Friday 31 March 2023

It's so quiet here - and kitten op. update




 . . . the kittens are at the vet's, being spayed.  I had to fill in a form before their op and the wording is scary - dreading the phone ringing in case something has gone wrong in the ops.  Lulu has an umbilical hernia, so she is definitely going to feel rough for a couple of days.  Plus they are being microchipped and have to have cones on to stop them pulling at stitches, but I bought a 2nd soft doughnut one so hopefully they will be more comfortable in those.



I managed to keep it together when I was at the vet's, and was SO relieved to see it was BOTH the vets I trust and know to be kind and gentle with cats.  Pippi didn't mind going into her travelling box but Lulu obviously has a longer memory and had to be bundled in - yet SHE wasn't the one to have such a painful jab last time - it was Pippi.


I collect them at 4 p.m.  Will do an update later.


I've been doing some decorating to take my mind off it, but couldn't have Audible on in case I missed the phone.  I will keep them up in the yellow bedroom for a few days as if they try and get in their kitten hammocks under the sofa with collars on, they may get stuck.


Well, I have them home but they have already both shed their doughnuts.  I put Lulu's back on 3 times, only to have her do a backflip to get rid of it again, and I thought that might damage her internal stitches, so have left it off.  Turned my back, and Pippi's shed hers too . . .  They are both SO PLEASED to be home.  They have to go in on Monday for a checkup.


Just for a special outing on Sunday, Keith has to go to Hereford for an MRI scan of his middle back . . .  Glad it's not a 9 a.m. appt. this time!

26 comments:

  1. I ALWAYS feel guilty when I take them in for operations no matter how necessary! I feel your pain.

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    1. It's dreadful isn't it? No wonder my blood pressure has been so high. Daren't have caffeine right now . . .

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  2. I expect your babies are back with you now. You will be glad to see them getting up to their old tricks...a sure sign that they have begun to return to normal. Thinking of you.

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  3. No Debby - I have another 2 hours to wait (it will be 4 p.m.) Back to wallpapering to take my mind off things.

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  4. I'm so pleased to see this with the update as I was thinking of you earlier and wondering how things were going. Sending light and love. To you and the kittens. Deb in Wales

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    1. Hi Deb. I have let go of a HUGE amount of tension and BP is back to more or less normal too. Kittens have had a painkilling jab which should last them through the night, and I have Loxicon to give them with their meals too. Just hope they leave their stitches alone - so far they have only licked the hair around the edge of their bald patches.

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  5. It is a worrying time when our cats are being spayed. The experience here has been that though we are to take them first thing in the morning the vet is usually delayed by emergencies and we retrieve the poor babies late afternoon, VERY groggy and wobbly until the next morning. I remember a cat who came home from her spay and next day climbed the door jamb and tottered along it. I've never had one that picked at the stiches. So glad it is done and over and I trust Lulu's umbilical hernia was also dealt with. Whew!

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    1. That's a relief, reading that Sharon. Phew. Let's hope ours don't either. They are in the Hot Pink & Yellow bedroom for the night anyway. Daren't let them "into" the sofa again yet. Ours were done this morning, Lulu first I think as she was with it when we picked them up. They are NOT going to enjoy going into travel boxes on Monday for their check-up . . .

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  6. I know you need the item NOW, maybe Amazon? My thought was that they might accept wearing a tiny tee-shirt, either made for cats/ chihuahuas; or preemie tiny human tee shirt? Maybe I suggested this previously? My dog is a pug and he really cannot safely wear a cone [if tight enuf to stay on it is choking him seriously.] so the tee shirt works for us. He had umbilical hernia repaired and it was no big deal; hope the girls do as well. I am not sure which neutering procedure is harder on an animal. But send healing and calming thoughts to you and them. Kudos to you for getting this important surgery done and done early.

    off topic, new to me crime series, takes place in Wales. North Wales but you still might enjoy it. Free on Kindle Unlimited, inexpensive if you must buy.."Ruth Hunter/ DI"series Simon McCleave. Also the newest Donna Leon was good, in a leisurely measured sort of way. [Venice, Italy detective.]

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    1. Found a selection on Amazon and two are arriving tomorrow. Bless you. Just in case they decide to disappear inside the sofa if Keith's opened the door at the wrong time!

      Will check out the Ruth Hunter/DI series in the morning. Bless you Lizzy.

