What does everyone think about this?

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Polly P — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:16:55 GMT

I think you can get it on bbc iplayer.. I haven't watched it yet, probably later today!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

lorraine wiggins — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:51:19 GMT

i met this cat few months ago wen i went to a cpd at his place, wot he has done is amazing, i agree that not every cat would suit this surgery. but look at him go!. ive red that they had to make extra feet for him coz he had worn out the first lot! i guess u cant really say much until ur in that situation with ur own animal. im not sure id put my animals through that but u never no

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Steph Phillips — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:17:46 GMT

[quote user="charliv"]

[quote user="*Steph *"]What programme and what time/channel? I want to see it now! [/quote]

Its on tonight on BBC I think at around 10.45. Although depending on what channel the football is on this might change!

[/quote]

Thank you ... the footie has already interupted the soaps, so it better not interupt this too .. Grrrr!!!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Charlotte Fitzgerald — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:11:26 GMT

[quote user="*Steph *"]What programme and what time/channel? I want to see it now! [/quote]

Its on tonight on BBC I think at around 10.45. Although depending on what channel the football is on this might change!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Steph Phillips — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:48:25 GMT

[quote user="charliv"]

The program is on again tonight and includes a dog with an osteosarc that gets some kind of implant. This I am totally against it is not in the best interest of the dog. I won't judge entirely until I have seen the program but I won't hold my breath that my opinion will change once I have seen it.

[/quote]

What programme and what time/channel? I want to see it now!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Charlotte Fitzgerald — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:38:03 GMT

[quote user="Leigh Fisher"]

But the labrador......

I did not agree with that surgery one bit. An 8 year old labrador with crippling arthritis who's ankle join simple crumbles and collapses as a result. With the insertion of many pins, and external frame and a grueling operation - I just think I would never ever put my dog through that. Oscar the cat's operation seemed simple and pain free in comparison.

What did others think?

[/quote]

I would have to agree with you, I think with the cat the surgery went well and the cat had the character to cope with it all seemed like a very chilled cat, don't think this type of op would be suitable in all patients.

Like you with the labrador I wasn't convinced that the op was in his best interest.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Saskia Quinn — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:50:59 GMT

I havent seen the tv programme yet but its on tv here tomorrow night, so will watch and see!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Leigh Hinsley RVN NCert(BDev) MBVNA — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:05:33 GMT

Did anyone see the labrador that featured in the same episode as this cat? I agree with the majority in saying as amazing etc as the operation on the cat was - its gotta be a case by case thing because I don't think my cat would have coped with it.

But the labrador......

What did others think?

Re: What does everyone think about this?

loopylou711 — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:18:32 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

The article in the vet times - think it was vet times may haven been vn times stated the insurance paid up to the maximum and the vet covered the rest of the costs.It also stated that one of the main aims this vet is out to do is to reduce the cost of this type of operation.

Have to say many cats have to have cage rest post op for fracture repairs, ex fix, fracture pelvis etc and its a long time for a cat but many owners are willing to do this some cats cope better than others but i thinkas well its how these owners treat the cat and what they do with them to keep them occupied active etc.

Also there are many, many people who keep their cats as indoor cats that are perfectly healthy with noting wrong with them some even that have previously been used to an out door lifestyle.Some rehoming centres even state that the cats must be kept as indoor cats in their new homes.

Personally if i felt my cat was going to have a decent quality of life and a second chance i wouldnt hesitate to give them that chance.

[/quote]

Totally agree!!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

dinkyd — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:44:09 GMT

Personally if i felt my cat was going to have a decent quality of life and a second chance i wouldnt hesitate to give them that chance.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Kim Buckley — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:42:27 GMT

I have seen so many cases where I feel the owners are pushing things too far and are doing it for them and not considering the animals feelings. Yes I think what this guy does is amazing and is obviously very compassionate towards the animals in his care but I agree that I have met very few cats that would cope with this kind of procedure.

Working in practice I have become realistic when it comes to my own animals and wouldn't put them through a lot of things which I feel people do for themselves and not for the animal.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Sal the 1st — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:34:29 GMT

[quote user="loobylou"]

I'm not saying euthanasia should be used as an easy way out and I certainly don't think you can say its far too easy an option. In many cases its actually an extremely hard, heartbreaking decision. It's alright fighting to extend your time together but not if that means putting an animal through uneccessary stress and pain.
I can't comment on this particular case as I don't know the cat or what his life was like before but from my own personal point of view I don't think I would do this for my own cats. They are cats who like to go outside (which this cat obv did prev as he was sunbathing in a field when the accident happened!) who hate being medicated and messed around with, would hate to be hospitalised for a long time and would hate to be confined to an indoor life.

Im not saying that it wasnt the right option for this cat, or for others but I personally don't think I have met many cats that would cope with this amount of intervention and I feel euthanasia would sometimes, for some cases be the kindest option.

I agree that the vet can do amazing things and he did seem the kind of vet who would say no if he felt it wasnt right for a particular animal. It does worry me slightly that this kind of programme will raise the expectations of what our clients expect those of us in general practice to be able to do. It would be interesting if they informed us of the costs of these kind of procedures and I wonder how many times these new procedures fail.

