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- Feb 28, 2023
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Hey, so I'm not sure if anyone can help me. My kittens got spayed a week ago. It was part of the contract with the adoption place so we did the spay and vet visits through them. Two days after the spay one of my kittens (Thistle) got lump off to the side of her incision and was clearly in pain. They told us to wait it out 5 more days because they thought it was just fluid build up or at worse a hernia. But we wound up taking her to a different urgent care early instead because we knew she hadn't been active and something was wrong. It turns out it was a terrible infection that needed to be surgically drained, flushed and infected fat removed. We wound up going back to the spay/neuter clinic because they would take care of her for free vs a trip to the ER being thousands of dollars. But now, 3 days after her most recent surgery she is shaking, has a fever and not eating again. Idk what to do. The ER visit will cost me twice my rent plus more days missed from work to watch her but I don't know if I can trust this clinic anymore. Does anyone have any knowledge about what could be causing this or what I should do? I just want to do what's best for her, she seemed traumatized after the last surgery and money is tight but I just want to make sure she's okay. Also here are a couple photos of the original infected lump and then her belly now.
For anyone interested in the update, we did go to an emergency vet yesterday. She confirmed that Thistle still had an infection despite the antibiotic and second surgery meant to clean the wound. From what others have told me I think the bruising is normal from the second procedure (it's a lot on such a small baby), but to still have an infection after that is very abnormal since it means her first antibiotic didn't work. The vets strongly advised she needed a third surgery despite everything and that we return to the spay clinic to do it. So we were sent home with a different antibiotic and better pain meds to wait and see the clinic. After seeing the clinic today it seems as though everything is actually improving. Maybe the new antibiotics are working? But she is eating and walking and her fever has gone down slightly so I'm inclined to believe them. So we were sent home again. I still ordered a culture in case the infection comes back and we need a specific antibiotic but the whole situation is just so insane. I've never had/heard a spay/neuter go wrong like this and my whole family have always been cat people! Really hoping she won't need a third operation and this is just her recovery time now. 
Also for those commenting to find a primary vet for her, that's the first thing I'm doing once we all catch our breath again. Bouncing her between all these vets with a stack of paperwork has been a nightmare.
She did need a third surgery (the latest antibiotics were working but then her body had started to attack the sutures due to the reaction from the infection so she needed new external ones put in place plus a pump). It was like night and day comparing her after the second surgery and after the third. Right after the second I thought she'd never trust another human again. We picked her up from the third and she was sitting in my lap trying to explore even with a pump sticking out of her side. It was amazing, they really took exceptional care of her at the emergency clinic. Soon after the pump was removed she was essentially better! After everything we had a bit of a kidney scare but that latest test looked good and she's going to have her blood checked again in a few more months. I think the whole thing was very traumatic for her, honestly for all of us. She was a little neurotic for a while (running away whenever we opened the door cause she didn't want to go to the vets, just kinda twitchy and anxious grooming, didn't want to be held) but we tried hard to build a routine again and make her feel safe and things are almost completely back to normal! She's a very loving cat, both her and her sister are, it pained me to see her so suspicious and hurt after that first spay and second surgery. ): Honestly, I don't care if I need to take out a loan or whatever it takes in the future to make sure they're truly being taken care of. Oh, and they finally have a primary clinic now! Haha, I'm sorry, that was really long. I just didn't want to leave you guys with all the uneasiness and questions that we had been feeling back then. But she seems good! Happy, playful, loves being held and sitting in laps, not as scared of the door opening or associating treats with meds. Things feel good here, and she's amazed us with her strength and resiliency. Thanks for the help, and comfort during a hard time. Hope everyone is doing well and if anyone needs someone to talk to about some pet surgery/vet trauma I'm around to listen. This site is still linked to my email. 
