My Experience With Blockages and PU Surgery

I need advice! Gus returned home after p.u. Surgery yesterday. At first he was very lovey and all seemed well. This morning he is not drinking, refusing to eat. When do i call the vet? Very worried. Thank you.

Gusmom said:

I need advice! Gus returned home after p.u. Surgery yesterday. At first he was very lovey and all seemed well. This morning he is not drinking, refusing to eat. When do i call the vet? Very worried. Thank you.

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If you have any syringes you can try syringing a bit of wet food mixed with water to see if it will stimulate him to eat, just make sure you're doing it properly so that he doesn't aspirate. Definitely call your vet if you are worried, they may want to change his meds or add an appetite stimulant. 

Thank you! I have been using a plunger to force some water down him, he is peeing, just not much, i am just not sure how much water he is actually getting, some goes in but most goes everywhere. He flat out refuses any and all food...c.u. Wet, all varieties, c.u. Kibble. I have some other wet food about but i am unsure if i should try it. Mainly i am concerned about his water intake. Surgery was tuesday, brought him home wed. Which i felt was too soon, thinking he needed to stay on iv fluids a couple of days. He is on antibiotic, he took one last night (amoxicillan) i just don't know how much he should be drinking, or when, he is post op, so i suspect he should be somewhat sedate. He does respond to me, just seems depressed frankly.

Ps prior to surgery he only ate kibble, even though wet was always available. I hate that i ever fed him dry to begin with, and i know transition will be tough. Mainly i worry about water...how much should he drink? When is it not enough? Thank you!

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transit...-to-a-new-type-of-food-canned-raw-or-homemade

I don't know if you have seen these.  They give a process for transitioning kitties to wet food.  The first one is transitioning to timed meals.  Kitties who eat wet food will drink less water because of the water they get from their food.  You could try a water fountain.  Some kitties prefer running water others don't but it's worth a try.  You will need to make sure that he is getting at least 15 calories per pound of his ideal weight to avoid fatty liver disease.  You will probably have to continue giving dry food along with the wet for a while while transitioning.  While he is transitioning you may need to syringe water to keep his fluid intake up.  Use the pocket on the side of his cheek and go slow.

Thank you, will do!

Hi an update on little gus. Seems the antibiotic was making his stomach upset, he threw up over and over last night. I have been only able to get him to eat a teaspoon or so, and have had to eye dropper water into his check. It isn't enough. So, after a sleepless night, i took poor gus to vet and had him admitted for fluids, antibiotic change/shot and hopefully when he feels better he will eat. He is peeing though, thank god. It's a chicken and egg situation, if the antibiotics did not upset his stomach, i feel sure he would eat/drink. And after all he has been through, i can't loose him due to liver malfunction from lack of food, or dehydration. I am devasated to put him back in hospital, but i just couldn't watch him fade away at home! I feel like i failed him. But i also feel like this is where he needs to be. Anyone else have such problems with antibiotics post op? Or eating and drinking? Any post op advice would be greatly appriciated. Sad. thank you.

Hi! My gus is recovering from this now. The litter i am using is the paper kind, little pellets, i bought at petsmart. The point is to not use any litter that will cause dust or adhere in any way to his wounds.

Thank you.

Poor Gus. I'm sure they'll look after him well in the hospital and hopefully he'll be back home soon.

Thank you. It is so hard to see a cat you love, or any animal in pain or struggling.here's to hope! Come on little gus! Come home to me! Misssing my little guy...heart heavy.

I was just checking in to see how Gus is doing--I'm sorry to hear you had to take him back to the vet but it sounds like you made the right decision.  How is he doing now?

Vet hydrated him, gave him antibiotic shot, cream for site, shot of pain med., called and had me pick him up. She changed his antibiotic to one that alledgedly won't upset his stomach, liquid form. He ate a wee bit tonight, which is so hopeful. I must say though, my confidence is shot. I am terrified to put cream on stiches 4x a day, terrified he will become dehydrated again, just feel like i failed him. I've got to re-find my bravery, i am a little apprehensive that she let him come home the same day, perhaps she has more faith in me than me. It is such a major surgery, i feel like i need to be a vet tech to do the at home care. It's been such an ordeal. I just would break if i lost him now due to my inability to get him to eat/drink/site care. I got the vet on speed dial though....thank you for caring and support. Truely. Keep us both in your good thoughts.

