Polyps/Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome

[Rysiek]

He woke me up hungry today morning! And then I caught him to the cage! I feel almost cruel...

Yesterday, after being given buprenorphine twice he was back to his normal self. Ate almost two sachets of food + a bit of cooked salmon...

It is a mystery...

They will check his blood anyway, as it was suggested before...

I am really distressed with this when he just starts to trust me again and I break this by taking him to the vets...

 

[Rysiek]

All good. No mouth ulcerations , a bit of tartar, but not bad...blood test all right, a bit increased creatinine but other results ok...
His problem with eating may have been related to some level of orofacial pain...

I feel so good that I've moved him to a different vet practice, completely different experience, no additional trauma and less drugged...the vets are really good in explaining and looking after their client...it around 25 minutes from my place...

 

[fionasmom]

I am glad to hear that you are happy with the new practice and that they are much better with your boy. It is so hard to take cats, especially, to the vet because most are so upset by it. We just have to steel ourselves and remember that we are the ones who know when care is needed and it would be worse to leave them to their own devices, which might be to just sit under the bed in discomfort.

 

[Rysiek]

I am glad to hear that you are happy with the new practice and that they are much better with your boy. It is so hard to take cats, especially, to the vet because most are so upset by it. We just have to steel ourselves and remember that we are the ones who know when care is needed and it would be worse to leave them to their own devices, which might be to just sit under the bed in discomfort.

It was a difficult day, especially caging him and later waiting for the vets. I am pleased I had done it, as I would have been extremely worried.
The new vet practice is really good...
I brought him back home in a good shape. He was just his normal self, a little sedated, but enjoyed going out in his harness. Today, no signs of additional trauma...he ate something over night and in the morning, still prefers to hid under the bed, which I understand.
Last time, in January he was completely soiled and when got out of the cage at home he had balance problems and was extremely drugged. I was holding him in my arms until he felt better.
Clearly they gave him too much sedation...
This time nothing like that occured, making me angry with the previous vets, almost bordering with writing a complaint...There had been quite few aspects, such as his tooth being chipped, blood clotted on two occasions and trauma at the practice + in my view, too high dose of sedation.
Unfortunately, I cannot prove anything...

The new vet practice will have the cat only clinic! . Moreover, their postoperative kennels are separated from the dogs...

 

[fionasmom]

Dogs' kennels should never be near the cats in any practice, but sadly this is not always the case. It is certainly your decision to take any action against the previous vet, including bad reviews on websites if you have those. Aside from that, it gets quite difficult to prove anything and it can be very stressful to try.

 

[Rysiek]

Today

 

[Rysiek]

Dogs' kennels should never be near the cats in any practice, but sadly this is not always the case. It is certainly your decision to take any action against the previous vet, including bad reviews on websites if you have those. Aside from that, it gets quite difficult to prove anything and it can be very stressful to try.

The only way to leave a bad review for them is via Google. I have already set up a different account, so they and people around will not recognise my name. This is a very small community and I am "an outsider", so it would be better if they don't know me. I read today about something the vet did to Rysiek, then telling me afterwards that this is normal, when she was left with a full hand of his fur. She did what is called:
"scruffing a cat". I read that: International Cat Care is against the use of scruffing as a method of restraint, because of the stress and distress it can cause to cats. Scruffing is commonly used where people are fearful that they may be bitten by a cat, and while it may reduce this risk, the act of scruffing and the imposed restraint on the cat can be highly intimidating, may cause fear and panic, and often provokes or escalates defensive aggression. It is, therefore, both counterproductive and compromises the welfare of the cat.
This is not a gentle management of the cat and I just wonder what happens when they take the cat away from the owner, either for injection/vaccination or for a surgical procedure.
He was no aggressive prior to her grabbing him by his neck, we only came for the vaccination.

I feel bad, that I left it for so long, his January trauma could have been prevented...

 

[fionasmom]

when she was left with a full hand of his fur.

That was some pretty intense scruffing if she ended up with fur in her hand.

