Advice Needed..Alex Recovery After Being Hit By A Car / Brain Swelling / Wont Eat

alexrecovery · May 20, 2016

Hi

My partner and I have a wonderful 7 year old male cat called Alex and I am writing this as we need help.

2 weeks ago he was hit by a car and suffered sever trauma, his jaw was fractured and he developed encephalitis. Which is swelling of the brain. He was almost comatose and at the time the vet suggested we put him to sleep. Alex is so loved and such a strong character that I was sure he would fight to come home. I asked to give him 24 hours.

We went home and anxiously waited for the morning to call the vet to see if there where any signs of improvement. We were over the moon, he had made it through the night and was showing little signs of improvement.

Over the next week every day he showed signs he might just make it through. The vet said she had never seen a cat come back from this!

He was kept on antibiotics, steroids and monitored in intensive care. We visited every day and saw amazing improvements.

2 weeks after the accident the vet said we could take him home, we where so happy that we would be brining him home after him being so close to dying. Alex always surprised me and this was the biggest one yet! I wanted to re name him 'Alex Rocky Balboa'!

When Alex came home some of his usual habits were there and he started to improve, he is cleaning himself, uses his litter, he paws his favourite blanket, he meows at us, purrs and generally seems relaxed and is improving physically every day. But he does also show signs of neurological problems, he is lethargic, he walks but not as confidently as he did, he won't eat or drink by himself. The vet cannot tell me or give me any real help on if he will eat by himself. This is the hardest part for us, it's so hard to tell his neurological state and if its improving and how to help him.

He has an E tube for feeding and medication which is stitched into his skin which goes directly to his oesophagus which leads to his stomach.

We feed him a high protein liquid food through this 4 times a day, it doesn't cause him any stress and falls asleep like a baby after.

He doesn't show interest in food at all really, he has licked it but not eaten. My partner is able to open his mouth and put food in, he then chews and swallows eat as he should but it feels like his brain is not connecting the food with eating when we put food down for him. I am trying warming all types of his favourite foods. I have put a little on his chin to see if he will lick it off. He will eat if you put in inside his mouth, which I think is very encouraging.

He does still have a fractured jaw and his breathing in his nose is still a little blocked so I am sure its not that comfortable for him, my gut does tell me he has forgotten to eat and drink and if he or we can't help him do this by himself we will eventually have to put him to sleep. The vet said we shouldn't let it go on for more than 8 weeks, its been 2.

I would be so grateful if anyone has any advice or has been through a similar situation, Alex means so much to us and we would be heart broken if he didn't make it. I want him to get through this but I know I need to be conscious of what is best for him.

thank you for taking the time to read this

kittens mom · May 20, 2016

alexrecovery said:
Hi

My partner and I have a wonderful 7 year old male cat called Alex and I am writing this as we need help.

2 weeks ago he was hit by a car and suffered sever trauma, his jaw was fractured and he developed encephalitis. Which is swelling of the brain. He was almost comatose and at the time the vet suggested we put him to sleep. Alex is so loved and such a strong character that I was sure he would fight to come home. I asked to give him 24 hours.

We went home and anxiously waited for the morning to call the vet to see if there where any signs of improvement. We were over the moon, he had made it through the night and was showing little signs of improvement.

Over the next week every day he showed signs he might just make it through. The vet said she had never seen a cat come back from this!

He was kept on antibiotics, steroids and monitored in intensive care. We visited every day and saw amazing improvements.

2 weeks after the accident the vet said we could take him home, we where so happy that we would be brining him home after him being so close to dying. Alex always surprised me and this was the biggest one yet! I wanted to re name him 'Alex Rocky Balboa'!

When Alex came home some of his usual habits were there and he started to improve, he is cleaning himself, uses his litter, he paws his favourite blanket, he meows at us, purrs and generally seems relaxed and is improving physically every day. But he does also show signs of neurological problems, he is lethargic, he walks but not as confidently as he did, he won't eat or drink by himself. The vet cannot tell me or give me any real help on if he will eat by himself. This is the hardest part for us, it's so hard to tell his neurological state and if its improving and how to help him.

