Post Chemo

Rumble is "toxic" for 48 hours after chemo.  That's what chemotherapy drugs are, poison they are using to try to kill off certain rapidly dividing cells and that poison has to leave his body eventually.  So, for 48 hours, he is not allowed to leave his comfortable guest bedroom living quarters that we have made for him. 

Litter Box:  They give you specific instructions on how to change his litter box.  Wear a double layer of latex gloves, a surgical mask so you don't breathe anything in, and wash your hands immediately afterwards.  That sounds like alot of trouble to me.  Instead we take a kitchen trash sack and rip it down one of its long seams and lay it awkwardly open inside his litter box and put litter inside the trash sack.  That way all we do is gather the edges of the trash sack and immediately throw it away in the outside trashcan so we actually never come in contact with the litter at all.  Way easier!

During this 48 hours, we always leave Rumble's window partially open.  He likes to sit on the window seal and yell at the birds anyways (through a screen of course). 

We were a little freaked out about the whole "toxic" situation at first but as I've sat in that waiting room for hours I've listened to a bunch of cancer conversations and most owners aren't freaked out at all.  I feel comfortable reading a book in there with him for a few hours but they advised me against sleeping in there with him during the 48 hours.  Post-op, I felt the need to be with Rumble as much as possible so I had slept a few nights in there with him.  I think it was more for my comfort than his because I've always enjoyed when he sleeps against me, right behind my knees.

So, just be smart about cleaning the litter box.  You can use our trash sack trick if you like.  We also don't let any other house hold pets play with Rumble until the 48 hours is over.