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jewel | 6 months ago
How Can I Best Extract Bowels From My Injured Cat? She Is Not Using The Litter …

how can i best extract bowels from my injured cat? she is not using the litter box, but there is some leakage. she has no tone in her anus and most likely is healing from nerve damage. i have figured out how to extract her bladder. she is still eating and lively. more details of her condition and our process to support her below.

moonstone is about a year old and showed up at our house 4 months ago brave and spirited. she disappeared for a week and came back with a serious injury. we took her to the er because she was leaking urine and had a limp tail and left hind leg. we learned that her bladder needed to be urgently expressed and that her bowels were backed up. we also learned that she had a tail avulsion and a fracture in her left femoral joint. they expressed her bladder and bowels and sent us home with pain meds and anti-inflammatory medication. we went to aspca the next day hoping to get treatment for her fractured bones, but they suggested nursing her at home and learning how to express her bladder and bowels to see if she could regain control and tone in her anus. they said that maybe in a few weeks she could regain feeling and be able to use the bathroom on her own, and then they would consider amputating her tail and treating her leg. we have quickly learned how to express her bladder, but are struggling to get her to poop. please help us keep moonstone alive!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello

    I’m sorry to hear about your cat.

    I think that you need to find a veterinarian or a veterinary technician who can show you how to do this. I would also recommend you start gentle physical therapy and feed canned food to keep the feces soft and able to pass more easily.

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Alyvia | 5 years ago
My Cat Has Herpes & Has Had Worms In The Past. She Has Had 3 Litters Of …

My cat has herpes & has had worms in the past. She has had 3 litters of kittens before. The first litter was 3 stillborns. The second litter was only 2 babies (one of them being boo of course.) The third happened recently about 4 weeks ago & there was 3 of them (we’re not sure if it was the same father as the last two.) The kittens seemed very healthy but with having other outdoor cats we had to often give them flea baths & even then the fleas would still be there & climb up to their faces but obviously we were hesitant getting their faces. Their mother fed them very well (I could even say maybe over fed them) & they got plenty of rest. The only concern I would say I noticed is how one of them only seemed to use three of her legs, but I didn’t think much about it because I assumed she was young & just still learning how to walk. Then all of a sudden a few hours before she passed she kind of just really wanted nothing to do with anything & just keep sleeping. When I saw she was dead later I noticed brown squiggly things on her, I figured it was either flea eggs or some type of worm. It couldn’t have been the same worms her mother used to have because those were white. We obviously took her away from the others, and then their mother seemed to not want much to do with the two ones still alive. She’s done this in the past when she had her stillborns, she was depressed for a while. I figured it could either be that or my mother read online that it could be because she knows they’re sick & she doesn’t want anything to do with it. So me & my family purchased kitten formula, a bottle, & turkey wet food made specifically for kittens. We’ve made an effort to feed them 15 ml of the formula every 4 hours. We also provided them with warm blankets and shelter since they are lacking their mothers body heat. One of them was acting like the kitten that had just passed, just really not up for doing anything. The next morning we saw them & they seemed fine, then we check on them about 15 minutes later & that same kitten was from before was dead. We’re now making an effort to really keep an eye on this one & do everything we can. He was doing so well this morning, & we’ve been holding him to our chest for more intense warmth & continued to feed him 15 ml of formula every 4 hours. Now for the past 4 hours or so he’s starting to look really lazy like the other two. We’re scared he’s not going to make it very long

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning. My advice would be to get to a vet. I would also advise spaying this cat in an effort to prevent this same event from repeating itself as this is the third time you’re going through this. Best of luck.

  2. Laura

    I agree with Sarah. You need a vet for the litter as well as for your queen – spay her, speuter the kittens when they’re ready for their new homes. Stop the cycle of producing sick cats.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your kittens. There are so many things that this could be. It’s really almost impossible for me to even speculate. I think it would be really helpful to provide basic medical care. Like parasite control and treatment and vaccines. And yes of course spaying and neutering to prevent future litters and the high mortality associated with them. I would guess that it is probably a few simple things. Parasites, disease, exposure are the big killers for cats and kittens. I applaud your compassion but I think it’s time to start providing more medical intervention. If it helps it was a story much like yours that compelled me to become a veterinarian. I was determined to never watch another pet die without being able to intervene and do all I could to save them. I wish you all well.

