Making more progress day 5

Last night  Purrkins got out of his closet bed and into my makeshift floor bed!

He got under the covers and curled up with me. We both got to get some sleep! So happy to feel him tuck in with me again!

His incision looks great it is not oozed or bruised.

I saw a lot of pictures before his surgery they looked scary. This isn’t scary at all! Beautiful job Dr. Rubin!

Purrkins wants out of his recovery suite!

He is insisting he gets out of this room. I took a couple of pictures you can see how excited he is.

And then mom says no. Not so happy

Tonight will be his last dose of Buprenorphine he will remain on the gabapentin.

Purrkins is feeling good he was up more today. I ran the vacuum, and he RAN 🎉🎊out of the closet and up to the bed! I could not believe what I saw It looked like Purrkins on all 4! It was a fantastic moment!  We celebrate each thing he does!

Saxton checking on Purrkins

His brother Saxton came into the room more today and stayed after checking on Purrkins.

We are making progress each day!

Tri harder

Litter Box needed Modified

We are doing great here we modified Purrkins litter box last night.

Here’s the before and after we just cut out the entry more and it did the trick!

No face planting in the modified litter box

Purrkins didn’t need his mom to help him go pee today he got in and out on his own no problem yeah!

He is getting his hop-like walk down, and I’m impressed!  Again Yeah Purrkins!

I am massaging and doing acupressure on him. I started that on them when they were kitties. They love it I am self-taught with a Tallgrass  Acupressure book and chart. I’m no expert just do the best I can, and they approve!

Purrkins hasn’t had a problem with appetite. He happily gulps his food down. Not interested in his water but that’s ok since he is eating wet food we don’t have to worry about hydration he is getting it from his food.

Purrkins wants out of this room already. He protested at the door scratching away like he has both his front paws! Sorry, buddy we are stuck in here for a bit.

Set up a camera to monitor

Since Mark went back to work I set a camera up so when Purrkins is sleeping   I can leave the room with no worries. I will get an alert when he moves, and I can be right back in. We use our old phone with the presence app. (It’s a free iPhone app) It’s a motion-activated camera app we normally use for the litter box because brother Saxton has IBD and constipation we have to keep a close eye on things. We get alerts when the camera detects motion. Yes, I get poop and pee alerts and videos sent to my phone lol. If you don’t know what’s coming out of your kitties, it’s good to know! It will save you a trip to the ER!  It can be insurance and life-saving! We keep a daily journal of who has done what.

Itchy today

We have one issue today he wants to scratch at his neck where it is shaved right above the incision. The onesie entirely covers the incision, but I worry he is still going to catch his incision with his claws.I put a moist washcloth on it, and he still wants to itch the area. I put the soft cone on him today after he would listen to my no scratching. That seemed to make him understand the no-itch again. I can’t see what is itchy other than it’s shaved there.

Pretty quiet day today he is most active in the early morning, he is up on and off throughout the day.

Sleeping more than usual and that’s good! I want him to heal.

 

Purrkins Recovery Onesies

To see how I made the DIY Onesie’s/T-shirts go to this post –DIY Baby Onesie/T-shirts Cone of Shame Alternative

Day 3

We are doing great here! Day 3 Purrkins is impressive!

Purrkins is up and moving this morning

He went up onto the bed, tried a set of his new soft foam stairs up no problem. Down well that’s entirely different he is not sure what to do so I decided to guide him. That helped. Then he stood on his back two legs proudly and scratched the door marking his territory.

I have to say before this surgery, I watched him on four and said to myself now how will he do this do?  Well, he is showing me how and I’m helping show him how. lol

Assisting Purrkins

Purrkins was getting so frustrated flopping and not making progress. I felt it was best to help him and not let him keep flopping & getting so frustrated. I am guiding Purrkins to show him what to do and how to do everything. Stabilize him on his three legs. Let him stand, feel secure, and then proceed.  We also used an old tank top and used it like a sling they use for dogs which works he doesn’t mind it, and it also helps him figure things out without having to face plant.

