New Member - cat question...leg amputation

[Tony in Phoenix]

Regards from Phoenix and Happy Holidays to everyone.

I have a question for all of you.

Our oldest cat, "Moguwai" developed a tumor in her front leg about a month ago and after a biopsy, it was recommended that her front leg/shoulder be amputated. The procedure was performed yesterday and she's now here at home with us.

Obviously, she's very frustrated, confused and upsets - who wouldn't be right? Anyone out there go through this with their pet and can you offer any advice to us to help her be more comfortable?

Our doctor says this is normal, but she will become accustomed to 3 legs and do just fine. It's heartbreaking to see her the way she is now.

Any help or advice would be great appreciated.

Regards, Tony in Phoenix

[Ash]

She'll be still confused and feeling weak from the anastetic. She might be in pain as well. What medication is she on now?

Your vet is right, cats do remarkably well on three legs, she will too. For now I would keep her confined to a small room where she can't jump onto anything, so that she has a chance to heal and slowly try out her three legs and adjust her balance and walk. Give her lots and lots of love and attention and cuddles, and favourite treats if your vet allowed them.

All the best to Moguwai!

[Traci]

Did your vet give you post-op instructions for Moguwai when he released her? If not, call him and ask for specific care instructions. Also, if he never prescribed pain medications, ask him about that immediately. He can prescribe an oral liquid pain medication that can be given by mouth two or three times a day (must be prescribed carefully and judiciously)

The best thing you can do is keep her warm and comfortable, preferrably confined to a small area with soft, fluffy bedding...keep her food and water nearby, and consider using only a flat soda-box with a liner for her litterbox, since she may be slightly uncoordinated and painful after surgery.

You'll need to monitor her incision site for any signs of infection, such as swelling, bruising, redness, leaking of blood or pus, or if it seems hot to the touch. If any of these occur, notify your vet immediately. If she happens to chew at or pull at her sutures/staples, you'll need to consider an e-collar, temporarily, to prevent her from agitating the incision site and inducing infection.

Keep an eye on the incision daily and make sure it is kept clean and dry. Don't maipulate the area by washing or scrubbing, simply watch it, and only cleanse it if there is blood leaking from the incision (notify your vet if there is). He can give you a surgical scrub solution you can use at home to gently cleanse the area if he feels it's necessary.

Keep her activity restricted, don't let her jump up on things, and make her bedding comfortable so she is less likely to want to be too rambunctious. She will probably self-limit herself with activity.

Cats fair well with only three legs, and she will adjust nicely once she has healed. Do, however, make slight adjustments to her environment if necessary to remove obstacles that would harm her or make it difficult for her to navigate her normal path and routine. If you happen to have a large or tall cat tree, for example, consider getting her one that is shorter, although she may surprise you and navigate it with ease once she's healed.

Be sure to have an appointment with your vet for a follow-up exam and suture/staple-removal.

What was the tumor-type?

[Tony in Phoenix]

Hey folks, thanks very much for your replies. She slept very comfortably last night and still sleeping as we speak. She seemed in very good spirts and in no pain this morning. We have her in our bedroom on a nice fluffy quilt with pillows surrounding that. I took our bed off the frame so she could crawl up if she really wanted to - she did that this morning.

The doctor gave us Torbutrol for pain and Baytril for antibiotics. She seems to be her old self after she get's the Torbutrol. I have a follow-up appointment with our Vet on Monday morning to check her "BUN" and the incision site - she's wrapped up right now so there is no exposure in that area at all.

The type of tumor she had was "Chondrosarcoma" in her left shoulder and it was getting bigger by the day. She's 18 years old and besides the tumor, she is in wonderful health. Our doctor says should could possibility be one of those cats who lives well past 20 years of age.

Again, thanks for your advice, I truly appreciate it and I hope to hear again from all of you.

Regards and Happy Holidays, Tony.

[Ash]

I'm glad to hear she is getting back to being her old self!

And how amazing that an 18 year old cat sails trough surgery so smoothly.

Traci will certainly give you more detailed advice if needed, from me it's just All the Best!!

[Traci]

Do you know if the chondrosarcoma was differentiated against osteosarcoma? Was the pathologist confident of the biopsy confirmation? I ask, because sometimes chondrosarcoma can often be mistaken for osteosarcoma. If the pathologist was confident and the diagnosis was indeed confirmed, hopefully surgical removal was curative, is your vet confident as well?

I would strongly advise getting x-rays done every month for three months, then every three months thereafter, to check for metastisis, not wanting to alarm you, it's just protocol and prudent to do so.

[Tony in Phoenix]

Traci, according to my Vet, he's confirmed it was Chrondosarcoma and removal was curative.

Now another problem, she seems really strong and more confident today which is a good thing, but she won't eat or drink. My vet asked me to come back to his office today and pickup some AD, wet food and try to feed her with a cyringe if she doesn't eat anything by mid-afternoon - any idea what I can do to get her to eat?

I will check into the x-ray situation you've mentioned as well.

Thanks very much. Tony

[Traci]

The A/D is a great recovery food, it has added protein and calories, is palatable to most cats, and she may not require syringe-feeding, she may eat it on her own entirely. Feed it using a flat saucer or plate so it will be more comfortable for her.

Be sure you're giving the pain medication exactly as prescribed by your vet, do not give more than prescribed. You might try feeding her the A/D before giving her pain medication, since the medication may be making her slightly drowsy.

You'll have to monitor her urine and stools to ensure she is producing normally. Inactivity or post-op recovery directly after surgery can cause constipation, so get the A/D right away and consider adding a bit of water to it for added moisture. If she does not produce a normal stool within another day or two (no longer), notify your vet.

[Tony in Phoenix]

Traci, thank you!

Today, Moguwai is back to her normal self. She's getting more confident now even though she has a hard time walking - but she's getting better. She's now eating her normal food, urinating regularly and drinking plenty of water. She spent the day on the couch with me instead of under my quilt on my bed. She's very vocal and now grooming herself once again. She even climbed up the side of my couch on her own.

I have to hold her up when she is using the litter box, but she trusts me so it's not a problem. However, she may be constipated. All #1, no #2 so I will tell my Vet on Monday morning if she doesn't go #2 before then.

Thanks again, Tony

[Traci]

If you have Laxatone (or Petromalt) on hand, or can get to a pet store today, you can give about a 1-inch strip orally twice a day for a few days, but would suggest you talk to your vet.