Vet problem

About three weeks ago I made a vet appointment for Tiger for today (June
20). It was for a rabies shot and to have some bad mats shaved off of
his back. He has to be sedated for this (he is NOT cooperative).
Yesterday, I got a call from the vets office saying that they thought
Tiger was too big to fit in the chamber that they use to administer
Isoflourine. I went and took a look (without Tiger) and it looked like
the chamber would only hold a small cat or kitten. The vet was
unwilling to use an injectable anesthetic. Tiger had this "grooming"
done by this vet last year and the year before but an injectable
anesthetic was used then. I had to make an appointment at another vet
for next month.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

---MIKE--- wrote:
About three weeks ago I made a vet appointment for Tiger for today (June
20). It was for a rabies shot and to have some bad mats shaved off of
his back. He has to be sedated for this (he is NOT cooperative).
Yesterday, I got a call from the vets office saying that they thought
Tiger was too big to fit in the chamber that they use to administer
Isoflourine. I went and took a look (without Tiger) and it looked like
the chamber would only hold a small cat or kitten. The vet was
unwilling to use an injectable anesthetic. Tiger had this "grooming"
done by this vet last year and the year before but an injectable
anesthetic was used then. I had to make an appointment at another vet
for next month.

So Tiger will have to have these bad mats until then?

---MIKE--- wrote:
About three weeks ago I made a vet appointment for Tiger for today (June
20). It was for a rabies shot and to have some bad mats shaved off of
his back. He has to be sedated for this (he is NOT cooperative).
Yesterday, I got a call from the vets office saying that they thought
Tiger was too big to fit in the chamber that they use to administer
Isoflourine. I went and took a look (without Tiger) and it looked like
the chamber would only hold a small cat or kitten. The vet was
unwilling to use an injectable anesthetic.

Did they tell you why? There are certain conditions were certain
injectable seds are contraindicated. In most cases, the cat can still
be pre-sedated with valium (or merely toweled) and then masked with
isofluorane. That being said, my 22 lb Peewee used to fit in our
isochamber at the vet where I worked, so it's sort of weird that they
would only have a small chamber. Sounds like that vet has a screw
loose.

Tiger had this "grooming"
done by this vet last year and the year before but an injectable
anesthetic was used then. I had to make an appointment at another vet
for next month.

Next month? You should be able to get in for grooming within a week,
if it's only a matt shave and not a whole-body. Call a feline
specialist. They wil lhave a large isochamber and will get you in
sooner.

-L.

Tiger has been developing these mats for a couple of months. I think
they bother me more than him. This is a very rural area and there are
not many vets within a reasonable distance. One other vet out and out
refused to take on any more clients. Tiger will wait until July 10th.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

---MIKE--- wrote:
Tiger has been developing these mats for a couple of months. I think
they bother me more than him. This is a very rural area and there are
not many vets within a reasonable distance. One other vet out and out
refused to take on any more clients. Tiger will wait until July 10th.
---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

I recently read some sites about grooming. They suggested a little each
day will eventually do a lot. You might not see anything at first, but
keeping at it, a little at a time will get the mats eventually over the
course of a few weeks. If his fur is not too long, maybe the Kong Zoom
groomer, a very soft rubbery thing. I purchased one for about $7.50
just a few hours ago. It does not bother my cat like the metal comb,
the plastic comb, the brush with little balls on the end, a regular
brush and the thing that looks like a saw blade. The very soft bristle
brush also does not bother her but that does not seem to do much. The
anesthetic thing can be risky, especially if they use the old ketamine.

wrote in message
I recently read some sites about grooming. They suggested a little each
day will eventually do a lot. You might not see anything at first, but
keeping at it, a little at a time will get the mats eventually over the
course of a few weeks. If his fur is not too long, maybe the Kong Zoom
groomer, a very soft rubbery thing. I purchased one for about $7.50
just a few hours ago. It does not bother my cat like the metal comb,
the plastic comb, the brush with little balls on the end, a regular
brush and the thing that looks like a saw blade. The very soft bristle
brush also does not bother her but that does not seem to do much. The
anesthetic thing can be risky, especially if they use the old ketamine.



A Zoom Groom is not going to do anything for existing mats- they will
require either a comb or a clipper depending on the amount of time they have
been there. A Zoom Groom is a good tool for dead coat removal and
daily/weekly grooming but is woefully inadequate for "remedial" grooming.

Mike- the problem is not the mats themselves, but the skin underneath them.
Mats pull and irritate skin, they prevent air flow, they hide parasites,
they trap moisture- there are 100 reasons that they need to come off asap.
And you can't be surprised at anything you find under there once they do
come off- scabs, sores, etc.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/rules.htm

Toni wrote:Mike- the problem is not the mats themselves, but the skin
underneath them.
Mats pull and irritate skin, they prevent air flow, they hide parasites,
they trap moisture- there are 100 reasons that they need to come off asap.
And you can't be surprised at anything you find under there once they do
come off- scabs, sores, etc.

I agree. This can't be comfortable for the kitty. Cat's skin is thin,
and matts can definitely hurt. Once you have a groomer or vet take
care of these bad mats, I would strongly suggest commencing a grooming
regimen you can do yourself.

I don't think Tiger's mats are bad enough to cause him discomfort since
he still likes to lay on his back. I am trying to use a small rubber
"groomer" - similar to the love glove but a little coarser. Maybe a few
days with that will reduce some of the mats.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

"Paws" wrote:

Once you have a groomer or vet take
care of these bad mats, I would strongly
suggest commencing a grooming
regimen you can do yourself.

I have been grooming Tiger but these mats seemed to appear overnight.
My efforts to groom them out has met with complaints (spitting, biting,
and hitting).


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')