How to prepare for a spay? Questions.

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

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1. Is there a certain type of anesthesia I should make sure the vet uses and ones that I need to make sure to stay away from?

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With a normal healthy pure domestic the answer to that is normally no. If you are very concerned speak to the veterinarian before hand. Remember none of us are veterinarians.

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

Should she get any tests done before she is spayed, and if so, what ones?

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I have never done any tests before a spay on my personal cats or fosters. But if you want you could ask for a blood panel and urine culture/analysis. These could be useful down the road.

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

Pain Meds. What ones to stay away from and what ones do you recommend?

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I would say speak to a veterinarian. I have never given pain medication to my female cats after a spay. Some veterinarians give some before you take the cat home.

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

..... Is a picture from my vet's place during their spay day. The lady in the picture is my veterinarian. Someone noted in a comment that they are using a pediatric circle and not wearing a cap and mask. Should I be concerned?

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Not something I would worry about.

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

What can I expect when she comes out of surgery? Will I need to keep her confined for awhile? I'm scared she's going to jump and run around like a spaz (she does at dusk and dawn) and hurt herself. If she starts licking or biting at her stitches, what do I do to prevent that?

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It depends on the cat. Some cats are very calm and leave the incision alone. Some cats run around and need to be confined to a dog crate and or need to wear an Elizabethan Collar to prevent them hurting the spay site.

Thank you for your reply Cat Person. I know none of you are veterinarians, but there are people here who know this stuff. Like for example to stay away from Metacam, or Ketamine. I just wanted to know stuff like that basically.

adorable kitty!

i don't have any idea about the questions you asked, but the replies may be useful to me too...lol. plus i had to comment on your adorable kitty!

Originally Posted by FleshFlowers

Thank you for your reply Cat Person. I know none of you are veterinarians, but there are people here who know this stuff. Like for example to stay away from Metacam, or Ketamine. I just wanted to know stuff like that basically.

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On a pure domestic even those are normally harmless/safe. I am not saying that there are not better ones since there are. But in many parts of the United States Ketamine is still used.

I have seen very few ill affects from the drug on domestic cats. Trust me as a veterinarian technician I have seen a lot of spays.

In fact the only time I have really seen problems with Ketamine is with an F2 Bengal some took into a practice I worked for. Or two domestics, one of them being my old Momma Cat. But in my cats case she just is a disaster when knocked out, no matter the drug. Ketamine was the worst is all.

You are welcome and I hope that helps . Let us know how it goes. Try and relax .

I understand your concerns - we are all worried for our kitties when it is the first time for any of these things. But fortunately the vast majority go very smoothly, and the risks of not having them done far outweighs the risk involved in what is normally a routine procedure.

I am not of course a vet but I follow research on cat health, like many of us do. I do not normally allow a vet to prescribe Metacam for my cats - but many vets do not now use it either. There are other painkillers available that are considered by some vets to be safer. Some vets give painkilling/anibiotic injections after the op, others send the cat home with some tablets. You may be given the choice, and you will know what will be easiest for your cat.

The type of stitches used may vary - some vets use internal stitches that do not need to be taken out later, others use external ones that will bneed taking out a week to ten days later. There are also new techniques using adhesives that do not require actual stitches at all. If your cat is very active then you might want to talk to the vet about which type may be more appropriate. He will probably put a bandage over the wound, and one cat I had was wrapped in a gauze 'sock'.

Some cats bounce back the same day, others take a day or two to recover. Many sleep for 24 hours after you get them home. I would prepare a quiet place to put her, and do not be surprised if she does not eat or drink for a day or so. She may need a lot of attention and affection, she may prefer to be left alone.

Over the first few days watch for any signs of redness or leaking that might signify infection, and call your vet if you see anything that worries you. Some cats will lick at the wound or take out their stitches, and try to stop her doing that if you can. But most get through it all with no problems and you will wonder why you were concerned!

Good luck. Above all, tell the vet of your worries and I am sure he will reassure you and answer your questions.

The only thing I'd want to add to Jenny's post is that she'll likely still be woozy from the anesthetic when she comes home. For all of our kitties, it made them REALLY needy and loving. But there are kitties that react the opposite way, and become hissy and growly, so don't be surprised if either happens. It will wear off.

Just remember to fast her the night before.

But yes, we all get worried when our kitties need anesthesia for any reason. We'll be here for hugs and support!

So when is she scheduled?

I always do a pre-surgery blood panel, this can help to determine if she may have any reactions to the anesthesia.

Other than that, I've really had no issues with cats or kittens during recoup, all have managed quite well.
Although I think if very slight pain is still felt, it helps them to not cause damage to themselves.
Pain is the body's way of telling you not to do something.
Baby was spayed as an adult and got disolving external sutures, and no pain meds, though I was cautioned to keep an eye on her for signs of obvious discomfort and bring her in for a pain injection if any signs were noted.
With kittens though, they seem to bounce back imediately, never knowing anything was done to them.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I am feeling a little better about it, still don't like it, but I feel better about doing it. My vet has special spay days where they spay/neuter a lot of cats in one day for a cheap price, so I'd imagine they have spayed/neutered a lot of cats.