Kitty update

[amethyst73]

     It turns out that Mouse Cat has not one but two injuries.  The one we could see was basically in his right armpit.  The vet says that that one actually is starting to heal up pretty nicely.  But there's another puncture wound in the same limb, close to the elbow, where the puncture penetrates muscle, that the vet's less happy about.  She wants us to watch it for a few days; she thinks it'll heal by itself and she really doesn't want to have to stitch it if she doesn't have to.  So all that is at least tentatively good.
    Another distinctly good thing is that veterinary medicine has advanced since the last time antibiotics were prescribed for any cat of ours.  The usual practice is to give the cat two doses of Clavamox (dosage adjusted for weight, which for big cats like Bernie and Fluffy can mean 1.5 large pills) daily for 10-14 days.  This was going to be oh so much fun with poor little Mouse, who is semi-feral.  To my great joy, there's now an injection that can be given!  I don't know how it works exactly, but it's effectively a 2-week dose of antibiotic.  No pilling Mouse!  Happiness!
    The vet says that Mouse has been simultaneously very brave and too terrified to move.  This is completely in keeping with what he was doing earlier when I saw him with the vet briefly.  He really is a good sweet cat.
    He's home now, back under the futon.  But he's closer to the edge of it than he was this morning, and is currently in much more of a 'cat at rest' position than a 'cat in panic mode' position.  I think he's going to be ok.  :)

Comments

[meepodeekin.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear Mouse is mostly likely going to be ok on his own.

And jealous about the antibiotic. When ours needed Clavamox last month, we were given a liquid version. Not as bad as a pill, but I got a nasty bite trying to force his mouth open for it. After that hubby did it on his own.

[amethyst73.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember doing the liquid thing. That's always such a dratted mess. There's no way, as far as I could tell, of making sure the entire dosage made it in.

A friend clued us in to this contraption called a pill gun for pilling cats/dogs. It's basically a syringe apparatus, about 4 inches long. You put the pill in one end, have a willing helper hold the cat and open its mouth, and pop the pill in. Hold kitty's mouth closed till you're certain it's swallowed, apply treats, and you're done! This was fantastic when we were giving Bernie Cat 3 different pills in his last several months.

[meepodeekin.livejournal.com]

Interesting contraption! Problem is, our cat is terrified of me and will only even sort of sit still for hubby. Hubby ended up having to do the liquid by himself cuz if I got near the cat (either to be the one holding him or the one applying the syringe) the cat freaked out.

[catagon3.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you got Mouse-cat to the vet and he's doing well.

Last year when Fydo got injured in a fight it was also in the back of his right arm. Must be some basic cat-fighting technique issue.

[amethyst73.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sounds it. He's healing up well, though still moderately freaked.