bad news for my sasha

[sashasmama]

My sasha had pyometra emergency surgery thursday. We got her home and for 2 days she was fine. She is now mean super super mean. I was bit and scratched she is attacking other animals in the house and its a mess. I have to leave her seperated from the other cats and it breaks my heart hearing her cry in the room, but when i let her out its game on and not good at all. I took her to the vet today they put a cone on her cause she is getting infected but she still manages to get out of it. While at vet they told me if in 1 month her attitude doesnt change they will put her down. I have cried now since yesterday. I cant do that I cant put her down i cant have her look at me with her trusting eyes and put her down. She was fine before the surgery now she is mean mean mean but mostly only to my other pets.

so how do i keep the cone and her and how do I make this decision of letting her live or having her put down.

 

[becbec709]

Is she on pain meds?  She may be painful or just not feeling right and doesn't want to be messed with.  Also maybe try getting Feliway to help, it's worth a shot before you make another decision.

 

[orientalslave]

If she's got an infection she needs antibiotics.  The cone will stop her worrying her wound but it won't cure infection.  Did the vet or vet nurse show you how to put the cone on?  If not ring and ask if they will. 

Since she has made it through the surgery she needs that time to get over it and start getting back to normal, and I would keep her separate if needs be.

Agree she may need pain relief as well.

 

[otto]

I agree, your Sasha needs antibiotics and pain meds. As you may know, pyometra is a very serious, often fatal, condition. I'm so happy for you both that she has survived.

Your girl has been through a lot, and the stress and pain of it all is making her feel mean. I'm sure once she is all healed she'll be okay.

Spend as much time as you can with Sasha in her isolation room. The other pets will have to take a back seat for a while.

I don't understand why a vet would say such a terrible thing to you. I recommend you find another vet and take her there for a second opinion.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I agree.  Find out if your cat needs pain medications and antibiotics.  Keep the cat separated and give it time to heal.  Your cat has been through a lot.  If your vet won't work with you on this, find one who will.  In the meantime, be sure to do what is necessary to take care of your own self since you have been bitten and scratched.  If you have to pick up your cat, consider wearing gloves and keep some distance between your body and the cat.  I wish you and your cat the best and hope for a good recovery.
 

 

[sashasmama]

she is on pain meds that arent working and an antibiotic. I now have her on like an antidepressant medicine to help control the meanness. I am glad she survived I know this could have killed her. I do have her seperated and do know how to put on the cone but when I go to work she manages to get it off. The vet said "for legal reasons" if she is still mean in a month they would have to put her down. I am heartbroken. I wish i had a magic ball to tell me whats right. I was letting her out here and there because I feel so bad so is locked up she is fine for a bit then its game on and all hell breaks loose. With 5 cats and 2 dogs its hard. I thought about finding her a new home where she is the only cat but the thought of her with strangers breaks my heart even more. I sleep with her at night my husband is less then thrilled. I just dont know what to do...

 

[pippen]

So sorry you're going through this with your beloved Sasha.

If you've only seen the one vet I'd suggest getting a second opinion to see if another set of eyes picks up something the first vet might have missed.  I'd do that in a heartbeat before putting one down.

My vet has suggested a homeopathic liquid called Composure for calming.  I believe it's available OTC.

 

[catspaw66]

so how do i keep the cone on her

I had this problem with Silly.  I ended up putting a stretchy collar around her, behind her front legs, then put another one through the first and through a loop in the cone.  Then tighten up just enough that she can't pull it over her head.  OR  get a harness and attach it in the same way.  The trick is to get it tight enough it can't be pulled off, but not tight enough it is choking your kitty.

