Shanky's spay operation

[Nilo]

I had the AC switched on for a couple hours after 2 days. Shanky woke up, ate and started shivering. I found her temp to be 97.3. I used a heating pad and after an hour, she reached 100.5.

I did the skin tenting test. And she's dehydrated. She has hardly drunk any water since the surgery, but she'd been having wet food, so I didn't think about it.

Blood circulation helps regulate body temperature. When there has been blood loss and/or dehydration, there can be some circulation issues which result in poor temperature regulation.

I suspect she might have been 2 weeks pregnant during the surgery. Because the surgery took 30 mins (which i think is long) and it appears like she had some blood loss. I'll have to ask the vet today.

I don't understand why she doesn't want to drink water though. She only took like 8-10 sips of water combined, in 2 visits to the water bowl in 36 hours.

I would force feed her water, but she's genetically prone to water going down the wrong tube. I don't know the word for it. So, I'm planning to get her fluids by drips in 7 hours. Yes, it's a long time. But i don't know if this is emergency enough to take her to the other vet.

Do you have any suggestions, information or corrections?

 

[Meowmee]

Shanky's Blood Test Results:
View attachment 443725
Note: Ignore the bold font. The reference range used to bold bad values is not applicable to cats.

Vet has scheduled spay surgery for this Tuesday.
He initially suggested we wait a month (after seeing low platelet count and learning about diarrhea), I told him Terry might try to mate, and asked him what to do. He then said we'll start some treatment, and do the surgery during the treatment, and continue the treatment. That it should be fine.

The treatment: 2 antibiotics for 10 days, such that surgery comes on the 3rd day of the course.
I do not quite understand why we need this tbh. Her WBC is normal, so there's no infection, so why give antibiotics!? What is he treating, i didn't get it. Also, what's with waiting to start antibiotics just to make the surgery fall on the 3rd day of antibiotics? I didn't get any explanations, and I was too confused to know what to ask for specifically.

Here are some questions I asked about the procedure and the answers I was given. Only few were answered by the doctor, he then directed me to the nurses and moved on to another case.

• Pre-op tests: No pre-op tests are required for spaying cats. Not even CBC or even a physical examination.
• Duration: The cat will be given back unconscious in ~30 mins to be taken back home.
• The cat will not be woken up using reversal anesthetic shots, but will wake up on its own in 2-3 hours.
• Monitoring: Pulse, oxygen, etc - none of this will be monitored during or after the surgery.
  • I did read that cats are at more risk after waking up from anesthesia than while being under. So, if there's anything I can do at home to monitor them, or if there are any signs that I should look out for, do let me know.
• Typical complications and what to look out for: No cat has apparently ever had a complication. Yep, they literally said that, I even asked them repeatedly hoping for a better answer. I specifically asked for bleeding, strokes, not waking up from anesthesia, pregnancy later, etc. They said there might have been bleeding, but it's never an issue the owner has to worry about. Nothing else has ever happened apparently, in the last 15 years...
• No, they do not handle emergency care following the surgery. I would have to find some other hospital for that. Was told I would never need it anyways.
• Technique:
  • They will remove the ovaries and the uterus.
  • Endotracheal tube will be used, but no IV will be used. Anesthesia provided as gas. No IV fluids.
  • No heating blanket will be used.
• Pain meds: Will be given on the day of the surgery, it is applicable for 3 days. After that, if required, it may be provided during bandage changes. Nothing to administer at home.
• Instructions:
  • Pre-op:
    • Fasting and no water - for 6 hours prior to surgery
    • Bring towel, basket and payment.
  • Post-op:
    • Cat has to wear cone for 1 week
    • Bring the cat in as per given schedule
      • 2-3 times for bandage changes
      • 1 week after surgery - sutures will be removed (sutures are not absorbable)
    • No dietary restrictions. No particular movement restrictions. Just keep them in a room.
  • That's it. No other instructions were given.

I know that the standards followed in the west involve a lot more safeguards.
But I don't have much options here, and I'm going with this vet, I guess.
So, if you have any suggestions, tips or guidance that I can implement to make it safer, please do let me know. I will definitely try my best to provide for Shanky. But I also don't want to get anxious about things out of my control. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss, I suppose.

Shanky's status for surgery imo - generally healthy except the following:

• Diarrhea - risk of slower recovery?
• Low platelet count (A month ago, Shanky had 290, now it is 180, despite taking a supplement for it everyday. Vet said it's bad that it has reduced this much and needs to be ideally 250) - risk of blood loss?
• Could be 1-2 weeks pregnant (worst case), but probably not

It should be fine, right?

I missed this post maybe because it was moved. How is she doing now? Did she go back to dvm? I hope all is well with Shanky and Terri.

 

[Meowmee]

I had the AC switched on for a couple hours after 2 days. Shanky woke up, ate and started shivering. I found her temp to be 97.3. I used a heating pad and after an hour, she reached 100.5.

I did the skin tenting test. And she's dehydrated. She has hardly drunk any water since the surgery, but she'd been having wet food, so I didn't think about it.

Blood circulation helps regulate body temperature. When there has been blood loss and/or dehydration, there can be some circulation issues which result in poor temperature regulation.

I suspect she might have been 2 weeks pregnant during the surgery. Because the surgery took 30 mins (which i think is long) and it appears like she had some blood loss. I'll have to ask the vet today.

I don't understand why she doesn't want to drink water though. She only took like 8-10 sips of water combined, in 2 visits to the water bowl in 36 hours.

