6/12/11
Salam & greetings to all.
I'm running out of time, have to go to bed soon and tomorrow's yet another early day. So sorry, but tonight's post will be in English only.
My wife & I were looking forward to fetch Harlie from HVC vet clinic today. Yesterday we went out & bought Harlie's litter box, her bedding, food containers, wet food & kibbles and that plastic basket that she likes to sit in so much. Late last night, I washed & disinfected the cage that she'll be sleeping in and also all the things she'll be using (litter box, food containers, bedding, etc). Don't want to take any chances with her getting germs from our home or other cats.
So earlier today, around 2PM, at my wife's behest I called HVC before we went there to fetch Harlie. Bad news. The vets told me that Harlie's stitches at the amputation site isn't healing as expected. Apparently, it's because the tissue & skin around the sutures have become dead tissue, due to the loss of blood & oxygen it experience during Harlie's emergency 6 hour procedure. So, the tissues & skin there are not 'stitching' together as they're supposed to.
Over the phone, Dr Joe & Dr Nurul (Harlie's vets) recommended to me that the sutures at both the amputation & C-section site be taken out today, after which they'll evaluate the condition of the amputation site sutures. They're not worried about the C-section's sutures as the tissue there is healing well as they should. It's the amputation site's sutures that are problematic. Feeling worried & concerned about Harlie, I told them that I'll go to see them & Harlie at the clinic immediately. It's just a 10 minute drive from my place.
A little while after that, I got to see Harlie. Dr. Nurul told me that she's now more active & wouldn't stay long in her little plastic basket for long anymore. In fact, when Dr Nurul fetched Harlie from her cage in the ward, Harlie immediately jumped out of the plastic basket Dr Nurul put her in. This is a good sign, as it shows that she's getting healthier & is regaining her strength. In the consultation room, they showed me what's wrong with Harlie sutures at the amputation site. Apparently, the tissue at the 'extremities' of the Y-shaped incision that they made are healing well. It's just the tissue in the middle part of the incision that isn't. This is made even worse by Harlie licking & managing to dislodge one of the sutures there a few days ago. So, there's a tiny hole in the middle part of the Y-incision that has liquid seeping out of it (fearing an E-collar would make Harlie stressed more, the vets decided to apply some medicated cream to this tiny hole a few days ago). The tissue around this area is also reddish & seems to be somehow 'raw'. In short, not good.
Dr Joe & Dr Nurul then proceeded to take out the sutures at the C-section incision on Harlie's tummy. That was the 1st time I've seen anyone take out stitches before, it was a bit gruesome! Nevertheless, this went smoothly, as the tissue there has healed really well. Sorry, no photos today, as my usual photographer (dear wifey) didn't tag along as she isn't feeling well.
After that, they slowly took out the stitches at the amputation site, starting with the ones at the edges or extremities. It can be seen that tissue at the edges are healing as they should, so Dr Joe were able to take out the stitches there with no problem. But then he decided to stop when he came to the middle part, as he's sure they will start to bleed again if the stitches were taken out.
So in short, in the end Dr Joe & Dr Nurul decided that tonight they will put Harlie under general anesthesia & then take out the middle stitches. After that, they will reevaluate the tissue around the area. If needed, they will then have to remove any dead tissue & skin & then restitch. This is more likely to happen. Thus, Harlie will need to stay at HVC for another week while the new stitches are healing. The soonest she can come back with us will be this Friday, if the wound seems to be healing well that is.
Although I'm disappointed that Harlie couldn't come back home with us today, I think this is best for her. I'm also reluctant to bring her home in the current state of the amputation site stitches, as I'm afraid I won't be able to monitor & check the sutures properly. I am not a vet, so I won't know what's normal and what's not.
As for Harlie's eczema, it seems to be getting better but it's still there on her tummy. Dr Joe have tried to apply some topical medicated cream to the area but it seems to be having little effect. So they have injected Harlie with a strong kind of steroid just now to make the eczema go away. Hopefully it will work.
Below is a screenshot of the vets at HVC reaffirming that they need to restitch Harlie's amputation site.
Please pray for Harlie to have a speedy recovery everyone! Keep her in your thoughts! InsyaAllah she can come back home with us this Friday (9/12/11)
Oh that is a little disappointing, I was really looking forward to the news of her "coming home", but as you say, it is the best to be on the safe side! It seems that the docs really care about her and her well being too, which is very good! Let's hope her wound will heal smoothly and quickly... it's possible that the stitches have been adding to the irritation, so hopefully she won't try to chew and lick on it as much, when it is taken out.
ReplyDeleteIt is also very encouraging that she is becoming more active, that is undoubtedly a sign of progress, both physically and mentally. We will be thinking of you all and that she can get out of the hospital as soon as possible! L&O
Thanks very much Licia & Ollie, for your support. I hope what you say is true in Harlie's case. Can't wait for her stitches to get better! I'm gonna write an update on Harlie soon. Just a short one though.
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