Vasco de Gato
Vasco de Gato
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Alive and well almost 3 years later
Sorry everyone! It has been WAY TOO long since I posted. Vasco is alive and well!
After his PU, almost 3 years to the day, he is still quite the 'terrorist'.
I keep a steroidal gel - 'Tri-top' on hand for his bum. He was always an
incessant cleaner, but he became obsessed as we believe he knows he's missing body parts.
Whenever I can I stop him from licking and we have maintained health.
He still eats mostly soft food with a little kibble and water in dish.
We only buy grain free foods such as Wellness, Wuervia, wild blue wilderness, instinct (fav is rabbit),
Evangers. We use only worlds best cat litter and I try to give him a bath once a month.
I did find in subsequent visits that his PH was consistently a little high so I incorporated Wysongs biotic ph- in his food once per day and we are now holding steady.
My kitties don't go out and are not exposed to strays. There really aren't
any at 9200 feet. So they don't get rabies booster shots or any others.
He still has his pal Shadow (19) and Buddy died at 20 a few years ago (I'm ok now-20 is old).
Life is pretty normal now and my husband finally understands that he can't feed them spruced human foods. They still get steamed organic chicken as treats. Hey, at least I know what it is and but costs less than the pre made packaged treats.
Life's good!
After his PU, almost 3 years to the day, he is still quite the 'terrorist'.
I keep a steroidal gel - 'Tri-top' on hand for his bum. He was always an
incessant cleaner, but he became obsessed as we believe he knows he's missing body parts.
Whenever I can I stop him from licking and we have maintained health.
He still eats mostly soft food with a little kibble and water in dish.
We only buy grain free foods such as Wellness, Wuervia, wild blue wilderness, instinct (fav is rabbit),
Evangers. We use only worlds best cat litter and I try to give him a bath once a month.
I did find in subsequent visits that his PH was consistently a little high so I incorporated Wysongs biotic ph- in his food once per day and we are now holding steady.
My kitties don't go out and are not exposed to strays. There really aren't
any at 9200 feet. So they don't get rabies booster shots or any others.
He still has his pal Shadow (19) and Buddy died at 20 a few years ago (I'm ok now-20 is old).
Life is pretty normal now and my husband finally understands that he can't feed them spruced human foods. They still get steamed organic chicken as treats. Hey, at least I know what it is and but costs less than the pre made packaged treats.
Life's good!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Post suture removal
11/19/11 - Well our last night was fine. He didn't get up once to pee - slept through the night. His pees have been normal and yellow/clear - no blood; he's not straining or running to the box a lot. The 'urge' sensation must have been coming from the irritation/sensation from the stitches and the newness of the surgery - swelling - pain - irritation.
I am still using the cone, if he cleans himself just one or two stokes of his tongue, he bleeds big red blood drops. So I am still cupping over the area and allowing him to clean himself, but the cone goes back on. Need to call the clinic and talk to a nurse and find out when this should end. He doesn't mind the cone, probably because he's free in the house and go into any room, sit in any window, sleep on the sofa, Sadie's bed, whatever he wants.
We have an appointment with our homeopathic vet on Monday so that we can return him to balance and wellness; hopefully he can give us something to help his new pee area callus or thicken over so that he doesn't make himself bleed when he cleans.
He's back to his 'old' self. figured out how to jump on the counter with his cone and up to the top of the cabinets. He's sleeping with his cone, and still on me or next to me. We are both sleeping through the night.
Our lives are returning to normal. I actually left the house and walked Sadie, went to the trash, went to town. Something normal. Got home and sleeping on sofa with his cone. Must not mind it - he's able to do what he wants (just about) when he wants and his pee area is not bothering him anymore! A sigh of relief.
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| All of his shaved spots |
We have an appointment with our homeopathic vet on Monday so that we can return him to balance and wellness; hopefully he can give us something to help his new pee area callus or thicken over so that he doesn't make himself bleed when he cleans.
He's back to his 'old' self. figured out how to jump on the counter with his cone and up to the top of the cabinets. He's sleeping with his cone, and still on me or next to me. We are both sleeping through the night.
Our lives are returning to normal. I actually left the house and walked Sadie, went to the trash, went to town. Something normal. Got home and sleeping on sofa with his cone. Must not mind it - he's able to do what he wants (just about) when he wants and his pee area is not bothering him anymore! A sigh of relief.
We are stitch free!!!
11/14/11 - It's been two weeks and a day and we are now stitch free! The procedure only took about an hour - anesthesia - suture removal - wake up and we are off and heading home.
We will stay in the study one more night - tonight - and then he's allowed around the zoo!
Don't let him 'go after' himself (licking/cleaning) too much or he will bleed and could develop scar tissue. The area looks clean and the surgical nurse said things look great, he looks great and we should be just fine. We can go back to our regular litter - oh goody, I don't like Yesterday's News as you can't put that much in box because you have to dump the whole thing in order to clean the box - doesn't scoop.
