Post-Surgery Difficulty Walking

[thistlesmom]

Hi...again,

So poor little Thistle is fairly rough times right now. As I mentioned in my last update about her cancer lump removal ever since she had the surgery to remove the tumour she has a bit of trouble walking. She has 3 legs but they had never posed a real problem (she can't wheel but she still got around fine).

She was having problems staying steady a few weeks ago and I figured she was unsteady cuz of the incision and surgery but it has just got worse and worse. Kalandra, I read about little Cooper, but thistle sounds much worse off. She now can barely walk. She will crawl out of her house and then fall over onto her side and just lay there waving her legs feebly until I find her. Of course, being semi nocturnal and having a job and a full time school schedule I'm not always there immediately, which makes me feel horrific. She is also barely eating, but drinking lots. she seems sad. I will hold her on my chest and she just puts her head in my hand and lays there. She never really liked me touching her face before.

She doesn't seem to have any other tumours that are visible on the outside. Her legs work but she just can't use them. she has never shown signs of WHS before.

What do I do? Help.

 

[smhufflepuff]

My heart goes out to you and Thistle.

The way you describe her unable to get around after she walks outside her house is so sad. But she can ambulate a little... to get out of her house? I'm guessing her house helps her stay propped up, but she's no longer very good in the open. Maybe you build little paths for her - stuff a bunch of tube socks with fleece and lay out a little course for her?? And keep her whole area warm given she might be out in the open... but I'm sure you're already doing that.

Aside from that, the other thing I would do is spend the weekend with her (am guessing don't have school/work over the weekend), talk with her about what she wants to do, and take it from there.

With her barely eating... how is her weight? Are you syringe feeding?

I'm so sorry.

 

[Kalandra]

Cooper did that leg waving things a couple of times and it is heart breaking. However he has the advantage of being younger and having all of his legs! I really wish your little one would improve.

I'd try to syringe feed her some to supplement what she is eating. See if she will willingly eat that way. Maybe it will help her regain some strength.

I'd also move her food closer to her bed. Even better, you may want to put some kibble in her bed with her so that she doesn't have to get up to eat.

Can she right herself if she has a wall to grab a hold of? When Cooper was tipping over badly, I tried to arrange items in his cage to help support him. If he had a wall or something to lean against, he didn't fall over all the way, and if he did he usually was close enough to push against something, he could right himself.

Does she have any stitches that could be causing a pinched nerve? Is there thick scar tissue where her incision was that could be causing a problem?

 

[thistlesmom]

I've been syringe feeding her. She hates that but I don't know what else to do.

She is sneezing a ton. I'm not sure if she's sick or if it's from falling down and laying on her side breathing in carefresh dust till I find her. I'm going to change the set up of her cage today to all fleece.

Her surgical star seems fine, it's healing well, she is growing spikes back. I'm sure there is scar tissue but it doesn't seem significant. It's also kind of behind her ear.

It just breaks my heart to see her so sad.

 

[smhufflepuff]

I suppose a best-case scenario is she's tuckered out from not eating and has sniffles from Carefresh.

Sounds like a change to fleece is a good way to go. And walls/supports for her to ambulate.

But, mostly, a weekend of snuggles and love.

Sneezing a ton... could be that she has a URI that's really hurting her - explaining the lack of appetite and fatigue. What does your vet think?

 

[thistlesmom]

Ugh. Thistle is still rough. It's the worst cuz she seems to be getting a bit better then back to crappy again. But not so rough that it makes a decision obvious. She is still being syringe fed, she is drinking on her own. She doesn't fall down quite as much due to her cage setup change but she is still quite pathetic. But then she is exploring when she is on me and I can keep her upright. Saturday morning she got up, ate, drank, kinda tubed, but then back down to pathetic again

Thoughts?

 

[charlie]

Definitely check on the potential URI. That can weigh on them heavily and affect eating, energy and balance.

The same happens of course with not enough food. How aften are you syringing her? How much? Roxy did something very similar, in fact we were all sure she had given up on life and she could not stand up at all, let alone with help. I then switched to syringing 6 times a day (with as much as she'd eat). I did this for a number of days despite signs that she had finally started eating on her own. I then slowly reduced the number of times I would feed her. It did the trick and her energy finally came back as well as her own full-bourne appetite.

Sounds like she is falling down less which is good, perhaps she is slowly adjusting. I hope so!

 

[thistlesmom]

I'm syringe feeding her 3 or 4 times a day but I will up that.

She is no longer sneezy or with a runny nose but will get the potential URI checked anyways.

I can't figure out how uncomfortable or in pain she is. I have spent so much time with her over the last few days hoping for a sign but she is all over the map.

 

[thistlesmom]

Hi,

Just a follow up. Thistle is still having issues but isn't quite as bad as she was when I originally posted, but she is still not great.

She had given up the sneezing and runny nose but since I basically spend all my free time with her I've noticed that it's returned, but only right after eating or drinking. Does this sound familiar? As soon as she starts drinking she starts making funny breathing noises, like she has a runny nose, and kind of sneezing.

She is stressing me out big time.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Sounds like little girl is surrounded with love. What an amazing hedgiemommy you are.

Do you suppose she's getting water in her nose when she drinks - like dipping her head a bit too far in/under? Or her nose is stuffy, so that she's converted to being a mouth breather under normal circumstances, but needs to use her stuffy nose while eating/drinking?

 

[thistlesmom]

I think you are right, I think what she is doing is breathing in water when she drinks. She is pretty unsteady still so she must be shoving her head in too far. What a dork. She is munching away on kibble as I type