How Does Your Cat React To General Anesthesia?

[caitlinbrooke]

I recently posted that my cat Chewy would be undergoing surgery on his back left leg to correct some orthopedic issues: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/276757/cat-needs-surgery-for-luxating-patella-and-joint-mouse

We had the surgery this past Tuesday (three days ago now) and I have to say it was much more horrific than I ever anticipated. When I picked him up from the vet he was so stoned and peeing, pooing and biting at the vet and I as we tried to move him to his crate. He would completely freak out and bite at the dressing, and screaming at the top of his lungs, thrashing around. This ordeal continued for the whole night. I slept beside his cage and had to repeatedly open it and restrain him from thrashing around. The cries were so loud it was absolutely gut wrenching - I was in tears. I am still upset and traumatized by the first night.

My vet commented that he thought Chewy has a low pain tolerance. While I respect his opinion, I believe that Chewy actually just reacts poorly to anesthesia. I have never experienced a general anesthetic with Chewy specifically, but he rarely complained of pain in the time leading up to his surgery. Once the surgeon opened his knee, they found one of the cruciate ligaments was completely torn in addition to his luxating patella.

I was wondering if others have had similar post-operative experiences with a pet? I work as a recovery room/ICU nurse in a large hospital and thus I see some people who wake up just terribly from surgery. I would say that Chewy is likely of that sort. Once the anesthesia cleared about 24-36 hours later he was much more himself. I have even given him less pain meds than prescribed as he was so dopey and after two days was very happy just resting in his bed and didn't complain much to move to pee or eat.

The vet wants me to bring him back to have the stitches removed but I think I will ask the vet if he minds if I do it myself. I have worked in the surgical setting for 7 years now and have bucket loads of experience removing stitches and the like. I think it will be less traumatic for Chewy if I can do it here with the help of my husband as I know the vet will want to sedate him again (not GA but procedural sedation). I am happy to take him to the vet for a follow up and for him to visualize the wound but I think for my sanity and Chewy's I will do the stitches at home. The incision has about 10 stitches, which I think is manageable.

Getting the mobility restricting dressing off today was a bit difficult. It went just great until right at the end... as I got the the bottom, the vet had taped the wrapping gauze to his foot. As I tried to remove the tape poor Chewy completely flipped (after being quite calm for me cutting off the rest of the dressing) and took off. He got maybe 5 -10 feet before I could grab him but part of me worries now that the sudden movement may have undone or damaged the surgical repair... big sigh.

Either way, my husband and I have decided that surgery again of any sort is not an option for this cat. He doesn't tolerate anesthesia well and the stress of it all was likely not worth the potential pay off. Considering his terrible reaction the first night he may have very well re-ruptured the ligament and the entire surgery is a loss. We did what we thought was right and who knows how things will turn out. I feel terrible for putting him through this and hope that somehow the ligament repair has managed to maintain itself and he has some improved quality of life from all this hardship.

Thanks so much for reading/listening/sharing experiences with difficult anesthesia. It's been a rough week!

 

[denice]

I am sorry your kitty had a bad reaction.  Neither of my kitties reacted this way to anesthetic but just as with people, each cat is different.  Hopefully he didn't damage the repair and he will get some relief from the surgery.

 

[mosimom]

That first night home after major surgery is scary. My cat was high on pain meds and was a total pathetic zombie after foreign object removal surgery. I too slept on the floor afraid I would lose her.
I'm impressed your cat is eating. That is usually a major challenge and could add to the nightmare.
No experience with this surgery, but look forward to updates on Chewy.

 

[caitlinbrooke]

That first night home after major surgery is scary. My cat was high on pain meds and was a total pathetic zombie after foreign object removal surgery. I too slept on the floor afraid I would lose her.
I'm impressed your cat is eating. That is usually a major challenge and could add to the nightmare.
No experience with this surgery, but look forward to updates on Chewy.

Oh my goodness that is scary. I'm sorry you had to go through that

I was so impressed Chewy was eating as well. After a few hours at home I started putting some very watered down food on a spoon and putting it through the cage, just to get his gut moving a bit and he took it readily. The next morning at about 6am he actually almost ran when I came with food. I was amazed as I had read so many issues with appetite in post-op cats. I have kept him eating watered down food (canned food) mixed with poached wild duck breasts that I make for him and run through our food processor. I reserved some duck broth too from when I poach them and he loves that so eating and drinking are going well thankfully!!

 

[cocheezie]

When one of my cats was adopted as a kitten, the shelter told the new owners never, under any circumstances, to put this cat under anesthesia. While he was being neutered, the vets almost lost him and had a terrible time bringing him back. When the cat was thought to need dental surgery at the age of 12(?), it was time to do some research. I went to the shelter but they only keep records for 5 years. When I asked at the most likely (just down the road) vet, they say they don't keep records of the neutering they do for the shelter. The cat ended up not needing surgery. A locum vet said there was a cavity, but his regular vet said there was no cavity and his teeth were great. I've no clue which particular anesthetic was the problem (it could be just one or all of them), and live in fear that one day this cat will need surgery.