PHEW!
He hasn't eaten yet today and I know he's hungry, but a little out of it from the drug. He'll sleep most of if not all of the way home. He can return to normal activity, running, jumping, cleaning, etc. This is a relief. Just one more night!
Don't let him 'go after' himself (licking/cleaning) too much or he will bleed and could develop scar tissue. The area looks clean and the surgical nurse said things look great, he looks great and we should be just fine. We can go back to our regular litter - oh goody, I don't like Yesterday's News as you can't put that much in box because you have to dump the whole thing in order to clean the box - doesn't scoop.
PHEW!
Stitch removal tomorrow!
11/13/11 - Yeah!!! We are almost there. We have to get up early tomorrow as we have to be at the vets at 9:30 - which means we leave the house at 6:45 a.m. Must prepare the car and his crate, extra towels, litterbox for the car, water etc. Can't do it early in the morning,need to do it tonight.
I allowed him to lay outside the crate in the sun on the floor today. This way his Shadow buddy can sniff him and lay right next to him. I'm hoping that we will have tomorrow night as has been and then on the 15th he can be around the rest of the zoo!
I allowed him to lay outside the crate in the sun on the floor today. This way his Shadow buddy can sniff him and lay right next to him. I'm hoping that we will have tomorrow night as has been and then on the 15th he can be around the rest of the zoo!
It's a long two weeks!
We are sleeping well in the study and settle down each night as usual - I'm really trying to maintain our pre-surgery routine. He's either sleeping on my chest, next to me in the 'nook' or between my legs towards my feet. He is having fewer pee breaks during the night - remember I have to dab his bum when he goes otherwise he'll drag his bum on the sheeted floor and irritate the stitches - and we can't have that!
11/11/11 - And so it goes. Today plus 3 more days before stitch removal! It has been necessary for me to give him a few drops of Dr. Bach's Rescue Remedy to calm him as I think he is still in a little pain or is irritated by the crate. But I need a break from the 12x12 study and there's laundry and other household tasks to do.
My friends and neighbors are being phenomenal! They are coming and getting my dog, the Sadie girl, everyday for her afternoon walk. It's great that she gets an hour or so walk/play time with a puppy pal. It's been snowing and Sadie loves the snow.
We are maintaining and I'm getting a lot of work/paperwork done at home. Paying the bills, writing thank you notes, etc.
Settling into a routine
So it's now Saturday and we've been home for a few days. We are finally settling into a routine of when we get up. Eat in the study and then move to the 'crate' out in the living area for a bit so I can eat and clean up the coffee and breakfast of the morning. He needs to get his pain killers and antibiotics as well.
It's sunny so I move the crate into the sun. Most cats love their sun! This makes him sleepy and he settles down. His 'brother' Shadow settles next to him on the floor.
Today I also notice that he seems to have developed a 'diaper' rash! Call the clinic and speak to a nurse. So it goes that this can happen as they are peeing differently now and they must get used to that and will eventually squat a little differently.
They give me permission to use the MelaGel I have (natural product and has a little tea tree oil in it) because I don't have a baby thus no baby diaper stuff - poor little guy :(
Sunday 11/6/11 - I decide that the only way he is going to be able to 'cure' his rash is to allow him to clean himself - safely. So he will eat his breakfast without the lampshade and be given 20 or so minutes to clean himself. I cup my fingers over the suture area so he cannot clean that area and irritate it, but he's happy and when he settles down to rest I put the lampshade back on. We do this at dinner too. I continue to dab his bum when he leaves the litter box. He's finally having bowel movements, they are solid.
Cats create their own enzymes and I think that allowing him to produce these enzymes through licking activity is extremely helpful in his recovery. It also appears that this may help him maintain his personality - cats must be cats!
Today I also notice that he seems to have developed a 'diaper' rash! Call the clinic and speak to a nurse. So it goes that this can happen as they are peeing differently now and they must get used to that and will eventually squat a little differently.
They give me permission to use the MelaGel I have (natural product and has a little tea tree oil in it) because I don't have a baby thus no baby diaper stuff - poor little guy :(
Sunday 11/6/11 - I decide that the only way he is going to be able to 'cure' his rash is to allow him to clean himself - safely. So he will eat his breakfast without the lampshade and be given 20 or so minutes to clean himself. I cup my fingers over the suture area so he cannot clean that area and irritate it, but he's happy and when he settles down to rest I put the lampshade back on. We do this at dinner too. I continue to dab his bum when he leaves the litter box. He's finally having bowel movements, they are solid.
Cats create their own enzymes and I think that allowing him to produce these enzymes through licking activity is extremely helpful in his recovery. It also appears that this may help him maintain his personality - cats must be cats!
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