Search Results for: blog first aid problems with stitches

Adjusting to Life with Murphy the Cone Head

Life without Murphy was miserable, but life with Murphy the cone head has been interesting. Wayne and I have had to make some adjustments to our lifestyle to accommodate Murph’s new one. Confining Murphy the Cone Head Because Murph is on super limited activity restrictions, the vet suggested we keep him confined in a bathroom or crate. The times I’ve had to lock him behind the laundry room door (like when we had tornado threats earlier this year), he’s gone bonkers jumping and scratching to be let out. That wasn’t going to work. And he’s not too fond of crates. … Continue reading →

Life with Murphy the Cone Head

Last Friday I was lamenting life without Murphy. He ended up getting the go ahead to come home that day. (Thankfully.) But coming home meant making some changes to our lifestyle. Caring for Murphy the Cone Head The surgeon sent us home with some strict instructions for caring for Murphy for the next eight weeks. 1. Because he has stitches, he has to keep his cone (a.k.a. Elizabethan collar) on at all times. (I’m sure he has stitches at the surgery site, but a cast’s covering those up. The stitches the vet’s trying to keep him away from are on … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Three Cases for Keeping Cats Indoors

We currently have three guests at the cats-only boarding facility who make a very good case for keeping cats indoors. One is easily one of my favorite all-time guests. He’s a big tabby fellow and a total sweetheart — that’s probably why his family called him Pooky. These days, Pooky is a lover, not a fighter. But in his past? He was probably a fighter. He’s got a few good-sized scars running down his nose that speak of old fights. Pooky is an indoor cat now, and I wonder if that’s what gave his lovebug side the opportunity to show. … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Easter Egg Hunts

I felt I would be remiss if I didn’t do an Easter post for Easter morning. I tried to come up with something deep and thought provoking that is worthy of what I consider to be the high Holy day of the Christian calendar. Instead, what I thought about was how my kids would miss the annual Easter egg hunt at Grandma and Papa’s this year. Our daughters will be in a dance at church this morning and the Easter Egg hunt will be long done before we even got there–if we were going. It might seem like this is … Continue reading →

Moose Update: He’s Healing and We’re All Adjusting

It’s been twelve days since Moose had his tail amputated — he was hit by a car on June 8th and broke his tail badly enough that the nerves and blood vessels were mostly severed. We’ve had two post-surgery check-ups, and the vet assures me that everything looks good. Since I’ve had a few e-mails and PMs asking after the big lug, I thought an update was in order. Stitches: for the most part, things are just fine with his stitches — he’s got a good six inches of stitches running up his rump. Moose has had a bit of … Continue reading →

You Should Have Seen The Other Guy?

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We have a wonderful off-leash dog park about seven miles from our new home. I’ve taken Moose and Lally to the park four times in the ten days we’ve been here! Imagine, if you will, an acre or so of land, securely fenced, with a walking path around the perimeter, plenty of sturdy water bowls, and a few benches for us two-leggers. My friend Julie calls it Doggy Disneyland. On Saturday, Moose got attacked. Moose, Lally, and I were walking the loop, as I like to call it — a bark covered path around the park. A wheaten terrier who … Continue reading →

Creative Alternatives to Elizabethan Collars

About six months ago, my brother’s pit bull/lab mix Kuma had to have a cyst removed from her shoulder. It was large enough that she needed five stitches and was sentenced to Conehead City for ten days. Let me tell you — Conehead City is not a fun place to live if you’re a dog or a cat. Part of Kuma’s problem was navigating stairs with her cone on. When she couldn’t see her feet, she couldn’t climb down the stairs to go into the yard to piddle! But as soon as the cone was off, she would start messing … Continue reading →

There Was No Joy In Kittentown…

Confession time: I am guilty of the crime of creative cat diapering. My friend Jenny recently got a lovely black kitten named Zoe. After a few months, it came time for Zoe to get spayed — among other things, spaying fights overpopulation, helps reduce the risk of running away and some diseases of the reproductive organs. Zoe came through her surgery with flying colors, and was soon feeling well enough to start messing with her cone. Also known as an Elizabethan collar, the plastic cone helps prevent a pet from accessing the surgical site and stitches. Instinct tells your pet … Continue reading →