Getting surgery tomorrow...

[Azazel]

I'm so sorry to hear that, it's awful having to deal with chronic sinus issues. Not for me, but I feel so bad for my cat.
And because a nasal flush has to be done under anesthesia, that's why I asked if they could be done at the same time. If there is damage to the turbinates, unfortunately there is no cure, as we just found out Bynx has. But she did mention a few things that she said has helped with some of her patients. One of the biggest things was artificial tears both in the eyes and up the nose. We have baby saline here at home, so I asked if I could use that for now, and she said yes. But I'll stick to just up the nose for that and get some eye drops for his eyes. Basically you have to be real careful to keep the nasal cavities humid and clean. I guess I have no choice now with one of my new years resolutions about making a cleaning schedule and sticking to it - gotta keep the household allergens down to a minimum so he's not breathing them in.

Thank you! I will ask my vet about the artificial tears.

 

[Azazel]

I'm glad the operation went well! For the other things, there is a stray here that I asked on TCS once actually, he ALWAYS has URI symptoms. One of my neighbors gives antibiotics taken by the vet, he's doing better for a while but then comes back. He's been living like that for years now and he already looked mid-aged when he first showed up in our 'hood. Despite his condition he seems happy.

Sometimes I think we (me!) freak out too much partially because we know more - both like we read more about cat's health but also about our cats' condition. Vets I see also say becoming a vet made them get more anxious about their pet's health for the same reason. That doesn't mean our cats are more in danger than the many ones who have the same conditions and just not got diagnosed. I try to remind this to myself too.

Bynx is in safe, happy hands with you.

My vet says that cats are not good “patients” and often end up doing better when humans don’t make them into “patients.”

 

[Tik cat's mum]

Glad the tooth is sorted now. Sorry to hear about the other problems but i have to say Bynx couldn't have anyone better taking care of him. Let's hope that it's all good on the results you are waiting for.

 

[Jem]

OH......MY......GOD!!!!!
I really hope this is the meds and not his real personality now that his tooth pain is gone! LOL!
Bynx is like a kid with ADHD, in a candy store, at Disney world for the first time on steroids!!!!
He wont stop. He's been playing and roughhousing (not aggressive) since 3 AM and I could hardly keep him still long enough to give him his morning meds. He's getting into everything!
If it's because his tooth pain is gone and he's just a happier cat, then I feel horrible that his tooth was holing him back. Not that he ever displayed ANY form of discomfort. He's always been social, playful, very well adjusted (and a bit of a poop disturber too!).
I also wonder if now that he's gotten the nasal flush he is smelling everything for the first time. He's NEVER been so crazy for catnip toys before, but he's been going insane....INSANE! with them.

The bad part in all of this, is the pain meds are supposed to be given with food. I hope his tummy doesn't get too upset...I gave him the meds anyway because I though that possibly his mouth was starting to bother him and that's why he didn't want to eat his wet food serving this morning, but I wonder if it's just because he's overstimulated. I'll offer him some more when (IF ) he calms down later this morning....The cats also free feed on kibble at night so hopefully he ate enough throughout the night to keep his tummy settled.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for your well wishes and support. I'll continue to keep you all updated as things progress.
And also, has anyone else experienced a hyperactive stoned cat? Is that normal? He's on Metacam (for inflammation and pain)

 

[lisahe]

And also, has anyone else experienced a hyperactive stoned cat? Is that normal?

Yes, Ireland was like that, too! She only ate small amounts for about the first day and wandered the house. She also got very playful and I wondered if her bad tooth had been bothering her, too. (It looked icky in the photo but wasn't a totally rotten disaster so I'm not sure how long it might have been a problem...) It's been a few weeks now and she is a more eager eater than ever so I do have to think there was something about that tooth. (She had also lost one so maybe there was that and then the one that was pulled? We will never know! The vet was puzzled, too.)

I'm glad that all seems to be well!

 

[verna davies]

Your post made me laugh, I'm glad Bynx is enjoying himself. You took him to the nasty vet, now you pay human.