I would force feed her water, but she's genetically prone to water going down the wrong tube. I don't know the word for it. So, I'm planning to get her fluids by drips in 7 hours. Yes, it's a long time. But i don't know if this is emergency enough to take her to the other vet.

Do you have any suggestions, information or corrections?

so her temp is too low? if you think it is blood loss go to dvm asap.

 

[Nilo]

Meowmee
Nah, my bad, she hasn't had any bleeding from the incision. I was just theorising that her symptoms could be happening because of extra blood loss (likely for pregnant or in-heat cats) during the surgery.

Yes, her temperature frequently drops low, and with the help of heating aids, it rises back closer to the normal range, only to drop again.

I've read anesthesia can cause temperature regulation problems sometimes for 48 hours, that would be the easiest option for that would make her alright in about 4 hours from now.
The other possibility is dehydration and/or low blood levels. They take a while to resolve depending on how bad it is.

We haven't been to the vet yet. They'll open in about 1.5 hours.
We've given her 12ml of ORS (oral rehydration solution). She did have an episode of water going the wrong way though. Hope it's not hurting her much.

It is confusing to me why she simply refuses to drink water.

 

[Meowmee]

Meowmee
Nah, my bad, she hasn't had any bleeding from the incision. I was just theorising that her symptoms could be happening because of extra blood loss (likely for pregnant or in-heat cats) during the surgery.

Yes, her temperature frequently drops low, and with the help of heating aids, it rises back closer to the normal range, only to drop again.

I've read anesthesia can cause temperature regulation problems sometimes for 48 hours, that would be the easiest option for that would make her alright in about 4 hours from now.
The other possibility is dehydration and/or low blood levels. They take a while to resolve depending on how bad it is.

We haven't been to the vet yet. They'll open in about 1.5 hours.
We've given her 12ml of ORS (oral rehydration solution). She did have an episode of water going the wrong way though. Hope it's not hurting her much.

It is confusing to me why she simply refuses to drink water.

How is she? Did you get to dvm?

 

[Nilo]

How is she? Did you get to dvm?

She's doing better. Thank you for asking!
I should have made an update. But i didn't have any new info or explanations, so i was waiting to make an update.

She's been drinking lots of liquids from gravy and peeing buckets. So, I don't see how she can possibly be dehydrated. But there are a few anomalies like her skin does tent at some places, her nose does become dry now and then. There's probably some other explanation for those.

The temperature has plateaued at 99.6 - 99.8 for the past 24 hours. I don't know why. But at least it's not varying with external temperature.

We didn't go to the vet yesterday because we discussed on the call with the receptionist and they said it's not serious enough, and that i should simply give her more time. That there's nothing they can do there. And to wait for the dressing change visit to evaluate the remaining symptoms and get explanations. And it's been working, she's feeling better and her symptoms have stabilized a bit.

Yesterday, she started to feel a high and she kept demanding I let her play with Terry. Today she's been sleeping more, and is quite calm when awake. Her pain meds are probably wearing off, since it's been 75 hours since the surgery.

I don't know how you all manage to keep your cats off their incisions. Shanky's dress has been really helpful, because she's been excessively grooming herself everywhere else. How come they're not used more commonly there? Humans feel good with compression garments after surgeries, right, maybe cats do too. And the wound would heal faster when covered than open. The only downside i can see is not being able to check the site for swelling or redness, but the dress reduces chances of that too.

You never told me how your back is. Have you recovered?

 

[Meowmee]

She's doing better. Thank you for asking!
I should have made an update. But i didn't have any new info or explanations, so i was waiting to make an update.

She's been drinking lots of liquids from gravy and peeing buckets. So, I don't see how she can possibly be dehydrated. But there are a few anomalies like her skin does tent at some places, her nose does become dry now and then. There's probably some other explanation for those.

The temperature has plateaued at 99.6 - 99.8 for the past 24 hours. I don't know why. But at least it's not varying with external temperature.

We didn't go to the vet yesterday because we discussed on the call with the receptionist and they said it's not serious enough, and that i should simply give her more time. That there's nothing they can do there. And to wait for the dressing change visit to evaluate the remaining symptoms and get explanations. And it's been working, she's feeling better and her symptoms have stabilized a bit.

Yesterday, she started to feel a high and she kept demanding I let her play with Terry. Today she's been sleeping more, and is quite calm when awake. Her pain meds are probably wearing off, since it's been 75 hours since the surgery.

I don't know how you all manage to keep your cats off their incisions. Shanky's dress has been really helpful, because she's been excessively grooming herself everywhere else. How come they're not used more commonly there? Humans feel good with compression garments after surgeries, right, maybe cats do too. And the wound would heal faster when covered than open. The only downside i can see is not being able to check the site for swelling or redness, but the dress reduces chances of that too.

You never told me how your back is. Have you recovered?

Aww I am glad she is doing better. Maybe it is just a matter of time for her to recover, it is a major surgery. My girl cats have always had an easy time with it from what I recall. No problems with incisions etc. Back then I don't think they had the compression suits etc. I don't think we used anything and fortunately they never chewed at anything. None of my cats have ever tolerated the cones and just ripped them off but they were ok.
Thanks for asking about my back. Unfortunately I have a compression fracture and it is going to take time to heal. I have been very exhausted and I have to rest a lot and will need meds etc. It will probably take a few months to a year to really recover fully. It's a nightmare because I have to restrict activity a lot and it's hard to take care of the kitties etc.