Litter Box

He used the litter box, I put him in the box and held him steady as not to tip over and he peed.  He gets so tired; that he laid his head on the edge of the box so I helped him out. He had pee all over his fur he looked disgusted his pride is out the window! I wiped him off, and he was back to himself.

He ate great almost the entire small can of chicken and herring for breakfast.  He also inhaled his bonitos flakes!

A busy morning and is now resting.

We could not be prouder of Purrkins he has just amazed us, and I know he will continue to do so! I will try to get a video of the walk/ hop when able. The picture was all I could do since I’m still leary and being a protective mom staying right behind him!

Purrkins seems very comfortable with Gabapentin every 8 hours and Buprenorphine every 10 to 11 hours. Arnica montana 30c two pellets three times a day. His incision looks great.

Exercise Mats for cushion as we learn

We covered our floor with foam exercise mats in the recovery. You can get them at Amazon or Walmart.  We got some that looked like wood and used some others we already had to cover the hard floor for Purrkins to come home.

Thank you Tripawds family for being there for this surgery and now! The amputation was one of the hardest decisions we had to make!

The pathology report will be back on Purrkins leg in  3- 5  days! 🙏  We are very hopeful and praying cancer left with his leg!

Day 2

Purrkins in his clean onesie. He needs them! He tried licking right away yesterday!  We have to watch his back claws from scratching! He has one of us watching him 24-7. We took a short shift in sleep.

After Care Instructions –

The incision should be kept dry & free of debris until it is fully healed. You may put a t-shirt on him to prevent exposure and discourage licking. Please, Monitor Purrkins incision daily for any sign of infection which includes redness, increased temperature or any white or yellow discharge. If any of these signs are seen, please have him rechecked.

(The hospital iced the incision for three days while Purrkins was in ICU)

Wound Care Instructions – 

Please apply a warm compress to Purrkins incision 2-3 times a day for the next 3-5 days or until the seroma resolves.

Heat a moistened clean washcloth in the microwave. Place in a sealed ziplock bag & apply to Purrkins incision for 10 minutes at a time. 

Purrkins is resting comfortably we rigged a bed in the closet for him!

Incision looks great!

 

Surgery

Purrkins went in a day before surgery on July 26, 2016, to MSU surgery scheduled for the 27th. Purrkins ended up staying at MSU for three nights and four days.

I was able to visit Purrkins in the hospital. I was not sure that was a great idea after reading on the site that it’s not always recommended. So I talked to the Vet about that, and he said in his experience, when an animal is not acting themselves, it helps to have the owner come. So I listened to his advice and went to see Purrkins, which was rough!

Visiting Purrkins in the hospital

I was escorted back through the surgical area, NOT what I needed to see and then tucked back in there was the ICU unit. I scanned for Purrkins and did not see him. They had the cage covered, trying to help Purrkins get thru all the scary sounds. All the animals crying were enough for me to cringe. I cannot imagine that is good for the animals in recovery.  It was unsettling for me to hear!

Purrkins was heavily sedated. He never tried to move in the hospital and was peeing where he lay! It broke my heart, and I asked the Vet Student then are you sure we did the right thing? I felt terrible that it was not my Purrkins in the cage. He opened the cage and slid Purrkins closer so I could reach him. Purrkins scooched back to where he was right away. My heart just sank. I noticed that Purrkins had a tic (tremor) and asked if anyone had seen this? No, they had not. It was from the Fentanyl he was on. The student said that is something the parents notice more than they do. (always speak up!) They tweaked his meds.

I talked to Purrkins, I took all his favorite foods, and he would only lick one taste of baby food.  The Vet wanted to keep Purrkins yet another day, and he would try to get Purrkins up onto his 3 feet before he came home. They never did get him up on 3.

Ready to come home

When they told me Purrkins was ready to come home, I was relieved, glad, and nervous since he had not been on three yet! I talked to the Surgeon and the Vet student, and they gave me all my instructions for aftercare, incision care, meds he was on, and when I needed to provide the next dose.  Limited activity – He wants him restricted for two weeks, no steps, no jumping up and down from the bed. He said I could pick him up and put him down, allow him to eat & use the litter box.

