Cat barely eats after full mouth extraction

[tml1991]

My cat, Lee-Lee, has barely ate at all since his full mouth extraction finished Thursday evening. Technically he last ate a decent amount Wednesday night. His lack of eating is worrying me. My vet told me his lack of eating is from the post extraction pain of a very inflamed mouth. Lee-Lee is also making it very hard to give him his pain meds. He also bled and had some discharge from his mouth after the operation, but thankfully that seems to have ended.

 

[cmshap]

My cat, Lee-Lee, has barely ate at all since his full mouth extraction finished Thursday evening.

What is the current food you are giving in this situation?

 

[tml1991]

What is the current food you are giving in this situation?

Fancy Feast chicken pete, puree tubes and his soft urinary food. One problem is he has always been very picky and doesn't like soft food much. The post surgery pain makes it worse obviously

 

[cmshap]

Fancy Feast chicken pete, puree tubes and his soft urinary food. One problem is he has always been very picky and doesn't like soft food much. The post surgery pain makes it worse obviously

Sorry I don't have any advice to give in this situation, but when I can't contribute I try to ask questions ahead of time that others will want to know when they come to provide more answers.

How old is Lee-Lee, and how quickly did the full-mouth extraction take place? You said it was finished Thursday; how many teeth were extracted at one time?

 

[tml1991]

Sorry I don't have any advice to give in this situation, but when I can't contribute I try to ask questions ahead of time that others will want to know when they come to provide more answers.

How old is Lee-Lee, and how quickly did the full-mouth extraction take place? You said it was finished Thursday; how many teeth were extracted at one time?

The majority of his teeth. 7 were pulled before, which helped a lot for awhile. The other day the rest were pulled.

 

[Twylasmom]

It seems counterintuitive but have you tried any dry food? It may be easier to pick up with the tongue and cats don’t always chew it. Just grasping at straws. You could also try plain meat baby food, like chicken or turkey. Just make sure it has no garlic or onions.

What kind of pain med is he taking? Did the vet give any long acting pain meds like injectable bupe or transdermal bupe (Zorbium)?

 

[tml1991]

It seems counterintuitive but have you tried any dry food? It may be easier to pick up with the tongue and cats don’t always chew it. Just grasping at straws. You could also try plain meat baby food, like chicken or turkey. Just make sure it has no garlic or onions.

What kind of pain med is he taking? Did the vet give any long acting pain meds like injectable bupe or transdermal bupe (Zorbium)?

Metacam

 

[daftcat75]

Can you ask your vet for Hills A/D? This is exactly what it’s for: getting sick and picky cats eating when they don’t much feel like it. I call it Betty’s “cake frosting” because I can always get a few bites out of her medicine meals (meals at medicine time not meals with medicine in them) by smearing a little A/D on top. She takes her meds twice a day by dipping capsules into A/D and dropping them on the carpet for her. Betty had a fever of unknown origin last summer after an endoscopy procedure. Didn’t feel much like eating for three days. But she would have a few bites of the A/D every time I offered it.

One word about A/D is that it’s awfully rich and Betty won’t eat very much of it by itself. But if your guy likes it, and most cats do, you can mix it into his Fancy Feast in whatever proportion will get him eating enough.

 

[tml1991]

Can you ask your vet for Hills A/D? This is exactly what it’s for: getting sick and picky cats eating when they don’t much feel like it. I call it Betty’s “cake frosting” because I can always get a few bites out of her medicine meals (meals at medicine time not meals with medicine in them) by smearing a little A/D on top. She takes her meds twice a day by dipping capsules into A/D and dropping them on the carpet for her. Betty had a fever of unknown origin last summer after an endoscopy procedure. Didn’t feel much like eating for three days. But she would have a few bites of the A/D every time I offered it.

One word about A/D is that it’s awfully rich and Betty won’t eat very much of it by itself. But if your guy likes it, and most cats do, you can mix it into his Fancy Feast in whatever proportion will get him eating enough.

He finally got his medicine by licking it up on a puree tube that was on some Fancy Feast.