 

[otto]

she is on pain meds that arent working and an antibiotic. I now have her on like an antidepressant medicine to help control the meanness. I am glad she survived I know this could have killed her. I do have her seperated and do know how to put on the cone but when I go to work she manages to get it off. The vet said "for legal reasons" if she is still mean in a month they would have to put her down. I am heartbroken. I wish i had a magic ball to tell me whats right. I was letting her out here and there because I feel so bad so is locked up she is fine for a bit then its game on and all hell breaks loose. With 5 cats and 2 dogs its hard. I thought about finding her a new home where she is the only cat but the thought of her with strangers breaks my heart even more. I sleep with her at night my husband is less then thrilled. I just dont know what to do...

What legal reasons? A vet cannot make you euthanize your own pet because she is acting "mean" after a serious illness and surgical procedure. And now he has her on antidepressants?

Please, find another vet for Sasha, and get a second opinion. She's been through so much, I'm sure she will be back to her own self after she is feeling better. It's most likely pain and infection that is making her act this way.

Sasha is the kitty who had a bad reaction to the buprenex? There are other pain meds. Didn't the vet give you something else for her?

Please, for Sasha's sake, find another vet. Today, if you can.

 

[carolina]

What legal reasons? A vet cannot make you euthanize your own pet because she is acting "mean" after a serious illness and surgical procedure. And now he has her on antidepressants? This is insane.
Please, find another vet for Sasha, and get a second opinion. She's been through so much, I'm sure she will be back to her own self after she is feeling better. It's most likely pain and infection that is making her act this way.
Sasha is the kitty who had a bad reaction to the buprenex? There are other pain meds. Didn't the vet give you something else for her?
Please, for Sasha's sake, find another vet. Today, if you can.

Sasha needs another vet, pain meds that work for her, and the correct antibiotics.... She is not mean - she is in horrible pain :nod:

 

[Willowy]

Seriously, a week after surgery and they have her on antidepressants? AND they want to kill her for "being mean"? I agree you need a new vet, and soon. That's ridiculous. I guess a DVM degree is no guarantee they like animals. . .

Really, nobody is themselves after surgery. A pyo spay is muchmuch worse than a routine spay, and if she were mine I would probably still have her in isolation so the other animals couldn't bother her. It'll probably be at least a month before she's even starting to get back to normal. I would have her in a quiet room by herself, with lots of soft cushy places to cuddle, and I would leave her alone! Don't touch her (unless she wants it), don't let the other animals bother her, just a nice quiet recovery. Of course she'll need her meds but other than that I wouldn't annoy her at all.

The vet CANNOT make you put her down. Don't let them bully you into it. Just find a better vet, and make sure the antibiotic and pain meds are doing their jobs.

Does she really need a cone? An infection doesn't require a cone, unless she's ripping out her stitches there's really no reason to use one. I've never known a cat who liked wearing a cone.

 

[orientalslave]

The wrong pain meds, for her, could make her cranky or very cranky, and/or fail to relieve her pain.

And any vet that won't show you how to fit the collar because of 'legal reasons' should be reported in my view.

I agree, it's high time for another vet.

 

[sashasmama]

Sorry it took a minute to get back to you sasha had a bad reaction to the antidepressants and I thought she had died. I have cried more these last few days then i have in awhile. I have taken the cone off she is bothering her stitches but its a week today so they are healing and i bet itchy. I sleep with her at night and hang out with her during the day cause her crying breaks my heart when she is alone. I heard it will take 4 to 6 weeks to get back to normal. The vet never said anything today about putting her down she thinks she will come out of this. I just hate to seperate her but I know i have to my other animals are now walking on egg shells. She has done alot of sleeping today and is ok if i am there. After I get her stitches out I will find a new vet but this one comes highly recommended and the first time i have had a problem like this....I need to take one step at a time and breathe and pray for a light at the end of this tunnel.

 

[barbb]

That is total BS what your vet is saying about putting her down for meanness. If it were me I would immediately suspect the vet is aware of something they did wrong- oxygen deprivation during the surgery or bad reaction to anesthesia and almost lost her-  and wants to potentially cover it up by euthanizing your cat. 

