Vibes for Sophie on Spay-Day!

The Day is finally here. I've actually been looking forward to this day, because Miss Sophie has an umbilical hernia, and things like that make me nervous.

Now I'm a wreck. I adore my vet and I know she's in good hands, but of course I'm in a panic over anything that might just possibly go wrong.

I dropped her off at 9:15am...she should be going under the knife any moment now, if not already. She's getting spayed, a hernia repair (the vet is going to make a separate incision because she thinks that including the hernia in the spay incision would make it much too long/large), and a microchip (a late Christmas present from my mother, who wanted her "grand-fur-kid" to get her chip while under anesthesia so she doesn't have to feel the pain of that big needle).

I'm going on about an hours' sleep, because I spent the entire night watching TV and cuddling with the little one (she sleeps in the crook of my arm, on her back, like a baby, with her little monkey-feet sticking up in the air), but I'll probably spend the whole day cleaning like a crazy person and trying not to worry.

Some positive vibes for my baby?

Tons of vibes for Sophie, I know it's hhard but try to relax, I'm sure she will be fine. Keep us posted.

You got it, At129!

We can certainly all empathize with you, I was a basket case every time one of my kitties went under the knife. Calming <<<hugs>>> for you until Sophie is back home, safe and sound!

(And, wow, wish my kitties had a grandma like that! )

Good Luck to you.
My Wrinkles goes in 2 weeks from today to be altered.

for Sophie

for both of you - I hope the vet calls soon with an update. It's hard not to be nervous.

And, believe me, the vet will not laugh at you (in your face, anyway), if, perchance, you end up calling their office post-operation to ask if this, that or the other is normal. When my Dante had his teeth cleaned, they told me he'd be groggy - well, actually, he kept falling over for a few minutes when he left the carrier, and of course I was calling the vet immediately, sure some terrible brain damage had occurred. Vet told me to wait ten more minutes and then see what happened. Sure, 8 minutes later Dante felt like jumping to the top of the cat tree

Vets are used to anxious phone calls - and better to be reassured than miss something.

Sending lots of good vibes for Sophie. I'm sure she'll be fine and back to normal in no time, but I completely understand your nervousness.

Has your vet called you yet with any kind of update?

For Sophie and for you. I'm sure everything will be fine but it is very worrying for a good mum. Keep us posted. xx

for Sophie!

for Sophie. I'm sure she'll be fine.

BTW, I have a Sophie, too! She's a dog, but still...

Update!

The vet called @ about 3pm, she came through just fine, and had already charmed the heck out of the entire veterinary staff by the time she went into surgery. I, of course, broke down into dorky emotional kitten-mom tears of relief as soon as I hung up the phone. They're keeping her for a few hours for observation, and until she's totally out of sedation, so I'll be leaving to pick her up in less than an hour!

Now onto the next set of worries (as if I'd ever run out anyway, LOL)...is she going to need the e-collar? Is she going to try to scale the furniture? Is she going to have problems with her stitches? Am I going to have to sedate her? Only time will tell, I guess, but the worst part is over. Plus, all that nervous energy I had to work off helped me to prepare a super-clean place for her to come home to!

Thanks so much for all the well-wishes, it always means a lot at a time like this. I'm a super-worrier in general, and after nearly losing my dog when she was spayed, it's especially scary for me, so I need all the boosts I can get! to all of you!

Yay! Glad to hear Sophie pulled through just fine!

When I picked Meeko up at the vet she jumped off the table.
She also slammed the ecolor into the wall and refused to wear it.
It was fine without it.
Do not let her try to jump on things.
My cats had pain meds but still were bein hyper.
Meeko had a lot of pain but she also had a bad infection.
I will feel like you in 2 wes when Wrinkles goes.
I am very scared something bad will happened because of lucy and she is a sphynx.
I hope your cat feels better.

so glad to hear all went well! I've never used an e collar or pain medicine for spays, but I know that's more common now.

So glad all went well! Wow can we all empathize with this one or what!

Thankfully all our girls have been good, and none needed an e-collar. she heals up without any trouble! for you too!

Sophie's home, and it looks like this might be a rougher recovery than your average spay.

The vet told me on the phone, but I didn't fully realize until I *saw* it...her hernia was a tricky one, and as a result, she had to have a much larger than normal incision, so the poor baby has a bad case of Franken-belly. It's probably a good 2-3 inches long (I might be off, I'm really bad at estimating lengths, but seriously, it looks enormous to me).

Even worse, she's still suffering the after-affects of the injectable anesthetic, so she's shaky and slightly confused...when I first got her home, she walked in circles around the room aimlessly, with a little palsied "bobbing" motion to her head. At the vet's suggestion, I put her back into her carrier and partially covered it so it's nice and warm and dark, so she can sleep off the rest of the anesthesia. I've been checking on her literally every few moments, just carefully peeking in to see how she is...she finally laid down, but she won't really relax or sleep, and so far, her little head is still bobbling all over the place. Part of the agitation, I think, is a result of hunger...spoiled girl isn't used to going this long without eating! But the vet said no food until tomorrow morning, and with her being this out of it, I definitely don't want to take chances anyway.

I really, really hate anesthetizing pets. I've been frantically researching since I got home, and several guides to postoperative care mentioned this type of "head-bobbing" and confused behavior as indicators that the anesthetic hasn't worn off yet (which is exactly what the vet said) and that it can take a good while to fully wear off...but it's not something I want to watch her suffering through.

Something tells me that this is going to be Night #2 in a row with little to no sleep...hopefully I'm up to the challenge.

~Amanda

You're absolutely right, all you describe is normal. You'd think they'd want to sleep it off, but I think they just feel so strange, they feel vulnerable and have to keep moving.

You did well to put her in her carrier, she'll feel safe there, and will BE safe there.

Try not to fuss and keep peeking at her, that is only going to add to her stress.

What pain med did they give you for her?

Originally Posted by otto

You're absolutely right, all you describe is normal. You'd think they'd want to sleep it off, but I think they just feel so strange, they feel vulnerable and have to keep moving.

Click to expand...

Thank you, I so badly needed to hear that! Most of it I can deal with, but that little confused bobbing head is really heartbreaking to watch. She's a little more alert now and crying to be let out of her carrier but she's still really wobbly (not so glassy-eyed, but still doing the bobble-head thing), so I just gave her a little water and am leaving her be for awhile. You're totally right, I probably wouldn't rest so well either if someone's big fat eyeball kept wedging into my face every few minutes!

The painkiller they prescribed is buprenorphine (.2ml every 8 hours)...she'll be due for her first at-home dose at around 9:30pm (another hour). I'm hoping that it knocks her out a bit so she sleeps off the worst of the post-anesthetic weirdness.

The buprenorphine is a very good pain medicine for cats.

In case someone forgot to tell you, the buprenex (buprenorphine) should be squirted into her mouth, aiming for the gums, not her throat, as it is absorbed in the mouth, not the stomach.

She's been through a lot, but cats are very resilient. She'll be feeling much better tomorrow.

I know you will keep us posted on Sophie.

Glad to hear it all went as well as possible; and I know I hovered over my babies when they came home to 'sleep' it off. I hope she feels much better by morning, and that you can get some sleep yourself.

Keep us posted on her recovery!