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  7. You're over the worst, thank goodness. Now to keep them quiet enough they don't rupture the sutures. They're such clever little things I'm not surprised they've got out of those cones. Have you tried the soft ones? They might stay on better. ... might .... I'm glad your BP is down a notch, that was a worry in itself. My BP has improved since the little granddaughter - who could be a very 'difficult -'agin the government' child - started school and is blossoming there. Such a relief. Do let us know how those babies are doing, and also, even more importantly, how Keith's MRI turns out.

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    1. My blood pressure is better but that possibly down to a lack of caffeine too - nerves were in shreds, no need to make them worse! Yes, the soft "doughnut" sort of cone is very easily removed by smart kitties like mine! Ghengis didn't mind it, but these gave me one look and removed them!

      Glad to hear that your little granddaughter is doing so well at school.

      I am hoping that the MRI shows nothing - it's just a case of making sure they've done all his spine and this was missed before. I am "thinking" about church bothering on the way home. Poor Keith!

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  8. I'm glad to see the update. I hope the kittens heal quickly. What a brilliant suggestion Lizzy had. I'm going to check that out for my cat should she ever need surgery (I hope not). I hope Keith's MRI goes well.

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    1. Lizzie has been great - never knew there WERE such things!!

      The kittens this morning - well, you would never know they'd had surgery, which is a relief, though Lulu slightly more demure than her sister, but she does have a zip up half her tummy now as it was quite a big hernia.

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  9. I hope the kitties heal quickly. I always worried about ours when we had them spayed. Sat for hours ripping up paper for the litter box.

    God bless.

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  10. I normally use the wood pellet cat litter, but you can't seem to get it any more and I have had to go back to the Fuller's Earth stuff, but got some lightweight which is less messy.

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  11. Just de-lurking to add....I used to work as a vet nurse in a cats-only practice and we never bothered with cones for kittens...it's an exercise in futility, as you've already discovered! Kittens heal very quickly and are usually too busy with life to bother with stitches. Then again...our vet always did an internal purse closure so there weren't any dangling ends. It's worth having a look to see it that's the case here with your girls. Glad things went well and you can breathe now :)

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    1. Hi Melanie. An exercise in futility indeed! My goodness, they shed them in seconds once out of their carrying crates! Can't see any dangling ends, so it sounds like our vets did the internal purse closure too. Phew.

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    2. P.S. Thank you for delurking to tell me this. Please feel free to delurk and comment again!

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    3. Excellent to hear! I suspect they haven't missed a beat ;) And thank you...I shall. :)

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  12. Sooo pleased the kittens are back at home, it's such a nerve wracking time leaving ,them at the vets.
    Hopefully they'll bounce back very quickly, the cone wearing phase is also a worrisome time x
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. Yes, my nerves were in shreds. Two days on and you wouldn't believe they'd had an op, tbh.

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  13. I'm glad I didn't read this until you had added the update. Such a relief. The wording of the forms is dreadful and really makes you feel worried doesn't it, and then driving home without your furry friend is just the worst ... and doubled in your case.#

    I hope the scan goes okay tomorrow, it feels weird going for this sort of thing on a Sunday doesn't it. I remember going for mine at 8pm at night and feeling like that was not the sort of 'night out' I really wanted.

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    1. It will seem odd going to Hereford on a Sunday, but hopefully the traffic won't be too bad. I hope to find a good church to bother, but the one I want to see isn't open until Wednesday (Brinsop).

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  14. So relieved to read about the kittens. Good luck with the scan today and the check up tomorrow. The weather is improving so hopefully a bit of gardening next week is possible. The primroses here are amazing and yesterday I saw the first brimstone butterfly in the garden. I feel as if I am on holiday in Devon when I see the primroses. I’ve had a busy few days with work and I exhibited at the spring show yesterday so today is a rest day except for cycling to Sutton, a nearby village in the Downs, to enjoy their spring show and enjoy a cup of tea and slice of cake. Nice church at Sutton too. Sarah x

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    1. The next worry is letting them outside for the first time. My friend Chris has offered the loan of the cat harness she had for her feral boy, who was caged for weeks and weeks before she was able to let him out, and she walked him round in that. I will try it, but of course, I can't insist they don't go far when they are let loose.

      Enjoy your tea and cake this afternoon. No Brimstones here (or in Carms). No feed plants for them I suspect.

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