With the exception of an emergency situation where grabbing a cat by the loose skin at the back of the neck might save its life or prevent a serious injury, I think that it is almost universally looked down upon by the veterinary and cat care community. Lifting an adult cat in this manner is definitely wrong and is not the same thing as a mother cat picking up a kitten in order to move it. From the perspective of a cat, scruffing invokes fear as it is associated, for one thing, with what a predator would do.

I don't blame you for being angry or Rysiek for being upset.

 

[Rysiek]

That was some pretty intense scruffing if she ended up with fur in her hand.

With the exception of an emergency situation where grabbing a cat by the loose skin at the back of the neck might save its life or prevent a serious injury, I think that it is almost universally looked down upon by the veterinary and cat care community. Lifting an adult cat in this manner is definitely wrong and is not the same thing as a mother cat picking up a kitten in order to move it. From the perspective of a cat, scruffing invokes fear as it is associated, for one thing, with what a predator would do.

I don't blame you for being angry or Rysiek for being upset.

This happened some time ago...She then explained to me that it is natural for a cat to shed some fur...
This was also at the time of me being really confused with the diagnosis, assessment and treatment...

 

[Rysiek]

He had a small attack today, I gave him buprenorphine...
It is most likely related to the procedure he had recently, as if they do anything in the mouth this may be triggering for the nerves...He was under a general anaesthetic...

 

[fionasmom]

this may be triggering for the nerves

Definitely

 

[Rysiek]

Definitely

I aim to keep him on bupe for around three days, as this calms the response and breaks the pain cycle...

 

[Rysiek]

Rysiek has been well, completely symptoms free and no medication anymore. He enjoys his outings in the harness, close to the home (from and back garden)

In one month we are moving house and my question relates to preparing him for this big house move...Is it better to get him to the cattery? (he has never been away from me and in the past suffered a trauma of being neglected). Or, is it all right to expose him to the overwhelming house move processes?
I have gabapentin at home, so I could give it to him.
As I noted before, has been with me for three years, suffered some trauma in the past. It has taken him at least two years to start trusting me.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I would think it would be less stressful to remain with you rather than be separated, even though he will be stressed once the packing begins. If it's possible to try to keep HIS schedule as close as possible to the norm, that will be helpful for him.

Maybe this will help: Stress in Cats - The Ultimate Guide - TheCatSite

Let us know how it goes

 

[Rysiek]

His "temporary cage"/fof the moving house purpose

 

[Rysiek]

I am sad today- Ryshu had a mini attack today morning. There was no specific trigger to it...
He has managed the house move, around 1 month ago, really well, with no additional stress observed...
It seems he likes his new home...but recently has been sleeping a lot, which might be a post-moving house response. As I myself seem to be more tired ..
Recently he has also refused going out, which is likely to new surroundings...

But today he was rolling his tongue and shaking his head, it lasted for no more than one minute, but was distressing

I will reinstate the Lions Mane ...
We also have a yearly check up in two weeks, perhaps teeth cleaning at some point...

 

[fionasmom]

The new surroundings might be an entirely separate issue and I would not place too much emphasis on that alone.

I am sorry that he had a relapse. It is good that you have a check up scheduled. Do you have any pain medication left if he were to need it which hopefully this was just a one off out of the blue episode.

 

[Rysiek]

The new surroundings might be an entirely separate issue and I would not place too much emphasis on that alone.

I am sorry that he had a relapse. It is good that you have a check up scheduled. Do you have any pain medication left if he were to need it which hopefully this was just a one off out of the blue episode.

Yes, I have pain medication at home. Hopefully this was just one off episode. I gave him lions mane, and he is already more relaxed...
He definitely has some sensitivity around a trigeminal nerve, it does not go to a full fops attack, seems short lived... hopefully it stays like this...
I will talk to the vet in two weeks, we have moved to a different surgery, so don't expect additional traumatic response...

*******
Unfortunately, my claim with the ombudsman was rejected, they said that it was our previous vet surgery that was to blame rather than the insurance company themselves...
In my new vet they always consult me before they answer to the insurers...

 

[fionasmom]

The frown is that I am sorry that you lost on the claim. Companies do stand on the letter of the law unfortunately and will use it to deny claims...not just pet insurances, but a lot of them.

I am glad that there is some relief with the lion's mane.