So I was fully prepared to be going to art this morning after a particularly crappy nights' sleep. We were up early and couldn't really concentrate on anything as we waited for the promised call from the Vet. We are almost certain that Charlie was hit by a car and the impact seemed to be confined to the left side of his head and we know that he had sustained some brain injury because of the blood coming out of his nose and ear and we know that he had been stable yesterday but not eaten. When the call came we were amazed that Dr Inna said he was alert and had eaten and he could come home but he would have to be kept in and kept quiet for at least a week. So we then had a mad panic to get ourselves organised and I had to let Sheila know that I wouldn't be at Art.
We had a more sedentary drive down to the Vets than we had had on Saturday night and we remarked that it didn't seem to have taken us any time at all to get down to Peyia - and then we were halted by a herd of goats crossing in front of us. If you are doing this trip in daylight and you are not rushing to get to the vets and panicking about the health of your pet this is a nice drive - on Saturday night it was awful and Charlie looked so badly injured that I was still amazed that we were coming back down again so soon.
As you can see it was glorious down on the coast with clear blue skies and warm temperatures but that was the last thing on our minds as we arrived at the Vets and took the basket out to go and fetch him. I cannot remember the last time Charlie needed to go to the Vets - certainly the only other time he has had to stay was when he was neutered so this will all have been strange to him.
As we got to the front door a small animal shot out - I say animal because initially I didn't realise this teeny weeny bald thing was a cat but it was and apparently it is Dr Inna's cat and one which someone could no longer home. Apparently she has a thing for Sphynx Cats and after the initial shock of its rat-like appearance and lack of hair I warmed to this little thing which is super cute if not a little ugly. I could have joked and said that this is what Charlie looks like without his fur - maybe it is although I doubt that even without his fur he has ever been that skinny. Anyway happy that this cat was not an excapee we went inside to collect Charlie.
Dr Inna explained that apart from the head injuries Charlie had escaped without any broken bones. The impact was on his left side but the blow will have caused his brain to hit the skull on the right hand side hence the bleeding from his right ear. She said he could go home but he had to be kept very quiet and not jump or shake his head or get stressed in any way which was going to be challenge.
We brought him home and settled him into the lounge which is to be his home for the next week. We installed a litter tray into the toilet and locked the catflap.
After giving him a freshen up with some wet wipes he didn't look too bad and was ravenously hungry and then we realised that the whole of the right side of his face was without function so his eye is wide open (although the eyeball does move and the pupil changes shape) and his ear doesn't move and he drools from his mouth. This indicates damage to the facial nerve which may or may not be permanent.
As the day went on we could tell that Charlie was really quite poorly and so unlike himself. We didn't see him drink anything until almost the end of the day which was worrying but even more worrying was the fact that he hadn't used the litter tray other than for a quick wee. I decided I would sleep in the lounge with him so I could monitor how he was functioning. In the meantime John had to try and provide some normality to the other three.
I think this is going to be a long haul. We forget that the accident only happened on Saturday night and today is Tuesday - we have no idea how long he was injured before he managed to make it home and what effect that will have had on him. All we can hope for is little improvements every day. I never thought I would be looking forward to seeing him have a poo but that to me is the next milestone.
We had a more sedentary drive down to the Vets than we had had on Saturday night and we remarked that it didn't seem to have taken us any time at all to get down to Peyia - and then we were halted by a herd of goats crossing in front of us. If you are doing this trip in daylight and you are not rushing to get to the vets and panicking about the health of your pet this is a nice drive - on Saturday night it was awful and Charlie looked so badly injured that I was still amazed that we were coming back down again so soon.
As you can see it was glorious down on the coast with clear blue skies and warm temperatures but that was the last thing on our minds as we arrived at the Vets and took the basket out to go and fetch him. I cannot remember the last time Charlie needed to go to the Vets - certainly the only other time he has had to stay was when he was neutered so this will all have been strange to him.
As we got to the front door a small animal shot out - I say animal because initially I didn't realise this teeny weeny bald thing was a cat but it was and apparently it is Dr Inna's cat and one which someone could no longer home. Apparently she has a thing for Sphynx Cats and after the initial shock of its rat-like appearance and lack of hair I warmed to this little thing which is super cute if not a little ugly. I could have joked and said that this is what Charlie looks like without his fur - maybe it is although I doubt that even without his fur he has ever been that skinny. Anyway happy that this cat was not an excapee we went inside to collect Charlie.
Dr Inna explained that apart from the head injuries Charlie had escaped without any broken bones. The impact was on his left side but the blow will have caused his brain to hit the skull on the right hand side hence the bleeding from his right ear. She said he could go home but he had to be kept very quiet and not jump or shake his head or get stressed in any way which was going to be challenge.We brought him home and settled him into the lounge which is to be his home for the next week. We installed a litter tray into the toilet and locked the catflap.
After giving him a freshen up with some wet wipes he didn't look too bad and was ravenously hungry and then we realised that the whole of the right side of his face was without function so his eye is wide open (although the eyeball does move and the pupil changes shape) and his ear doesn't move and he drools from his mouth. This indicates damage to the facial nerve which may or may not be permanent.
As the day went on we could tell that Charlie was really quite poorly and so unlike himself. We didn't see him drink anything until almost the end of the day which was worrying but even more worrying was the fact that he hadn't used the litter tray other than for a quick wee. I decided I would sleep in the lounge with him so I could monitor how he was functioning. In the meantime John had to try and provide some normality to the other three.
I think this is going to be a long haul. We forget that the accident only happened on Saturday night and today is Tuesday - we have no idea how long he was injured before he managed to make it home and what effect that will have had on him. All we can hope for is little improvements every day. I never thought I would be looking forward to seeing him have a poo but that to me is the next milestone.
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