Thursday, March 24, 2011

Basil vs Car

DSC_6192

We knew it was not a good sign when we arrived home from our school's Harmony Day Picnic at 7 o' clockish and there was no kitty tripping us up and demanding his dinner. And when he still wasn't home by bedtime, after I'd called and called, (he always comes when we call him, always) the alarm bells were well and truly ringing. I must have been sleeping with my ears straining for the sound of him, because at 1.30am I heard his meow outside our bedroom window, the sort of cranky meow he'd make if a cat he didn't like had come too close.

Fixit and I leapt up to see, and there he was underneath the window, but he was not jumping in and there was something wrong-looking about his back half.

So I gently brought him inside and put him on the sheepskin rug while we figured out what to do, where to take him. His legs and back half were wet, he had some blood on his jaw and he couldn't move his legs. He'd obviously dragged himself home over rain soaked terrain (including up a step to get himself under our window) and then called us. The bravery and determination of this breaks my heart.

By 2am with some hot tea in a leakproof cup, I was on the road to Essendon where there is a 24hour vet hospital. They checked him out and told me it looked like a broken pelvis but that at that point in time the main thing they had to treat him for was shock, his body temperature was dangerously low. He was given painkillers, iv fluids and put in a hot box. I drove home, thankful that I knew where he was and what had happened, but still unsure about whether he'd make it. I crawled into bed at around 3.30am.

By morning he had stabilised enough for me to go and get him and transfer him to the care of our local vet. He looked much better when I arrived and kept trying to move his useless back half around, displaying what the Vet referred to as Burmese rage when his body wouldn't co-operate. I took this a a good sign.

...


In the middle of writing this the vet rang. Here's what. He needs specialist surgery, and our vet can't actually do that. They're pretty sure his bladder is okay but if it's not I gather specialist surgery would be a waste of time and money. He needs to go back to the hospital because he requires 24 hour care and our vet doesn't offer that. I wish I hadn't moved him now. Shit. He's in a lot of pain. I don't really know what to do. Fixit is on his way home anyway.

19 comments:

  1. I'd be getting a no frills account from the vet as to what needs to be done and what QUALITY OF LIFE he can expect if you decide to go through with any operations.

    If he could make a full, or near to full recovery I'd be inclined to go with the op, as he's still a very young cat.

    If the prognosis isn't good, then I'd be making the hard decision. I try not to let sentiment rule with my animals.... the can't choose their quality of life but I can.

    I really hope everything works out. He looks like such a lovely boy and it's heartbreaking when things like this happen.

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  2. I know how much you love him. I am sure he knows how much you love him. xx

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  3. NO. Oh, no. Stomp, I hope there is good, clear advice coming your way and the right decision is crystal clear. xx

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  4. oh no....how awful for you and Basil.

    hoping the decisions you make will be simple ones.

    hugs

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  5. Hoping Basil's 'Burmese Rage' whups broken bones, shock and general trauma into a paste.

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  6. Oh hard call. Good luck with everything.

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  7. I have been thinking of Basil all day and hoping to come home from work to some better news.
    Caroline , I wish I could do something to help - I really really am hoping for the best.

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  8. O Stomper, I'm so sorry. Poor wee Basil, this is heart breaking.
    You've a decision to make, one where you need to think about what's best for Basil, as Frogdancer says.
    I'm sure you'll do what's best for Basil and I hope what's best for Basil is what keeps him around to purr for a good while longer.
    xxxx

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  9. Oh no! Thinking very good thoughts for Basil, in particular his bladder. How wonderful that he came home.

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  10. I tell you what, if that cat can get to you in the middle of the night with his injuries - he is surely one tough cat!

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  11. So sorry Stomper, that sucks. xx

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  12. Poor Basil. Poor you. Poor boys.

    I am hoping so desperately that there is a good outcome.

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  13. Oh my gosh...oh my goodness. I am having deja vu. I am sending strengthening thoughts to you and Basil...for whatever outcome
    Yes, it's heartbreaking the effort these small animals make to get home.
    Frogdancer makes a good comment. Stuff you need to consider when you make a decision.
    My heart goes out to you.

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  14. i hope hope hope he's ok - hoping so hard xxx

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  15. Oh, honey! It sounds like there are some shitty, hard decisions to be made in the near future, and lots of worrying and second guessing.

    There's no way to know what is the right thing to do. There ISN'T any right thing to do, because this whole situation isn't right at all. You'll make the best decisions you can with the information you have at the time - that's what your decision to transfer him was. It was the right decision, you just didn't have all the info.

    Try not to beat yourself up too much, no matter what happens. There are always the inevitable 'what ifs' and the fierce desire for a 'ctrl-z, undo' button. But don't forget to take care of yourself, too.

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  16. Oh no! I'm so sorry.

    I really hope that he might be able to bounce back.

    My childhood cat was run over and had a very badly fractured pelvis. They initially said that she may not survive the night but they were able to operate to repair her pelvis. By the next day she was positively annoying as she kept trying to get out of her crate and walk! The vet called to ask us to please come and get her as she was yowling for us and making such a racket that they felt she would be better at home. She spent only a day or two really resting and then the next few weeks constantly escaping her bed and trying to get around the house. She recovered well and, although her walk was a little unique, went on to live a very full life. Sometimes they can make miraculous recoveries.

    Again, so sorry that you are in this position.

    x

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.