 

[tml1991]

He has an appetite now, but he keeps trying to eat like he did before the extractions, as in trying to eat kibble like he used to, as his mouth is recovering. That's one reason he isn't eating much

 

[tml1991]

All he wants to eat are mushy Temptations treats.... He needs healthier food. But this will do for now

 

[daftcat75]

All he wants to eat are mushy Temptations treats.... He needs healthier food. But this will do for now

Ask your vet for a can or two of Hills A/D. It is a mushy treat food. This is exactly what it’s for. It’s a recovery food for getting sick and picky cats back to their regular food. A/D should be at least as appealing as those tube treats. But it’s going to be more nutritious and calorically dense meaning he won’t have to eat as much of the A/D as his regular food. As he starts wanting to eat more, you can start mixing his regular food into the A/D. Play around with the ratio of A/D to his Fancy Feast until he doesn’t need the A/D anymore.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. I didn’t read all the replies. Please call your vet. He should not be taking Metacam if he isn’t eating. Also he needs a strong pain medication like buprenex. This is painful. I am concerned that the Metacam will damage his kidneys and stomach if he isn’t eating.
Just look up the manufacturer recommendations with this medication.

I have had good luck with giving the Churro cat squeeze treats from the pet store.

 

[tml1991]

He just ate some chicken baby food. I read online it's a decent substitute until they begin wanting other things

 

[tml1991]

He eats little bits of various things, most aren't actual cat food, but it is at least something

 

[FeebysOwner]

The baby food meat is a good idea. No, it is not nutritionally complete, but it is by far better than nothing and probably better than some treats. Let him get over this hump however you can.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Try some delectable treats.Delectables for senior cats

 

[tml1991]

The baby food meat is a good idea. No, it is not nutritionally complete, but it is by far better than nothing and probably better than some treats. Let him get over this hump however you can.

I notice despite eating little, his energy is a lot better today than the yesterday. He still acts a little standoffish, but nothing like yesterday

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi tml1991 !

For heavens sake, don't stop using the Metacam. Without it, he would be in extreme pain and likely would recluse himself and refuse the little amounts of foods he has so far accepted......that's the perfect recipe for a 'crash' - and, totally preventable.

Right off the bat, the concern about giving Metacam withouut food 'on board' is not applicable because he is eating a little and the med is being added/mixed into those foods. [the concern with Metacam on 'an empty stomach' is identical to that when humans take NSAIDS - on an empty stomach, they can cause real gastric distress]

Now, about the kidneys issue....so long as he is hydrated and urinating, there is no cause for concern.

I just saw your post about his accepting the baby food.....good on you for trying that!

I see daftcat75 suggesting trying Hill's a/d.......a great recommendation! It's practically unrefuseable! Now, it's only available from Vet practices so, unless there's a cooperative ER near you you may have to wait till Monday.

There are a couple of 'complete food' products that also come in near 'soft serve' form - made by Weruva. In this house, they've proven irresistible. They're available from small and 'big box' pet food suppliers. There's a chicken and a Tuna and Salmon variety. Gentle mashing with a fork created an instant puree.

Tiki Cat has a large collection of "Velvet Mousse" varieties.

I find it unsettling that you seem to have been left in the lurch by your Vet's practice. 'Simply' being told that "his lack of eating is from the post extraction pain of a very inflamed mouth" and not having been offered the Hill's a/d or similar is really off-putting and unacceptable to me. Frankly, after an experience like that, I would be looking for a new, competent and consummate Vet. Experienced feline-only Vets are priceless. If you're open to that, this page from The American Association of Feline Practitioners might help find one. Select "Feline Only" for Practice Type, then insist on their team member with the most experience (longest practicing).

The reliance on only one pain control med for major surgery is equally unsettling - it's simply not current/modern practice. Today's veterinary practice is to use a 'multi-modal' approach for pain control/management: a combination of drugs, each targeting a different pain pathway. Metacam with "Buprenorphine" (transdermal format) or a Fenatyl 'pain patch' would have prevented all of this from the start. Here's a look at that concept - and, that article's already 10+ years old, making your Vet's method waaaaay out-of-date.

OK - hope something there can help - you certainly sound more relieved now than last night. See if you can at least find a mousse-style complete food near you. And, keep us posted!

Oh, almost forgot...........do you know about the kitty tax that's expected from posters here ...?
.

 

[silent meowlook]

Metacam in the US has a black box warning for cats. A cat that isn’t eating will get dehydrated. If you think about it, imagine having that many teeth removed and then being given ibuprofen for pain control.

When I worked at the cat hospital we did several full mouth extractions a week because most vets don’t want to do them. We always kept them in hospital for several days on a fentanyl CRI for pain and often Midazolam for appetite and stress. We had cats eating the same day of their extractions.

Now, that doesn’t seem to be the norm for most hospitals. Even if they send home they should still be providing more than Metacam especially since a cat with extractions going home probably won’t eat or drink for a couple of days.

So, this has already been a few days and if he is eating that is great. But is he drinking? Is he hydrated? I am just saying to contact the vet again. I am sure it was a costly procedure. The cost should include follow up.