An update on little gus: he has made a complete turnaround, ate (all wet) food like he was starving. He drank. He is alert and full of himself. He is happy. He is using litter box well. Hydration at vet seemed to do the trick. Right now, except for the surgical wound, collar, and the fact he is eating wet food, he seems 100% his old self. I am so grateful for the good advice/thoughts/support. Being so relieved now, i see in hindsight how desperatelyworried i was for him, and rightfully so....lol he even charged the door in a silly attempt to gain freedom from his own personal bedroom! Not gonna happen....not until he has collar off and stiches out, but that's my Gus, my healthy Gus! Plus, Gus loves to knock things over/off tables etc....this morning he went over to one of three water dishes we have for him, looked my husband in the eye, and knocked it over...lol.....the super good news is he seems to like wet food a lot, so this will be an easier transition than i thought. Question: has anyone post op p.u. Surgery been instucted to put ointment on stiches below bum and pee holes? My vet has asked me to to prevent urine scalding. I am fearful, i am doing it, but any advice, i will take it. Thank you all for all the good thoughts and support! I relied on it and it surely helped to know people care....[emoji]128515[/emoji][emoji]128049[/emoji][emoji]128147[/emoji]

I am so happy to hear this news!!  Cute about Gus knocking over the water dish.  It's funny how we can even be happy they're being naughty if it means they're feeling well, right?  

I don't have any experience with this kind of surgery but hopefully another member will come along with some thoughts about the ointment.

Absolutely! I've never been all that able to be mad at naughty pet behavour....i still say "naughty puppy!" when my three(, ages 12, 10, and 7 )terriers bark outside in the fence, which my neighbor thinks is very funny. As for Gus? He could poo on my pillow right about now and basically, i'd say, thank you...i am that happy to have my boy feeling ok. Such a little boo-face! So saucy! He's a funny little guy. If you are cooking, or cleaning, or doing anything that adding a cat to would NOT help, well, there you go, Gus will show up. He always has this kittenish quality about him...like: whatcha doing? And knocking things off, it's just too funny....he and Johnny, my other cat, absolutely need an audience, or else it's no fun at all. I have said too often "Johnny!Gus! Don't you dare!" followed by CRASH. Lol. I have the coolest, funniest little furry lot ever. And, not a lot of breakables anymore...[emoji]128522[/emoji]thank you for caring and sharing!

We have never sent home a cream to prevent urine scalding but it does make sense if they are just dribbling all the time. We tend to keep them in clinic longer though so we can see how they are recuperating. If we felt like they were going to get urine scalding, we would send home a cream I'm sure.

I'm glad he's feeling normal again. Did the vet send home pain meds as well?

Gusmom said:

Absolutely! I've never been all that able to be mad at naughty pet behavour....i still say "naughty puppy!" when my three(, ages 12, 10, and 7 )terriers bark outside in the fence, which my neighbor thinks is very funny. As for Gus? He could poo on my pillow right about now and basically, i'd say, thank you...i am that happy to have my boy feeling ok. Such a little boo-face! So saucy! He's a funny little guy. If you are cooking, or cleaning, or doing anything that adding a cat to would NOT help, well, there you go, Gus will show up. He always has this kittenish quality about him...like: whatcha doing? And knocking things off, it's just too funny....he and Johnny, my other cat, absolutely need an audience, or else it's no fun at all. I have said too often "Johnny!Gus! Don't you dare!" followed by CRASH. Lol. I have the coolest, funniest little furry lot ever. And, not a lot of breakables anymore...[emoji]128522[/emoji]thank you for caring and sharing!

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Boy, I can just feel the relief in your tone!     I hope the excellent recovery continues.

No, vet did not send Gus home with pain meds, i was shocked by this, but she felt the grogginess side affect might hinder his eating/peeing. He did get a shot when he returned for hydration......but here's the thing: it is a miracle i went to vet when i did.we had moved, left old vet, cats needed vacines, found new vet, and just that morning of new vet apt. Gus was acting sick, not the night before or ever. So weird. The new vet is literally around the corner. So, i have been going through this with gus with a vet i do not know.I researched and fellt she would be a good match for my crew...3 dogs, 2 cats. I do trust her, but i do not really know her yet...hard to read....my old vet absolutely knew me and got me. I am not there with the new vet yet, although i have bonded with the tech....gus is doing great though. His coat is shiny, his mood fiesty (normal) loving curious moving about...collar driving him nuts, but all in all i think he is well on his way....continues to eat, drink,pee, poo. Hates the ointment for his stiches, i hate doing it. Tech said do your best, was encouraging. We are 10 days until gus is free from stiches and collar. Thank you for caring! This has been god awful to go through, let alone with new vet. I second guessed myself, her, everything, was worried sick. But the kindness i have received here on forum really really helped. I felt i learned a lot, and that peopke cared that i was desperately fighting to save my little fellows life! You know i meet a lot of people who think : oh it's just a cat. This amazes me. Obviously they don't get how sweet/funny cats are. I was a foster kid, and when i got my forever home, the first thing i did was drag home a sick abandoned kitten. I still love every animal i ever shared my life with and it means the world to me to have others who get it share my journey as Gus recovers. So thank you. A really really big thank you. Blessings to all!

Gus has stopped eating, threw up. Vet says to bring him back later today. I am beyond angry that he is going through so much. Why is he throwing up? Why is he not eating/drinking? I don't know what else to do. I have done everything vet asked. Is it the antibiotics again? Tomorrow will be a week since surgery. I don't know what else to do. Poor gus. Oh i am so angry this is happening to him!