[/quote]

couldnt have put it better

Re: What does everyone think about this?

loobylou — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:23:54 GMT

Re: What does everyone think about this?

loopylou711 — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:16:41 GMT

[quote user="loobylou"]I think it's amazing what can be done these days but how much of that os for the owners because they cant say goodbye?![/quote]

Owners who can't say goodbye or owners who will fight and do everything they can on behalf of their animals to extend the time they have together? We have all seen crazy owners who cnt say goodbye and not going to say there aint people like that, and its equaly heart breaking to see an animal suffer when there is no chance the pet will get better. But what this ground breaking surgery can do is amazing, its trial and error, if it can help a few why not? I think this vet is awesome!

The vet on the programme was great with owners explaining everything and making sure they understood if it didn't work it was time to say goodbye, most owners seemed to get that!

I just think euthanasia is far too easy and option, and find it saddening to watch an animal being put to sleep when there is a possibility of a cure!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

PHA86 — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:06:26 GMT

Initially I didn't agree, but having watched the episode back twice now (I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to veterinary programs!) I've changed my mind.

Each case should be treated individually and it was amazing to see little Oscar happily climbing around on his 'bionic' feet.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

loobylou — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:05:01 GMT

I'm still not too sure what I think about this yet! Not sure I would put my cats through it but then I know they would get extremely stressed by all the cage rest and being 'messed' around with.
I agree it's ground breaking but I'm just not sure its right.

Ok the cat could walk but to me it didn't look like it was walking in a normal position. How much stress is walking like that going to put on his hips and spine?
I think it's amazing what can be done these days but how much of that os for the owners because they cant say goodbye?!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

loopylou711 — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:40:59 GMT

I think this is great, and the insurance company paid up to the limit on the insurance so why not?

I think it is easy to say "oh no I wouldn't put my pet through it" but emotions are not involved untill you are in that situation and we all love our pets very much! I'd do anythiing for my 3 cats! If someone said to me that my Niamh had 2 options pts or there was a chance of some ground breaking surgery that would give her a second chance, I know what I would pick! I would do it on a basis that if at any moment i thought she was suffering more than was worth it then only then I would pts.

I think this is great, yes it will be on patient to patient basis, however why not? especially, If it means that an animal can have a second chance!This cat looks happy so what is the problem?

Just my opinion!!

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:19:05 GMT

I think, we are moving towards groundbreaking surgeries/techniques that are performed in the human field..., this cat obviously has went through a lot and has come out of the other side...relatively unscarred... mentally... at least I think so anyway, afterall their thought process is not like ours!. I did have a 3 legged cat once and she amazed me at what she could and would do, so although there are reservations about this op, I actually think that this is where we are headed in terms of treatment for pets especially insured ones, and I for one want to know as much as possible about the possibilities within my profession.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Catherine Raymond — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:34:48 GMT

I don't think I would have put my cat or my dog for that matter through the surgery, but I can understand why the owners did.

For once (and there are colleagues now that will pass out) I was impressed at the vet. He was straight to the point but was actually caring and human. I have worked with a few fantastic orthopaedic surgeons and I personally wouldn't put them in the same room as owners, and cringed when it had to be done!

My husband couldn't believe that I was left amazed after this programme and didn't spend the time shouting at the TV like I would normally do.

What would be nice, would be some feedback maybe via the BVNA/VN Times from the nursing team so we could get an idea on their nursing protocols etc. I for one would be very interested in their post op regimes.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:34:07 GMT

[quote user="dinkyd"]

Its a shame the nurses who nursed him or cases like this havent done a write up about the the nursing care involved - think it would help to answer a lot of questions on a professional level and give an insight into the care involved up to and post op.

[/quote]

They do write quite extensively about the care their patients receive on their website:

http://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/staff-pages/day-life-veterinary-nurse-orthopaedic-referral-practice

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:22:41 GMT

I locummed there earlier this year & had the honour of looking after this world-first cat!

I have to say from what I saw of him when I was there, he was happy, for everything he had been through (he had been there 3 months by then) he was the most chilled-out cat I've ever met... Most of the time I had to wake him up to do anything, granted, I was doing nights, but still, he just didn't seem phased by much at all.

I'm sure at the very beginning he was on very strict cage rest, but when I was there, he was being let out quite regularly for exercise walking round the cattery & what they haven't featured on the programme yet is the amount of physio all their inpatients get from the nurses & dedicated physiotherapsits also.

I personally think it's fantastic, in such a young cat, it would've been such a shame to euthanase him.

The practice is a fantastic place and the team are all very dedicated.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Kim Buckley — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:48:38 GMT

My friend works there but don't think she was involved with his nursing care.

Re: What does everyone think about this?

dinkyd — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 14:03:44 GMT

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Doolally — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:01:43 GMT

I said on the other thread that i'm not sure....

Ok he has a good QOL now (apparently? is he stressed because he can't go out now?)...but how was his QOL in the weeks/months leading up to putting on the prosthesis? What I wonder about is, during the weeks he was waiting for the bone to grow into the implants, what did he do? he'd have been recumbant for weeks, or dragging himself around? how did he use a tray? or did they have to have a urine collection system

It would have broke my heart nursing a case like that....ok it was all for the end result, but was it worth it? You can't say to a cat, you just relax in bed for a few weeks because then we'll give you new feet and it'll be worth it.

Animal's live in the here and now, they don't think about tomorrow, or next week or next month...so I just wonder how he coped leading up to his new feet

Re: What does everyone think about this?

Kim Buckley — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:34:16 GMT

I think it's amazing that they have been able to do this and the cat is happy but I wouldn't put my animal through it.