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lyndxe

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hey everyone,

our two boys, Boris and Melvin, are steadily growing, and just last week received their neuter surgery (at the age of 6 months). they're amazing, and we love them both so much! they really have made our lives wonderful.

i do have one small concern though. or maybe not so small.

so as i said, they received their neuter surgery last week. our vet gave them both an antibiotic shot that would last for 5 days to insure that they wouldn't get an infection. Melvin (the bigger boy of the two), unfortunately, never quite healed. 5 days later, his brother was almost totally healed, but he was still leaving little spots of blood around here and there, and i even saw a small amount of pus.

the vet asked us to bring him back, and decided to stitch him up with dissolving stitches, and said he would have to wear an e-collar to let his incision finally heal up all the way. he was sedated for the procedure, but not put under fully. when she brought him home to us (we have a great vet who will "deliver" haha), she said he had been active, but when i brought him in, he was almost totally unresponsive and didn't leave his carrier or really even blink for nearly 3+ hours. he started to pant and breath rapidly, and so i called the vet in a small panic, and she said to bring him in. she said he had a fever, and was going to give him an injection to bring it down. she said the fever was probably a side effect of the sedative wearing off, and why he had been so unresponsive earlier. she also said the fever was unrelated to an infection or anything bacterial because she had given him the antibiotic shot. she also said his body was stressed because of the two surgeries in a one week time span, and to give him time to recover.

anyway, she gave him the injection to bring the fever down, and he was almost back to normal (outside of being a little "groggy" from the sedative). by that night, he was much better, eating, and peeing, etc.

i just can't seem to shake that maybe there is something wrong with him, though. he is active and "normal" but he's not AS active or AS "normal" as he was before the second surgery. he's drinking and eating normally, but he's only pooped once in the last two days (both him and his brother almost always use the litter box at the same time, and usually go twice a day). it was a normal consistency, but this still makes me a little concerned.

he doesn't have the energy he used to before the second surgery - he doesn't seem to want to play, and sits and sleeps a lot more. i keep telling myself that it's because of the second surgery, and it was just two days ago, and he's probably still in pain. but he used to love to play with his brother and me, and now doesn't seem to want to as much. he also seems like he's lost a little bit of weight... not much, maybe a couple ounces, but now you can feel his hip bones, where you couldn't really before. can't see his spine, but i can tell he's lost a little bit of weight. i don't think anyone would notice, though.

last night, i was able to entice him to play a little, and he was, and then he did something he'd never done before - two deep, throaty coughs, and then didn't want to play anymore. and during the night last night, he sneezed while he was under the covers sleeping. his eyes are bright and clear, but these two things worry me. and i've also noticed he's licking his lips a LOT. i wouldn't say he has difficulty breathing - but when he IS active, he makes a little "huff" noise. he's always kind of done that, but now it seems like he does it even more.

he's got one more set of oral antibiotics to clear up the infection in his scrotum, so i guess we will see what happens. but to be honest, i can't help but worry that he might have something more serious. like... FIP. he was put under a lot of stress recently with the surgeries and visits, and he's at that "perfect" age... so i'm just worried. worried that he's never going to be okay and that i might lose him to something more serious. maybe i'm just parnaoid, or maybe i'm seeing the beginning stages of the end :(
 

Helsinki

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I'm so sorry to hear your baby isn't feeling too great :( personally I am not sure the cough is anything to worry about - after my Zoa had surgery for her eyelids, the vet said she might cough for a few days or sound very hoarse, because of the breathing tube causing irritation to her throat.

If it were me, I think I might consider getting a second opinion from another vet. I'm no vet, but a lot of what you said about his treatment just kind of gave me a funny feeling.
 

Helsinki

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Oh also after Zoa's surgery, the vet said there was a possibility that she might get constipated or take a day or two to be able to poo. Didn't end up being a problem (she did, however, take two days to not lose her balance when she pooped) but might ease your mind to know that sedatives and meds can have this effect. Her personality was also pretty bizarre for about two days following surgery- also normal. Some pets are very subdued after a procedure - mine was insane.

