Homeward bound and all the stuff to get

It's Nov. 3rd and we are homeward bound, finally.

1. More antibiotics and pain killers 2 times p/d.  They are liquid.

2. Keep him as quiet as possible, no running or jumping.  

3. Handling, only what he wants, but don't disturb the stitches.

4. ABSOLUTELY no licking or cleaning of himself in his genital area (he has a cone on)

5. Feed as normally would, every 12 hours, BUT only wet food.  I can feed organic meats.

Prior to his return I did lots of interneting.  The one suggestion I found about recovery was to sequester in a room covered with sheets in case of bloody urine seepage/dripping.  Off to the store I go.  

Inexpensive sheets, a dog crate so he can hang safely with his buds, 'Yesterdays News' cat litter, piddle pads, Earthbath grooming wipes so I can clean his fur, a pedestal food dish and water dish, little bolster sided cuddle bed so he has a place to lay his head and cone, soft sided comfy cone replacement, low sided litter box.  And the dog needs food too.

We're home.  Come in and put him in his soft sided cone and in the crate and he turns into the tasmanian devil.  Flashing his head about and spinning in circles, throwing litter pellets all over the place!  Man alive!  Ok he hates the cone. It's black and he can't see shadows in his periphery.  Change cones, back in cage.  Still crazy.  OK hates the cage, he's spent so much time behind bars already.  He must have been saying "what! You get me home and lock me up again! No way!"  So back to the study he goes.  There's a sofa in there I plan on sleeping on so he has his people company and can walk around and look out the windows.  Aaah! that's better.  He quickly beds down for a nap and is a lot calmer.  Thank God! And this was the first 30 minutes.  Let's hope that was the only event.

I'm home alone. My husband is at work and the dog needs walked.  Ok, he's asleep.  He has his cone on so I creep out for a short walk.  I wasn't gone for more than 30 minutes.  I walk back in and immediately check on him and he's got his cone off! He's licking himself!  Vasco NO!  Must have just happened.  He didn't get any stitches, but there's blood.  He's not supposed to lick himself, could cause scaring or worse pull a stitch and back to the vet we go; providing he doesn't bleed out before getting there.  

The Cat tree in the study and sofa I slept on

Cone back on, assess the situation.  Use a wipe to dab his bum.  Get cell phone to call the clinic and speak to a nurse.  Where's my phone.  Darn it's on the kitchen counter.  Quickly leave study and grab phone.  No sooner did I scamper 10 feet and come back in and he's jumped on the cat tree.  Darn!  Last time he came home, took him 3 days to jump again and we've only been home less than an hour!  I thought I'd have time to take the platforms down.  Call the clinic.  "Don't let it happen again or you've spent thousands for nothing."  Yes mame.  So he's up there, 8 feet in the air and sleeping with his cone on tied really tight.  I'll take the platforms down and then get the 3 step ladder and get him down.  No sooner did I get him down, he pees in his box and then proceeds to scooch his little bald bum across the sheeted flood and leave a streak of faint blood.  Eeek! Vasco No!  Grab the wipes and dab him.  Call the nurse again.  Have to dab him every time he comes out of box since it's natural for a cat to clean itself afterwards and now he can't.  The only good sign is that scooching tells us the healing has begun, but don't let him do it.


Realization quickly sets in that he is going to have to be watch 24/7.  He can't be trusted to be left alone, hence he gets his collar off somehow and his bum should be dabbed for cleanliness and to ease his discomfort with not being able to clean himself. 


Oh Boy! I have two weeks of this.  I tell myself it's only two week of a very long life yet to be lived and we must set a routine.  It's only Thursday and the weekend is coming and my husband can relieve me periodically during the day while I try to ease him into the crate out front.  Need to boil some organic chicken breast for this.