 

[Jem]

I just had a thought....
When Chewie was sick and we couldn't find anything, the only thing that showed was calcium elevation in his blood work. It then turned out that he had cancer in his throat.
I'm afraid to e-mail the vet for clarification, but IF Bynx's calcium levels were higher than normal, I'm SURE she would have said something. So maybe because his blood work came back normal (nothing was reported) this means the likelihood of this mass in his nose really is just damaged inflamed tissue....
Does anyone know if ALL cancerous tumors would show elevated calcium levels?

 

[neely]

I really hope this is the meds and not his real personality now that his tooth pain is gone! LOL! Bynx is like a kid with ADHD, in a candy store, at Disney world for the first time on steroids!!!!
The bad part in all of this, is the pain meds are supposed to be given with food.

Carleton was the exact same way after his canine and another tooth were removed. It's reassuring to see them playful.
As for the meds, I'm sure you know it's important to keep giving them. I don't think the reason for not eating his wet food this a.m. was due to overstimulation. Instead maybe he got his fill last night when you left the kibble out. He obviously is feeling better with the canine gone especially since he's acting like a kid in the candy store.

Regarding your question about whether "all" cancerous tumors show elevated calcium levels. It's my understanding elevated calcium levels can be due to several different issues. Therefore, best to check with your vet. On the positive side, I'm thrilled Bynx did so well after his dental surgery and is playing like a kitten.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I'm afraid to e-mail the vet for clarification, but IF Bynx's calcium levels were higher than normal, I'm SURE she would have said something. So maybe because his blood work came back normal (nothing was reported) this means the likelihood of this mass in his nose really is just damaged inflamed tissue....Does anyone know if ALL cancerous tumors would show elevated calcium levels?

I can't answer that for sure, but I doubt that ALL cancers cause elevated calcium levels. But, do get Bynx's blood test results - if no other reason than it is good for you to have a copy of them for reference. I would think if his calcium level was high, your vet would have mentioned it. Unless it wasn't high enough to cause her any concern. But, either way - don't let your mind go there! Just take a breath while you try to keep up with him until the pain-med-crazies subside!!

 

[Jem]

OK, slap me if I'm just being paranoid.
I e-mailed my vet with these questions but they are the on-call clinic for ER cases this weekend so they may be really busy to get back to me quickly.
When Bynx is relaxed (he's finally calmed), I've noticed his tongue sticks out a bit. Is this just because his tooth is gone and not there to stop it from coming out when he's not "fully aware"? Everything thing else is fine (breathing normal, no panting, no excessive drooling etc...)
Also, as mentioned above, he's very playful (although napping at the moment). He wants to and does catch his toys with his mouth and rubs his face on stuff. Do we need to stop this so he doesn't rip open any stitches in his mouth? Or will he self regulate? A few times I've seem him stop playing and flick his tongue a few times, before going right back to playing again.
I'm playing with him without letting him catch the toy (wand toy) with his mouth, but he will still play by-himself and rubs his face on stuff.
All the toys he has access to right now are soft, so I hope it's OK.

 

[daftcat75]

OK, slap me if I'm just being paranoid.
I e-mailed my vet with these questions but they are the on-call clinic for ER cases this weekend so they may be really busy to get back to me quickly.
When Bynx is relaxed (he's finally calmed), I've noticed his tongue sticks out a bit. Is this just because his tooth is gone and not there to stop it from coming out when he's not "fully aware"? Everything thing else is fine (breathing normal, no panting, no excessive drooling etc...)
Also, as mentioned above, he's very playful (although napping at the moment). He wants to and does catch his toys with his mouth and rubs his face on stuff. Do we need to stop this so he doesn't rip open any stitches in his mouth? Or will he self regulate? A few times I've seem him stop playing and flick his tongue a few times, before going right back to playing again.
I'm playing with him without letting him catch the toy (wand toy) with his mouth, but he will still play by-himself and rubs his face on stuff.
All the toys he has access to right now are soft, so I hope it's OK.

The tongue sticking out is normal for this. He may have inflammation or his mouth shape may have changed with the tooth removed. Krista leaves the tip of her tongue out sometimes after grooming. She’s toothless now so I’m pretty sure there’s nothing left to bother her. It just happens and I mind it more than she does.

The lip licking is probably him feeling the stitches in his mouth. It feels funny but there’s little chance he will pull them out with his tongue.

