can anyone help me please....

[pookyandjo]

Hi everyone... very happy to have found this site... especially after having a read through some fo the threads.. im sure that i will get a lot of support for the problem that i have.. where do i start...
here goes... Today my soul cat.(Tinky Winky) had to have his right hind leg amputated... Its a long story.. but the short version is that early January this year he was dianosed with haemaniosarcoma.. he had surgery and they removed a tumour the size of a closed fist.... it was subcutaneous.. and they belived they had all the tumour... 4 operations later... there was one part of the wound that hadn't healed... we another biopsy was taken on Monday.. and yesterday found that there was still cancer present..I was referred to a surgical oncologist... i rang them right away and had an appointment this morning...and this afternoon my baby boy was operated on...
My head is a mess at the moment..i swing between thinking i have done the right thing to thinking that i havn't.. i am scared about bringing him home in 2 days time.. I went and saw him tonight and he was being looked after beautifully... he was very spacey... but alive... and the nurses said that he was doing very well... I had to take some of his food into the hospital so they could feed him... he has a protein allergy (diagnosed about 4 years ago) and has a special diet... they have put a feeding tube in his neck because he is notorious for not eating after surgery for days at a time and always has to be put on appetite stimulants to get him back eating..
Im hoping that anyone who reads this and has had experience with caring for cats who have undergone amputations might have some advice, or information that might help me get my head around this whole situation.. Tinky has been through sooo much in the last 7 weeks...i know for a fact that i am almost at the end of my rope with this... and i have had the easy part..I just want to do the best thing for him... if anyone can help me with information i would be very thankful

[yola]

Hello, and welcome and I'm sorry you're joining us under such stressful circumstances. I'm afraid I don't have any direct experience of amputee cats but I understand that on the whole they tend to recover quickly and rapidly learn to compensate for their lost limb. However I know Tinky has a longer history of illness so he may well need additional care and his recovery may be slower.

I wish you and Tinky all the very best. Your love for him comes across so strongly in your post so I'm sure you'll give him all the care, attention and affection that he'll need.

[Mags]

Hi, welcome to Catsey....

So sorry to read about Tinky Winky's circumstances, you must be so worried for him.

I've had no experience of an amputation with a cat myself but a few of our members have in the past.

I hope these threads from members will help you to understand and cope with your fears......

http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php...=leg+amputated
http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php...=leg+amputated

This thread is rather long but if you start at page 12, post 113, that will be when Pebbles goes to the vet for her amputation.......

http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php...eg+amput ated

I hope this helps you to come to terms with Tinky's situation better. You yourself are still in a state of shock at the thought of the amputation but over the coming weeks you will be surprised at how well cats can adapt to losing a leg.

Please do keep us updated of how he gets on, I'm sure we will all be interested to hear about his progress...

Good luck!

[angieh]

Tinky Winky is obviously a very special cat to have so much love and care. I do hope that he can adapt after his amputation. Cats and dogs do tend to get on so much better than people. As Mags says, you are in shock from the news that the cancer was still present and the operation. I'm sure that you will be fine bringing him home again and that you will be able to continue to give him the very best of care.

Please let us know how things progress.

[dinahsmum]

Hello and welcome. I do hope Tinky Winky comes through this Ok and thrives.
If the cancer is contained I'm sure he will be OK without his leg and will learn to enjoy life as a tripod. You may need to think about keeping him indoors or only allowing him out when supervised, so he isn't suprised by eg dogs or fierce neighbouring cats.

If the cancer returns than you have the saddest decision to make. Don't let your good friend suffer needlessly will you? He enjoys life because you love him and because his body works. If his body doesn't work, and if he is in pain or distress, then, sadly, your love is not enough.

Wishing you both well.

(Edit: I should have said that I have known 2 happy tripods. One was a front leg amputee, umpty-tump years ago when I was a little girl. he'd been caught in a wicked gin-trap; the other was an rta victim, who lost a hind leg. Both were great)

[Leesy]

Hello and welcome to Catsey, what a stressful situation for yourself and Tinky Winky(Luvvv his name).
As everybody has said so far as traumatic as it is cats and dogs do cope well in these situations, particualy when they have obviously got such a loving and caring owner as you.
Your head is bound to be a mess at the moment wondering if you have done the right thing or not, I do cetainly think that you have as he will still have a high quality of life as before if not the same, he is one lucky cat having an owner like you to look out for him .
I hope that Tinky Winky makes a speedy recovery and Good Luck Xx.

[Elaine]

Aww poor baby, I am sure he will adjust in no time. The beauty about animals is that they dont hold onto the past as we humans do and he will just move forward and get on with living his life to the full.
Welcome to catsey and all the very best to you and Tinky Winky xxx

[pookyandjo]

Hi all.. thank you so much for the messages of encouragment..I have been to see him today.. and actually got to feed him through his feeding tube.. nerve wracking but im told i'll get used to it..The nursing staff told me that they like to keep them in until they are at least up on their feet so at this stage he is staying in until Monday.. it's Friday afternoon here in Australia as i write this).. he was still a bit spaced out when i got there... but was VERY happy to see me... nudging my hand and purring, putting his chin up to be scratched underneath.. i can tell you it certainly did my heart good for him to be responsive.. he didn't move whilst i was there and has a MASSIVE suture line.. he still has an IV drip with pain relief and and a Fentanyl patch for pain also.. he still has a urinary catheter in place so i suppose it's no wonder he hasn't shown any inclination to move or try and stand up..
The hospital where he is in an hour away from where i live but i plan to go twice a day so i can help with the feeding... (so i can see him and let him know that i haven't abandoned him and also so that when he comes home and i am tube feeding him i am at least comfortable with that aspect of his care.. I am leaving home in a few minutes to go and collect a cat crate so that he can be confined in my bedroom when he does come home.. so i am keeping busy with preparations for his return home..Im not sure ehhe will react to be confined... being an indoors cat he is used to having run of the house..but all will be revealed as the coming days unfold.
I am feeling a little better about things but a lot of thought overnight has made me come to the realisation that i didn't really have a choice about how yesterday unfolded..
On Wednesday morning i had a cat that had a wound that wasnt healing... on Wednesday afternoon i had a cat that again had cancer...
On Thursday i was given a choice.. operate and have a chance of saving his life.. or dont... and have him die within 3 months... and then.. there is my beautiful Tinky Winky.. who that morning...had been annoying me for food and giving me kisses in an attempt to get food (he was being fasted in preparation for the specialists appointment) how could i deny him the opportunity to live and selfishly deny myself fo his presence in my life...
Sorry if this is rambling... it feels good to vent and who knows... if it helps someone else at a later time who, like me, fins themselves in this situation.. well then that can only be a good thing..
I will keep you updated

thanks

Jo... And Tinky Winky

[Mags]

Hi Jo....... I'm so pleased to hear Tinky's op went well and you've been in to see him. It was a good idea of the nursing staff to let you feed him through his tube.....by starting now it will give you experience and it won't be such an ordeal for you when he comes home.

I'm sure he'll adjust to the cage while he goes through the recovery stage, maybe let him out for short periods until he's steadier on his feet.

You do 'sound' more confident today which is good, each day will get better.

I hope all goes smoothly with your visits to him, he has lots of Catsey aunties here wishing him well so extra chin tickles to Tinky from us all...

[dinahsmum]

Hello Jo.
Well, that's the worst 24 hours over for you and time should make things much easier. As Elaine said, animals don't 'mourn' when they lose a limb. As long as they are pain free they just get on with it.
You sound a lot better today ... recovering from the shock I guess.
All fingers crossed that the drastic measures work - you have ceratnly done everything you can. Stay positive!