Conference misery::feline_v1

    Where do you live ?  Yes, take him to another vet as soon as you
    can.  Who did you go to?  Actually, cats without tails do ok -
    but, a second opinion won't hurt.  
    
    Elaine

    In Reading, UK!  For other UK noters, I took him to Morrish & Stafford
    in Sonning Common, who I have used for several years, and who have
    been good.
    
    Since writing the original note, I have telephoned another vet,
    who said that amputation would depend on possible nerve damage,
    and that the best thing to do for now was to carry on with the
    antibiotics, and see what happens.
    
    If anyone has experience of broken/ damaged tails, I would very
    much like to hear about it.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Helen.

    When I was little, my dog had to have his tail amputated after it
    got broken by a car.  Snoopy did OK afterwards, and was a perfectly
    healthy dog.  He was just a lovable as a dog with a tail.
    
    I'd still get a second opinion though.
    
    	-Nancy
    
    

    A few year back TiJai (T.J.) accidently fell two stories through
    our laundry chute land on the base of his tail. The vet thought
    his tail "might" be broken and suggest we just "wait and see". His
    tail was limp and he seemed to have no voluntary movement of it.
    In his case we got lucky and by the time a couple of weeks has passed
    TiJai was back to normal.  He lived to be twenty (I guess I'll never
    stop missing him) and never showed any further problems from the
    injured tail....
    
    I work (one night a week) with a vet/friend. Over the years there
    have been a few cases where he tried to save a tail that did have
    nerve damage from an injury.  It usually didn't work out as the
    tail was actually a hindrance to the cat and sometime developed
    "sores" from dragging on the ground. In those cases he decided to
    amputate the tail.  The cats always recovered nicely and didn't
    seem to notice things were a little "short-ended".
    
    I would give the tail plenty of chance to heal....there will be
    plenty of time to make the decision to amputate if things don't
    work out....      
    
    Good Luck!

    The cat next door to my mum's was hurt badly in a car accident which
    broke his tail, his jaw and destroyed his nervous system.  They
    didn't amputate his tail!!
                        
    They wired his jaw up and made him as comfortable as possible  
    unfortunately they had to put him down about a year later because
    they couldn't cope with him going to toilet everywhere etc (lack
    of nervous system). 
    
    Good luck
    Sharon
    
    

    When we found Pansy (as a kitten) she had a broken tail.  It was about
    halfway up.  The vet splinted it, and whatever else he thought
    necessary, but she bothered it so much that it didn't heal, and
    off it came.  For the rest of her 16 years she had a half-tail with
    a bald end.  She used it very effectively as an attention getter
    - she would back up to a cabinet or other piece of furniture and
    wag profusely.  The resulting tatoo forced your attention. She wasn't
    into jumping from high places much, so the balance question was
    moot.  Good luck!
    
    Gary

    Re: .5
    A friend rescued a feral cat and kittens.  One of the kittens was
    a manx who turned out to have not control of the bladder muscles.
    (we were never quite sure if the problem was from an injury at birth
    or a result of the Manx gene somehow gone awry)...  Anyway, she
    used to turn the cat upside down on her lap several times a day
    and push on his "belly" to express the bladder into a disposable
    diaper or paper towel.  She had the cat about 15 years and her husband
    never even knew the cat had the problem..(she was afraid he would
    tease her about it)..... 
    I realize not everyone would have that kind of dedication, but it
    worked out well for her and she had a sweet loving ped for many
    years.......
                                            Linda

    Thank you all for your replies.  For those of you who have experienced
    it, did the amputation cause much pain?  (Can you get pain killers
    for cats?)  How long did it take to heal?  
    
    I'll let you have a progress report later in the week.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Helen.

    Pansy had a local only during the procedure. Thereafter, there was
    no pain killing medication, though the salve may have contained
    a topical anesthetic.  She seemed not to mind at all after returning
    home the same afternoon.  If the operation is done at the root of
    the tail, I guess there are some other implied problems (glands,
    cleanliness until healed, etc.), but the vet should be able to tell
    you.
    