 

[catpack]

I want to note. I have experienced cats after different types of surgeries. I will say that when I went to visit Holly after she had her surgery for luxating patellas, she was in some of the worst pain I have seen a cat experience. I also saw Holly previously post anesthesia after she was spayed and her pain level was much lower.

We kept Holly at the clinic where she had surgery for 24 hrs on IV pain meds (this particular clinic is staffed 24/7.)

I am more inclined to think your kitty was in pain.

We also had another cat that had entropion surgery (both eyes) and was neutered at the same time. I picked him up the morning following surgery (he too had gotten overnight IV pain meds.) I asked about pain meds, but told he wouldn't need them. I monitored him throughout the day, and he acted very similar to your cat. I took him back to the clinic that night where he recieve a shot of Buprenex. Once the meds got in his system, he was back to his normal, sweet self.

 

[caitlinbrooke]

I want to note. I have experienced cats after different types of surgeries. I will say that when I went to visit Holly after she had her surgery for luxating patellas, she was in some of the worst pain I have seen a cat experience. I also saw Holly previously post anesthesia after she was spayed and her pain level was much lower.

We kept Holly at the clinic where she had surgery for 24 hrs on IV pain meds (this particular clinic is staffed 24/7.)

I am more inclined to think your kitty was in pain.

We also had another cat that had entropion surgery (both eyes) and was neutered at the same time. I picked him up the morning following surgery (he too had gotten overnight IV pain meds.) I asked about pain meds, but told he wouldn't need them. I monitored him throughout the day, and he acted very similar to your cat. I took him back to the clinic that night where he recieve a shot of Buprenex. Once the meds got in his system, he was back to his normal, sweet self.

Thank you for sharing this, it helps a lot to hear what others experienced with the same operation. Knees are exceptionally painful for most humans so I thought perhaps as well for cats but of course not my area of expertise!

Keeping the cat at the clinic for 24 hours sounds like a great option. Had I known what it would be like I probably would have opted to do just that and searched for a clinic with overnight care. They did give me the option to leave him there overnight but said there would be no one there. Given his state I figured at least best to take him home and tough it out with supervision.

 

[caitlinbrooke]

 
When one of my cats was adopted as a kitten, the shelter told the new owners never, under any circumstances, to put this cat under anesthesia. While he was being neutered, the vets almost lost him and had a terrible time bringing him back. When the cat was thought to need dental surgery at the age of 12(?), it was time to do some research. I went to the shelter but they only keep records for 5 years. When I asked at the most likely (just down the road) vet, they say they don't keep records of the neutering they do for the shelter. The cat ended up not needing surgery. A locum vet said there was a cavity, but his regular vet said there was no cavity and his teeth were great. I've no clue which particular anesthetic was the problem (it could be just one or all of them), and live in fear that one day this cat will need surgery.

Aww so sorry to hear this. I hope for you sake and kitty's sake that he doesn't ever need surgery. I did a bit of research on feline anesthesia and vets actually use very similar if not the exact same types of gases used to put humans to sleep. We even use Ketamine often as an adjunct for humans, which is also done for cats. It's also interesting you got two conflicting reports about what procedure your cat needed.

I would be, as you are, very nervous about having to put my cat under after receiving a report from a shelter like that. It's unfortunate you have no access to those records to see which form of anesthesia was used. Assuming your cat was neutered before 1 year of age, things have improved in the past 11 years in terms of anesthesia. I know this probably brings you little reassurance but perhaps something worth considering and discussing with your vet if the need should ever arise to have surgery.

 

[sweetthangtx]

I have one cat that has been under anesthesia three different times. Once when she was spayed again when she had her teeth cleaned and the last was when she had to have a foreign object removed from her trachea.

These three times were all at different places. The only one that was bad was the teeth cleaning. She came home acting as if she couldn't see or hear. She didn't know us and was not herself at all. I cried all night long. I thought for sure that she had brain damage. She was fine the next day.

I think that the vet that did the cleaning uses a type of anesthesia that is harder for some cats to recover from. I won't take her back to him for anything that requires her to be put under.

 

[caitlinbrooke]

I have one cat that has been under anesthesia three different times. Once when she was spayed again when she had her teeth cleaned and the last was when she had to have a foreign object removed from her trachea.

These three times were all at different places. The only one that was bad was the teeth cleaning. She came home acting as if she couldn't see or hear. She didn't know us and was not herself at all. I cried all night long. I thought for sure that she had brain damage. She was fine the next day.

I think that the vet that did the cleaning uses a type of anesthesia that is harder for some cats to recover from. I won't take her back to him for anything that requires her to be put under.

Very interesting. I was wondering to what degree different choices in anesthetic agents comes into play. It sounds like from your experience likely each vet's choice of anesthesia can greatly affect the recovery period of the cat. I'm so sorry you were upset all night. I was also worried something terrible and irreversible had happened but he did come around as well.