Topic: pulling at stitches...... (Read 7577 times)

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2007, 18:17:04 PM »

Thats good and she will be well used to it by then

Plantie · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2007, 10:18:25 AM »

She seems to be coping better every day now. She can actually eat & drink by herself now which is a breakthrough & seems a lot more perky.

Had the first follow up appointment today & the vet is really pleased with her progress. Only a week of wearing the cone to go!

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2007, 19:27:31 PM »

When Lexy had knee surgery both times we tried the cone but she just became depressed. As the vet for some Bitter Apple. That's the spray they use for them to stop biting at the stitches (though Lexy liked it!). I think this one is mostly used for dogs but it works for cats too.

Lexy also got a half moon collar instead of the cone. Easy enough to wear, weighs about the same as the cone but is just a half moon shaped sponge collar. The purpose is that the spongy bit is so think that it prevents them bending their necks to get to the stitches, but still lets them drink and eat.

Having said that...that didn't last long in this house!

Plantie · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2007, 16:57:37 PM »

She's doing a lot better today & has realised that the thing round her neck doesnt affect her legs! She is swaggering round the house now but still cant jump off things well, she just screams when she wants to be put on the floor from somewhere. Typical Oriental

Millys Mum · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2007, 16:44:31 PM »

You adapt it by snipping off the poppers that would do up between the babies legs, very cute

fluffybunny · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2007, 16:31:57 PM »

Here's what someone did when their rabbit wouldn't leave her stitches alone...a modified babygrow. Do you think something similar would work for cats?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #15 on:** January 28, 2007, 16:12:35 PM »

It is 10 days for stitches. I ignore how annoyed mine are at having it put back on and still give them time out from it - I give them meal times plus an hour strictly supervised each day.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2007, 21:41:11 PM »

Quote from: Plantie on January 27, 2007, 21:32:35 PM

..., she is laying it on really thick!

Yes they are all VERY good at that

Plantie · « **Reply #13 on:** January 27, 2007, 21:32:35 PM »

Yeah, we took it off for her to eat. She just seems to get more annoyed each time we put it back on though so we're going to leave it on now...........

Also the vet said that he would take them out in 10 days, isnt it usually 7? Its going to kill her having that cone on for another 9 days!

She wont walk around with it on, just sits in the same place until we move her onto our laps or to somewhere else. Hope she improves, we feel so guilty, she is laying it on really thick!

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #12 on:** January 27, 2007, 20:08:58 PM »

You can take the collar off for them to eat and drink, but as Jack says, they do learn how to eat with it on. I always make them wear them for at least 3-4 days, just to give the insides time to congeal. IT is important that they don't do too much to it in the first couple of days, or they will have to go back. One of ours pulled her stitches out within 24 hours, so had to go back, they put staples in then, so the rescue put a cone on her (they dont normally), took it off Fri morning so she could eat, she only turned round to clean it and she had the staples out too, so is now glued with staples!! They do fuss when it first goes on, but they do quickly adapt.

Plantie · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2007, 19:54:08 PM »

Well she's been stropping all day with her collar on. I trimmed it down but think it still might need another cm off it, i gave them a special dinner so i hope that has helped improve her mood.

Thanks for all your ideas & help!

On another note, i did treat them today & buy them an activity centre thing from Lidl as reccomended in the special offers bit for £20. It looks really good! Charlie is really enjoying it anyway

Millys Mum · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2007, 16:24:54 PM »

I wish all vets would use glue, saves all the hassle with collars

Plantie · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:35:34 AM »

No problem, i'll ask when i go in on Monday. Thanks for the idea though!

I wonder how much to cut off this daft cone..........She's asleep at the moment though, which is good

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:31:21 AM »

Sorry didn't get the name of the stuff from the vet .... I think it is something they should have in the surgery. My vet just said pop back in and we'll dab a bit on .... I got the impression one application would be enough and I wasn't expected to pay for it.

Plantie · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:27:14 AM »

Well she has a vets appointment on Monday so i might see how she gets on with it for the time being. I might trim it down, although im a bit worried about cutting too much off (it cost me £8!!!!!). Its 12 cms including the neck bit, how short should it be?

My OH has just said that he thought it was too big after i mentioned this post. Nice of him to tell me before!!!!!!!

Trying to look for that nasty tasting stuff, cant find it! Anyone know a name please?

Thanks all!

Michelle (furbabystar) · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:15:42 AM »

I would cut the cone down abit - its looks too large and i think she would have problems eating and drinking.

If she hates the cone that much take it off while you are with her and then put in back on when you are not there.

She will have internal stitches aswell as the ones you can see. After 48hrs the skin while have joining together nicely on the outside. My Issey removed her own stitches within a couple of days but the wound stayed together.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2007, 11:03:55 AM »

It might be worth givng you vet a call and see if there is something they can put on the stitches to stop her tugging at them. When Rossi had her op the vet told me they had put something on them that made them taste nasty (like the stuff you use to stop biting your nails I assume!) it must have wored cuz Rossi never went near her stitches.

Good luck.

Plantie · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2007, 10:17:06 AM »

well fingers crossed for your furball

at this rate charlie will have to wear one....... he keeps pulling at hers

sorry about the awful punctuation and lack of capital letters, she has graced me with her presence on my knee......

JackSpratt · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2007, 09:48:57 AM »

At least your cone is clear! I currently have a cat that has got wear one of these things due to an op, and I've found as long as the bowl they eat and drink from is big enough to accomodate the cone, they get the hang of things themselves.

Mine goes for her stitches out today though (hurrah!) so hopefully the cone will only have to be on a few more days to ensure she leaves the newly knitted area alone!

Plantie · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2007, 09:08:29 AM »

Here is a picture of my little princess in her erm......"tiara"

Plantie · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2007, 08:59:34 AM »

Hello all,

Well my kittens went in for their mini ops yesterday to stop them reproducing. Charlie (male) is doing well & so is Chloe(girl) in a sense. She seems very comfortable about the operation but is hating her stitches. We got a cone from the vets for her to stop her pulling her stitches, which we didnt think she'd need. We were so wrong! She tugged & tugged last night so we put the cone on, which sent her beserk. Runnin g all over the flat & whacking into walls. She went into hiding & that was the last we saw of her for about 4 hours which isnt like her at all (she usually wants to be with you all the time). She looked really stressed with it on & also she cant eat or drink with it so we took it off overnight & thought all was well.

Well she started pulling at them this morning too so i just stopped her from doing it, but i cant keep an eye on her all the time so on went the cone again. She is now just sitting on the bed staring at me with her death stare & doesnt seem comfortable at all.

My questions are :

How can you keep a cat hydrated & fed with one of these things on? She usually gets fed dry food, should i change to wet for the time being so she has a little more fluid going in her that way.
Can i make her any more comfortable with the cone on?
Is there another way to stop her pulling at them? Maybe a dressing pad & some of that strong medical tape over it?

I hate seeing her so grumpy

Thanks for all your help in advance!

Author Topic: pulling at stitches...... (Read 7577 times)