Dislocated knee?

[cazlee]

Please help. You guys were so great when I first adopted my little girl, I hope you can help now.

My vet is already closed.

I got home from work not that long ago and it seems like Peanut may have dislocated her left rear knee.

She is favoring her right hind leg, and limping a little bit with her left leg. There is sort of a divet on the left side along the joint area. Her left knee is not swollen or hot, and she is allowing me to feel the joint, but the joint area does feel slightly different on her left side than on her right. She is walking around for the most part a-ok, just a bit of a limp.

Does this sound like a dislocation? Somehow pulled a kitty muscle? Made a tendon angry?

Please advise what further info you need - Is this an EMERGENCY VET NOW situation? Can it wait til the morning when my vet that accepts her insurance is open?

Could it be just.... gas? She totally just farted on me....

 

[cazlee]

She doesn't seem as bad this morning but she's still limping, so off to the vet she goes.

 

[threecatowner]

I hope your kitty will be okay. Does sound like she jumped wrong. Keep us posted.

 

[cazlee]

She saw the vet today.

Nothing is broken or dislocated, but the vet concurs that her knee is sprained.

He gave her a pain killer shot and me some ketoprofen for the next few days and a follow up in a week.

Thankfully, nothing serious.

 

[cazlee]

On an unrelated note;

My vet seems to always send me home with dewormer even though Peanut has never had worms, her tootsie roll samples have always been negative for all forms of worms, even at her first kitten check-up. I treated her as a kitten after her first kitten check-up as a precaution.

They told me yesterday that "since it's covered by her insurance, here's some dewormer for her". They gave me some after her spay last year as well, "since it's covered". I asked at the time of the spay and yesterday if she had tested positive for worms, they told me no both times.

I haven't yet given it to her and am somewhat skeptical regarding providing an unnecessary treatment. I know they mean well and are looking out for her, but she's 110% indoors and is at very low risk for contracting worms of any form. Is there any benefit to routine deworming? The label around the stuff says it's pyrantel pamoate. It would only be effective for an active infestation, correct?

Comments?

 

[emmylou]

I think your feelings are right on this. It's a strange practice on the vet's part; maybe they like to make the money from selling it, since your insurance covers it. I'd refuse in future.

I agree. Dewormer isn't preventive. If the cat hasn't tested positive for worms, don't give medication for it... particularly since dewormer can cause temporary digestive issues. Since your cat is indoors, it's even more unlikely for her to suddenly develop worms.

 

[cazlee]

Thanks Emmylou, I didn't think it was preventative at all, but wasn't sure.

I'll touch base with them on it on Friday when Peanut goes in for her first set of yearly boosters, to find out their logic behind sending me home with dewormer. Probably a legitimate reason behind their logic, they probably aren't entirely aware I live on the 5th floor of an interior-hallway condo, therefore figure she may be at higher risk than she actually is for worms.

But really, if over prescribing medication is the worst complaint I have about my vet, I surely am blessed. The office is otherwise stellar, very clean, fantastic staff (other than one girl that I didn't quite appreciate the way she was handling Peanut after I advised her of the best way to handle my dear... but she's not with the office anymore so I don't need to be fussed with her), I can always call in to speak with the vet if I have a question and they have an emergency vet on-call 24/7/365. I popped by unannounced several times while I was 'vetting' vet offices and they were always fantastic about accommodating me.