually a pet sitting service but I looked at a profile of a sitter5 that is very close to me and it said that she has 2 cats and she has experience in giving oral meds. So, I figured what the heck, I'm gonna message her and ask if she wud consider helping me with force feeding. She replied and we had a meet and greet, no charge, and she helped me feed Lu at that time and all went great so I had her back 3 or 4 times more. Lulu seemed to like her and she was very calm around Lu. it worked out great!
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
Thanks for the update. All this is very overwhelming for you and Lulu, I'm so sorry you have to deal with it. You cant do more than you are for her, she is so well looked after. Getting her eating and drinking normally is the priority right now so with the help you are getting and the care and attention you are giving her, hopefully she will start to eat again on her own. As for the blindness, its sad but I have met several cats that are blind and get about and have a happy life but hopefully her sight will improve once she is off all the medication. Keep us updated.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #54

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
How are you and Lulu doing?
We are hanging in there. trying to navigate this new life of blindness. She is doing very well, recovering from her tooth extraction ordeal but her vision has not improved. I feel so hurt for her and I've cried so much the last several days but we'll figure it all out. it's going to take some time to get used to this but I'm hoping for the best. I love her so much and will be here to help her. I appreciate you thinking of us. I'm appreciative of everyone here for the support and love ❤❤❤
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #56

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
She may be a little confused at the moment but she has you and as you said, you are there to help and reassure her. Cats are surprising adaptable.
I feel so bad being at work all day, I absolutely hate leaving her. Technically all she does all day is sleep, just as she did before but I think of her all day hoping she doesn't feel so alone now. I'm probably more afraid than she is!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #58

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
You most probably are more afraid but thats natural. If she sleeps in the same place you could leave a worn but unwashed item of your clothing in that place so your smell is on it and it could comfort her..
I'm sure i am more afraid than her. I hurt for her and don't want her to struggle. I always leave something of mine on the bed for her ❤. I also have a really soft oversized sweater that I wore once that she took over, lol. so when I lay in bed, I drape it over me and she snuggles up on it on me..lol and that too stays on the bed.
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,765
Location
North Carolina
Adjusting to blindness is going to be far, far harder on you than it is on her. Cats are the most zen little things in nature. They seem to live in an eternal now, and don't spend their time regretting what was, they just get on with what is. Once she has developed her new navigational skills, she'll do wonderfully well! DO keep things in the house pretty much as they are, when you can. Watch her, and you will get a sense of her "highway through the house." Keep that clear. Food and water always in the same place. With those few adjustments, she'll do very well. She still has her hearing, and her sense of smell, which are far more important in a cat's world.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #60

Livndedgirl

Lulu
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Messages
37
Purraise
89
Location
Michigan
Adjusting to blindness is going to be far, far harder on you than it is on her. Cats are the most zen little things in nature. They seem to live in an eternal now, and don't spend their time regretting what was, they just get on with what is. Once she has developed her new navigational skills, she'll do wonderfully well! DO keep things in the house pretty much as they are, when you can. Watch her, and you will get a sense of her "highway through the house." Keep that clear. Food and water always in the same place. With those few adjustments, she'll do very well. She still has her hearing, and her sense of smell, which are far more important in a cat's world.
Thank you for the encouraging words ❤. I've been watching her, watching how she goes about getting around and for a minute yest I actually thought she had gained some vision back. I also tried playing with her to see if she'd be interested. I put my hand under the blanket to see if she would chase it and sure enough, she did. She was never the 'explorer' before, she always liked my bedroom and always stayed in there most of the time, only venturing out if she wanted my attention while I'm in the kitchen cooking or in the living room. she was never big on playing alot either but we did try to get a few minutes of playtime in just so as she could get some exercise. My big concern is how I'm going to vacuum! she is terrified of the vacuum cleaner. whenever I vacuum she runs downstairs into the basement to hide but I obviously don't want her going in the basement or down the steps now.
 
Top