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Jennifer Taylor | 6 years ago
I Rescued A Young Golden Retriever In May. She Had Spent The Start Of…

I rescued a young Golden Retriever in May. She had spent the start of her life abandoned in a small cage, she was emaciated, covered in fleas and ticks and of course living in her own waste. She is a wonderful dog, everything is new and she has very much been a blank slate. She is well exercised, is very social with our other dogs and has successfully completed a basic obedience class and will be moving on to 2nd level training and beyond. Thankfully she does not hold her rough start in life against humans in the least. Her only downfall is that she eats stool from our other dogs in the yard. We keep the yard clean, however we have 5 dogs. Even cleaning the yard daily is likely to leave a pile. She will even wait for our smaller dog to go to eliminate so she can eat it as fresh as possible. I imagine that she probably ate her own feces when she was starving, I am quite sure that this is a learned behavior. Over the course of 5 years my family has fostered 80+ dogs. I know that this is a very hard habit to break, however “poop kisses” are rather disgusting so I would love some input on what has worked for others! Thank you in advance.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello My Dear Friend,
    My rescued beaglette does the same. She also has the same back story and yucky penchant for poop. Here’s what I do.. clean up waste asap (yes, honestly I am not the best at this as I recommend others to be). I also use a clicker or beeper to break her of it while she is doing it. Some non-vocal (she doesnt really want to listen to me anyway in the fever of the fervor to eat anything) cue to say “HEY! YES! I mean you need to stop that!” It takes a while but all of my other dogs have grown out of it.. It takes time and patience like everything else in life. Be with her at all times outside. Use a leash if you can to correct her at exactly the moment she goes for it, or use a whistle to get her attention,,, try to only use it for the absolute dire corrections so it doesnt get as monotonous as our voices have.

    Let me know what works for you guys.

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Sarah | 6 years ago
Good Morning Pawbly Friends. Looking For Advice On Feeding Multiple Dogs At Once. Feeding Time…

Good morning pawbly friends. Looking for advice on feeding multiple dogs at once. Feeding time has never been an issue before, but we’ve only had two at a time. We have a third now and it is proving to be a little hairy at times. Part if the issue is my senior guy doesn’t eat well, so I’ve been sitting with him and hand feeding. Our newest rescue, and it is VERY early days, isn’t really eating normally yet either, so I have to kind if watch him as well so our remaining dog doesn’t go and eat his food…. he’s getting better as he learns the routine, so I’m sure that will work itself out shortly. In the meantime, it’s a challenge. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks??

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  1. Anonymous

    Separate them. I would crate feed, to be quite honest. This allows each dog to relax after a meal (which is ideal to avoid bloat). If you can’t crate feed for whatever reason, separate into different rooms.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with Laura. It’s the only safe and sane way to watch multiple dogs AND avoid them from focusing or fearing the others. It just keeps the meal time calm and manageable which is exactly what they need. Xox

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Sarah | 6 years ago
Hello Pawbly Friends!! We Have Just Rescued Another GSD- He Is Beautiful. We Have Only…

Hello pawbly friends!! We have just rescued another GSD- he is beautiful. We have only had him about 48 hours. He is still very anxious from his trip and new surroundings, but our two GSDs are showing him the ropes and being very patient with him. He is only 9 months old, so he really is still somewhat of a baby. He has taken to the house very well, and is learning the rules already. The stairs however, are a really frightening thing for him. Absolutely REFUSES to go down. He’s gone up them. Riva (one of our dogs) has gone up and down many times in front of him. We swear she knows we are trying to teach him??We have tied all of us being down there with a squeaky toy, treats, praise…. just looking for some advice. My guess is once he is comfortable enough and feels secure it will not be an issue, but we have a lot of stairs, so it is a little difficult trying to maneuver things right now. Any advice would be great! THanks!???

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Congratulations on the new baby! Stairs can take a while for some dogs. I think it is a matter of time to find heir comfort zone but yes going down is always much scarier than up. One of the things I do is have my husband walk directly in front of them so hey can’t see the whole scope of the stairs. Or find a place with deep shallow long stairs like at the park and practice on them. I also have picked up my dog and placed them on Yw bottom two stairs and practiced them. So they only have to go a few feet. Maybe go up and down the bottom stairs until this is comfortable. Then go to the bottom four stairs. Etc. Etc. Eventually they just sort of try and eventually they get comfortable. It just takes time. And patience.

  2. Anonymous

    Try stairs outside first. Some dogs cannot deal with enclosed staircases in houses, but they’re fine with stairs in parks and the like.

