Just got my 17 week old kitten spayed-- issues

bigperm20

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FML! Why can't anything ever go smoothly? But I digress... So Beans was spayed yesterday, she's a 17 week old DLH. When she came home last night she was really aggressive acting from either the pain or the anesthesia. Poor baby, I felt so sorry for her. The vet said it was most likely the anesthesia because the pain shots they use last for 24 hours. I would have just left her alone, the problem is she kept trying to lick the area of her surgery. This is obviously a big no no.
I had to e-collar her which was a nightmare for her (and me) in the state she was in. I kept it on her all night and kept switching out warm blankets from the dryer for her to sleep on.
She was better this morning but was still trying to lick the incision so she got collared again. She's hung out with me all day today and I'll remove it when she's in my lap, or on the couch next to me. The problem is the second take my eyes off her she's licks at her incision like it's going out of style.

She's not supposed to get wet for 7 days. That includes bathing. Is this gonna be my life for the next week?
 
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bigperm20

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Oh I forgot to add. When Oksana was spayed she licked at her incision and I didn't have a collar so I did my best to watch her but she basically licked it everytime she got a chance. She even tugged at the stitches some which I stopped immediately, but my point is she never got an infection.
 

jenl

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I feel for you. My female had to be coned after getting spayed as well, but only for a few days. I think it is natural for them to want to lick the incision because it feels odd or itches. She was so mad at me for cone her she wouldn't even look at me. I was a nervous wreck she would pull
her stitches while I was at work. Thankfully after a day or so of the cone it wasn't an
issue.
She is currently on restricted rest for a knee issue and has to stay in
our room for four weeks with no jumping. It will be a challenge. But we will
get through it and so will you with your girl. Hang in there!
 

Willowy

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I don't interfere with them licking the incision, as long as they don't go overboard. I figure it has to be kept clean, right? So far Pixie is the only one who has pulled out any stitches (out of many many many cats spayed!). I put a tube sock on her. Way better than a cone, for sure. A preemie/newborn baby onesie might work, too (with an appropriate area cut out of the back). Or a vet wrap/ace bandage?
 
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orientalslave

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Does she have visible or invisible stitches?  If the later then it's quite hard for her to damage the incision as she can't pull them out.

No bathing?  Crickey, how often do you bath her?  Most cats never, ever need a bath unless they are being shown or get something on their coat that needs removing.
 
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bigperm20

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Does she have visible or invisible stitches?  If the later then it's quite hard for her to damage the incision as she can't pull them out.



No bathing?  Crickey, how often do you bath her?  Most cats never, ever need a bath unless they are being shown or get something on their coat that needs removing.
Visible stitches. I'm looking at a spay/neuter discharge sheet. I think the no bathing applies to dogs. But the line right above that says "Do not allow your pet to lick or chew at the incision an e collar may be purchased if needed."

As far as Willowy's post regarding letting ur cat lick all they want (within reason) b/c the incision needs to be clean. I thought cat's mouths were filthy compared to dogs. I'd like to hear some more opinions on this before taking the cone off.
 

Willowy

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They lick themselves anyway :dk:. So even if their mouths are filthy, I would assume they'd be used to it by now :tongue2:. Immune to their own germs?

I'm not saying anyone else should do what I do. It's probably best to do what your vet says :). Just that I've had a LOT of cats spayed and never took any precautions against licking, and they've all been fine. The TNR girls get released the day after (so obviously, nobody is stopping them from licking) and they all do fine too. I personally think the stress of coning could cause more problems than the licking. Honestly, I don't think my vet's after-care sheet says anything about preventing lickingg. . .I wish I had one here to look at.

I think I might worry more about a dog licking their incision because their tongues are so wet, it could cause a bedsore/diaper rash-type problem. But kitties' tongues are nice and dry.
 
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ilovemia

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I've never used a cone with any of my cats. Some licked more than others but I found my looking at the site and worrying over cuased more licking behavior. As long as its not excessive I wouldnt worry.
 

missymotus

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Don't use cones on mine, they wouldn't fit anyway being young kittens, they'll lick a little but don't fuss with it too much. 

Generally so long as they're not actually pulling stitches out it's ok. Some licking is normal.
 
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bigperm20

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I took the come off of her. The problem is not the licking, she got over that fairly quick. She's running around like a banshee. It's not just energy that's been pent up either, it has been going on for hours.
It also says her paperwork no excessive running or jumping for the first 7 days. Running and jumping is pretty much all she does. I'm thinking I should put the collar back on her, as I'm afraid she might damage either the internal or external sutures.

I guess I should probably just quit worrying, but she is just such a mess; it's hard to ignore.
 

orientalslave

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Have you been back to the vet about the stiches she pulled out?  Otherwise, cats know better than vets what they can and can't do.  Minnie shot out of her carrier, did a few laps of the wall of death around the house with Max, stuffed her face, did a few more laps and then settled down to sleep.  The sheet says keep them quiet, light diet...

It is true that here in the UK most spays are via the cat's flank and only the skin and what has to be cut inside is cut - the layers of muscle are simply parted and spring back when the instruments are taken out.  Minnie's incision was very slightly over 1cm long and her stitches were internal and dissolved on their own.
 
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bigperm20

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I really wish they did the surgery that way her in the US. It sounds much less invasive. To answer your question she hasn't pulled any of her stitches out. I'm not sure where you read that.
 
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bigperm20

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Does the incision look infected to you all?
I put a text in to the vet's weekend cell to see what she thought. The redness scares me.
 

Willowy

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No, not really. Some redness is normal after any surgery.

But let me add my own rant. . .argh! I hate untidy incisions/suturing! Like it's going to kill the vet to be more careful? But, on the plus side, I don't think she'd be able to pull her stitches even if she wanted to. Most of them are inside.
 

missymotus

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It is true that here in the UK most spays are via the cat's flank

Minnie's incision was very slightly over 1cm long and her stitches were internal and dissolved on their own.
I much prefer flank speys too, current vet only does midlines but the incision is 1cm or so.

Beans incision looks fine, just untidy work. 
 

catsallaround

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I always use a dab of an anti pain/no lick cream AROUND the incision.  A friends cat pulled out some stiches but none of mine have ever done anything nor needed a cone(the first neuter we were told to buy cone and we figured we are down the street we can come back-that vet was old fashioned).  That cat was a few days post op and I advised her to not do anything but her cat/her call.  She applied the cream and had no further issues and the cat healed up just fine.  One I use is biocaine but anything with a biterant and pain relief should in theory work.
 
 
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