My cat's elbow hurts. What home care can I give before the vet?

I am sorry but we at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach are unable to prescribe or recommended medications, this can only be done by your treating vet who knows and has recently examined your pets. Rest and confinement will help prevent further injury but I strongly recommend a full physical exam to determine the type of injury and the options to manage it and reduce pain

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You can give Blackie maximum of 2 days with rest indoor and oral administration of buprenorphine. If it is only muscle or joint pain, he should be much better by Sunday. If there is no improvement in 2 days time, you should get Blackie seen at your local vets, possibly to x-ray the leg. Also, transmucosal buprenorphine lasts about 6-8 hrs in cats. You can increase the dose to 0.2ml 3 times a day.

I hate to hear that about Blaire. I am concerned that you mention extreme pain. While cruciate ligament tears are painful, most cats limp and are somewhat uncomfortable but are generally not described as being in extreme pain. I do not have any more information about Blaire so I will discuss some general things. Things that do cause extreme pain are blood clots blocking the blood flow to one or multiple legs. A urethral blockage will also cause extreme pain. Both of these conditions are emergencies and can be fatal if left untreated. That being said, other things can cause extreme pain as well. Each pet also has varying degrees of pain tolerance and some are more stoic thank others. If Blaire is really uncomfortable, I would recommend to have Blaire examined by a veterinarian asap to make sure there is nothing more sinister happening. Cats do not tolerate human pain medications so there’s nothing safe over the counter to give him that would be effective. The veterinarian may be able to give Blaine pain killers to make him hurt less and that are less likely to damage his organs. For a knee injury in general, gentle massage, a cool compress (not too cold) and keep Blaine from walking around or jumping tend to make them feel better. Omega 3 Fatty acid supplements also help to naturally decrease inflammation and they could help as well. I do hope this helps and I hope he feels better quickly!

You can try resting Mickey for the next 72 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. I'd keep him confined to a small room or a large crate. Keep him indoors if he's allowed outdoors. It's very important to not give him any human pain medications. Many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Should he still be limping at 72 hours, then he will need to see a vet.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Crazy Kitty. Poor boy. I'd be concerned he could be injured, and he could have internal injuries causing his pain. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Due to this and the fact that he is in pain, I'd take him into a vet now to get treated. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on the information you have provided, and the attached pictures, I am also very concerned that Sprinkles may have sustained significant trauma, causing her to be non-weightbearing lame on her left hind leg. Whether she was hit by a car or potentially fell and injured her leg, it sounds like she is in a significant amount of pain. She also looks like she has abraded skin (a wound) on that leg as well, which is at risk of becoming infected. I recommend having her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible to have her injuries addressed. He/she will perform a full physical exam to localize her pain and determine if she has other, more life-threatening injuries such as damage to her chest or abdomen. X-rays may be indicated if a fracture is suspected. Ultimately, pain medication and antibiotics can be prescribed to help ease her pain and prevent infection. Importantly, NEVER give pain medication that is intended for humans to your pet, as these can be fatally toxic. I hope this is helpful!

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. While it's *possible* that Ernie has a mild injury like a sprain, in all truthfulness a minor sprain wouldn't usually cause a cat to act as lethargic as you described with Ernie. Cats are pretty good at getting around on 3 legs, so usually with a sprain or similar minor injury, they're just as active as ever but simply put less weight on the sore leg. If he's sleeping an unusually large amount, and eating less than usual, that sounds to me like he's feeling ill. My biggest concern in a kitty who spends time outside and is now lethargic and has a sore leg, would be a bite wound, usually from another cat - they can be very sneaky and hard to find until the resulting infection flares up. It would be worth having Ernie seen by your vet if he doesn't seem back to his usual self tomorrow. Hope this helps!