Anesthesia Jitters

bastetservant

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A lot of people post here with really serious concerns and health issues for their cats. This isn't that. I'm just being neurotic, but my Lily has to go in tomorrow to have one or more teeth pulled, and the rest cleaned - since she'll be under anyway. I haven't had to have a cat's teeth cleaned in about 20 years, and I am so very worried about the anesthesia.

I know that countless animals "go under" every day, with no ill affects. But, sometimes, there are tragic results. And I just couldn't stand to lose Lily.

I've had her a little over a year and knew when I got her that some of her teeth were not good and may have to come out. Now you can see that one is bad and my vet encouraged me to get it done sooner rather than later. So, since they do it only on Fridays, and I'm off work, I'm having it done tomorrow. That way I don't have to take a day off. However, it pretty much ruins my Christmas Eve plans as I won't leave her after I bring her home tomorrow afternoon. But that's OK.

I love all my cats, in different ways. Lily is the one who is the lap cat, the by the computer cat (more than the others), the one who greets me at the door when I come home, the one who won't let me go to the bathroom alone, the one who walks up my body if I stay in bed too late to make sure I know she needs to be fed and to see if I'm getting up. I picked her out of 6 or 8 little black female DSH cats that were in the running for my adoption. She's funny and playful, bossy and willful, affectionate and joyful. I just love her so.

Please excuse my being such a worrywart, but please send vibes our way for Lily to go through this just fine.

Robin
 

GoldyCat

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Somehow the anesthesia part didn't bother me when I took my girls to be spayed, but I worried the whole time Merlin was in for a dental. Don't know why that was so much scarier.
 

my4llma

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I don't think you're a worry wart. I worried about Luna and Midnight going under when they were spayed and neutered. Good luck tomorrow!
 

ldg

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You're in the right place for reaching out to understanding people who worry about such things! And I'm sure "TCS Magic" will help BOTH of you through!!!!!!
 
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bastetservant

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Thanks, all.

In less than 2 hours, Lily is on a 12 hour fast. I gave them all "dinner" - their canned meal, about 1.5 hours ago. Since it was an hour early, it was more difficult than usual. Because Claude is on a very, very strict diet (since seeing the vet last week), 3 of my 5 cats are fed this meal in separate rooms. I guess it is a good thing I have so many rooms. Anyway, I'm with Lily now in my office and trying to coax her into eating the rest of her dinner. I gave them TOTW canned (not Claude) because they usually love it and I thought she'd eat it all up. But they are ALL being finicky tonight! Figures!

The normal schedule is for them all to get kibble at about 10 p.m. I fed the canned meal ("dinner") early so that I could feed them the kibble "supper" early, about 7:30 p.m. But then I plan to take it away by 8 p.m. when Lily has to start fasting. The alternative is to lock her in the office all night, alone, with no food, and let the rest of them have their normal kibble all night. That seems so harsh to her. I can make it comfortable in the office for her, of course. But she will be alone, and she is not used to that. She won't understand why. And I hate thinking Lily will be distressed tonight. So, I'm thinking everyone will fast from 8:00 p.m. until Lily and I leave for the vet at 7:30 a.m.

What do you all think? I'm expecting no one will have a good night, including me. They are used to having kibble to munch on until I get up (5:30 - 7:00 a.m.) and it is all always gone by morning. So, everyone is going to be disoriented, if not upset tonight.

Advice welcome!


Robin
 

-_aj_-

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Lots of vibes :vibes
I wad terrified when flash was going to he stayed and what the were going to use as anesthetic she came through just fine
 

stephanietx

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I think we can all sympathize with what you're feeling. We've all been there. Praying all goes well and for your anxiety to be lessened.
 

darlili

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It's understandable that you're nervous - fwiw, when either of mine had to fast, the other got to fast also (I asked the vet if that was ok). Assuming no health issues, one night won't hurt. As soon as I dropped off the patient, I came home and fed and watered the other - taking it up again when I picked up the patient (my vet likes to not give food or water for a few hours post-dental).

We all survived - I was with you, I'd rather lessen the stress of isolation over everyone being a tad hungry for one night.
 
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bastetservant

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Well the decision was made for me by circumstances. I've been busy the last 1.25 hours making chocolate chip cookies (classic Toll House) for a relative who asked for that as a Christmas present (she's too old to make them herself anymore and there is nothing that is the same). Sooooo, the 8:00 p.m. time came and went and nobody got kibble.

So, per advice here (thank you, thank you, darlili, everyone is now fasting.

So, I don't expect to have a very peaceful night. But that's OK.

Thanks so much for the support. Only all of you understand.

Robin
 

claydust

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I can fully understand.

I am at the same point, except the dates is just a bit different; I'm waiting for Dec. 28th. to come and go.

