- Joined
- Aug 21, 2013
- Messages
- 16
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Hi All!
Quick question (I'll post the longer story at some point for anyone interested): After a feeding tube is removed, how long does it take to heal? It's been a week and I just removed the cone and he scratched it open. Cats!!! Love 'em but they sure go out of their way to hurt themselves.
Just wondering when I can take the cone off. Bandages don't work for him because he always manages to pull them down as well as pull off (and try to eat) the gauze padding. It doesn't matter if the vet tech wraps him or I do. (photos below)
PS: I am a huge advocate for feeding tubes. It was not difficult to feed him this way (time consuming but got faster with practice, and messy...especially when he was feeling better and would walk away while I was feeding him). I also loved that I could give him his meds in the tube...because I hate giving cats medicine!
+++++++++++++++++++++
Short version of the story is that I adopted a cat from a shelter and by the next day, he was seriously ill and not eating. He was diagnosed with a bad upper respiratory infection, and after a few days of not eating, ended up hospitalized and with a tube. He stayed sick, and none of the diagnostic tests (and there were many) showed a cause. A week after I adopted him, his leg literally exploded with a ruptured abscess - finally, the cause of his immune system being so destroyed. After two weeks with tube feeding, he finally started eating again.
He was given a cone to keep him from scratching the stitches in his leg from the abscess, but I kept him in it because it also kept him from scratching the tube site (which was high on his neck). he even scratched at it with the tube in place and I was terrified he would rip it out. Once it started to heal, at the vet's direction, I removed the bandage after a few days (he had managed to tug it off the wound anyway) and he promptly ripped the scab off (two days after it was removed). A few days later, I tried again and he promptly removed the scab and opened the wound. Today (8 days after removal), he has done it again! The difference this time is that things seem to be more healed inside, but now he has pushed open a flap of skin.
CATS!!!
Between my roommate and I, we have five...and I think five is plenty.
Oh...and the vet bills for this cat that I didn't even know yet - over 1600 and that was with a discount from the vet.
Kato, feeling better. Tube is gone. Weight is coming back. Twisted into a pretzel.
Handsome boy. He's gained over a pound back and is looking like a normal, happy cat.
Little guy is in rough shape, but on the road to recovery. Vet decided to full wrap his leg (the stitches from the abscess extend from his thigh, past the knee joint. He had a tough time getting around, but he managed. The bandage on his neck is keeping the feeding tube protected. He is sleeping with his mouth open as he is still very sick from the URI.
Quick question (I'll post the longer story at some point for anyone interested): After a feeding tube is removed, how long does it take to heal? It's been a week and I just removed the cone and he scratched it open. Cats!!! Love 'em but they sure go out of their way to hurt themselves.
Just wondering when I can take the cone off. Bandages don't work for him because he always manages to pull them down as well as pull off (and try to eat) the gauze padding. It doesn't matter if the vet tech wraps him or I do. (photos below)
PS: I am a huge advocate for feeding tubes. It was not difficult to feed him this way (time consuming but got faster with practice, and messy...especially when he was feeling better and would walk away while I was feeding him). I also loved that I could give him his meds in the tube...because I hate giving cats medicine!
+++++++++++++++++++++
Short version of the story is that I adopted a cat from a shelter and by the next day, he was seriously ill and not eating. He was diagnosed with a bad upper respiratory infection, and after a few days of not eating, ended up hospitalized and with a tube. He stayed sick, and none of the diagnostic tests (and there were many) showed a cause. A week after I adopted him, his leg literally exploded with a ruptured abscess - finally, the cause of his immune system being so destroyed. After two weeks with tube feeding, he finally started eating again.
He was given a cone to keep him from scratching the stitches in his leg from the abscess, but I kept him in it because it also kept him from scratching the tube site (which was high on his neck). he even scratched at it with the tube in place and I was terrified he would rip it out. Once it started to heal, at the vet's direction, I removed the bandage after a few days (he had managed to tug it off the wound anyway) and he promptly ripped the scab off (two days after it was removed). A few days later, I tried again and he promptly removed the scab and opened the wound. Today (8 days after removal), he has done it again! The difference this time is that things seem to be more healed inside, but now he has pushed open a flap of skin.
CATS!!!
Between my roommate and I, we have five...and I think five is plenty.
Oh...and the vet bills for this cat that I didn't even know yet - over 1600 and that was with a discount from the vet.
