biopsy done, 14 days of no jumping? Cone recommendations?

[mnm]

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• mnm
• Mar 26, 2015

Got Mikki to the vet today for her biopsy. The doctor said he would do the biopsy early afternoon so I left Mikki there and they called me when she was done. What was supposed to be a piece of biopsy ended up being the WHOLE TUMOR! The doc said there were enough margins around all sides except one..so he stated the 99.9% certainty of getting it all Of course it is "still" only considered a biopsy as the results will determine what's next.
My hope, is that it is something super slow growing...and if it grows at all, that it's not something
that spreads to other places. Results will be in about 5 days. Not looking forward to taking the wrap off tomorrow as she's a licker so we'll most likely need a cone until stitches are out in 10 days.


sooo.. the tech told us to keep her from running and jumping for 14 days! I had a big dog cage when we moved Mik and minnie out west... so got that out and put her in it. She went APE... stood on her hind legs and meowed horribly...so stressed! We let her out and she eventually just laid down peacefully . I bought painter's plastic to tape off certain entrances to rooms. She's not a runner... she doesn't jump high places but does go up on the back of the couch but uses the seat cushion.. I just can't keep her isolated all together for 2 weeks! Good thing, since it's her hind leg..she pushes off but doesn't "land" on it. We'll see.

I know she'll be a licker of her stitches.. wish we could keep it wrapped rather than a cone....

She was soooo hungry from not eating since last night! I had to give her little amounts a time as she wolfed it down. Thought for SURE it would come up! But it didn't!

 

[puck]

She will have periods unobserved, and during those times, such as when you're not home or asleep, she should be confined and have an E-collar on. Cats can remove bandages. It'd be hugely detrimental to a potentially malignant cancerous area to have her mutilate it, rip sutures, tear at the dermis, at best causing localized inflammation and infection, at worst an anaphylactic reaction and/or necrosis of tissue.

Is she on pain meds after having her tumor excised? Buprenorphine helps with pain as well as keeps them calm/mildly sedate, so super helpful during confinement and restricted activity post-op.

If she's keeping a bandage in place, it should be removed to check the incision in 2 to 3 days, ensure it's clean, dry, and in-tact, and rewrap if warranted. Not visually examining an incision for the full 10 to 14 day healing period can lead to preventable damage/infection.

A thin adhesive bandage, white, (not the tan colored elastikon adhesive) with protective thinly fit gauze directly over the incision so the adhesive doesn't stick to the incision itself, can continue to protect the incision from moisture and debris/hair after the thicker bandage pictured is removed. Hypafix dressing is a great bandage for incisions; see if your vet has that or can just leave it exposed. With a thinner barrier or no dressing at all she may be more tempted to pull and chew at sutures, so the E-collar will likely be needed 24/7.

Here's hoping Mikki just has a benign mass, like basal cell, sebaceous adenoma, or localized spindle cell... those are good news results.

 

[mnm]

Thank you!
Yes she gets one pain pill for 3 days.
She did take off her front leg wrap from her i.v. but hasnt attempted the back leg but it looks wrapped really secure and she doesn't try biting it. I think she will be one to lick at stitches unless the back leg location isn't as enticing to lick. Cannot imagine her in a cone as she goes nuts with any kind of restrictions so I would much rather see if a wrap will work. We may take her in today to remove it to make sure all is well and get a cone or rewrap. I'm such a wimp at these things.. Thanks again!

 

[misty8723]

Just be careful if you put her in a cone. We had one on Cindy back when she had her tumor removed and she got her front paw / leg caught in it trying to get out of it and very nearly could have hurt herself pretty badly. It was middle of the night too, so we are just lucky it woke us up and we could help her.

 

[mnm]

just got a call from her doctor... he said he really doesn't think a cone will be necessary. He doesn't think she'll go after her stitches (he doesn't know Mikki lol) but... I think we'll take off the bandage tonight...then be prepared to wrap it up before bedtime.
Of course I screwed up and gave her a pain pill in her food... it's so tiny and the tech even said some cats like it for a treat! I gave Mik a small amount of wet food and she gobbled it..except this teeny crumb...yep, her pill was in it...ugh. I then crushed it and put it in a little more food but she walked away (but she usually comes back a ittle later for the 2nd half of her food..so we'll see. If she doesn't eat it in an hour I will have to pill her. Never done it with her...just Minnie. Mikki is more mild so fingers crossed.

The vet gave me his cell number as they're closed all weekend... I get so nervous about this stuff.

 

[mnm]

She will have periods unobserved, and during those times, such as when you're not home or asleep, she should be confined and have an E-collar on. Cats can remove bandages. It'd be hugely detrimental to a potentially malignant cancerous area to have her mutilate it, rip sutures, tear at the dermis, at best causing localized inflammation and infection, at worst an anaphylactic reaction and/or necrosis of tissue.




Is she on pain meds after having her tumor excised? Buprenorphine helps with pain as well as keeps them calm/mildly sedate, so super helpful during confinement and restricted activity post-op.

If she's keeping a bandage in place, it should be removed to check the incision in 2 to 3 days, ensure it's clean, dry, and in-tact, and rewrap if warranted. Not visually examining an incision for the full 10 to 14 day healing period can lead to preventable damage/infection.

A thin adhesive bandage, white, (not the tan colored elastikon adhesive) with protective thinly fit gauze directly over the incision so the adhesive doesn't stick to the incision itself, can continue to protect the incision from moisture and debris/hair after the thicker bandage pictured is removed. Hypafix dressing is a great bandage for incisions; see if your vet has that or can just leave it exposed. With a thinner barrier or no dressing at all she may be more tempted to pull and chew at sutures, so the E-collar will likely be needed 24/7.

Here's hoping Mikki just has a benign mass, like basal cell, sebaceous adenoma, or localized spindle cell... those are good news results.

Here's her Summary:
The lesion was irregular in shape, multinodular, mucoid in appearance and extremely well-marginated cranially, caudally, proximally and distally. The mass appeared to be adherent to the deep tissues of tendon sheath. The mas was excised en bloc and sharply divided from the deep tendon margin. Hemostasis by electrocoagulation. All grossly visible evidence of the lesion was excised. The surgial wound was apposed in a subcutaneous layer of 4-0 Monocryl Plus Antibacterial sutures. Skin was apposed with 4-0 Ethilon in an interrupted pattern. A light, padded bandage was applied postoperatively, anesthesia/surgery recovery was unremarkable. All excised tissues have been submitted for histopathology.

Her pain med is named onsior