Kasey, my rescue tortie who I have quite a bond with, is scheduled to go the vet on Dec. 28 for a procedure to remove a cyst.
 

my4llma

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I had it easier. The night before Luna was spayed I kept her in my room until she acted up for food, like she does every night. Instead of giving her food I put her in her carrier. Luna is very strange, as long as her carrier is inside the house (not in the car), she'll go in it on her own, and go right to sleep. So I put her in her carrier, and she went right to sleep. Her carrier is very well cushioned with 4 blankets, same with Midnight's. Both have carriers big enough for them to stretch out in, and play in, only Midnight doesn't go into his carrier by choice, only when he goes to the vet. I did the same the night before Midnight got neutered. That way no one ate past 10pm. Both of them had very early morning appointments. So when we got back from leaving 1 off at the vets, we fed the other 1.
 
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bastetservant

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She's groggy, but getting up on things anyway. She sitting next to the computer now. I just took off the bandage on her leg from where she had IV fluids injected. The bandage was bothering her.

They took out 3 teeth. The fang that we knew was a problem and 2 "premolars" that were infected. Her blood work showed everything normal, except she was a little dehydrated. Hence the IV fluids.

She's to get an antibiotic and pain medicine for the next few days, twice a day. Of all my cats, she's the easiest to do that with, so I'm glad of that. Both meds are in liquid form.

She's to have only canned food for 2 weeks. That's complicated at my house. But we'll figure it out.

Last night I slept in Tonya's room (which I do 2-3 nights a week anyway) and shut the door. Amazingly I never heard a peep out of anyone. However this morning there were many reproachful looks as they reminded me that I neglected to feed them last night.

I kept thinking how, at least when I was a child, they didn't feed the big cats on Fridays at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago (I can't stand zoos now so I don't know). The reason being that cats don't eat every day in the wild and it was "better for them" not to eat every day in captivity. However, after seeing the tigers, leopards, and lions wait for their 4 p.m. feeding so anxiously, and tear into the meat, I always thought Fridays must be so sad for them when it doesn't happen. What else have they got?

But now all is well at my house. Lily woke up, and I expect a full recovery. Thanks so much for the vibes and words of support here. It helped so much! Thanks for understanding my concern.

Merry Christmas!

Robin
 

rad65

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Originally Posted by bastetservant

I kept thinking how, at least when I was a child, they didn't feed the big cats on Fridays at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago (I can't stand zoos now so I don't know). The reason being that cats don't eat every day in the wild and it was "better for them" not to eat every day in captivity. However, after seeing the tigers, leopards, and lions wait for their 4 p.m. feeding so anxiously, and tear into the meat, I always thought Fridays must be so sad for them when it doesn't happen. What else have they got?
They still don't feed them Fridays. At least, they didn't as of one year ago when I moved from Lincoln Park to Wrigleyville. I was on the cross country team and had to run through the zoo pretty much every day for 4 years at around 4 PM
 

ldg

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I'm so glad she's doing well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was out all day and kept thinking about her (and you LOL).

Sorry I didn't see the post about what to do about the feeding. Whenever any of our kitties has to have surgery, we pull up the dry food. They're all nuts by morning, and no one gets a lot of sleep - but once kitty going to the vet is crated and in the car, I run back in to put food out again.


As to having her only on wet for a couple of weeks.... I don't know how I would have handled that. I've moved them all to wet only, because it's the only way we've been able to figure out to control Billy's weight and allergans bothering Chumley, but it was not easy to do, and since we work from home, we were at least able to break down their meals into four a day - and they're used to nibbling teeney little bits all day and night.


Lazlo, Shelly, Tuxedo, and Flowerbelle really did NOT adjust well to the all wet schedule, and Lazlo was losing weight - and we've worked so hard to get Tuxedo to GAIN weight over the years, we didn't want to lose any ground there. And Shel's skinny too, so I worried about him losing weight. So I started feeding them kibble again - but in the bathroom. Now they run to wherever I am, look at me (or in Shelly's case meows at me), then runs to the bathroom... and I know they want nibbles.


Anyway, sorry for the long ramble, but maybe some ideas in there for you.


The important thing is Lily's home, happy, and recovering just fine!!!!!!!
 

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Glad to hear things went well. Good luck with the feeding schedule. I don't know how I would handle that one.
 

stephanietx

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Hooray! So glad she's home and all went well. Sounds like she's doing okay post-op. Feeding schedules are so hard to get used to at first, but once they learn the routine, they'll remind you if you miss feeding time!
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Glad to hear it went well! When Sven had four teeth removed at one time, he was also put on all wet food, which he completely refused, so he just continued to eat his dry, since it was out for the others.
 
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