    Gary

    There was quite an extensive discussion in this file awhile back
    about the kind of injury where  a cat's back legs are hurt by a
    car.  The upshot was that nerve functioning can come back over the
    course of several months.  I suspect the same thing is true of the
    injury you describe.  However, if the tail is really getting sores,
    etc. from being dragged in the meantime, amputation might be
    preferable.  I would guess that after amputation it might take the
    cat awhile to learn for the rebalance when jumping.  Are tails
    necessary for balance, I wonder?  Anyway, I would be inclined to
    wait quite awhile myself befor deciding the amputation was necessary,
    unless the tail is being damaged in the meantime.
    

    
    
    	My tiger cat "Popeye" was attacked by a dog in our front yard
    and his tail was broken.  The injury was right at the base of the
    tail.  Because of the location (where the tail meet the body) it
    would affect his bowels.  There were two situtations that could
    occur - 1.  He would have not control over his bowel movements,
    2.  He would be unable to eliminate and be constipated all the time.
    Now my cat was 16 yrs. old when this happen and the Vet felt it
    was best to put him down.  Besides he had other injuries as well
    from the attack - bladder damaged etc.  Having a broken tail can
    be a very serious thing for a cat - but it definitely depends on
    what part of the tail is injured.
    
    	Good Luck with your cat -
    
    	-Dee
    

    Some great film studies of cats, aimed at trying to determine how
    they always land on their feet, showed that it is almost entirely
    due to counterbalancing (and action/reaction) with the tail. I would
    assume that they would adjust to a partial loss, easier if they
    are younger. When jumping, the problem is much less severe than
    when being dropped upside down. When they can plan, they can probably
    handle it without any trouble.
    
    Gary

    
    I just remembered about a friend of mine (completely forgot during
    my last reply) she had to "disabled" cats.  The first one only had
    one front leg and the other one had a little stump for a tail. 
    Both had amputations for accidents which they had but both had addapted
    to their situations very well.
    
    Get another opinion first but thinking about it you have got to
    be cruel to be kind.
    
    Sharon
    

    I rescued an abandoned orange tiger a few years ago.  He was a real
    cutie and very affectionate.  When I first took him in he smelled
    to high heaven but after a bath he was just tolerable. So I bathed him
    a second time figuring I'd missed something.  He was a doll, stayed
    in the water and actually liked the blow dryer!
    
    I brought him to the vet for a check-up, shots and neutering.  I
    had noticed that he never raised his tail completely off the floor.
    He also had another peculiarity, he could walk, poop and/or pee
    at the same time and act as if nothing was wrong.  One morning while
    he was eating I examined his tail, no feeling.  I even pressed on
    the tip with my toe, NOTHTING.  I was about half way to his body
    before he turned around and looked at me with the "Excuse me, may
    I help you?" look.
    
    So back to the vets we went.  Hobo was such a darling about it.
    The vet accessed that there was some nerve damage and the tail was
    broken in two places.  It was definitely an old injury.  The vet
    showed me how to express his bladder and suggested that since he
    was in otherwise perfect health, why not let him be an outdoor kitty.
    Too bad I lived right on a major road.  Now what do I do?
    
    As we were walking out I noticed blood on my blouse and when I checked
    Hobo over I found an abcess that had just opened up about 2 1/2
    inches long by 1/2 inch wide on his spine.  So back into the office.
    (At least it was only one office visit!)  With this new development
    I couldn't let Hobo outside until the abcess healed.
    
    He was such a love about taking his medicine and letting me put
    the ointment on him.  I had to keep him out on the porch which was
    closed and windowed.  I felt awful that I couldn't let him have
    free run of the house.
    
    Then one of my roomates told me about a friend of his that had a
    horse farm, a couple of children, tons of space and was looking
    for a barn manager.  Hobo got the job and was loved by everyone.
    He turned out to be a wonderful manager and a BIG kitty.  He even
    got along with the family dogs. (He's such a charmer!)
    
    The vet had suggested that we might want to amputate his tail because
    it could be more of a hinderance to Hobo.  But since he did have
    some movement we decided to keep it as it was.  Plus the nerve damage
    connected with his bodily functions wasn't caused just by the broken
    tail.  It was thought that he had had a severe trauma to the whole
    hind end.
    
