Tag Archives: Care

How to stitch without thread nor staple

Some of you wondered to see that the veterinarian had closed my section with some glue during my spay. Here are some precision :

The suture with glue began to be used in the 1960s shortly after the discovery of the glue cyanoacrylate.
This glue has a very high adhesive power, and its residues are totally biocompatible.
It’s liquid and polymerizes in the contact of water (in my case, the water contained in my skin) to form a flexible film.
Various formulae of cyanoacrylate glue were developed for a purely medical use : better support, ease of use, flexibility raised once polymerized.
We use this glue to close small little deep wounds.

Our veterinarian uses it since a few years for the cutaneous sutures of sterilization of cats and for the cutaneous sutures of small animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, …). For the sterilizations, he makes an abdominal suture with thread, then closes the skin over with the glue.

Advantages:

The suture with glue avoids that I pull or chew away my sutures.
The film of glue forms a coat of protection against bacteria and other dirts.

Inconveniences:

The scar is a little less attractive at the beginning, although the final result is identical to that of a suture with thread : that, it’s true, we would have said that I had a relief human navel ! But now, I have again a beautiful small belly (hair are only still missing).
If the wound must be reopened, it is not practical of the whole.

Here we are, you know everything ! Admire the result after two weeks :

Everything went well !

My operation took place very well ; at the Cabinet du Molage, everybody said that I was adorable ! I have to show you a brilliant trick : to close the small opening of my tummy, the veterinarian made an abdominal suture, then closed the edges of the wound with some glue ! Hey yes, it’s stuck ! No stitches which I could pull with teeth !

Thank you for all the words of encouragements that you left me !

How to help an old cat to stay clean

With the age, your cat can have some difficulty having a wash because he gained weight, because he has osteoarthritis, because he has teeth problems, or because he is sick. His hairs begin to clump, his rear and his ears begins to smell, and he can develop other diseases.

To prevent discomfort and health problems bound to the lack of hygiene, the bean of an old cat has to help him to wash if he does not manage to do it alone.

Observe your cat when he gets older : don’t wait until he’s disgusting to ask yourself if he needs help for his wash.
A daily attention is absolutely necessary.
Brush your old cat softly every day ; this brushing can be followed by a passage with a warm wet dish mop if your cat doesn’t finish to groom himself all alone.
Our angel Isis had dingleberries all year long : with round-ended scissors, Claire delicately cut the hairs of her rear to have a well cleared zone around her “rosette”. That made the veterinarian laugh when he saw this magnificent Persian cat with her rear all flat, but that allowed to avoid having every day droppings taken in fur. Trim regularly his rear, and maintain the zone clean by brushing it and by cleaning it with a wet dish mop.
Once a week, also check more attentively his eyes, his ears, his mouth, and the general state of the skin to spot the first signs of an affection which could require a veterinary treatment. Our angel Hercule adored that we clean him the auricle ! You can use a compress soaked with camomile to clean eyes which flow a little.
Once a month, clip carefully his claws.
If your old cat struggles, don’t take the risk of hurting him and ask for help the veterinarian.

A last word about baths : if your cat has already had baths regularly, why not to give him one from time to time, but should the opposite occur, especially not : it would be far too stressful for him !