Cat might need operation, completely terrified.

[BubzaLuna]

Hi all.

My 1 yo kitty Luna had to be taken to the vet today as she has eaten some string and may potentially need to be operated onto remove it.

Sunday morning I woke up and found the head of a toy that was attached to a long piece of string and thought my two cats had managed to break it off in the night, didn't think anything else of it. Well today I found the string it was attached to and saw half had been chewed off. I have turned the house upside down looking for this other piece of string and it has gone. When I realised what had happened I called the vet and they said bring her in as the potential health risks if it gets caught to her intestines can be deadly.

She's staying there overnight and will have an x-ray first thing to see whether she needs an OP. I am so terrified something terrible is going to happen to her if she needs one, my anxiety is through the roof. She has been ok, no sickness or anything, passing bowels as she normally does, eating and drinking fine, and is still her usually loony self. I'm keeping my fingers crossed they say it's clear and she's ok. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? What sort of op is it and is it something cats can easily recover from?

 

[stephanietx]

It's a good thing that you got her to the vet quickly and didn't wait. If the string is lodged in her intestines (or anywhere else), the x-ray will show it. If she does need surgery, it's pretty standard and recovery is usually fairly easy. I always say that tests/procedures on our kitties are harder on us than on them. Keep us posted on her progress.

 

[neely]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed they say it's clear and she's ok. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

The only experience I have is from a cat who chewed through a window blind cord. We were not home and like you I was extremely worried. Fortunately she had not swallowed any of the pieces from the cord. I'm glad the vet will be giving her an x-ray. Try not to worry although I know that's easier said than done. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed too.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

KUDOS for not "waiting to see." Keep us posted, and remember that, while we can never KNOW how a cat will do during surgery, MOST of them tolerate it very well.

 

[BubzaLuna]

Thanks for the replies everyone, just got a positive phonecall from the vet that has also left me really angry. Yesterday when we took her they advised the X ray as that would give them the answer they need to know whether she needs the OP. So they ring and say the X Ray came back clear, but to be really really certain they'd need to cut her open and get inside. Why has their narrative suddenly changed now that the X Ray has shown up as clear? And why say to begin with that an X Ray will tell us whether she needs the Op. I've told them I am not putting her through the stress of an operation that's going to obviously have severe side effects for a couple weeks after, because you have decided to change your original story. So she said yes that's fine, I then said if she does start being sick I will bring her back and we can look into more options. It has really annoyed me that they changed their narrative to fit what's going to earn them the most money. I was in tears yesterday dropping her off and they reassured me she would be fine and that the X ray would give us answers. It's like they don't care and just want the money. Anyway my baby is coming home and I'm changing my vets!! Thanks for your replies

 

[MissClouseau]

Thanks for the replies everyone, just got a positive phonecall from the vet that has also left me really angry. Yesterday when we took her they advised the X ray as that would give them the answer they need to know whether she needs the OP. So they ring and say the X Ray came back clear, but to be really really certain they'd need to cut her open and get inside. Why has their narrative suddenly changed now that the X Ray has shown up as clear? And why say to begin with that an X Ray will tell us whether she needs the Op. I've told them I am not putting her through the stress of an operation that's going to obviously have severe side effects for a couple weeks after, because you have decided to change your original story. So she said yes that's fine, I then said if she does start being sick I will bring her back and we can look into more options. It has really annoyed me that they changed their narrative to fit what's going to earn them the most money. I was in tears yesterday dropping her off and they reassured me she would be fine and that the X ray would give us answers. It's like they don't care and just want the money. Anyway my baby is coming home and I'm changing my vets!! Thanks for your replies

I was JUST writing if they don't see anything on the x-ray but still recommend surgery, I would get a second opinion from different vets. Glad the x-rays didn't show anything!

 

[BubzaLuna]

I was JUST writing if they don't see anything on the x-ray but still recommend surgery, I would get a second opinion from different vets. Glad the x-rays didn't show anything!

Yeah I would never have gone through with the surgery with the the X Ray coming back clear. If they had originally said that the X Ray wouldn't have given a clear enough indication to whether she needs the OP, I would have been more open. But yesterday they said if the X Ray is clear she wouldn't need the op, now they've changed it.

They also rushed me and my partner to them yesterday saying it was an emergency, yet took an hour to admit her. Then today it has taken her them over 3 hours to do the scan. That is not a medical emergency, if it was a medical emergency everything would have needed to be done then and there. They made all my fears worse and I feel like they are just trying to play on those fears now in hope that I will say "sure here's a £1000 cut open my baby and see if the string that should have shown a sign on the X Ray is there" no ma'am. When she was spayed she was so depressed and unhappy throughout the recovery, and I know this one would have been even worse. I just can't in good conscience put her through something she doesn't understand and that's going to be probably very painful because the vet can't make up her mind.

 

[MissClouseau]

Yeah I would never have gone through with the surgery with the the X Ray coming back clear. If they had originally said that the X Ray wouldn't have given a clear enough indication to whether she needs the OP, I would have been more open. But yesterday they said if the X Ray is clear she wouldn't need the op, now they've changed it.

They also rushed me and my partner to them yesterday saying it was an emergency, yet took an hour to admit her. Then today it has taken her them over 3 hours to do the scan. That is not a medical emergency, if it was a medical emergency everything would have needed to be done then and there. They made all my fears worse and I feel like they are just trying to play on those fears now in hope that I will say "sure here's a £1000 cut open my baby and see if the string that should have shown a sign on the X Ray is there" no ma'am. When she was spayed she was so depressed and unhappy throughout the recovery, and I know this one would have been even worse. I just can't in good conscience put her through something she doesn't understand and that's going to be probably very painful because the vet can't make up her mind.

It's not unheard of to recommend surgery even if the x-ray doesn't show something but when that happens there is usually a sign of sickness. At least the cases I have heard. I would take the same decision as you did. I hope both you and the kitty feel better now

 

[di and bob]

If it is a cotton string, the stomach acids should dissolve a great portion of it. The thing to do now is to observe her behavior and bring her in if it changes. Also, be sure to pick apart her stools to see if the string passes, that would be a relief! The first sign of a problem is to quit eating, then hiding. after a week, you should be OK!

 

[BubzaLuna]

It's not unheard of to recommend surgery even if the x-ray doesn't show something but when that happens there is usually a sign of sickness. At least the cases I have heard. I would take the same decision as you did. I hope both you and the kitty feel better now

That's understandable for sure, but she's completely fine fortunately. No signs or symptoms of anything, poor girl probably thinks we have abandoned her The main annoyance was that they specifically stated that a clear scan would mean that no op would needed, it was the change of story that has bothered me

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Since non-metalic or heavy plastic items are prone to not showing on xrays, I imagine they were covering their butts...just in case. But I would NOT have rushed to surgery either, for a cat who was not showing clear signs of distress. I'm with you. Just keep an eye on things, and if she DOES start showing symptoms, THEN make that decision.

 

[cataholic07]

Maybe they thought it was something that would for sure show up on the xray. Certain things don't, so its all by guess like if there's gas or something that looks not right. I really wish cats would stop eating stuff thats not food lol. I have kitties who do it and it freaks me out every time. no matter how careful you are.. they will find it and eat it.. the buggers.