    I guess what I'm trying to say is, 1) definitely get a second opinion;
    2) It's really not all that bad, they will adjust to the loss and
    3) If you're worried about how they can get along without a tail,
    remember Manx's are bred for that quality and they can come with
    either no tail or just a stubb.
    
    Whatever you decide, good luck.  Keep us posted.
                                                          
    Roslyn, Esco and Brandy

    Hector still isn't lifting his tail, but he does seem to have some
    movement in it - he raises it slightly when stroked, and I think
    I saw it twitch!  It does not seem to hurt him now, and he lets
    me handle it without complaining - there seems to be a lump close
    to the top.
    
    No bowel/ bladder problems (which I was worried about even before
    reading these replies!) - I have seen him use the litter tray with
    no difficulty.
    
    He does seem to have some difficulty climbing down from things -
    he is sleeping on our bed all day (he puts himself there - he does
    have a bed on the floor), and doesn't want to/ can't get down.
    
    But he is stretching his back legs out now, and washing himself
    normally.
    
    Anyway, Hector is a model patient - stays shut in our bedroom all
    day without complaining (he is normally an indoor/ outdoor cat,
    but of course I won't let him out again until he can run and jump
    properly - he is to be shut in so the other two cats can have access
    to the cat door as usual) - takes his tablets without a fuss, and
    purrs on command.  I am spending a lot of time with him in the evening,
    so he doesn't feel neglected.
    
    Unless he improves dramatically today, I will take him back to the
    vet tomorrow after work.  Will keep you all posted.
    
    Thank you for your replies.
    
    Helen.

    BTW - I forgot about Pansy (it WAS a long time ago). She had a large
    hematoma just above the tail. It apparently put so much pressure
    on the nerves that they were dead for quite a while.  She gradually
    regained all feeling/use of the area and its appendages.
    
    Time heals...
    
    Gary

    re:15 lump close to the top.  Has the vet checked the lump?  Could
    be an abscess!!  When that drains ( if it is an abscess) it should
    help things.  Sounds like Hector is doing very well.  Good job!
    
    E.T.

    I don't believe (speaking as someone who's cats are forever getting
    abscesses!) that it is an abscess - it doesn't appear to be painful
    (Hekky has had abscesses on his tail in the past, and I am NOT allowed
    to touch them).  However, he is on antibiotics, which should clear
    it up if it is or was one.  But I suspect it isn't.
    
    Perhaps it could be a bruise??  Or could he have damaged some ligaments
    or something?

    Hector sounds like he is making real progress, especially since
    nerve problems take awhile to heal.  I would view amputation at
    this time with a high degree of skepticism.  Please keep us informed,
    and a big hug to Hector.
    

    I took Hector back to the vet last night.  After several minutes
    of histrionics, during which he attempted to tear the vet limb from
    limb, broke a thermometer (by knocking it out of the vet's hand),
    and made a lot of noise, the vet managed to ascertain that his tail
    is NOT broken, and that Hector no longer has a temperature.
    
    However, his tail is very badly bruised etc.  He has to stay inside
    until next week, and will probably take a fortnight or so to recover
    fully.  The vet gave him a vitamin B12 injection, to "perk him up"
    (quite good of him, considering Hekky had just behaved as though
    perking up was the last thing he needed!).
    
    By the way, Hector's behaviour was excused on the grounds that his
    tail is very painful.  I know better.  Hector, for some unknown
    reason, only likes one vet (the one he saw on Monday); she is the
    only woman in the practice.  He hates all the men, and always reacts
    violently to having his temperature taken, even at a routine check-up.
    
    I took him home, touched his tail as the vet had, and got no reaction
    apart from a two second pause in his purring!  
    
    Anyway, he's getting better, and I can stop worrying about tail-less
    cats - this time, anyway.
    
    (As an aside, the vet told me that an untreated infection stemming
    from a bite or whatever in the tail can travel up the spinal cord,
    with obviously severe results).

    One of our cats came with most of her tail missing ("traumatic
    amputation," according to the vet). She doesn't seem to
    miss it at all, and it's kind of funny to watch her when she thinks
    she's still waving her tail and all that's happening is that the
    stump is vibrating.   
    
    KBS