The toys and the face rubbing you should probably limit or monitor for the next two weeks until the stitches dissolve. He won’t self regulate because he doesn’t know there is a need to. There’s a wire brush arch that my Krista loves to rub her face and head against. It made me sad to take it away for two weeks. But two weeks is a small sacrifice compared to dry socket, infection, or other possible complications if she tore the stitches open.

As for his increase in energy and playfulness, that could be a result of the drugs and the anesthesia. He would have been feeling no pain that first day. He could experience a drop off in playfulness and energy in the second or third day since the surgery. That’s when the pain will likely be the worst. Or not at all if you’re able to keep up with the pain medicine schedule. If the pain medicine is buprenorphine, you can give that with or without food. It’s easier on his stomach with food, but it isn’t the worst offender if given on an empty stomach.

 

[daftcat75]

The tongue thing, it’s affectionately called a blep. I have no idea where that name came from. It’s not a vet term.

I have a small collection of Krista bleps on her path to toothlessness and beyond.


She’s on my belly taking her scritches. This is a bliss face.

Not sure about these two. She probably pulled up from grooming and didn’t retract the tongue all the way.

 

[neely]

The tongue thing, it’s affectionately called a blep.

At first I was worried about this after our cat's canine removal but now I barely notice it. The benefit being he's no longer in pain from that tooth.

When Bynx is relaxed (he's finally calmed), I've noticed his tongue sticks out a bit.

I think it gives him character!

Here's a pic of Carleton with his blep.

 

[Jem]

Good to know the tongue is just a physical thing and not a sign his mouth is really bothering him. Thanks!
We've kept up with his pain meds, but you never know. Today is his last "have to" dose, from now on it's as needed.
He's still doing great, not eating quite as much as usual but still eating. The poor thing keeps dropping kibble as he eats, they did mention that this would happen as he re-learns to eat without the tooth there. It's already getting better though, only 4-5 fall out whereas before it would be like 10-15. Giving him more wet food does not work, he won't eat it - yes even with toppers and what not...Been on this site long enough - I know all the tricks. He's just not a wet food guy. The fact that I get him to eat 2 small servings of wet food a day is the best I can do.

 

[verna davies]

How is Bynx doing?

 

[daftcat75]

I treated Krista’s last (and hopefully final) dental procedure like tonsils out. I let her eat all the ice cream (Tiki Cat Grill Ahi Tuna) she wanted. Since she only gets tuna during times of distress (not eating, not eating enough, medicine meals), the appeal remains high. When her tuna binge had run its course, I transitioned her back to her regular food. It took about three to four weeks. I’m told this is also about the time it takes for the sutures to dissolve. But also she had a lot of work done (her remaining teeth and tooth roots extracted and cleaned up by a vet dentist.) It could have taken that long for it all to heal up in her case.

 

[Jem]

How is Bynx doing?

Well, the eating thing, he's getting used to! lol! I have to clean up after him a bit.
Otherwise, he's doing really well. Still very playful, showing no signs of discomfort.
Yesterday afternoon, while in "attack mode", he started playing and gnawing on the corner of the blanket on our bed as I was changing the sheets. He left a little blood behind when I stopped him. I checked his mouth and things are still in tact, not red or inflamed, so I'm not going to worry. I've checked it a couple of times since and things still look good.
Other than trying to get him to stop chewing on stuff (he's always been a "mouthy cat" - so this is not new), things are pretty uneventful around here.

 

[Jem]

We have an update! And it's GREAT news!!!!!!
The mass was just damaged inflamed tissue, NO CANCER!!!
The only bacteria present was Pasteurella, which my vet was surprised as it's usually found in rabbits and not cats, but because of the damage in his nasal cavity, pretty much anything, can get in there and fester. It may have been in there since when he still was at the shelter, who knows? He's never really gotten rid of this sinus infection to begin with.
The antibiotic he's on right now (for the extraction), is also a good one to treat this bacteria as well, so that's good too! But my vet wants to give me an extension of the current antibiotic, so I'll have to pick that up next week.
The only thing she did say was that unfortunately, he will be prone to sinus infections for life, but there are lots of things we can do to help prevent it like the eye drops and saline drops, air humidity, reducing allergens etc...

Anyway, I'm just elated that Bynx will be OK!!!

 

[FeebysOwner]

 

[lisahe]

So glad to hear it, Jem , that's excellent news!