Recover from cystotemy surgery

Thanks so much, Mosimom, for saying that.  Yes, I asked the technician a lot about Max's lack of eating. She said it's not as important to get him eating, because he's getting all his liquid and nutrients from the IV drip for now, and getting him hydrated is more important. I then mentioned the special cat food vets have that's high in protein and smells, and she said she was going to try that this afternoon. She also said that me visiting might help. And I like your idea of bringing something from home for him. There's an  orange Ikea blanket on my bed he likes to sleep on. So I'll bring that, so he can sit on it in his cage.

I honestly don't know if IV hydration with electrolytes is the equivelant to actual food eaten. I never got that far in my research and experience.
Never had to ask the question.
After Mosi had her FO surgery she had to go the next two days after to get hydration therapy (IV and sub-q). They probably would have kept her a few days, but they were not a 24 hr vet and knew I would watch her closely at night. I hated to put her through the transporting each day, but it was for the best. Her surgery was on a Thursday and she didn't eat until Saturday evening. I credit the extra hydration to her eating and recovery.
I feel confident Max is going to be okay now. It may cost you a fortune still with his 24 hr care, but he's your baby and worth it!

Updates! And they're good ones.

Yesterday I got to visit Max at the vet for about 45 mins. I sat with him in a room and he seemed way better. He was alert, moving around at a normal speed, eating wet food, and even purring loudly as I pet him. All in all, it was a great visit and he was happy to see me. I even brought him his blanket so he'd have something familiar from home in his cage. The vets were good and showed me where he was staying. And the minute we put him back in his cage, he took a proper, somewhat dignified piss on his pee pad. It was good to see that as, the last day I had him home, he seemed to have no control over his bladder and was peeing all over the place.

I then spoke to the vet this morning and he said Max has made a full recovery! All of his kidney and electrolyte levels have returned to normal, thanks to the IV drip and the liquid nutrients he's been getting.  They're going to keep him today/tonight too, so they can cut his IV drop intake in half and slowly ween him off the liquids. The hope is that he begins to hydrate normally on his own, without their help. I told them I liked this plan.

The vet said he'll do another blood test tonight to make sure he's still recovering properly. Then maybe I can pick him up tomorrow.

Now, being that he pulls through fine and I have him home soon, I feel I need to have a serious conversation with this vet about malpractice. I know that's a heavy word, but the more I think about this, the more I think it's a legit claim. They waived the fee on the second surgery, clearly because they knew they had messed up. I was willing to forgive that, but almost losing Max on Monday night has me pretty angry at this place. Everything I see on line says that the vet should keep the cat for 2-3 days of recovery after a cystotemy surgery. Furthermore, Max had TWO surgeries in as many days. And yet, the original doctor let me take him home the next day! That, as well as the amount of meds he was on the entire weekend, is what led to him not hydrating properly for three days. On Monday, I called the office at 1pm to say he was shaking badly. The rep asked the vet about this and he said he would call me back at the end of his shift at 6pm. I was the one that had to suggest going to get more food to feed him as well as buying a thermometer to check his temperature. At 6pm, his shaking had slowed down, so the vet said not to worry about it. That it might be a reaction to the meds. (he was wrong about this). Then, when the shaking started up bad again that night, it finally took a neighbor (outside eyes) to see his condition to get me to call the vet again at 1am.  And that was when I rushed him over there and the new doctor saved his life.

All in all, Max never should have been released this soon. They should have kept him on an IV for at least 2 days after that second surgery. And even if they didn't, then someone there should have warned me about this and told me the signs I should look for. Yet, I felt rushed out the door and the only instructions I was given had to do with paying almost $80 for prescription food from them, and knowing the times to give him his meds. That's it. 

So before I bring all of this up to the vet, let me know if you all agree, and if anything I typed up top seems logical, based on your own experiences.

Thanks.

That is such a great update! I am so very happy for you and Max. Many continued vibes for a speedy full recovery!

I would definitely let the vet practice know about your unhappiness with Max's surgery and aftercare. I agree that the after surgery care was not what it should have been. That Max is alive and recovering is entirely due to your diligence.

I'm very happy for you and Max!!!!

Malpractice is different between human and animal care.  I believe the most you are likely to recover in a veterinary malpractice suit is the money you spent.  A better way to go perhaps should you wish to pursue this is to report your vet to your state's veterinary licensing board.  You can google this.  The board can reprimand, fine or in rare cases suspend the license of a vet.  Another way to deal with this (besides talking with your vet's office and their office manager or practice owner) is with your pocketbook by taking you business elsewhere. A yelp review may be in order as well.

Most of all, i'm happy for Max!

So,so,so happy Max is doing well AND eating too!

I can completely understand how the two surgeries happened and you only are responsible for one.
I think you should contest billing for the emergency aftercare though. I'm sure that will be expensive and hasn't been
totally tallied yet. I don't think Max would have had so much trouble if he hadn't been put under TWICE and cut on again.
His little body just couldn't handle TWO surgeries back to back like that!

Is he eating the prescription vet food then? That is great if he is and you didn't have to go through the stress....but
then wait until he gets home where he rules the roost...lol.

How is Max?

He's back home and he's made an amazing recovery. In fact, he wants to play so much, he's starting to exhaust me. As I type this, he's perched next to my desk, giving me sad eyes and meowing at me, with some toys behind him.

I'm going to be speaking to the owner of the vet today about getting them to possibly waive the second invoice, for all the emergency after care he needed. I still stand by my belief that Max was in no shape to go home with me that soon after two surgeries, nor that I was properly informed about what could go wrong that fateful weekend.

Thank you all so much for your care, feedback and most of all, support, during this past 2 weeks. I seriously would not have been able to get through this without all of you.  Here's a pic of Max, posing with his coming home presents.

What a wonderful update Thanks for letting us know.

Great update and beautiful cat!

I am so happy to hear this great update. Thanks for letting us know.