ARGH - Poor Cally!

sandtigress

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So Cally had her vet visit and bloodwork done yesterday. The vet left a bandage wrapped around her paw, which I didn't notice until I got home. I'm rather surprised they didn't remove it there - they did the blood work hours before I picked her up, and they knew she was feral, and that she wouldn't let me handle her, I told them as much.

Well, I hoped that she would take care of the bandage herself, or that I could get it off at some future point, not realizing how tightly it was around her paw. She was hiding all of last night in a new place where I couldn't see her well, so I didn't see her paw at all yesterday evening.

I came in today and she was sitting in her window spot. The first thing I noticed was how swollen her little paw was. I feel so awful! It must be at least three times as big as it should be, and I would expect its bigger than that.

I pinned her down with a blanket and finally got the bandage off. She ran away from me just fine using that paw, so it seems to me like she still has feeling in it, at least. She didn't run three-pawed or with a limp or anything like that.

I'm going home to check on her at lunch - I really hope there's no permanent damage done. Why did they have to leave the bandage on a feral cat that doesn't trust me at all? Now I really wish I had spent longer in there last night, maybe I would have noticed something before it got so bad.
 

twstychik

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Poor Cally... as if she wasn't stressed out enough. Hopefully the sweeiling was just from the bandage and she'll be fine.
 

aswient

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Same thing happened with two ferals I trapped in my back yard they were 5 or 6 months old. I brought them in to be tested and neutered. I also wanted to keep them, they left the bandage on Wheezers back leg and being feral I had a hard time getting him cornered. He was also swollen to 3 times his normal size, I was able to pin him down in my bathroom with the help of my husband and I was able to get a little pair of scissors, under the bandage and cut it. He was fine. After a while the swelling went down.
 
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sandtigress

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Originally Posted by aswient

Same thing happened with two ferals I trapped in my back yard they were 5 or 6 months old. I brought them in to be tested and neutered. I also wanted to keep them, they left the bandage on Wheezers back leg and being feral I had a hard time getting him cornered. He was also swollen to 3 times his normal size, I was able to pin him down in my bathroom with the help of my husband and I was able to get a little pair of scissors, under the bandage and cut it. He was fine. After a while the swelling went down.
I'm glad to hear that everything turned out okay. Hopefully it does for Miss Cally too - I don't know if I could forgive myself for not noticing before if there are any permanent effects.

Thanks for sharing!
 

rang_27

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Why do they bandage the site? Jordan has had 100's of blood tests & they never bandaged his leg??
 
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sandtigress

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

Why do they bandage the site? Jordan has had 100's of blood tests & they never bandaged his leg??
I have no idea. I don't think they injected her with anesthetic there - they said they would use gas to put her out since she was feral. There was a bit of blood on the gauze that I removed, so I suppose it did bleed for a little while, but they knew she was feral and that I didn't want to stress her by handling her! I don't know what they were thinking, leaving it on. Probably someone's slip up, not realizing she was feral, and then people just not thinking about it afterwards.
 

aswient

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

Why do they bandage the site? Jordan has had 100's of blood tests & they never bandaged his leg??
I don't understand why they do that either, but ever since then I make sure before I leave the Vet that all bandages are off.
 
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sandtigress

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Over lunch, the swelling had gone down - her paw only looks about twice or half again the size that it should. Hopefully there's no permanent damage done! She's back to her "I hate you, and don't think I'm coming out while you're in the room" phase, so I think it might be a little while before I see her walking on it.
 

aswient

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Wheezer was the same way, it didn't help that I had to pin him down to get the thing off. I figured if he was afraid of me before the scene in the bathroom he would never come around after that but he did. All she needs is some time. She'll be fine.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Sandtigress

She's back to her "I hate you, and don't think I'm coming out while you're in the room" phase, so I think it might be a little while before I see her walking on it.
Go eat some of your meals in there with her. Take wet food if she does come out to beg.

Hopefully her foot feels and looks better later.
 
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sandtigress

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She is in full "I hate you" mode, so I haven't seen the paw itself, but she is running away from me on it just fine.
I think she'll be okay. Thanks for the vibes, guys!
 
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