Cat Broken Leg- I'm Not Coping

[Kieka]

Glad tothear that the surgery went well and he is on the road to recovery.

He should be fine while you are gone. Link settled into his crate rest fairly well once he realized he really wasn't getting out. Plus he will probably be drugged so he will be sleepy anyways. I cleaned the crate on a daily basis and put Link I'm his carrier while I cleaned. Link would often not want to go back in the crate so I'd carry him around the house with me until he meowed to go back. Your cat may be different. I found it helped to spend time sitting next to the crate just to keep him company while I read or watched videos on my phone.

 

[Jelly1995]

Glad tothear that the surgery went well and he is on the road to recovery.

He should be fine while you are gone. Link settled into his crate rest fairly well once he realized he really wasn't getting out. Plus he will probably be drugged so he will be sleepy anyways. I cleaned the crate on a daily basis and put Link I'm his carrier while I cleaned. Link would often not want to go back in the crate so I'd carry him around the house with me until he meowed to go back. Your cat may be different. I found it helped to spend time sitting next to the crate just to keep him company while I read or watched videos on my phone.

Yes I will definitely make sure he is in the bedroom at night and will sit with him when I am at home to make sure he doesn't feel alone. His front leg will be bandaged so I'm also afraid to pick him up! Is there any tips with regard to how to hold him and how to hold him to give him a pill? Although I suppose it is easier to support his bottom half as his back legs are fine.

 

[Kieka]

We actually have an article that may help with how to pill, How Can I Give A Pill To My Cat

Given that you don't want to put pressure on the injuried leg it will be a challenge and hiding itimay be your best option. They make pill pockets that you can wrap the pill in to hide it, or wrap it in butter or another tasty treat. If you can get a liquid form you can mix it with a broth type food.

 

[Jelly1995]

Hi everyone, just thought I'd update you all as you have all been so great.

I brought him home today, he definitely tried to walk around his cage when he realised he was home and used up most of his strength despite me trying to discourage it. He has been sleeping all day and I have woken him up at intervals to hand feed him. At most he had only had a few bites of dry food and some treats. He will not drink water and a syringe will not work so I'm worrying.

It seems like he can't go to the toilet as he can barely readjust his body position to make sleep more comfortable. I feel terribly helpless as he seems to be dragging around the big weight of the cast. He will be back on Monday at the hospital for a bandage change. He is also on metacam once a day but the bottle seems awfully small- does this mean he will not need to be on it long? I find it hard to see how the pain will lessen quickly.

I'm just glad he's home and can certainly see he is somewhat more comfortable here.

 

[Jelly1995]

Also just wanted to ask- when should I be concerned if he hasn't used the litter box? He isn't eating much at all and not drinking so I'm also worried about dehydration

 

[Kflowers]

In my personal experience with my own personal bones, once they are set the pain begins to lessen immediately. Doctors give people a few days of pain medicine afterwards, but with my last break (which was very simple and not at all like your boy's) the pain stopped completely at less than 24 hours.

That your vet gave you some pain medicine is a good sign, it means he realizes there will be some pain. Pain medicine when you aren't used to it can make you a little sleepy. (I found when I hadn't taken aspirin in a year, two of them made me very relaxed and sleepy.) Your little one's experience will be unique to him, but animals often sleep a lot when healing.

He's probably rather tired from the surgery. Y 7 hours is a long time.

It may take a while for him to get used to the weight of the cast, it's rather large in comparison to his size and he'll need to compensate for that when sitting and walking.

If he still isn't interested in drinking in the morning you can call the vet and ask. In the meantime, you might just try a drop or so at a time.

hugs and good thoughts to both of you.

 

[Kieka]

Double check with your vet but if his appitite is low he may not have eaten much and therefore not have much to come out. Keep offering his as much food as you can. Since he is eating less, I'd be trying watered down wet food so he gets both calories and liquid. You can also offer human meat baby food (no onion or garlic) as another option. There are also nutriton gels that could be useful to increase calories with less eaten.

It does take a few days for them to adjust to working around a cast or bandage. It's hard to watch them struggle but the less we interfere the quicker they adapt.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Also just wanted to ask- when should I be concerned if he hasn't used the litter box? He isn't eating much at all and not drinking so I'm also worried about dehydration

When my kitty had her last leg surgery, she was so stressed at the hospital that she didn't pee for 30+ hours. I mention it in a post I made for another thread,
Cat With Neurological Damage Hasn’t Peed

My experience has been with back leg surgeries, and your poor kitty had such a grueling surgery in his front leg, right? Seven hours is a very long surgery. So glad they have given you pain/inflammation meds, but you'll need to watch carefully to make sure he is handling them well. Did the surgeon(s) give you any discharge instructions when you picked up your cat? Usually, too, a vet nurse or tech can go over post-op care instructions with you, and you can ask questions of them at that time. If they did not, I would definitely jot down all your questions and concerns and contact them asap for more information. I know it is so stressful to go through this and when you pick up your cat, our brains may not be taking in all the info the vet is telling us about. Gosh, I think I called the surgeon's office about 4 times during the first week after surgery.

Using the litter box after surgery, esp. with a front leg injury, can be so tricky. It can be messy too, and there is usually constant upkeep to keep the crate and litter box area clean. How is that going?

 

[Jelly1995]

Thanks for the reassurance, yes you're right having the support of having his arm set must definitely have reduced his pain compared to before. I will definitely try to get him on wet food but for now I'm desperate for him to eat anything! He's also been twitching in his sleep, not sure if this is a sign of him feeling pain or the medication? I'm hoping he will perk up over the next week (although that's when the trouble of keeping him caged will start!)

