Question
timmy since his surger
Hi, I'm really worried about my cat. Can you offer some
advice??? He is 16 year old neutered male, who's name is
Timmy. who went missing two weeks ago for a day and came
back with a limp. We brought him to the vet who said that he
had severe arthritis due to age and assured us nothing had
broken or dislocated. Timmy was always a quiet cat with a
very gentle temperament and he has become even more quiet in
the las couple of years and sleeps most of the day. The vet
worried this was due to renal or liver failure and asked to
due blood tests. He also had a bad tooth that had an abscess
on it, so Timmy was sedated an had the tooth pulled, while
getting the blood tests done. Luckily his organs are fine,
and the vet commended us for keeping him in good shape at
such an old age. However when we brought him home his
condition deteriorated. He has lost his appetite, which we
put down to the anesthesia, however it is now one week since
his dental and his appetite has not increased. He will eat
about two mouthfuls 3 times daily and is not drinking a lot,
sometimes not at all... We have to wake him up and place him
beside his food before he will eat anything. He has appeared
to lost a lot of weight also. I am worried that if i bring
him back to vet they will put him to sleep, and i am aware
that this is selfish of me, however I am distraught at the
thought of losing my lifelong pal. Today is Tuesday(one week
since anesthesia) so I have said I will give him until
Friday to see if his condition improves, He showed a little
sign of improvement yesterday (Monday) and ate more than he
had the previous days. He is not very mobile and appears
very weak. We are trying to make him as comfortable as
possible and trying to feed him regularly. I am just so
concerned as it is very sudden, and particularly when the
vet said he was healthy for his age. Do you have ant idea
what could be the cause, and do you think I am doing the
right thing by monitoring his condition before bringing him
to our vet? What would you recommend? I am inconsolable at
the minute, every time i think if losing him i break down.
Please offer advice..... Amy, a cat lover from Ireland!
AnswerOh Amy,
I am so sorry that Timmy is ailing. You are lucky he even came home after being gone for a day. Some cats that age never come home.
It does seem like a coincidence that he is now ill, and it could be that having the tooth out might have spread some bacteria into his bloodstream. This would make him lethargic and ill. Have you not told the vet of his behavior since having the tooth out?
I think you should call them tomorrow and ask them to give him some antibiotics. If he wasn't on any after the dental procedure then he really needs to be on some now. He should have been given some post-op from the dental for this reason.
Bad teeth harbor a gazillion bacteria and those can then escape and spread once the tooth is out. This would make him feel really sick to his stomach and weak. He could also be having a hard time clearing out the anesthetic from his system as you mentioned. However, most vets with experience will use an anesthetic that is safe for older cats and not as hard on the kidneys etc.
He really needs to be seen Amy. He may need some fluids as well. He looks a bit dehydrated and the vet can give him some under the skin, or subq. This will help him with clearing out any anesthetic as well, but after a week most of that should be gone.
And know this; the vet cannot put Timmy down without your consent, never forget that.
I do understand how you feel, but remember you are there to take care of Timmy, not just Amy. Timmy is relying on YOU to help him, and that means as far as giving him that final gift to end his suffering when the time comes. It is often the hardest decision we make, but knowing that they are no longer suffering makes it a tiny bit more bearable.
However, I don't think his time is now but I think he really needs to see the vet right away. Give him a chance to get past this with some supportive help. That is what he needs.
I realize that many owners are reluctant to contact the vet again when problems come up but this is possibly related to his dental in some form since he had a clean bill of health otherwise.
So please call the vet and get him in there Amy. It is their job to make him well if they can.
I know how hard this is on you but you must think of Timmy first. He could rally well after having some treatment but he has to be in there first to get it. Stay with him and tell the vet you are willing to sit with him during his fluid therapy.
I know he is counting on you Amy. So make that call and please let me know what happens and how he does. I will be saying a prayer for you both.
Jana
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