Can cannot meow post spay

bonnie1smom

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Hello Cat Friends, 

Bonnie went in for a spay yesterday. When she came home she was coughing and dry heaving and there was a gurgling in her chest when breathing heavily, also she cannot meow. She is trying to meow, her mouth is moving, but no sound comes out. Not even a squeak. She is purring more or less like normal, it's just a bit gurgly. 

The vet said her voice should return, but I'm nervous she has vocal paralysis from the intubation.

Has anyone had any similar experiences they can share with me? I've very worried about her. 

I look forward to hearing back from you. 

Mel & Bonnie.
 
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bonnie1smom

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Title meant to say Cat Cannot Meow. How do I edit a post? 
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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You should see a little Pencil icon in the lower left of your comment box. Clicking that can allow you to edit your comment for up to 2 hours after you first posted it, I think, but I am not sure if it allows you to edit the Title of a thread you started.... it might.
 
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bonnie1smom

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Thanks so much for getting back to me. I don't have the edit/ pencil option, possibly, because it's my first post?? Any experience with a once chatty cat gone mute after surgery by chance? 
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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It's been a while since I was new to the site, so I can't remember if "newbies" are yet permitted to edit posts! It sounds like you are unable to.

~~~

Hello Cat Friends, 

Bonnie went in for a spay yesterday. When she came home she was coughing and dry heaving and there was a gurgling in her chest when breathing heavily, also she cannot meow. She is trying to meow, her mouth is moving, but no sound comes out. Not even a squeak. She is purring more or less like normal, it's just a bit gurgly. 

The vet said her voice should return, but I'm nervous she has vocal paralysis from the intubation.

Has anyone had any similar experiences they can share with me? I've very worried about her. 

I look forward to hearing back from you. 

Mel & Bonnie.
I haven't had the exact experience you describe for Bonnie... but I would guess that intubation would cause some throat irritation and etc. Did your vet tell you about when to expect Bonnie to recover her voice, and for her to quit her coughing?
 
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bonnie1smom

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No, unfortunately, the vet is being guarded with her responses and hasn't committed to any time frames or provided any expectations. She just says, give it time. But I'm a nervous mom and am really hoping that some lovely folks here will tell me that their cats regained their voices. Bonnie's sweet meow is my favorite sound, and I'm dying to hear it again. 
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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Has the vet or a vet tech at least given you after-care instructions for the spay, what to watch out for, etc.?? I'm just wondering why a vet would be "guarded with her responses" in trying to address one of your immediate concerns...
 
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bonnie1smom

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I'm to keep her comfortable and not encourage too much activity. I'm watching for vomit or diarrhoea, of which there is none... other than a small vomit of foam. Bonnie is sleeping a lot, but still interested in food and when she's awake she is alert, but that wouldn't preclude damage to her vocal chords from the intubation.  I think the vet knows that this is not an average outcome and doesn't want to say too much. Probably doesn't want me to get upset prematurely. Too late. Already upset!
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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Maybe some other posters will chime in with their experiences from spays. You can also try a variety of search terms and search this site to find threads about spays, and about people's experiences with the "aftermaths" of spays.

There are usually several days of recovery, sleeping a lot is not unusual, nor is some nausea, etc. Did you speak with the vet only yesterday? Considering your concern, if it were me, I would try calling again and bringing it up again, both in the hopes of further suggestions or answers from the vet, but to also document your concerns. In fact, does your vet have email as a way of communicating for your kitty? From my own experiences, when emailing a vet, the written back and forth goes into the cat's file for documentation. Personally, I feel this is a good thing. It doesn't hurt sending emails documenting any symptoms your kitty is having that you are worried about, or even just giving good progress reports, you know, if that is the case...

P.S.- I was just going to add, you are essentially your kitty's advocate here, and IF something is amiss with her vocal cords, perhaps they can suggest some things you can do to help her recover.
 
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sargon

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It can take 24 hours for a cat to recover from anesthesia.  My cat could meow (she's Siamese, so no force on Earth could prevent her meowing...
), but she was very out of it and uncoordinated until the following morning.   So, I wouldn't worry about much for a day or so.
 
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bonnie1smom

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Hi PushPurCatPaws,

Bonnie is on the mend and doing much better. Her breathing has normalized and she has something that sounds like a smoker's meow. It's a mix of a squeak and a meow, but I'm confident that her meow will get stronger over time. 

Thank you so much for asking. 

Mel & Bonnie
 

IndyJones

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Good to hear.

I remember when Hector had the tube thingy to have a tooth pulled apparently the tube has a balloon on the end that they inflate to keep fluid out of the lungs the balloon while deflated can scrape against the walls of the throat and cause a sore throat for a while.

Hector could squeak after but got her meow back in a week. She also had a snore when sleeping.
 

Miw's hooman

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Hi PushPurCatPaws,

Bonnie is on the mend and doing much better. Her breathing has normalized and she has something that sounds like a smoker's meow. It's a mix of a squeak and a meow, but I'm confident that her meow will get stronger over time.

Thank you so much for asking.

Mel & Bonnie
Hey, I am very happy to hear that Bonnie has a good recovery! 👍 I came here worried about the same thing... my little Miw has a tiny squeek of a meow since coming home but no gurgling or any of that... my fiance and I are a little worried and I will call the vet when they open but it's day 3 and she seems a little depressed and she's a bit more on guard too... I'm happy to hear her meow is better cause I haven't seen much about this online so your post gives me hope for my little one
 

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Hi, M Miw's hooman ! This post is from 2017, date to the left, so I doubt the poster is still here. Welcome to the site. I know it is very worrisome right now, but spaying your little girl is a very precious gift. It is not unusual at all for them to have no meow for a few days, being intubated gives them a raw, swollen throat, just like with humans. No gurgling is good, reading that other post, I was afraid of aspiration into the lungs. That is why they say no food or water before going in. It also takes up to a week before they fully recover and start getting back to their old selves. Get some lickable treats in the treat section and see if that is easier for her to eat. Watch her incision for infection, any oozing of a thick colored discharge, a lump underneath is normal (from swelling and stitches inside) and any draining of small amounts of watery, clear, discharge with a little blood is normal too. With a cat, everything is normal and going good when they eat/drink/use the litterbox, and are not hiding all the time. Give her lots of attention, water, food, and WARMTH (maybe a cat heat pad for Christmas!) and she will be fine! I know how worried you can get, please come back anytime you aren't sure of something....
 
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