Hi all
This is my first post. I hope it's okay to jump in and ask for some advice. Sorry in advance for the length of the post.
We rescued a stray cat a couple of weeks ago (we've named her Sofie). According to our vet she could be between 12-14 years old. She had a very large (and infected) cancerous tumor on her front left paw. She definitely seemed to still have a zest for life, so we opted to adopt her, and make sure that she had the medical assistance she needed. Despite the cancer/infection, the vet thought she was a pretty good candidate for surgery, and so her front leg was amputated last Thursday.
We took her home from the vet's surgery on Friday. She seemed to be in very high spirits -- moving around like a pro on three legs, eating well, using the litter box, seeking out affection/attention.
However, since the weekend, she has been a lot more subdued. She has also been a bit grumpy when we administer her medication (she had pain meds through Sunday, and is taking an antibiotic twice a day). She's taken to hiding underneath my desk, or the bookshelf in my office. She's still eating and drinking, and using her litter tray, but she really seems almost depressed.
Whew, well I tried to make that history brief.
Here are my questions:
1. If you've had a cat who had a limb amputated, how long was s/he on pain medication for? I suspect the reason Sofie felt so good on Friday was a result of the narcotic pain medication the vet administered at the surgery. We gave her three doses of Metacam (an anti-inflammatory) at home, but I am wondering if she needs a few more days of pain meds?
2. Does Sofie's recovery after the surgery sound 'normal' in your view? I have done some reading on the topic, and it sounds like most cats do tend to 'lay low' for a while after a major surgery? Is the overall depression/grumpiness (including hissing, and occasionally biting when trying to administer medicine) 'normal'? Prior to the surgery, she seemed like she was a pretty affectionate kitty.
Many thanks for any advice!
This is my first post. I hope it's okay to jump in and ask for some advice. Sorry in advance for the length of the post.
We rescued a stray cat a couple of weeks ago (we've named her Sofie). According to our vet she could be between 12-14 years old. She had a very large (and infected) cancerous tumor on her front left paw. She definitely seemed to still have a zest for life, so we opted to adopt her, and make sure that she had the medical assistance she needed. Despite the cancer/infection, the vet thought she was a pretty good candidate for surgery, and so her front leg was amputated last Thursday.
We took her home from the vet's surgery on Friday. She seemed to be in very high spirits -- moving around like a pro on three legs, eating well, using the litter box, seeking out affection/attention.
However, since the weekend, she has been a lot more subdued. She has also been a bit grumpy when we administer her medication (she had pain meds through Sunday, and is taking an antibiotic twice a day). She's taken to hiding underneath my desk, or the bookshelf in my office. She's still eating and drinking, and using her litter tray, but she really seems almost depressed.
Whew, well I tried to make that history brief.
1. If you've had a cat who had a limb amputated, how long was s/he on pain medication for? I suspect the reason Sofie felt so good on Friday was a result of the narcotic pain medication the vet administered at the surgery. We gave her three doses of Metacam (an anti-inflammatory) at home, but I am wondering if she needs a few more days of pain meds?
2. Does Sofie's recovery after the surgery sound 'normal' in your view? I have done some reading on the topic, and it sounds like most cats do tend to 'lay low' for a while after a major surgery? Is the overall depression/grumpiness (including hissing, and occasionally biting when trying to administer medicine) 'normal'? Prior to the surgery, she seemed like she was a pretty affectionate kitty.