He has an E tube for feeding and medication which is stitched into his skin which goes directly to his oesophagus which leads to his stomach.

We feed him a high protein liquid food through this 4 times a day, it doesn't cause him any stress and falls asleep like a baby after.

He doesn't show interest in food at all really, he has licked it but not eaten. My partner is able to open his mouth and put food in, he then chews and swallows eat as he should but it feels like his brain is not connecting the food with eating when we put food down for him. I am trying warming all types of his favourite foods. I have put a little on his chin to see if he will lick it off. He will eat if you put in inside his mouth, which I think is very encouraging.

He does still have a fractured jaw and his breathing in his nose is still a little blocked so I am sure its not that comfortable for him, my gut does tell me he has forgotten to eat and drink and if he or we can't help him do this by himself we will eventually have to put him to sleep. The vet said we shouldn't let it go on for more than 8 weeks, its been 2.

I would be so grateful if anyone has any advice or has been through a similar situation, Alex means so much to us and we would be heart broken if he didn't make it. I want him to get through this but I know I need to be conscious of what is best for him.

thank you for taking the time to read this

If he chews and swallows he hasn't forgotten how to eat. Your cat has a fractured jaw. Is he on any pain medication.

If the issue is only his eating I wouldn't let anyone put a timeline on it.

Rather review his progress on a regular basis

It's a good idea to keep a journal.

I am amazed your vet hasn't been more enlightening on cats and their refusal to eat when ill or overly stressed.

There is no set time for healing. Progress is what's important.

You've had a lot of progress for 2 weeks. stay strong

alexrecovery · May 20, 2016

Hi

Thank you for the reply.

He is on a number of meds,

Synulox (Antibiotic)

Metacam (Anti- Inflammatory)

He is also an ulcer in his eye, we give him two types of drops for this.

Fucithalmic

Chloramphenicol

Lastly! He is taking two types of laxatives, he has started to poo.

I do agree with you that if he is chewing and swallowing he does remember, but its the urge and instinct to do it himself that is not there at the moment,

The journal is a useful idea.

I will post updates.

Thanks again its very encouraging to hear your thoughts

kittens mom · May 20, 2016

I'm going to flag your post and ask for an advisor .

It might be useful to point out that the medications themselves can have an effect on the cats appetite. As time goes on you'll likely wean him off most of them. Continue to temp him with something he really likes as long as you clear it with the veterinarian.

Many cats have physical limitations and live happy lives or adjust wonderful

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/314056/kitten-who-cant-move Please check out this thread. Plenty of hope and inspiration to go around.

alexrecovery · May 20, 2016

HI

Many thanks for the reply and advice.

Hopefully will post some positive news soon!

mservant · May 20, 2016

It sounds like you have all had a really stressful time @alexrecovery , and having Alex back at home with you very precious. He sounds like a very determined cat, and he must know how loved he is.

The signs you are seeing, like the lethargy, lack of interest in eating, and not being as confident on his feet may be neurological, or they might simply relate to his having gone through major trauma and still recovering, and still experiencing pain perhaps from his jaw. Give him time, and let him rest while his mind and body heal. 2 weeks is not long, and the vet has suggested allow another 6 weeks from now. This is still early after such serious injuries, and where the brain has been through trauma it can take time to settle down see whether there are any lasting difficulties. That he is not presenting with any other significant behaviour changes sounds positive to me.

When you say Alex has started to poo, did he know to go to his usual place if he uses a tray? Or was he an outdoor cat before?

Kittens Mom's suggestion of keeping a journal is a great idea as not only will it help you to see what improvements Alex makes, and help you through any difficult days, you can also share it with your vet if there are any concerns.