It sounds like the antidepressants not only gave her a bad reaction but also had the opposite affect on her (as they sometimes do in humans) and totally messed with her head as well as aggravated her already bad pain. If this keeps up I would think about a second opinion or, assuming you adore this kitty, you can see an animal behaviorist specialist and if there is not one in your area, you can probably find one online and do a phone consultation (I did this myself once and it worked really well).

Also your kitty may be going through hormonal changes further to her surgery which is why it will take so many weeks to get back to normal. Cats are so VERY sensitive to any changes in their routine, to their structure and their normal, daily, taken for granted world, not to mention the biological changes that come with the surgery itself. This has been a huge upheaval for her. But she will respond to your soft talking, encouragement, and also if the room you have her in, you can put soft music in there like spa or harp music, that should help to soothe her. Our furry pets know when they are being babied just the way that we know and appreciate all that pampering when we are very ill. You will be amazed at how much better she will be just if you talk to her and tell her how much she is loved and how beautiful she is and how she will get better, and do it in a soft encouraging voice :-)

Also your other fur family members will smell the hospital smell on your kitty and will be curious and may not recognize her at first if she smells different- their sense of smell is so much more intense than ours, so we have to take this into consideration and make sure to also help the others with this. I don't know how many other cats there are but there is always a pecking order and your cat may be trying to keep her place as head of the pack. So as soon as you are able to let her sit higher up than the others (yeah that may take while as she needs to heal) you can do that or if/when she lets you hold her, make sure and carry her above the others so she is still dominant assuming that was her role before she was sick.

Again- don't listen to anything your vet says about euthanizing- that is horrible and irresponsible! And I am amazed that any vet would even consider saying that- seriously, in all my years of cat rescue I have never heard that before. It is just plain WRONG, no matter how they are spinning it. I don't know whose law they are referring to, but in this state they could only do that if the cat were diagnosed with FIV and you said you planned to let it go outside without taking ownership responsibility. 

 

[kattiekitty]

What a horrible vet! Why have there been so many bad vet experiences, including mine, lately? I would definitely get another vet. There is no excuse to put her to sleep because  she is "mean." She isn't mean, she is in pain  and probably not feeling well and this is how she can express that. I wonder how that vet deals with the cats that come in supposedly mean for simple stuff like vaccines or treatments. In my experience as a tech when working in california, I have dealt with my fair share of "difficult" animals. It comes with the territory. Alot of these pets are scared and defensive because they don't know what is going on. Doesn't mean that they need to be euthanized. I bet if your kitty gets on some good pain management and antibiotics, she will heal up just fine, but like BarbB mentioned, I wonder if this vet is trying to cover something that happened during her surgery while there. We have had animals that were super painful after surgery and were off for a few days, but never a huge personality change like you are describing. Definitely get that second opinion! It sounds like your current vet is doing you and your kitty a disservice.
 

 

[stephanietx]

I think you need a new vet, or at the least, a second opinion!  Can you tell us what pain meds you've been giving her?  Sounds like she's reacting to the pain meds as well as the antidepressants.  Have you been able to try and/or get your hands on Feliway or Rescue Remedy?  Those are both calming agents.
 

 

[sashasmama]

I will have to find the calming stuff everyone suggessted it but I havent tried it. She was on buprenorphine but I ran out. So now it is just the antibitoic. I have read and heard that this can happen after a pyle infection and will take weeks to reverse her new attitude. She was always the one picked on now she is the one picking on. Its crazy....One day at a time it is going to be a very long next few weeks. She hates the room. Wont drink out of the bowls in here only eat if I am here. and will barely use the litter box she will hold it forever. I need to get her back on track but cant until she stops atatcking.