 

[Jelly1995]

When my kitty had her last leg surgery, she was so stressed at the hospital that she didn't pee for 30+ hours. I mention it in a post I made for another thread,
Cat With Neurological Damage Hasn’t Peed

My experience has been with back leg surgeries, and your poor kitty had such a grueling surgery in his front leg, right? Seven hours is a very long surgery. So glad they have given you pain/inflammation meds, but you'll need to watch carefully to make sure he is handling them well. Did the surgeon(s) give you any discharge instructions when you picked up your cat? Usually, too, a vet nurse or tech can go over post-op care instructions with you, and you can ask questions of them at that time. If they did not, I would definitely jot down all your questions and concerns and contact them asap for more information. I know it is so stressful to go through this and when you pick up your cat, our brains may not be taking in all the info the vet is telling us about. Gosh, I think I called the surgeon's office about 4 times during the first week after surgery.

Using the litter box after surgery, esp. with a front leg injury, can be so tricky. It can be messy too, and there is usually constant upkeep to keep the crate and litter box area clean. How is that going?

Thank you. I was only given instruction of to give him his medicine with food only, and to take him back weekly for a bandage change. Is there anything specific I should be watching out for with the metacam? At this point he's just sleeping.

For his litter tray I am using a flat tray with crystal litter- he hasn't yet used it and I have no idea whether he will be able to manage it- if

 

[Jelly1995]

Sorry- continuing from before- if and when he uses the tray I will be ready to scoop it up immediately, but I assume there will be some accidents. Poor little guy, he hates mess so that will be hard on him.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Are you in Canada?

I'm aware that some vets give Metacam/Meloxicam (an NSAID), but it is something you need to be careful about, in my view. Watch your kitty carefully and let the vet(s) know asap if you see ANYTHING of concern in your kitty the next several days. Depending on the intensity of his surgery, I am not sure how many days he might feel pain. Often alternative pain meds (like Buprenex, which can also be given as an injection if he is struggling with an oral dose) are prescribed, so that they can get off of metacam.
Metacam For Cats: The Pros And Cons Of Meloxicam For Pain Relief
Meloxicam (Metacam) - Pet, Dog and Cat Medication and Prescription List | petMD

For my cat, we were given 7/8 days of injectible Buprenex for use as needed, but she only needed it for about 3/4 days. A good vet will give you instructions and possible side effects to watch out for; and how to taper off the med.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I found myself basically staying home 24/7 during the first week after my cat's surgery, like a bedside nurse. Ack! It was grueling. It's so hard to see them struggle.

 

[Jelly1995]

Are you in Canada?

I'm aware that some vets give Metacam/Meloxicam (an NSAID), but it is something you need to be careful about, in my view. Watch your kitty carefully and let the vet(s) know asap if you see ANYTHING of concern in your kitty the next several days. Depending on the intensity of his surgery, I am not sure how many days he might feel pain. Often alternative pain meds (like Buprenex, which can also be given as an injection if he is struggling with an oral dose) are prescribed, so that they can get off of metacam.
Metacam For Cats: The Pros And Cons Of Meloxicam For Pain Relief
Meloxicam (Metacam) - Pet, Dog and Cat Medication and Prescription List | petMD

For my cat, we were given 7/8 days of injectible Buprenex for use as needed, but she only needed it for about 3/4 days. A good vet will give you instructions and possible side effects to watch out for; and how to taper off the med.

I am in the UK- thank you for the heads up, I will watch him like a hawk!

 

[Jelly1995]

I found myself basically staying home 24/7 during the first week after my cat's surgery, like a bedside nurse. Ack! It was grueling. It's so hard to see them struggle.

I wish I could do this but my mother will be at work until 4pm, and I will be at university some days. My cousin will come by on Monday to take him for his bandage change but I can't help at feel guilty that I can't be there all the time. He has suffered enough and I really do wish I could take on his pain for him

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Just to give you some perspective, my cat had congenital luxating patellas. Her right knee needed surgery first. The surgeon is very good, and, at the outset, had said the usual knee surgery for a cat could take about 20-25 minutes(!!) (That shocked me.)

It turned out her right knee was pretty unique and complicated; it took him an hour or so.

A year later (last Aug/Sept.) her left knee went out. The surgery was about 25 minutes. (Both of those times are for the actual surgery times by the orthopedic surgeon; not included are the pre-op or post-op nurses' duties.)

So, you see, a 7 hour surgery is pretty darn intense. Very complicated dealing with the multiple breaks, ligaments, tendons, soft tissue.


Pulling for you!

 

[Jelly1995]

He's spent most of the last two days sleeping- isn't drinking water but we are giving him some through a syringe. It's as if he has suddenly regained his energy as it's currently 4am here and he suddenly woke up and is crying repeatedly at the door of the gate- we have tried everything to calm him down including feeding him but he just won't stop- I know it will be hard to keep him in here as he recovers but I am worried about his protests as he's barely been home 48 hours.

 

[Kieka]

It's probably all the surgery drugs finally wearing off enough for him to realize his surroundings. As hard as it is to believe it right now, he will adjust. Once he realizes he is in there for the long haul he will settle. Cats are extremely adaptable.

 

[Jelly1995]

Thank you Kieka. I feel awful but I've had to resort to coming back up to bed as he really wasn't going to stop protesting. I can hear him banging on the cage loudly- now I'm pretty sure he and I are both distressed!

 

[Kieka]

Poor baby. Sometimes the healing seems like it is worse then the injury. Just keep an eye on him, if he hurts himself or doesn't settle down you may want to ask about a mild sedative from your vet. Him being immobile and resting is key to his recovery.