He assured me once again we did the right thing, and he was sure I had what it took to get Purrkins thru this! ~ “You got this” he was more convinced than I was!

I told him about Tripawds, he was relieved we had support at home. He told me, “they do not get to see what happens after they leave.”

I could not have hand-picked anyone better to get us thru this! He called me several times a day with an update on Purrkins and he took the time to answer any questions.

Purrkins coming HOME

I got Purrkins home sat the carrier down, opened the door, and he bolted out face plant, up again, and another face plant!  He was in panic mode! It was his first attempt on three legs!! Excited to be home and scared and drugged! I was a wreck!! I did not expect that, and it ripped my guts out!

He flopped and flopped all over! Like a fish out of water! He was frantically flopping, and I was frantic watching. I had told myself repeatedly to stay calm and be strong. That went out the window the first few minutes of the flopping! I wanted to cry!

My heart breaks for him, and I question whether we did the right thing.

I do not think anyone can truly prepare you for that first day, the first hours home? It was heartbreaking and scary for me.

I put wee-wee pads all over the bed, laid him on the bed, and nope that wasn’t good; he wanted to go somewhere else.

Jumped in the window

Then he jumped into the window sill before I could even react. I supported his one side as he watched out the window, hoping he would see awe, yes, I am home (remember our instructions, no jumping, etc.)

Next, I placed him on a chair in front of the window; he lay there for a bit. Then he decided no, let’s go somewhere else. So I helped him to the floor and then let him go wherever he was trying to go, not far under the chair. He rested there for a while, then up again.

He went to the litter box, and I watched him try to use his missing limb. Purrkins was frustrated!  Nothing seemed to be working for him, so he surrendered in the litter box!

I helped him out of the litter, and he hobbled over to the open closet. That was the final resting spot.  I made a comfy makeshift bed in the closet for him.

He wasn’t sure what to do or where he wanted to go. I wasn’t sure what to do. I read so many blogs before this surgery. All the advice I read was to let them figure it out independently. I cheered Purrkins every move, even if it was a flop (while my heart sank). Then I saw Purrkins third eyelid starts to show? I called MSU they told me not to be concerned right now; if by 4:00 pm, the third eyelid is still showing to call back. So I decided to post on the forums too.

 My post to Tripawds forum

Help any suggestions, please.
Got Purrkins home, and is ok for his 3rd eyelid to be showing both of his eyes? I know he is drugged and past tired. He’s on Gabapentin and
Buprenorphine they gave him the dose before coming home. We called the vet student, and he isn’t concerned yet. If they are still showing by 4:00, he said to call him back.

Purrkins isn’t getting around good at all, hopping frantically. He managed to jump in the window!!! Unreal, he did that no problem. I helped him down. I was frantic! I’m not doing as well as I would like for him! I am a wreck and trying to calm myself to stop transferring to him.

Am I supposed to let him figure this out on his own? I mean, the getting around in the room? He keeps flopping all over, tearing my guts out! I am telling him he is doing great, glad he is attempting.
He ate some baby food for me and a few licks. He is finally tucked in the closet, so I have a minute to type. I will post a picture when I can.

Eventually, we both settled down

The good news is after Purrkins finally tucked in the closet and I posted, we both settled down, his third eyelid did go back in, and I did not need to call MSU back. Purrkins knew he was home, and he rolled on his back and started to purr. I knew then all was fine. No matter what was to come, we had this. Purrkins was in there; he was happy to be home, away from those scary sounds, even if he was minus a limb.

Purrkins was soaked in pee from not moving in the hospital, and not using a litter box, he just peed where he was.  I cleaned him up with a warm washcloth everywhere except his incision, thankfully that was all it took to get rid of the pungent pee odor. He was appreciative!

I think Purrkins was kept too long even if he was in excellent care. At one point, it caused more harm staying. He would have been better off recovering at home. It doesn’t matter; he is home now!

Our discharge instructions.