[flybigjet]

Calling out for "Good Thoughts & Prayers".

My wife and I's sweet, loving boy, Max, is having a hard time. He's about 15 years old, is a Russian Blue, is smart as hell, and is the sweetest, loving, most amazing cat I've ever had- and that's saying a lot. Best. Cat. Ever-- he'll happily spend the entire day just snuggling and purring with you. He doesn't have a hissable bone in his body. He follows you around the house all day and whenever you sit down, he jumps in your lap, purrs like a freight train and just totally blisses out.

A few days ago, I heard a crash and a thump about 4 in the morning. My wife's Oura ring picked up something as well so I know I wasn't dreaming. When I got up, my wife told me that Max was more or less unable to walk on one of his hind legs. It looks like he fell off of the bed or dresser. I called our vet (we've had a relationship with her for at least 15 years) and even though she was in back-to-back surgeries all day, she was able to squeeze him in for a visit.

The verdict (so far) after x-rays and an exam is severe soft tissue swelling in his left hind leg. She prescribed a heavy-hitting anti-inflammatory and pain meds and told us to keep him in the bedroom so he wouldn't have to deal with stairs (we have a two story house and his litter bot is in the basement).

So, we moved food, water and litter upstairs and did everything we could to make him comfortable. But he's not moving much and has no interest in curling up with us when we watch tv or when we go to bed-- definitely unusual behavior for him. And no more purrs. We're five days in, and there's not much improvement.

That's a scary thought. He should be showing signs of getting better by now. He's able to limp to the litter box and his food and water, but he's definitely not feeling well. He pretty much spends all of his time on his heating pad under the end table in the bedroom loft. At least he's warm and comfortable.

We've got a pretty high bed and Max always sleeps with us. We got a ramp for him today so he can (hopefully) limp from the floor to the bed. My wife sort of "explained" the ramp to him today by using treats. He's still food-oriented and climbed up the ramp to get the treats, so I hope that's a good sign?

My wife and I are very worried though-- even though we have two cats, Max has always been special-- a once in a lifetime kind of cat. We don't have children, so they're our "boys". We're all stressed as hell and are waiting until I take him back to the vet on Thursday. I expect to get a call from the vet tomorrow since she should be calling for a progress report.

So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

R.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

Calling out for "Good Thoughts & Prayers"...

...So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

Best wishes for Max. Hope for a speedy recovery.

Good luck, old fella. 👍

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

... So, raise a glass and think a few good thoughts, yeah?

R.

Could not stop at one glass...

Donc Max devrais prendre du mieux bientôt.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Could not stop at one glass...

Donc Max devrais prendre du mieux bientôt.

Well, frell.

Max started moving around today (which was good), but was dragging his left haunch (which was bad). So, back to the vet we went.

She double-checked the x-ray and even sent it out to a radiologist, but we don't think the bone is broken. Possible Achilles issue-- but she thinks she can feel the entire tendon and there's no sign of evulsion. However, he's still quite swollen.

So, she pulled a few strings and we have a consult with an Ortho Doc on Friday morning. The Ortho Doc wanted his leg splinted, so my Vet stayed past closing hours until my wife could bring him in.

I **LOVE** my Vet.

He doesn't seem to be in pain, but was slipping all over the hardwood. A quick Home Depot trip later and there's non-skid shelf liner on the three steps he has to make from the loft to the bedroom and moving blankets all over the rest of the hardwood so he doesn't slip. Best I can do for now.

This? Not so much fun-- but he's been FANTASTIC about the whole thing.

Keep those thoughts and prayers (and heavy drinking during) coming!

R.

[flybigjet]

So.

Max had his ortho consult this morning. Best case, partially ruptured Achilles tendon. Worst case, fully detached Achilles tendon. He’ll 'take a nap' and have a diagnostic ultrasound, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and Shockwave therapy on Thursday morning as well as having a mold made of his rear leg for an orthopedic brace-- we’ll know more then. Hopefully, the tendon's not fully detached as if it is, surgery is the only option. Either way, it's going to take therapy, time, multiple treatments, and at least six months in the orthopedic brace before he's better.

