So upset right now...vet gave a Convenia injection without consulting me

My 2 yr old cat, Eko, went in for a dental cleaning this morning (he had really bad tartar build up for his age.)  And I was horrified to learn, upon picking him up, that they had given him a Convenia antibiotic injection.

Back in April Eko had a walnut sized lump that formed at the site of an antibiotic injection (different drug, but still.)  They could have seen this on his chart and really could have remembered this (the tech who was working on him knows him well since he was adopted from them and he is one of her favorites....she was also one of the ones who examined the lump)  And this cat loves pill pockets!  Oral meds would have been no problem. 

This was my first ever dental procedure with one of my cats and I didn't even think about antibiotics.  I'll know to put big notes on their charts in the future...."No injections without consulting first!"

I'm frustrated and hoping Eko will be okay.  I do like our vet and have a bond with them since we adopted two of our cats from them, but this was so upsetting.

I'm so sorry hun!

It happens, and we learn what we need to do, even with vets we like and respect. We've learned a few things the hard way. Flowerbelle was in the hospital for almost a month when she was first rescued, she was in such bad shape. They sent her home, and Gary didn't like the sound of her cough. We (thankfully) went to get a second opinion. Turns out, they hadn't done a fecal before sending her home. A quick look under a microscope and they'd have seen a fecal sample more packed with worms than probably any they'd seen before. And an unusual one - lung worm. It's common around here now, but at the time, it was the first reported case in the county in something like 20 years. She was literally drowning. The vet that discovered it gave her 2, maybe 3 days to live if we hadn't brought her in.

Lesson? Even though you've worked with a vet in rescue for years, don't trust they wormed the cat in the hospital or checked the fecal sample. 10+ years later, we still run through the check list both when dropping a cat off, and when picking a cat up.

I know Convenia can be a nasty one. HOWEVER.... if he doesn't have an adverse reaction, now you know you can use it in him. Four or so of our kitties have received the shot before we knew about the dangers of using it. But since it worked well for them, if it's indicated, we'll use it in the future for those cats. The others we won't let receive it.

We also have it LOUDLY marked in all their files that going forward we want titre testing done, no automatic vaccines (and the only one we'd give if needed is rabies).

You had no way to know they'd do that as part of the dental. Now it's something you know to discuss for all your kitties in the future

Eko will have no adverse reaction!

Watch for the normal reactions, that one might have from any antibiotic, throw up, diarea, lethergy, and f your kitty experiences it, call your vet. If your vet is closed, call the ER vet. If the kitty experiences violent throwing up, that is get them to the vet or ER, like right now.

On your go home papers, they should have put this on there, if they didn't you need to ask why.

It lasts 2 weeks in their system, but some evidence shows it can last much longer, so keep an eye on him.

When you drop your pet off, for surgery, they have you fill out a form. On there, I put in big letters,

do not give any meds, without advising me first, do not move or transport anywhere, call me first, and I will come get him. No one, is to take him, anywhere, or I will call the police, and report him stolen.

Most important, make sure, they know your wishes, should life threatening measures need to be taken.

I tell them, do not, put him down, call me first, don't even think about it. 

Then ask them to make you a copy of what you signed. Not sure how much it would hold up in court, but you have proof, of what you asked for to be done, or not done.

If, he should have a reaction, they can give him benedryl, I know they do, if he has a reaction to a vaccine, not sure about anitibiotics, you need to ask, just in case, so you are prepared.

I have one, who I authorized to be given Convenia. She tore her chest open, how, I have not a clue, all my kitties are indoors.  It takes 6 linebackers to hold her down, to give her any meds, and even then, ya want back up. I did not want to risk, her tearing her stitches open, to get meds in her.  I watched her like a hawk, and she was fine. If not for the stitches, I call the Dallas Cowboys to hold her down, to get her meds in her, lol.  

Hope this helps you feel better.  Talk to your vet, and make sure, he/she understands, how upset you are, so this does not happen again.  My telling them, I was going to call the police, lol, is something they never forgot, lol.        

 Dallas Cowboys? I got a better idea: Jacksonville Jaguars.

I don't think it will take that many linebackers to hold down a cat. She only has four legs.

Oh dear!  I always write on the forms I have to sign, "NO METACAM OR CONVENIA. NO KETAMINE"  in big red sharpie!  They know I'm serious and they don't like it but that's there problem, not mine.  Keep an eye on him and look for the normal reactions.  Mine always slept more than normal when given Convenia, but be sure he's eating and drinking normally and using the box like normal.

Oh, that was so frustrating. I understand how you feel and i dont want that to happen to my cat.  It's funny to write "No injections without consulting first!" on the charts but now i realized to make it a rule too.