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Delaney Donelson | 7 years ago
My New Cat (have Had For 3 Weeks) And Resident Cat Refuse To Tolerate Each…

My new cat (have had for 3 weeks) and resident cat refuse to tolerate each other. I brought Louie home with the knowledge that they might never like each other but they would at least learn to tolerate. The first week seemed to go pretty well because when we let Louie roam and get a feel for the house Mia avoided him… but now… things seem to be getting aggressive. It doesnt matter where Louie goes or what hes doing (even just sleeping) Mia wants to attack him. Granted, as soon as he sees her he starts growling… but he only started doing that after she batted at him the first time. The episodes seem to be getting more and more aggressive. I would keep him in my room but its clear he wants to roam. And i find it unfair to lock her in a room after 6 years of letting her roam around the whole house. Before we got mia 6 years ago we had an older male cat, they got along well but he passed about 2 years ago. And according to the shelter Louie was surrendered with a sister but she was adopted without him. I need help on this one

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  1. Delaney Donelson Post author

    Thank you Sarah, the baby gate didnt work… i had one up and then a door screen up but no wwy to secure the screen so he found a way to get out of his own space. For the most part, he does confine himself to his own space still but now its more so the residemt cat that is ckming to him. I have thoe litter trays and food/ water areas still seperate so theres really no reason for him to HAVE to leave his room or for her to come in to his room but they still do. I just dont want this to be a stressful situation for either of them. Mia has never been a fan of any large cat toys (trees or posts) both of my cats are declawed (adopted that way) so they dont tend to “scratch” other than the occasional carpet scratching after a stretch. Shes afraid of the tree we have for her and hes too heavy for it, he knocked it over. (Hes 22 lbs) Any other ideas are welcome

  2. Sarah

    3 weeks in is still a fairly new situation. This will take more time than that. Having said that, keeping them together but separate may help. For instance, a baby gate or two could possibly help you confine them and keep them separated when not supervised, but still allow them to see each other and continue getting used to each other. It also gives them their own space which may help with the adjustment period. Just make sure each has access to their own litter tray and food and water. A few kitty “distractions” might also be helpful- for instance a cat tree and some scratch posts. If they have an outlet for some pent up energy, they may not use it on each other. Don’t give up? There are lots of people on this website that have lots of helpful ideas to share. Hopefully they will add more. Best of luck!!

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
I Want To Learn Canine Anatomy From Home And Am Trying To Find The Best…

I want to learn canine anatomy from home and am trying to find the best resources. Do you know the best ways to learn canine anatomy from home? Textbooks, websites, computer softwares, etc.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    There are many of both. I like the canine atlas with photos of a greyhound they dissect inch by inch. I was just looking at it yesterday and feeling so melancholy about that dog. (Very true). It’s excellent to remind us of each nerve, muscle, bone but morbid. There are also web based design modules. They aren’t cheap though.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Friends, My Beagle, Abby Is On Bed Rest And Will Be For 6-8 Weeks. It’s…

Friends, my beagle, Abby is on bed rest and will be for 6-8 weeks. It’s been a little bit over than a week and I think she is getting fussy/lonely. She would always howl and bark during the day & night. As much as we want to keep her company and be with her 24/7, it’s hard because we all have school, work and other obligations.

When she first started doing this, the family thought there was something wrong and rushed to her side but she just wants to be petted and see people. It’s getting very annoying to having to wake up at 1am because she won’t stop howling or barking, especially when we have to wake up the next day, and sometimes (this is what’s told by my vet) we would ignore her because she has to learn that this might be her life now for a long time and she needs to learn how to self sooth and accept the fact that no one is there to clean her poop or pee right a way…

I understand where my pet is coming from, we cannot communicate with them and they cannot communicate with us. My dog is probably terrified out of her mind as to why she cannot move and has to stay, and truths to be told, I would be bored too if I had to stay in bed for 6-8 weeks. We’ve tried our best to keep her company when we can, but if any owners out there can provide us with some advice as to entertainment wise for pets (maybe a bone she can snack on without gaining so much weight), or some kind of a toy that can keep her entertained, it would be much appreciated.

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  1. dakoda peterson

    Try diapers for one. For two give that dog as much attention you can when your home. Do not give up.

  2. debra yuhasz

    I didn’t read back so I don’t have all the details, but I’ll bet your dog is terrified and looking to you to fix it. Is she in pain? Dogs absolutely do communicate with us. If I told you some of what my dogs do you’d be convinced. All animals communicate with people but you have to “listen”. Her barking and howling and having to soil her crate have her totally stressed and frightened, Her whole life has changed. Your vet should be giving her something for anxiety. Same as with people…stress is a killer. Her howling is a cry for help. How can you ignore that?

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A Dog That Is Almost 2 And He Has Recently Started Whining A…

I have a dog that is almost 2 and he has recently started whining a lot in his crate if I don’t pay attention to him… My 9 month old dog scratches, whines and barks in her crate too, so is he learning his behavior from her?

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
A Few Months Ago, We Booked Him Into A Piggy Farm, Where He Had To…

A few months ago, we booked him into a piggy farm, where he had to learn to behave, and not to be aggressive, when he came back after 3 weeks he was calm and showed no aggression. That only lasted for about 4 months. He shows a lot of aggression towards my other female pot belly pig, and my family members.

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