Post-spay complications in kitten--normal or something else going on??

[harhardf]

Hi all,

I had my kitten spayed on Friday morning.  The vet policy is to keep all pets overnight for observation and administration of pain meds if necessary.  She came home Saturday morning and felt like hell.  They said surgery went well.  They did not use stiches, just glue and internal sutures.   They also gave her without my knowledge, a antibiotic shot for 15 days. 

She was willing to drink a bowl of tuna water and eat a little food but she just slept all day and night in her shoebox.  Her eyes are clear and alert but her body very obviously hurts her.  When she stood up to drink the tuna water, her back legs just trembled.  Sunday was the same story with the exception that she was a little more alert and tried walking around once or twice.   She even shows interest in her toys when laying down but doesnt want to stand up.   She inhaled too much food Sunday and then vomited about 30 minutes later  

Monday morning (today) she was quite happy to see us but still would not stand up or come to us. She can walk fine (her litter box is the opposite end of the apartment from where she sleeps) but clearly prefers not to move right now.  Both Saturday and Sunday she used the bathroom (poo and pee) a normal amount of times and had more or less normal deposits.

My concern is over her behavior this morning.  She went into the box twice to pee but only left a drop each time.  The first time was immediately after I cleaned it, so I am guessing she just wanted to leave her scent (she prides herself on dirtying it while i clean it, usually simultaneously).    But about an hour later she went back to her box and again, only a small quarter of liquid came out.

Everything online points to a UTI but she is on antibiotics so it doesnt make sense.     I am worried she is taking it so hard and coupled with the two failed attempts at peeing earlier, I am nervous.    All my past cats were active within the same day or 24 hours.  its going on 96 hours now and she is still not herself.  Mentally yes, but physically she is not there yet. 

Is there something more sinister going on here?   Has anyone else had the same?  

help!!

Also, has anyone had their cat come back super skinny after the surgery?   She was on the porky side before going in and when she came home 24 hours later her stomach was sunken and you could see her haunches bones very prominently.  

 

[tulosai]

Hi and welcome 

This does not sound normal to me and I would call your vet and see whether they think you need to bring her in immediately, or if they think you should give it a bit more time and if so how long.  I definitely would not wait any longer to call in.  Females do take spays harder than males but, as I already said, this sounds out of the norm to me. 

 

[Willowy]

Hmm, some things sound normal and some don't. I do notice females looks skinnier after a spay---I chalk it up to removal of organs (I'm not sure how big the ovaries and uterus are but they must take up some room in there) plus fasting before surgery. I have had older females act very painful for 3-4 days after a spay but kittens usually bounce right back, so that's a little unusual. It is a major surgery so maybe she just has a lower pain tolerance.

The peeing isn't normal, but yeah, it shouldn't be an infection considering she's on antibiotics. My guess would be cystitis, which can happen if you haven't had enough water for a few days (I speak from personal experience!). Try to get as much fluid into her as possible (no kibble, add water to her canned food, make some chicken broth or something else that's yummy, etc.) tonight, see if that flushes the irritation out. But if she's still doing it tomorrow try to get her in to the vet. There's isn't a lot they can do about cystitis but they could give her fluids I guess.

Bottom line---I don't think it's an emergency. But if she isn't showing improvement by tomorrow get her to the vet.

ETA: If she's acting like she really has to go but can't, and you can feel her bladder is full, that's a blockage and is a real emergency.

 

[harhardf]

Thanks guys. Update: I just got back from work and she had eaten her wet food (wetted with tuna water) from this afternoon (yes, running home during lunch to check on her). When I got home just now there was some pee, a decent size clump, in the litter box. She just devoured a bowl of wet covered in regular water and tuna water. She's back in her box now, and I'm waiting to see what she left in there. She went in immediately after me to "baptize" it but I haven't been able to get in and see what she left.

I would agree she's taking I hard but it's kinda her temperament. Also I should add she has her a hard year. First it was uveitis after a bad reaction to leukemia vaccine then after ten days of steroids, herpes took hold in her eyes. She was 100% literally one day before she started heat. We waited a week for her to come out of heat and then she was sterilized. She's just not the toughest thing around but I blame her mother for abandoning her at three weeks!

I will post any updates or changes

 

[harhardf]

Update/question: she seems to have diarrhea. I have been finding it stuck in her hair. She used the bathroom again(1) and tried for two but a lot of it stuck in her hair. She ate again and has visited the box 3-4 times now. All I find every time is tiny little quarter or dime size formations. I thought at first they were urine but maybe it's just diarrhea?? How can you tell the difference??

She is hanging close to her box and that's bothering me but maybe she just needs to take a two...often? Is that how diarrhea works in cats too?

 

[harhardf]

I need a second opinion!   I talked to the vet, explained that little Palomy is going to the bathroom normally but in between each normal "deposit", she tries to go like 5 times but with no result.  The vet said since she is eating more, drinking more, playing more, and getting better each day that there is no real cause for concern.  Also, she is already on antibiotics so any infection is already being taken care of.    But why would she be trying to go so often to no result?  

(also, no crying or anything when trying to go and no pain in abdomen.)