Please Help, Re-spaying Finds Nothing.

[Misty's Guardian]

Previously I have asked a question about maybe needing to have my cat "Re-Spayed". That was back on May 23, 2017. At that time Maggiedemi replied that she had heard of that being needed to be done again. After some delays including some human health issues, Misty was "Re-Spayed" today. The Vet's office says they "went in" and found nothing. That suggests that there is nothing that should cause her to experience an "in-heat" episode. However, the Vet had told me yesterday, that sometimes they can't identify a cause factor. Now I am really depressed and thinking that my cat may have to suffer these episodes again in the future. However, no future surgery would be acceptable to me! I did not speak directly to the Vet today. but expect to do so tomorrow to see where we stand on this issue.

Has anyone ever had this problem with their cat, and is there some non-surgical treatment or medicine to eliminate these possible future occurrences? Please give me some insight as to any known options. Thank you.

 

[Willowy]

There are hormone therapies. Just like hormones in humans, it may cause an increased risk of some kinds of cancers, but the doctor may feel it's worth the risk. Hopefully they'll have a few options ready for you to discuss.

 

[Misty's Guardian]

There are hormone therapies. Just like hormones in humans, it may cause an increased risk of some kinds of cancers, but the doctor may feel it's worth the risk. Hopefully they'll have a few options ready for you to discuss.

Thank you for your information. Sorry for a dated reply. Misty still having episodes and vet is stumped as to cause. I am at a loss as to next step. Vet did two blood tests one indicated slightly low white blood cell count but not serious. Given a booster shot. I think seeing a cat specialist is in order, but Misty has to get over this operation first.

 

[denice]

Do you live close to a university with a vet school?

 

[maggiedemi]

Is she still acting like she's in heat, doing the butt dance with her butt in the air? I don't know what else you can do, it sounds like you need a vet that specializes in this.

 

[abyeb]

Here's a list of vet schools:

https://www.avma.org/ProfessionalDe...on/Colleges/Documents/colleges_accredited.pdf

These are big clinics, so they have vets who specialize in all the different areas.

 

[rubysmama]

So sorry your cat is going through this. It's rare, however I've seen a few threads on TCS about cats needing a 3rd spay surgery to find and remove a small bit of ovarian tissue.

Here's one thread: Heat behavior & marking in twice-spayed cat

Hope you find someone who can solve your Misty's heat cycles mystery.

 

[Misty's Guardian]

I will try to update each of you as to MIsty's status as of today ----
------ denice -- Unfortunately no, I am in South Florida and my vet that did both surgeries is a grad of the University of Florida Vet school. That is the closest Accredited school. I will call him tomorrow about any possible contacts he may have there.
---Maggiedemi -- Yes she is still doing the "in-heat" thing and it was off and on all day yesterday, and several times today as well.
----abyeb ---- Thank you for the list as noted above the University of Florida is the closest school to me. And my vet is a graduate of UF. But if I tell them where I went to school (as my school was/is a bitter rival school in sports), they may not want to talk to me. Anyway I will think positive and hope I can get some good info from them.
----- rubysmama --- Thank you for the reference to ... "trice-spayed cat". I have already read that. My vet assures me that on this second look, he did a through search for any tissue that could cause Misty's episodes, and he found nothing. But she is still having the episodes.
So with all of that said I will continue to look for solutions to Misty's problem. I really don't want to put her through another surgery. What I really can't understand is that before the first spaying, when she may have been 6 months old, she never showed any 'in-heat" symptoms in our house, except for some limited mewing. Never rubbing on the floor or rugs, no tail and rear end up in the air no rolling over and over, none of that! However, she was an outside cat before Dec. and an alfa male cat that she "rough-housed" with was trying to mate with her, and that's why we brought her inside. So I can't say whether she showed any "in-heat" signs outside to attract him.
Again, thank you all for your advice and information. I really appreciate having your help!! I will post new updates as I hope to be able to provide some positive news. Thanks again to all!!!

 

[Misty's Guardian]

I have spoken to one of the operators at the University of Florida "Small Animal Hospital". They had conveyed my concerns about my cat to one of the Veterinarians and the answer was:the possibilities are reproductive tissue remaining, or maybe some stimulus in the house that is like estrogen. After the second operation my vet assured me that that he could not find any remaining tissue. So I don't have any idea what could affect Misty and be an "estrogen" like stimulus.
Do any of you viewers of this post have any idea what could be affecting her and cause these "in-heat" episodes. And to complicate this problem some more, she has not had an episode today, or yesterday. Could we be so lucky that she is past the causes and she won't have to suffer these episodes in the future? I will still be holding my breath but hoping this may be over.
If we have to deal with this again, the University of Florida would require that my vet contact them to discuss his results of the operations and his evaluation of her condition. I think that would be a rather tough situation since my vet may be insulted by any suggestion that his opinion, etc. is not sufficient. Misty is the fourth cat we have taken to this vet and I have trusted his opinions in the past, but this case has him stumped. Any advice, suggestions, or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
Comment: without knowing Misty's full history, everything's a guess. What were her estrogen and progesterone levels six months after her original ovariohysterectomy, and were her baselines known at the time of her initial surgery? Did the veterinary surgeon make any notations after her original surgery regarding the condition (i.e. the completeness) of her uterine horns after removal? Before her second spay surgery, was a full hormone panel done, inclusive of an Anti-Müllerian Hormone level? Since the surgeon went in a second time, was there something on the ultrasound (e.g. a shadow partially obscured by an organ which suggested a supernumerary ovary) which led her or him to make the determination of Ovarian Remnant Syndrome, and hence to 're-spay?'

There's one additional question, but I'll refrain from asking that until more information's available.
.

 

[Misty's Guardian]

1CatOverTheLine ----- Unfortunately I cannot answer any of your detail questions as I did not know enough to ask at the time this was all happening. And my vet did not provide any info on these topics. Also, to my knowledge no ultrasound was done. I think a second spaying was seen as a near necessity to make sure no reproductive tissue remained.

By the nature of your post it is obvious that you are a very knowledgeable person on this subject. Are you a Senior Surgical Veterinarian at a large Veterinary Clinic or Hospital, or a Veterinary School Professor?

In any event, I really appreciate your information, I only wish I had known about these things before the operations occurred, so I could have asked appropriate questions.