bookmarm Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 We are in some shock. Our Princess-Mammy cat has had part of her tail removed in a tragic accident a few minutes ago. I was shoo-ing one cat in a room...and one cat out. The door was being shut and I heard a scream. Mammy's tail was in the frame and the skin/fur/a a bit of bone were removed in one movement. We all scattered to deal with them and grab her. Her tail is without fur/skin for at least 2-3 inches at the tip. She is not bleeding, but there is still bare bone. I put what got caught in the door in a ziplock in the freezer. She does not lick it or seem in pain, but it is painful for the guys to see...I worked for a vet several years and am not easily grossed. It is after hours and Emergency Vet prices are beyond belief here. We will not hesitate if our 'kids' are in certain danger/pain/lives threatened, but she seems calm and in her princess-pitty-pat bed secluded from the others. Our vet is a friend, but I do not bother her after hours. One of the worries I have is getting ahead of infection...esp around spinal region. If I rub neosporin on, she will lick it. I will call immediately in the morning and have her there at daybreak, but I still worry.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallyG Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I really think your vet friend would understand totally if you called her for some advice on the situation. There is probably not a whole lot that can be done and it will more than likely heal just fine, but then again it may need to be operated on to close it up and remove the exposed bone. Not to mention some medication to ward off infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Day Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I am so sorry Gayle. That sounds just awful for all of you. I agree with Sally. I would call your friend and ask for advice. I would worry that Mammy may be in shock or may start to feel pain during the night. Or even call the emergency vet. Ours here is great about answering questions over the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 OMG..I am sorry. It sounds to me like a degloving. Kinda like when a human gets scalped. I would call the vet too even at this hour. Just to see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elicia Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Gayle, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elicia Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Gayle, Heidii is right...it is degloving and infection could go in through the tail into the spine and the brain....call your vet friend...they may say it's okay to wait until morning but better to have sound medical advice...so sorry...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 omg this sounds even too painful to think about! Call the Vet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minifan Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I would worry that Mammy may be in shock or may start to feel pain during the night. Ours here is great about answering questions over the phone. This.... I don't have any cats, (heavily allergic) so I can't offer any real good advice, but I would worry yours might be in shock... I don't want to worry you, but you never know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmarm Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 of course our luck is that I can't find Louise's home number. Her hubby is also a vet surgeon (older than she is and very grumpy about after hours calls...and I can understand that). She has told me not to worry about calling, (but I must have worried about getting her in trouble and ditched her number). She WOULD be okay with a call, but looks like we are up the creek. I keep checking on Mammy, and she is calm and still not worrying the tail. Daybreak will find us at the clinic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janet Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Poor Mammy! Let us know how she comes along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyD Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 the poor little thing, please do keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 If there is any bone sticking out beyond the skin on the tail, they will probably want to cut that off, as it will be painful for her. And whether or not that happens, they may want to stitch her tail too. If she's not in pain, she should be OK, but keep an eye on it. I had an old rocking chair with a super sharp edge under it and usually I was very, very careful with my pet rats (I let them free roam at the time). But one night I was sicker than a dog and didn't check when I leaned forward and almost cut off the tip of one little rat's tail. And she was hurt and scared as heck. I had to chase her all over the house to catch her (I was hysterical) and she bled all over everything too. Then I brought her into the emergency vet - naturally, this was 2am. Remember, I am already feeling like hell. Anyway, they had to snip off the little piece of tail and stitch it. By that time she was in bad shape and stressed to the max just because of the whole situation, so the vet told me to take her home immediately and then call back when I got home so we could discuss how I should take care of my fur kid. Poor little girl. And what's more, this little rat was in a two week quarantine so I could bring her to a show. Naturally, bringing her to a vet broke quarantine, so we ended up not going. Two more bucks down the drain. The things we do for our animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmarm Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 Louise has her in surgery right now, so we're waiting on a call back. Thanks everyone. This was a scary event, but it could have been so much worse. Last night I told my hubby that if I dropped dead before I could get her to the vet office, please remove Mammy's tail from the freezer before friends start showing up with casseroles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minifan Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 please remove Mammy's tail from the freezer before friends start showing up with casseroles! I'm sorry, I know that you are concerned about your kitty, but let me take a moment and go... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 OMG! ewwww and hahahahaha I hope everything is doing well with Mammy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogster Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I'm guessing amputation of the last part of the tail, then some antibiotics, maybe even a stay at they at the hospital for some IV antibiotics. With that length of time between the accident a surgery the chances of infection are significant. Maybe not though, a lot of modern antibiotics absorb as well orally as IV. IV just gets the levels up faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmarm Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 on the way home I kept thinking of the joke one of my dear old geezer library patrons tells me almost each time he sees me: the one about the lady who accidentally cuts her cat's tail off with the lawn mower, then rushes it to Wal-mart because it is a "retail store"....uggggg Still no word on Mammy. I worry about anesthesia because she has a few other health issues (heart murmur and sporadic asthma), but I know she's in good hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I'm so sorry to hear about your baby! I hope she does OK with the anesthesia! My baby lost part of her tail too...and does fine without it, but I'm sure you both are traumatized! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmarm Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 yes some amputation and she will be pumped full of antibiotics. The only alternative last night was the emergency clinic, and we've had some nightmare situations there in the past. I would pay whatever it takes, if they did the right thing, but our kids have not been well taken care of there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what2craftnow Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Oh Gayle - so sorry to hear about Mammy' accident. Ouch! Glad she is being tended to and praying she will be right as rain quickly. Poor kitty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmgervais Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Hope she heals just fine and is back to her old self soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Keeping fingers crossed for Mammy. Years ago, when I lived in Chicago, a former [keyword: former] husband brought home cow tails from the slaughter house and put them in the freezer. They were the only part of the cow not processed into meat or some kind of by-product. Not nice. He was going to get rich by figuring out how they could be useful. He didn't come close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmgervais Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Yuck - cow tails in the freezer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esther Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Let us know how Mammy does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 So very sorry to hear about your kitty!!She'll be safe at the Vet's.My Mom had a cat,Misty,years ago.And one day my Mother sat in her recliner and thought she heard a squeak..but only once and noticed nothing.Misty was her usual rambunctious self.Be- lieve it or not-a month later my Mom moved the recliner to another spot in the livingroom and there was a two inch dead tail underneathe! Grossed everyone out! We ran over to the cat who was thrilled for the attention and she was fine.Never had a bit of trouble,but it was a clean cut!! Strange things do happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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