Loads of postive vibes for Alex' continuing recovery.

red top rescue · May 20, 2016

I know they can stay on a feeding tube for three months or more according to Dr. Kris, a Canadian vet we respect and who has written some very good articles both for us and on his own site. Feeding tubes are there to alow them time to discover their potential for health. Certainly he needs time to recover from brain injury and the broken jaw, and bones take 6 weeks to mend, and it has only been two weeks. I think he is doing amazingly well so far. Don't worry about his eating for now.

http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/blog/2015/3/8/feeding-cats-that-wont-eat-at-all-pina-the-e-tube

He may still be having pain in his jaw and the Metacam may not be enough to control it -- he may need something more, but something that can be given for several weeks without any problems. Dr. Kris wrote an article on the use of Metacam also. You will probably enjoy reading this one also. He has a delightful style of writing while still imparting useful information.

http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/videos/#/metacam-cats

I have a friend who recovered from a brain bleed that no one, including her doctors, thought she would ever recover from. She was nearly a vegetable for awhile. Slowly things came back. It took her two years of slow recovery to be "normal" again. She couldn't move anything at first, and couldn't talk. She walks with a cane now and drives a car again. She has her sense of humor back and comes up with answers at our Trivia games that some of us can't come up with. Her appetite is just fine and things taste normal now (which they didn't for a long time.) Her quality of life is superb. She is a miracle for sure. I have another friend who has been a vet all of his life. He saved a cat like yours, hit by a car, head injuries, broken bones, etc. that was turned in to their hospital, because there was something in that cat's spirit that felt worth saving. It as a long haul, but the cat recovered and he named him Jimmy. He had that cat for the rest of its life, and it just died at age 16, last year. He feels lost without it, but since he's pushing 80 years old himself (and still practicing part time with his original group of partners), he doesn't feel he should have another cat because it will outlive him.

What I'm saying is give Alex a chance. Don't put up any artificial deadlines to his healing process. As long as his quality of life is okay, don't put any expectations on him of where he should be. Just love him and give him time. He seems to be like my friend Lynne, and like my friend Bill's rescued cat, he has that spark, that will to live. Just nurture him and love him just as he is now.

alexrecovery · May 21, 2016

HI

Thank you very much for your post.

Alex really is one of those special cats with a big personality and so much love.

He is not using the littler tray that regular but he does use it.

He is an outdoor cat and used to go outside, but has always been a very clean cat and used the litter if we put one down.

I am sure he is still recovering in many ways and we must give him time.

We have started the journal and I will post updates.

thank you so much for your help

alexrecovery · May 21, 2016

Hi

This is very useful and thank you so much for your help.

We are taking this into our hands as I don't believe our vets have much experience with this kind of situation.

Alex seems content and happy so I know we are not putting him through something we shouldn't at this stage.

It is helping so much listening to others and getting advice.

thanks again

foxxycat · May 21, 2016

i wonder if your vet can change the pain meds from metacam to buprenorphine=its a very good pain reliever and works well for bone pain.

It is a liquid that goes into the pocket of the cheek. its a very small amount and works for 8 to 12 hours. tramadol is another good pain reliever. often if a cat/dog has pain then it affects them eating.

I think its too early to decide to PTS. give him 3 months-already you are seeing improvements. Keep up the good work!

alexrecovery · May 22, 2016

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for posting and I want to give an update on Alex's progress.

We kept him in a bedroom with a cage for the first couple of days to adjust to being home. He started to get restless so we have let him around the house.

The first day he would wander a lot without settling down at all. He seemed to not know what he should be doing.

The next day he started to settle more and relax on the sofa with us and seems calmer. He is moving with a little more purpose but does still seem be disorientated. But every day shows little signs of improvement.

His feeding tube came out yesterday as he was shaking his head alot.

As we can feed him by hand (directly to his mouth) he is ok but it might have to be put back if this becomes harder.

I have also contacted a specialist in the hope of getting some advice on his neurological state and a prognosis of what his future will look like and to help with the eating.

It's a struggle every day and more work than looking after a baby! But Alex is our baby and we cant give up on him.

He is happy, enjoying his cuddles and settling more every day, we are just hoping to get the right help and answers on his state and progress.

