Please HELP!!! Very sick boy

I am dying inside as I write this message. I had posted about my 15-year-old cat breaking his arm and being depressed. It has been over 2 weeks since the accident happened. On the advice of my regular vet I took my boy to a surgeon. The surgeon discussed what needed to be done- plating and pinning his arm. I gave him permission to do what is necessary. Being that my boy is 15 I was VERY concerned about the anesthesia. The surgeon was able to do a manual reduction (put the bones back on place manually); did I mention that it was an open facture. His Ulna and radius can through his skin. It is now 13 days since the “surgery†and my little boy is so sick. I told the vet at the cast check on Friday the 20th that my boy is not eating well and I also called for 2 days before hand to find out if I needed to change the antibiotic since the culture from his arm came back positive for strep. I asked if we should check his kidneys, since he has kidney disease. The surgeon did not think that it was necessary.

I saw my regular vet yesterday. She did not understand why they put a fiberglass cast on an open fracture. There is no way to do a wound check. She gave him IV fluids and checked his cast. It is slipping off, so she fixed it, and she ran blood work. His potassium is low, his protein is low, he is anemic and he has a left shift in his white blood count. So, basically he is VERY sick with an infection. She is talking to the surgeon on what to do about his cast and I will (at home) will start him on a potassium supplement, baytril and clavomox (sp) and force-feed him a special slurry. To me this was ALL preventable. I am worried that having to put him under anesthesia to remove the cast and take an x-ray might me too much for his system. I am SOOO ANGRY!!!! This is my baby and I can not bare the thought of losing him. I will do whatever is necessary to get him better but the thought of having to pay the surgeon more money to now fix something that should not have been is killing me. I have been force-feeding him for a few days now. But, why did the surgeon not listen to me when I told him on the 20th the symptoms and my concerns. It is the 26th now. My head is spinning with the thought of going back to the surgeon. Has anyone every been in this situation? I am slowly watching my boy deteriorate. I would rather have a happy boy with a non-functioning arm, than no boy at all. He is a young 15. He was active and relatively healthy. He still jumped and people could not believe that he as 15 when they saw him. He now sleeps over 22 hours a day (I know this because I have only left him alone 3x since the accident.) I am not a vet but trust my vet completely, she has never steered me wrong and she only treats cat so I know that she is very dedicated to cats. I am so lost, what do I do? I am not trying to blame the surgoen here, but I believe that he did not listen to me or do what was best for my boy.

I do not have any words of advice to you other than I hope that his health improves-I hope the antibiotics start working quickly-did they give him an injection at the office with antibiotics? I would think they vet would wait until he improves before messing around with the cast.
Sending healing vibes to you and your boy{{{}}}.

When our babies are sick, our whole world falls apart. I would concentrate on listening closely to one that you trust the most, and that seems to be your regular vet.

It might help you to give her a call and explain that you are so worried about your baby, and if she is as good as you know she is, she will comfort you and help you to understand what needs to be done.

I really empathize with you, at a time like this it seems like everything is falling down around your head. Make sure your comfort your baby too, he is frightened and depressed. Give him a hug and call the vet, OK?

My vet is great and she is going to talk to the surgeon about what to do. The cast at this point needs to come off since the puncture wounds(Where his bones came out of his arm) needs to be checked. Yes, I feel like my world is falling apart. I want to do what is right and I do not know what to do. Thank you so much for the good vibes

Honey, no problem. Us kitty people have to stick together and this Site is the best in the world.

I am so sorry...I'd be pretty much beside myself. Thankfully, it sounds as if you have a wonderful vet, and obviously, you know what you are doing re caring for your boy re his kidney disease.

Sending vibes that his infection begins to clear (and for my guys, the clavamox usually causes them to feel icky all on its own...works well, but not all of them tolerate it well).

Many of us have been in your shoes - wanting the best for our furkids, yet not knowing if we have done enough.

I am going through health issues with my cat Nakita. The best advice I can give is listen to your instincts. If the vet/surgeon etc. is ignoring your concerns ask again, and again until you have a suitable answer or get a second opinion. Just like in human cases, if you don't feel right with a diagnosis, you get a second one or keep asking until you feel confident.

