Continuing on from yesterdays post about Sphynx Kitten Pierre being mauled by a dog after somehow getting over/under/through a 7 foot fence to the neighbours house.
It was with great relief that i took the phone call from Pierre’s emergency vet yesterday afternoon. After stabilising him and taking x-rays, they found that there was no internal injuries that they could see. There was some compression of some vertebrae but this was not affecting his legs which was a good sign.
When we went to pick him up last night they showed us how the tearing of his skin had meant air had gotten between his fat and muscle layers. He had blown up like a balloon and when you touched him you could feel the bubbles of air moving and crackling under his skin. Very unnerving.
Pierre is in a great deal of pain and is on pain relief. You can see from the picture below the bruising from the biting, as well as from a 40kg apparently pinning him to the ground with his paw. Note also how swollen he is compared to his pictures in other posts
This is a picture I took of him this morning on the other side, where you can see the stitching of where he was torn open. Luckily none of his organs or muscles have been damaged, but he will have some scarring for life. You can also see that some of the swelling has gone down as the air has escaped from the wounds.
He still has a way to go. He hasn’t eaten yet, and I only managed to coax him to lap a tiny amount of water this morning. His bladder is working though and that is a good sign. Lots of bed rest and antibiotics for the next couple of days for our poor boy.
It’s summer her in Australia. Warm and sunny, and Luna and Pierre love sneaking out onto the slate covered patio to lay on the warm stone, or sniff around the plants in the back yard. This morning was no exception, I was hanging out washing and the house doors were open to air the house. The backyard is surrounded by a 7 foot fence which is wood on two sides and metal fencing at the back.
Somehow, and we haven’t figured out how yet, Pierre has managed to get into next door. The house with the four huge dogs, that bark and pant at our fence any time we go into the back yard. Sphynxes, being Sphynxes are too curious and fearless to be left alone, and yet while I was right there, I still don’t know how he got over.
Pierre is currently in a bad way at the emergency vets. It appears he has been bitten across the ribs and abdomen. His skin has been pierced top and bottom. He has some swelling in his abdominal area but that might just be from the bite. He was in obvious pain and panting while we rushed him to the vets.
The vets cannot do anything for a couple of hours until Pierre’s breathing improves and he can be x-rayed. He is sitting up in the oxygen box and taking note of the things around him, and that gives me hope he will be able to pull through this. Still until we know what is wrong it is hard not to run through dire prognoses.
Pierre apparently gave as good as he got and Barry, the labra-doodle that was his attacker, apparently was covered in scratches bites, and his own blood.
Pierre in the oxygen box at vets
Well we can’t call Pierre a Sphynx kitten anymore as today is his first birthday. Mind you that hasn’t stopped him being his usual mischievous self.
Firstly he stayed under the covers for an extra hour while we all got up for breakfast. When he arose he demanded his chicken and biscuits. Loudly. He then tried to eat Luna’s and his at the same time.
Then he annoyed Luna for an hour while they sat in the morning sun. Sure her tail swishes when he is near, but that is no excuse for him to keep attacking it…or is it?
Lunchtime and the sun is directly above the house, so that means its time to sit on my lap while I work on the computer and have a snooze. Maybe after 20 minutes of kneading to make me soft and squishy enough to lay down on.
After lunch its time for me to have a nap, and guess who came with me. Curled up in a neat ball next to me he only stirred when I got up, and looked at me with sleepy eyes and stretched and yawned as if moving was too…much….effort.
Still the afternoon sun was now on the front of the house and it was time to catch some rays under the front windows.
Sphynx People Say…