Violet's medical thread

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:09 am


I don't think the saline comes out the other end of the drain but instead from around the drain. The drain is there to prevent that area from closing up. There should be space between the drain and flesh that you inject the fluid. I think the drain is a closed tube (you could check with your vet about this).

bpatters
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Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:34 am


I think you're right, Lynx. You inject the fluid around the drain, then gently push it toward the other hole.

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Zaphy

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 7:07 pm


Okay. So the flow should be like the first picture, not the second picture, right?

Image

Image

Today's problem of the day is that Violet's been biting and scratching at the area around the incision. She's pulled some hair out and the skin on one side is now red and sensitive. I took a closer look and it seems she had some fluid from the wound crusted up into a couple of scabs that were stuck in the hair, so I flushed the area with water and gently combed out the fur around it to make sure nothing else was caught in it. I'm guessing this isn't that big of a deal unless it develops into another infection. Hopefully whatever it was that was bothering her was rinsed out, but would it be safe to use a small amount of fragrance free lotion, or maybe some aloe vera gel to try to calm the irritation around the area?

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 7:59 pm


Theoretically, the first diagram is right. However, if the center heals up first, you may wind up with the second scenario.

The main thing is to get any remaining pus out, however the flushing solution flows.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 8:49 pm


Ditto bpatters.

Your sketch is very cute. I wonder if Violet would approve (I imagine she would at least approve of the sentiment). Would you like these images added too?

If she worries and bites at the area severely, you might need to fashion some kind of cone shaped collar for her to keep her from biting it. I don't have a quick page to point you to - hopefully someone will add a link.

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Zaphy

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 9:56 pm


Thank you, and sure!

Talishan has an example of a collar for guinea pigs in her post-op care links she posted earlier, my only concern is that the irritated area is right where the collar would be against the skin, so I'm worried that it might bother it further.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jan 12, 2016 6:48 am


That is a legitimate concern. I was going to suggest bandaging but with that drain there, I don't know that you could do that either. Maybe your vet has something up their sleeve?

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Jan 12, 2016 3:57 pm


So sounds like they're going to try putting her on a narcotic- the vet was in surgery when I called, so he's going to call me back I guess.

I think I haven't been flushing the drain often enough, or maybe just not well enough, it was stinky when I flushed it this morning. Also had some yellow pus discharge from the side that she's been biting and scratching at. Not sure if that's cause or effect. But it seems like the swelling has maybe gone down some, the tube kinda opened up (as opposed to being smushed flat) and I noticed I can see straight through it to the other side. Either that or she's been tugging at it so much it loosened up. <.<;;

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Jan 12, 2016 5:21 pm


HAHAHA OKAY SHE JUST RIPPED HER DRAIN OUT

LITERALLY LESS THAN 15 MINUTES AFTER THE VET CALLED AND I TOLD HIM EVERYTHING WAS FINE (apart from the discharge)

Anyway, she's not bleeding or anything and in fact is sitting here with a very smug look on her face just eating her poop happy as a clam. What a brat. I called the vet's office back and they said as long as she's still not bleeding she should be fine till Thursday which is when her follow-up appointment had already been scheduled.

Vet said keep doing the massage thing (I just realized I never told them I was flushing it instead)... I can see some globs of junk in there. I mean, since it's pretty much the same wound as it was with the drain in it I should still be able to treat it the same, right? Flush it out with warm saline still? I swabbed some tweezers with alcohol and used them to pick out a couple globs that were close to the opening.

Oh, and she very nearly ate the drain, she literally had it halfway inside her mouth and was chewing it by the time I was able to grab it and get it away from her.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jan 12, 2016 6:14 pm


It's possible an antihistamine might help with the itching.

Pretty funny (not) about pulling out the drain!

Perhaps your illustrations should have included a few exclamation points and some bad language after the "I hate this" :-)

Do the best you can to keep it open with flushing. The massaging (in my opinion) may hurt and prevent healing.

What a crazy little pig!

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Zaphy

Post   » Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:19 am


Urgh. Over the course of the evening it's like the incision area is, like, splitting/falling apart?? I'm guessing the ripping out of the drain didn't do the original sutures any favors. I'm having a tough time describing it so here is a photo:
Image

I can't tell if the flesh the sutures were in, like, died and just gave out? Cause it's not bleeding other than some slight ooze as you can tell. And is that pus behind the rips that hasn't been rinsed out? Or fat? Or something else? The area seems like it's swelled up again too, so... yaaaaaaay. And of course the skin is still super irritated. Is this like 'take her to an emergency vet' kind of bad? Or 'wait and call your vet in the morning when they're open again' kind of bad? Or possibly 'this will be fine till the morning after tomorrow when your appointment is already scheduled'?

Violet is now on buprenorphine as well as the Rimadyl and Chloramphenicol. The narcotic has definitely mellowed her out, she's not bugging the wound any more. Might be too late though, plenty of damage has been done. And she still freaks out whenever I touch it. She also did not stand on her hind legs for her pepper just now. Still ate it though. Hopefully she's just a little woozy from the buprenorphine and it'll clear up in a few hours. I'll definitely wait to see if she perks up before giving her more.

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Zaphy

Post   » Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:37 am


Kay... I think, since she doesn't appear to be in too much more pain, I'll wait to call the vet till morning. The little flap of tissue that was connecting it in the middle is now detached, and it's just kinda gaping open now. She is not laying down and totally relaxing with her feet out, but she's also not entirely hunched and puffed out- just kinda sitting in a neutral position. She's still munching some hay of her own accord, she was still excited to get lettuce though she still didn't stand up (though I didn't give her the opportunity to, didn't want to stress the wound more than it's already been). She also is still ducking under and eating almost all her poops... I'm guessing if it were hurting her too terribly she wouldn't bend her head so far down?

So, plan of action: I changed her towel, made sure to feed her CC and water, flushed the wound again, gave her the extra half again of Rimadyl to hopefully soothe the pain enough for her to get some rest till morning. I'll be waking up at least once during the night to check on her and feed her again, since I know buprenorphine can cause constipation so hopefully that'll help keep things moving a bit.

I'm kinda assuming that they're going to have to knock her out again tomorrow to possibly debride the wound and sew it up again. But I guess we'll see when I call them in the morning.

This has turned into a bit of a nightmare T-T

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