I'm sorry your boy is suffering. Don't worry about what has already taken place - you can't change that. You trust your vet, so listen to what she now has to say to get your boy healthy again.

I'm going through the doubts/fears/unknown myself right now. I know it's scary but forums like these are great sounding boards for support.

Having just lost someone, I know how anxious you must be to get the right treatment. Good vibes and I hope so much for a full recovery for your precious boy.

Thank you all SO much for the support. I am feeling better now. Thankfully, with all that is happening his kidney fuction tests were good for a cat his age. They will never be great, but good is good. I saw my regular vet again. My boy Sebastian is now on Clavamox 2x a day, Baytril 1x a day and Renakare (potassium supplement) 1x a day. I made him a food shake of Hills Science A/D diet and Rebound Electrolyte Solution. I was able to feed him 2 syringes full. He need 12-16 a day so I am in for a cat fight. {He is sensitive about his mouth due to a previous bout of somatitis). Tomorrow, we go back to the surgeon to get the cast off. I will be nice, but I know that on the 20th I told him that my boy was sick and he just blew it off and made me think that it was me who needed to do more. I do not know what the future holds. I am hoping that he will regain full use of his arm and survive with no problems. But, mostlikely he will lose some use of his arm. Thanks again for the support. I was hurting so bad this morning and just reading your wishes made me feel not alone.

laureen227: I am so sorry for your loss. It hurts so much when we know what is right and we need to trust dr's who does not trust our mommy intution.

Russian Blue: I am sorry to hear about Nakita. When out babies are sick it is very tough. Thankfully, we have a GREAT support system here. Best wishes and good luck with your lil' one.

Keep getting well, precious Sebastian! You're such a brave baby handling all of this so well. Please give your Mommy a big snuggle for us, and tell her what a wonderful Mommy she is taking such great care of her little boy.

I have no words of wisdom for you, but I wanted to send you my prayers

I am so sorry. If you are a person who believes in prayer, this would be a good time to pray. We are all hoping your cat will get better. Hugs to you.

Do we have any updates yet? We are all praying for you.

Update: I took Sebastian to the surgeon this morning. He took the fiberglass cast off. There is no sign of infection at the wound site. This is good and bad. Yeah, no infection in the arm, but where is the infection? They are running more tests. I was polite and held my tongue about the fact that I told him a week ago my boy was not doing well. Also, the bones in his arm are not healing, probably due to the fact that his cast had been slipping. The break was right beflow his elbow, so support is needed for the bones to not move and heal. I was glad when they did not do the surgery because that saved me $1800. But, I gave them permission to do ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING possible. I am now spending so much more on tests and rewrapping his cast, taking off his cast, putting a splint on. All that I know is that I am tried and my lil boy is sick. When I have better news I will write, thanx KittenKiya.

Oh yeah and now he has the runs from the antibiotics and electrolyte sloution. He can not move fast, so yeah....you know what I have been cleaning.

Oh honey, try to step back and gather your thoughts.....I know it is difficult. Here I sit trying to calm you down, when I know that if it was one of mine, the surgeon would be three counties away and still running.

We really do empathize with you, and want you to know that anytime you need an ear or a shoulder, we all have two of each and are willing to share with everyone.

Poor baby, he probably doesn't know what hit him. I know that pumpkin is used around here for the runs, I have used apple pectin very successfully for my cats, stops it within hours. Once your poor boy settles down, maybe some major cuddling and huggings and lovings are in order. Hugs to you and your baby. Hang in there, we are all with you.

i hope they find the infection fast and your little boy gets better ... sending

I have got everything crossed for him, neither of you have had a good time recently, and hopefully it will all sort itself out soon.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

Hang in there, we are all with you.

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absolutely we are all with you. Stay strong sweet Sebastian, you have a world of cat lovers fighting for you and sending you loads of vibes

I definately know what you are going through I lost a cat a few years ago that the vets couldnt tell me what was wrong with her we came home one day and she was limping a little and we took her immediately to the vet who ran a ton of tests and knew nothing then to the emergency vet for more tests and xrays and stuff and nothing then finally to purdue university where she just died and it was just a slight limp. Sometimes the vets dont have all the answers but things happen for a reason and in time you will find out what the reason is. Our prayers are with you and Sebastian. I hope he gets better soon.