After dental cleaning

This may be something you all know already. But, since I was ignorant, I thought I'd pass the info along.

My cat Swanie Doodle just had his teeth cleaned. When we got him home, his eyes were dialated so big you couldn't even see the whites. That, coupled with the fact that he was just manic and running all over the place had me freaking out big time. By the time we got him home, the vet was closed, so I basically spent a sleepless night checking on him every hour or so. Other than those two things, he seemed okay.

This morning his eyes were less dialated, and he was less manic, but still restless, and I don't think he'd slept at all all night. The vet opens at 7:30, so I called and left a message. The vet tech called back a few hours ago and said it's perfectly normal for a cats eyes to be dialated after anesthesia. She had no ideas about the hyperactivity, tho. I have my own theory that he thought he'd been abandoned again (he's a shelter kitty) and was so happy to be home (he really was, bless his little doodle heart) that he was running around to make sure everything was still there. And I think he was afraid to sleep because he might wake up in a strange place in a cage (like he did coming out of anesthesia at the vets).

Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know about the eye thing, if you didn't already know. If they had put it on the paper they gave us when we picked him up, I wouldn't have been so freaked out about it (I told them that too).

Sometimes if a cat is sensitive to the anesthesia, they will come out of it almost in a manic state.

You are the third one on the site that has mentioned the dilated eyes and the second to mention behavioral problems after anesthesia.

Is your baby OK now?

Yes, he's fine, thank you for asking. He's currently asleep on the chair behind me.

So is sensitivity to the anesthesia something that I should be concerned about if he needs future surgery? Probably, I guess. I hate to even think about it. He was definitely manic. He couldn't sit still, and he wasn't walking around, he was running from place to place. I was seriously worried that something really bad had happened, but he seems pretty much back to his normal self now.

It's something you should mention to your vet to have noted in the chart. They may recommend that your keep your kitty confined during recovery after anesthesia to prevent injuries. Odo had dilated eyes after surgery--honestly I can't remember whether it was due to the anesthesia or the pain medication.

Absolutely mention it to the vet, perhaps they can use less of the anesthesia.

The other thing you may consider is keeping him in the carrier for a few hours until he settles down, to keep him from hurting himself.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

Absolutely mention it to the vet, perhaps they can use less of the anesthesia.

The other thing you may consider is keeping him in the carrier for a few hours until he settles down, to keep him from hurting himself.

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Well, he wasn't so crazed he was running into things, and he wasn't doing anything in general to hurt himself, or I would have contained him. It was more just like run to one place, sit there, get up, run to another place. He did sit calmly on his chair in the window for quite a while after we got him home, and periodically throughout the evening. To be honest, he can be a little nutty even when he's well, so it's hard to tell how much was from the anesthesia and how much just glad to be home and checking to make sure everything was still there (he was marking everything), but it was a bit over the top, even for him. He was also plopping over frequently for pet and purr sessions, which I was happy to oblige.

I am definitely going to tell the vet. Actually, I did already call them and they claimed they didn't know what would cause his running around like that. Said something to the effect, "well, some cats are different." I plan to bring it up the next time I have to take him in, and, of course, prior to any procedures he may have to have involving anesthesia (which I hope is not for a good long while, if ever.) I don't think I could stand it if something happened to the little guy.

When I had my Sho's teeth cleaned last August I had sort of the opposite problem, even though he'd came out of anesthesia four hours before I picked him up from the vet he was still acting horribly drugged. His eyes were red and very irratated, when I asked about that the vet tech claimed she had "used plenty of cream in his eyes" as if she were proud...
Poor Sho was so confused, upset, and wobbly (he'd sway or fall over if I put him down) that I had to hold him wrapped up like a baby in his favorite blanket for about six hours he was sick for the next couple of days as well.
Of course the vet claimed that was normal, I've switched vets now
If a vet ever fails to take your concern seriously, switch.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

When I had my Sho's teeth cleaned last August I had sort of the opposite problem, even though he'd came out of anesthesia four hours before I picked him up from the vet he was still acting horribly drugged. His eyes were red and very irratated, when I asked about that the vet tech claimed she had "used plenty of cream in his eyes" as if she were proud...
Poor Sho was so confused, upset, and wobbly (he'd sway or fall over if I put him down) that I had to hold him wrapped up like a baby in his favorite blanket for about six hours

he was sick for the next couple of days as well.
Of course the vet claimed that was normal, I've switched vets now

If a vet ever fails to take your concern seriously, switch.

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Poor Sho. I'm glad he's better Are you brushing his teeth? I am going to try very hard to get Swanie to accept having his teeth brushed, but I know it's not going to be easy.

I'm not brushing them regularly..
I know I really should, I think I'll ask the vet I have now if she can suggest a better tasting tooth paste for kitties.
As it is, Sho hates it but never really fights me, just scoots backwards and looks miserable

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I'm not brushing them regularly..
I know I really should, I think I'll ask the vet I have now if she can suggest a better tasting tooth paste for kitties.
As it is, Sho hates it but never really fights me, just scoots backwards and looks miserable

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What kind of toothpaste do you use? Swanie likes the taste of the CET (I think) poultry, but didn't like the fish or beef. I know I need to brush more, because I don't want him to have to go through the cleaning again for a good long while, but he's a 15 1/2 pound strong male cat and it's not easy getting him to do something he doesn't want to do.