Set back

Daisy is not doing as well today.   This morning I was busy with a new born calf, a cattle breakout of the coral, and a meeting so I didn't get to soaking Daisy's foot until 2 pm.   Daisy was still in her cat basket.  She had gone in there before midnight last night.   Her leg seemed perhaps a little more sore.

I heated some water with Epsom salt, soaked an old sock in it and then put it on her bad leg to soak her leg to help prevent infection.  Daisy wasn't tolerating it as well as yesterday.  She was moaning more and more eager to leave.  After 5 minutes of soaking I let her go and she limped off.  She wouldn't let her bad leg touch the ground.  She went and hid under 'her' bed.  After 5 minutes she limped out and went back to her cat basket.  She crawled in and lay there moaning.  Her bad leg was shaking from the pain.

It was breaking my heart so I called the vet's office.  I learned they had given her a pain medicine shot yesterday so that explained why she felt better, and now that pain medicine had worn off.  They gave me the option of coming to get some pain medicine to be given orally.  The pain medicine has steroids and I am worried too much may cause cancer or tumors in Daisy later.  Since Daisy was somewhat ok before I touched her leg, I reluctantly decided to wait to see if she felt better in an hour once things settled down.   She was a little better so I am waiting till tomorrow to reevaluate her condition.

This evening she moved to laying near the wood stove even though I don't have a fire going.  Several times I brought her wet cat food in her dish so she could lay and eat and not have to move.

Even though the vet had suggested soaking Daisy's leg three to four times daily I have stopped soaking it for the time being.

The vet must have thought I was a basket case as I ended up crying on the phone talking to her about Daisy and Daisy's pain.

This is tough.  I love this cat so much.