I never even know such a thing as an orthopedic brace for a cat's Achillies even existed. They showed me one they had for a dog so I'd know what they were talking about-- it's like something out of a Terminator movie and can be adjusted to introduce increasing movement into the tendon/joint as he improves. Poor boy- he's going to look like RoboKitty when he's wearing it-- which is probably going to freak the hell out of our other cat.

R.

[Esteban]

^ Let's hope for the best. My good wishes go to Max the RoboKitty!

[Maynard]

Best wishes for all of this. We are all pulling for him to make a fast complete recovery.

[JJ 911SC]

Resting after a Fetch session. On a good throw, it end up in the staircase.

[EdM5]

the sweetest girl

[Llarry]

RIP our cat of 10 years. I told my wife I don't want another cat; I don't want the heartbreak that comes with losing them anymore.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Llarry

RIP our cat of 10 years. I told my wife I don't want another cat; I don't want the heartbreak that comes with losing them anymore.

So sorry to hear, Llarry. Was a very beautiful cat.

My cat is 12 this July. Will hate to see her go when her time has come. Before her our cat was put down because of lymphoma; he was 14. I understand your pain, but I have always had a cat and always will. I need one in my life. Maybe in time you will too again. Good pet parents are hard to come by and I'm sure that's what you were. Again, sorry to hear.

[MassWholeBimmer]

Great story. Dog freed from tire...

https://apnews.com/article/dog-labra...2e90428e237414

[EdM5]

Another one. My proud girl
Australian Cobberdog btw.

[RickFLM4]

If Winston went to see the Wizard of Oz, he would ask for hands with fingers and thumbs.

[flybigjet]

An update on our boy Max, since we've been in Cali for a long Wine & Food weekend:

He had his ultrasound and the news wasn't great. The specialty doc, three surgeons and a radiologist all got together and couldn't come up with a solid solution.

Max has been on a low-dose steroid (prednisolone) for a long time due to an intestinal issue. He has to stay on them else he starts throwing up and not absorbing nutrients. But, the steroid also apparently weakens ligament and tendon tissue. Surprise!

And a Catch-22.

He was already on a pretty low dose (2.5mg/day), but after consultation with the vet(s), we're going to try a compounded 1.25mg/day and see what happens- we've tried to go every other day before, but not much luck there.

As far as his Achilles? The tendon doesn't look to be in great shape, so surgery is sort-of at the bottom of the list; the surgeon's aren't sure that there'd be enough good tendon to attach-- and they were talking about non-removable mesh and sutures with a significant chance of failure.

So. Plan B. He had PRP done around the suspected partial-tear areas as well as Shockwave treatment. He also had molds made for an orthotic boot that's going to make him look like RoboKitty. He's going to be in a splint for the next three weeks until the boot gets here. He'll get three more Shockwave treatments in the next six weeks and we'll see where he's at then.

The doc is "hopeful" that the tendon will "scar-up" enough to work-- since he's an indoor cat, there's not a huge amount of jumping in his life.

We got home late last night, so Max has been getting a LOT of snuggles in Dad's lap today.

R.

[Esteban]

^ Hoping for the best for ol' Max.

Good thing he's an indoor cat. My cat is too. I don't trust what they can get in to out there. Cat's seem to be plenty happy in the house, anyway. My last few cats have been strictly indoor.

[hoyitschris]

Say hi to Max

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by hoyitschris

Say hi to Max

Damn, he's cute!

[hoyitschris]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Damn, he's cute!

Thanks! Little guy is a hell raiser for sure

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by hoyitschris

Thanks! Little guy is a hell raiser for sure

Corgi?

[RickFLM4]

Trip to doggie dermatologist in the convertible today.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Trip to doggie dermatologist in the convertible today.

What are they so curious about on the other side of the door? Are they just anxious to get out?