Thanks again to everyone for reading and sharing.

alexrecovery · May 22, 2016

thank you for the post, I will discuss this with our vet

mservant · May 22, 2016

@alexrecovery Have you talked about the head shaking yesterday with a vet at all? Is it something he has started to do and is continuing with today? It might be something bothering him like the tube that came out, or pressure in an ear or something if he keeps it up.

Great news that he is eating better now and hopefully OK without the tube in. He is a very lucky to cat to be with a family like you.

Keep up with the recovery Alex.

alexrecovery · May 23, 2016

HI

He has a lot of fluid around his nasal system which makes it harder for him to breathe, I think he is shaking his head to try and clear his nose.

I also think this is a big factor in him not showing interest in food.

The vet is not sure why he has this breathing issue which concerns me.

He is learning to relax more around the house and sleeps a lot.

Thanks for your post

mservant · May 23, 2016

@alexrecovery If Alex isn't smelling his food much this will add to factors like not feeling too well in not eating much. You could try him with really 'stinky' stuff which he might notice more, perhaps mackeral or other small oily fish foods. Also if you hand / spoon feed to draw his attention to the foor rather than it sitting in a bowl.

Mouse rarely eats food in his bowl and the dry food being thrown for him is a game he enjoys because he can see and find his food when it is moving. I'm sure it's down to him not having a good sense of smell and the regular not too great cat eye sight that sees things better when moving. If his biscuits are still he has great trouble finding them.... his nose can be right on top of them and he doesn't know they are there but if I throw them again he will race after them and catch.

I hope Alex feels better soon. Perhaps his stuffy nose is due to some of the injuries and pressure he has had around his head and will settle as things heal? Hope so.

I presume he has had many Xrays taken and it is clear where bones have been broken.

kittens mom · May 23, 2016

alexrecovery said:
HI

He has a lot of fluid around his nasal system which makes it harder for him to breathe, I think he is shaking his head to try and clear his nose.

I also think this is a big factor in him not showing interest in food.

The vet is not sure why he has this breathing issue which concerns me.

He is learning to relax more around the house and sleeps a lot.

Thanks for your post

Has the vet suggested taking him in a steamy bathroom to clear the sinus. Keeping the nose as clean as you can helps also.. URI are often triggered by stress.

alexrecovery · May 24, 2016

Hi

I am running the bath to try this!

Thanks for the advice

alexrecovery · May 29, 2016

Hi,

Update on Alex progress.

The breathing has got much better and is normal now, physically he is improving every day. He moves much better and is getting more comfortable around the house.

We have stopped the pain meds.

The wire in his jaw is due to come out in 2 weeks.

But he is still not eating. Which is the most worrying part.

Nina my partner is amazing at feeding him, she tilts his head back and puts the food inside his mouth and he seems to enjoy it as there isn't a struggle.

But we have tried pretty much every technique possible to try and make him eat by himself.

I know it could be the wire in his jaw but I think the more likely is he just does not know how to eat.

We can manage like this for a while but its not a long term solution and I am worried that he will not learn this.

Its been a long road and he has come so far we are just praying he will eat by himself!

Thanks for reading

red top rescue · May 29, 2016

Good news, he is making progress. He may want to eat when the wire comes out, but if you are having problems keeping him adequately fed, you might consider getting an e-tube placed. Here is an article about it. They can stay in for three months or more and give cats a chance to heal and improve withuot feeding being a huge issue.

http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/blog/2015/3/8/feeding-cats-that-wont-eat-at-all-pina-the-e-tube

mservant · May 29, 2016

Wonderful to hear that Alex has been improving further, and getting stronger.

Still willing Alex to keep getting stronger and keep up with his recovery.

You may find that when the wire does come out he starts to eat, or gradually re-learns what he needs to do if that is the issue, but I think Red Top Rescue's suggestion of finding out about the e-tube feeding is a great idea if Alex needs his food supplimented longer term.

Advice Needed..Alex Recovery After Being Hit By A Car / Brain Swelling / Wont Eat

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Kittens life was lost to a negligent veterinarian.

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