Post Care Cystotomy Surgery

[Lemon's Mama]

Hello,
I'm wondering if anyone has advice or has gone through a cystotomy with their male cat. My big boy (20 pounds) just went through the surgery Feb 15th. He ate food that night and for the next weeks. His stitches were removed March 1st and everything seemed fine. Now all of a sudden he doesn't want to eat. I've tried everything! He was eating his Purina Vet diet and now is off of it and anything else I put in front of him. He has been peeing, no blood. I thought maybe he was in pain and gave him his dose of gabapentin but that didn't help his increase his appetite either. I bought calming diffusers and cat nip but nothing is helping. I have wrapped him a towel and hand feed him some purina urinary food since it has the moisture he needs. I got half a can into him at one sitting and then another a few hours later.

Has anyone else experienced this? I will be calling our vet in the morning but just wanted to hear what others have gone through.
(His Stones were Struvite crystals that were too big to dissolve on their own/He wasn't blocked)
Thanks!

 

[fionasmom]

I am sorry that you are having this problem with your boy. Fiona herself had this procedure when she was 9 years old, after bouts of bladder infections which recurred. She was on pain meds and antibiotics for a couple of weeks, and confined to a bathroom for a few days, but had no complications. Same thing in her case, no blockage but large stones.

Definitely call your vet and consider presenting this as an emergency. Will he eat Gerbers meat baby food, Hartz Delectables? While the vet needs to get to the bottom of this, an appetite stimulant might be useful.

 

[Lemon's Mama]

I am going to try the baby food today. Lemmy was on antibiotics for about two weeks. We stopped his pain meds after a week as he seemed to be okay. I did give him the Purina Vet diet food without mixing it with his usual wet food so I was thinking it might have caused him a tummy upset and now he associates tummy problem with food.
I am a nervous wreck!
Thank you for replying

 

[fionasmom]

Please let us know what the vet tells you. I was also thinking that possibly the surgery is fine, but something concurrent happened, like an upset tummy which is not related. Still, he needs to eat enough to maintain himself and heal and the vet needs to know about this.

 

[Lemon's Mama]

Please let us know what the vet tells you. I was also thinking that possibly the surgery is fine, but something concurrent happened, like an upset tummy which is not related. Still, he needs to eat enough to maintain himself and heal and the vet needs to know about this.

I definitely will. Calling 1st thing in the morning.

 

[Lemon's Mama]

Hi fionasmom
Lemmy went to the vet this morning. Everything looked good except for him being a bit dehydrated and having a slight fever. He was given fluids, antibiotics, anti nausea and some pepcid. I was given an appetite stimulant that gets rubbed on his ear but the vet said to see how he did with just the meds he was given today.

I bought all the crappy food and he actually ate some...not as much as I would like, but he ate so that's a good sign.
Hopefully he continues to eat

 

[fionasmom]

Hopefully he will respond; it sounds as if he needed some support from the vet and it is good that you got it. I agree with not starting the appetite stimulant if he eats enough. If you have to use it, follow directions...not that it is dangerous, but wear gloves and keep his ear clean. Let us know how he does.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I was given an appetite stimulant that gets rubbed on his ear but the vet said to see how he did with just the meds he was given today.

I presume this is Mirataz? Regardless, if you feel Lemmy needs it, start with just a half dose. The standard dosage is 1.5" ribbon (2ml) of the gel/ointment, so I recommend giving only 0.75" ribbon (1 ml). A too large dose can cause agitation and excessive hunger. There is a bit of experimenting to find out the dose that is best for your cat, so starting low and increasing as needed is always best. I hope he doesn't even need it at all!

 

[Lemon's Mama]

fionasmom FeebysOwner
Quick update on Lemmy:
He is once eating! I really think he was in pain and not feeling good, I mean his little bladder was cut open and he perked up once the vet gave him meds for the inflammation. Now, he is only eating fancy Feast but at this point I'm just happy he is eating more each day. (never had to use the appetite stimulant) Yay!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good news and thanks for the update!!! (You could do a lot worse than Fancy Feast, brw.)

 

[fionasmom]

This is great news! I agree that if he wants FF, let him eat it.