Mancat Monday: Evan's Rough Weekend

Let me tell you, friends, things are going a bit rough around here lately. Let me follow that up by telling you that no one here is majorly sick or anything along those lines. But, Evan is a bit uncomfortable and a bit unhappy. Thanks to his antibiotics, his upper respiration infection appears to be completely gone. However, the aural (ear) hematoma he ended up with during his URI—whether it was as a result of him shaking itchy ears or whether it was due to a violent sneezing fit—is very big and making him feel quite annoyed.

Do you see that poor right ear of his? The hematoma did not start out anywhere nearly that big when it first showed up early last week, but it did eventually fill up to capacity over the following days. What happens with these is that the skin and cartilage separate, and the blood fills that space. This past weekend was especially rough, simply because that was when the hematoma took advantage of his full ear and reached its largest size as a result.

Evan's veterinarian has examined Evan's hematoma, and I even sent them follow-up photos after it grew in size. The vet says hematomas will almost always heal on their own, but that does take time, such as a few weeks or longer. The other option is draining it, but in order for it to not fill right back up again, Evan would have to undergo surgery under anesthesia so that the ear can be stitched up to prevent hematoma recurrence. I used to work at a vet clinic, and when aural hematoma cases would come in, draining them without surgically remedying the ear indeed almost always resulted in quick refilling of the hematoma. The vet and I are both hoping to avoid surgery by letting the hematoma heal on its own, but Evan is pretty bothered by it. It's weighing his ear down, as these hematomas tend to do, and that just plain and simply frustrates Evan.

For over a year now Evan has been on multiple meds for his various urinary issues, and a couple of those meds are now helping him get through this new issue. Gabapentin is helping reduce pain and keep him calm, and meloxicam is an anti-inflammatory that can help with that aspect of the hematoma. Though Evan has never needed these meds at their most frequent allowances for his urinary issues, I have upped them to their most frequent timing to help him get through this hematoma. When I give him those meds on the right schedule, Evan stays pretty calm and will rest pretty well, only acting especially bothered by his ear on occasion.

If some time passes and the hematoma does not decrease in size and Evan continues to be uncomfortable, I will more heavily consider moving forward with draining and surgery as treatment. I would really like to avoid surgery for a condition that ultimately will resolve itself, but I also don't want Evan to spend weeks or months in a constant state of discomfort. We'll see how the next week or two plays out, with lots of meds on board to keep Evan as comfortable as possible, and then we'll go from there.

Evan and all of us here send you warm wishes!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

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Tip of the Day

Our series of winter safety tips has already covered wiping off those paws when they've been in contact with snow, ice, ice melts, and so forth. Today's tip relates to all of that, and is to regularly check your furbaby's cute little toes. It is of course important to always ensure that your furbaby and his or her paws are free or injury, but this is something that is especially important in the winter. The cold and dry air, as well as the cold ground that might be covered in snow, ice, ice melts, and other substrate in the winter, can potentially lead to dry, cracked, bleeding, and overall uncomfortable paw pads. This is why it is important for you to regularly check your pup or kitty's paws in the winter, and of course year round. Be especially vigilant of the condition of paws that frequently go outdoors.

If you do notice your furbaby's paw pads are dry, cracking, or bleeding, or if they are displaying any discomfort when walking, consider options for treating and combating paw pad dryness and discomfort. There are pet paw salves on the market that are intended to combat dryness and to protect paws pads that often go outdoors. In some cases, petroleum jelly or even udder cream might be deemed safe to wipe onto the paw pads, but this is sometimes a debated option. More importantly, when it comes to the health, safety, and comfort of your furbaby and their paws, it is of course always recommended to discuss the matter with a veterinarian. A veterinarian can check for any damage to the paws, and can also best recommend treatment for or prevention of dryness, cracking, and other injury to the paw pads. So, do be observant of the state of your kitty or pup's paws, and seek veterinary care if you have any concerns.