 

[ak12taco]

We have a new cat we just adopted that REFUSES to get along with our other cat...Im imagining your all bets off scenes are alot like our no hold barred events here....so I pay 45 bux at the vet for FELIWAY plug in...using 3 days, and yea, hasnt helped yet...they fought their fur off last night and only because I was feeling like MAYBE they could get along its been 5 days after all....uh yeah BIG MISTAKE...and I feel like the MEANEST mommy in the world because Soxy cries in the room...he meows and wants out so badly and it kills me to keep him away from us as we adopted him to be WITH us...but cats stress so freaking easily...the slightest thing can stress a cat, moving furniture around...cat gets stressed...new pet..cat stresses...surgery/illness...cat stresses.. and the thing is they stress about being stressed is what the vet tells me....anyhow, PETSMART sells whisker city calm down liquid drops...and a no stress spray and we bought them today, sprayed the house everywhere like directed, soaked Soxys treats in the liquid stuff and then dabbed some on his ears for overkill because lets face it IM gonna be in the hospital soon if all this cat drama doesnt end soon, I just lost my 8 1/2 yr old Maine Coon Taco 2 weeks ago...plus I have a 3yr old a husband a job etc...lol...theres only so much of me to go around...so anyhow back to the story...I allowed Soxy out this eve with no screen/fence divider from AK our other cat and they both eyed each other very cautiously and were still a bit skittish if someone moved but low and behold NO GROWLING or HISSING or God forbid TKOs like last night....so Im inclined to believe the 15 bux at petsmart tonight beats the 45 dollar stuff from the vet 3 days ago...or maybe its just a combo of all 3...then maybe theyre just getting use to one another....whatever the case I keep telling my nerves its working...lol

Good luck to you and to hell with that vet, sometimes the most expensive crap is still crap....

...lol
 

 

[otto]

We have a new cat we just adopted that REFUSES to get along with our other cat...Im imagining your all bets off scenes are alot like our no hold barred events here....so I pay 45 bux at the vet for FELIWAY plug in...using 3 days, and yea, hasnt helped yet...they fought their fur off last night and only because I was feeling like MAYBE they could get along its been 5 days after all....uh yeah BIG MISTAKE...and I feel like the MEANEST mommy in the world because Soxy cries in the room...he meows and wants out so badly and it kills me to keep him away from us as we adopted him to be WITH us...but cats stress so freaking easily...the slightest thing can stress a cat, moving furniture around...cat gets stressed...new pet..cat stresses...surgery/illness...cat stresses.. and the thing is they stress about being stressed is what the vet tells me....anyhow, PETSMART sells whisker city calm down liquid drops...and a no stress spray and we bought them today, sprayed the house everywhere like directed, soaked Soxys treats in the liquid stuff and then dabbed some on his ears for overkill because lets face it IM gonna be in the hospital soon if all this cat drama doesnt end soon, I just lost my 8 1/2 yr old Maine Coon Taco 2 weeks ago...plus I have a 3yr old a husband a job etc...lol...theres only so much of me to go around...so anyhow back to the story...I allowed Soxy out this eve with no screen/fence divider from AK our other cat and they both eyed each other very cautiously and were still a bit skittish if someone moved but low and behold NO GROWLING or HISSING or God forbid TKOs like last night....so Im inclined to believe the 15 bux at petsmart tonight beats the 45 dollar stuff from the vet 3 days ago...or maybe its just a combo of all 3...then maybe theyre just getting use to one another....whatever the case I keep telling my nerves its working...lol
Good luck to you and to hell with that vet, sometimes the most expensive crap is still crap....:lol3: ...lol

 

Five days is a very short time. It can take weeks or months for a new cat to be accepted into the mix with other cats.

Stay calm, keep her separate, visit her often, exchange smells with a shirt you have worn (rub on new kitty, then other kitties, back and forth), rotate rooms (put other cats in her room and give her the run of the house for a couple hours each day).

Give it time. Think of it from her point of view, she is in an unfamiliar home with unfamiliar people and hostile cats. She doens't know what's happened to her. She needs time, lots of time to adjust, and the other cats need time to get used to the new comer.

Five days is a drop in the bucket.

 

[sashasmama]

hmmm i think i will have to go get the calming stuff tomorrow