No food after surgery...

Our vet has said no food for 48 hours following Bella's surgery. It's been 24 hours since the surgery, and about 48 hours since she's had food. (Since she vomited it up before I took her to the vet last night.)

Is going another 24 hours going to be detrimental to her healing? She is acting like she's starving, and I feel so bad for her. I want to follow doctor's orders, though.

I have never heard of not giving them food that long after surgery. It's usually once they are awake and the anestesia has worn off, you give them a little at a time. Cat should not go that long without eating.

when fin got neutered they said 24 hours and i couldnt believe it, shadow was allowed to eat the night he got home and it was the sae vet! Fin was starving by night time so i just gave him a littttttle bit at a time throughout the night so it wouldnt make him sick.

Well, she had major surgery on her stomach and intestines. I called the vet and they said they gave her IV fluids with nutrients in it during her surgery and while on follow-up at my regular vet.

Bella is driving me nuts now, though. Her stomach is actually growling, which I've never heard in a cat. This is so hard.

Yeah, but Bella just had her gut cut open and some foreign objects removed (hair bands. ) I should think that's a leeetle bit different! As long as she's hydrated, I wouldn't worry too much about it, hopefully someone with a bit more experience with such will be along shortly.

Originally Posted by Silverrain

Well, she had major surgery on her stomach and intestines. I called the vet and they said they gave her IV fluids with nutrients in it during her surgery and while on follow-up at my regular vet.

Bella is driving me nuts now, though. Her stomach is actually growling, which I've never heard in a cat. This is so hard.

Click to expand...

Ohhhh! well thats different then isnt it!!! lol I hope she is all better now! hopefully she'll forgive you for not feeding her and understand hehe

Man, I hope so. I feel so terrible as it is. First all that trauma, then yucky medicine, now no food. (Her favorite thing in the world!)

She's going to hate me after all is said and done. I know it's best for her, though. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Aw she won't hate you!! Just love her and tell her it will all be ok She'll be back to herself after you feed her again. lol

Yes, no food for 48 hours post surgery is right in a case like this. Her little guts need time to heal before food goes through them. When you start feeding her again just feed her very small, frequent meals of a bland diet.

Yeah, they gave us i/d for her meals for the next week.

I plan on only giving her a couple small spoonfuls at a time, then gradually increasing that amount over the next day. Is this too much?

Also, when can I reintroduce the Nutro she's used to eating? I don't want to rush it.

I would feed fer only a meatball the size of a grape for her first meal. If she is still fine an hour later she can have another. One hour later.... another etc... Once you are confident she is not getting sick with food in her belly, then you can increase the size of the meals a tiny bit and decrease the frequency. As far as re-introducing her regular food, I would ask her vet.

Thank you. I will be sure to do this.