To me, from your description, it does sound like he had an infection. Pus tends to be a pretty sure sign of infection. Having a shot of antibiotics doesn't mean he can't get an infection - it just helps prevent one.
 
Last edited:

lyndxe

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thank you for putting my mind at ease a little!

as far as the antibiotics are concerned - i'm not that surprised he got an infection. he had an eye infection when he was about 4 months old and had a course of antibiotics for that (which cleared up and was fine afterwards for), so the second time he received antibiotics they probably didn't do too much for him.

our vet is actually quite good, and i trust her quite a bit. if anything, it's possible something could've gotten lost in translation (she talks to me in Czech, and while i speak okay Czech, some things and details do slip by me, haha).

as i write this, the boys are wrestling and play fighting on the floor (i took off the e-collar since they are right here and i can make sure no licking, haha), so that helps put my mind at ease a little, too. they've been going at it a while, and i haven't heard any coughs or sneezes, or anything that makes me think he has a breathing problem.

i'd still like to see him poo (as i said - he did yesterday morning, but hasn't in about 24 hours), but that you said the sedation can make things a little "slow moving" i am less worried. as i said, his appetite has been great, so i'm wondering where it's all going :)
 

captain_tinky

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I would see how he does after his last set of antibiotics, and if he's still doing this I would go ahead and possibly take him to another vet for a second opinion on what's going on with him. I hope he feels better!
 

andreanar

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I agree that I would watch for 2 more days, unless you see something changing. Surgery does slow down the bowels and he's prob not feeling 100% yet. I would try to keep him quiet, no jumping or wrestling around for the next week so he doesn't reopen. If you really just can't shake your gut feeling that something is off, then I would not hesitate to take him back in. Good luck and keep us posted.
 

zoinks

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When my boys were neutered one recovered right away but the other one, Dippy, was way more affected by the surgery and wasn't himself for weeks. We think he also got a URI from the stress. It is his personality, he is very nervous.

soooo my point is all cats take it differently, it's worrying when one is fine and the other is not 100% but fingers crossed he is just taking a little longer to get back to his usual self.

Sorry you had such a tough time and that nasty shock after the first surgery, I would keep an eye on him and bring him back in if you see any signs of distress.
 

admin

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Great advice thus far - my addition is, a little pumpkin can help constipation as we'll as it helps the runs, it wouldn't hurt - and also some Lysine in case of a cold, again, it can't hurt - and keep an eye on him as others said for a day or two more and if any drastic changes, perhaps another opinion from perhaps a different vet is in line. Hope all turns out well.
 

Catzzzmeow

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I am hoping to hear he is feeling much better by the end of the weekend. 2 surgeries in a week is enough to tire anyone out! Glad you like your vet..just keep an eye and don't let him over do it. Sleeping and healing are important right now.

Patti
 

susi794

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The poor guy has gone through a lot in a very short period of time! And wearing the collar most likely made him depressed with everything else going on. I felt better when you said he was playing with his brother when you took it off for a bit. Watch him for a few days...when does he have a recheck? Hope he is better very soon!
 

GoldHazel

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I totally agree with what advice you've been given. All the aforementioned was what I would have said exactly.

Hoping for a speedy recovery. Please check back with us shortly to give us an update as the members truly keep these types of threads on their minds and look for the outcome. Best of luck.
 

lyndxe

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hey everyone!

thank you all so much for your support.

Melvin is doing great now! he hasn't coughed since that first night, and as Helsinki said, i am now sure it was because of the sedation. no fever, his weight looks great, normal poos, and his energy is back tenfold (when the collar is off!)

i noticed after their initial neuter that Melvin took much longer to recover than his brother. our vet used propofol, and Boris was fine within a couple hours. Melvin, on the other hand took almost a full 24 hours to return to normal. i think he is just more sensitive to being put under or sedated than his brother. hopefully this will not be something we have to do again in his life :)

thanks again everyone, and i am really relieved he's doing so great now! guess i was just over reacting and a little paranoid. i just love these little boys so much and hate to see them under the weather!
 

andreanar

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Great news! We all understand about how it is to worry over our babies. Shoot, we even worry over everyone else's babies! Lol. Thanks for the update.
 
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