Worried Sick

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove a
hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving him
fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain). I'm
really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they really
have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a similar
experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

I've never had that, but we did have a cat with her colon (large
intestine) removed. One thing they had to watch is that the intestine
heals together properly. If things leak out from the intestine into
their body, it can cause a septic infection -- which is serious. That's
what happened to our cat, and it was the first time it had ever happened
to a cat in our surgeon's care. She had to have another surgery and the
stitches repaired, and her abdominal cavity rinsed with a saline
solution. She pulled through and is an incredibly happy cat today.

I'm not telling this to scare you but you might want to ask the vet how
they watch for a septic infection. What they did after about a week with
our cat not getting better, and actually getting worse, was to draw out
fluid and test it.

I was told they expect a cat to have a spike in fever the first day so I
don't think it's time for you to be overly concerned over that, but it's
good to be aware of what to watch for.

Are you able to visit him while he's there? I went to see Sweeter about
twice a day.

Let us know how he's doing,

Rhonda



Caramelgirl wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove a
hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving him
fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain). I'm
really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they really
have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a similar
experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

On 17 Feb, 23:14, "Caramelgirl" wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove a
hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving him
fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain). I'm
really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they really
have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a similar
experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

haven't had this specifically but one of our cats, tegan the terrible
tortie, did have to have a pyjama bottoms cord which she had swallowed
removed from her intestines, years ago it was, she bounced back
brilliantly. That would have been about 8 or 9 years, and yes she is
over the rainbow bridge now but she only died last summer at the grand
old age of 17years and it was nothing to do with a pyjama cord in her
intestines, more a tumour in her stomach which was inoperable.

she had to be cut open in the usual way, cord pulled out, she was sewn
up, she spent several nights at the vet hospital in recovery, can't
really remember what might have happened with fevers etc but i do know
she got over it fine and came through to annoy my father for several
more years afterwards.

I am sure your puss will be perfectly fine, surgery must have moved on
since tegan had her intestinal surgery, and your puss is in the right
place (although based on the experinces of one person on this group i
would check that they DEFINITELY are giving him 24 hour care and
monitoring him through the night). Cats are resilient little buggers
and he shoudl be fine, you do not say how old he is though, the
younger he is i suppose the better are his chances. Tegan was about 9
or 10 when she had her surgery and when i went to see her a few days
afterwards you would not have known from her bouncy behaviour what had
gone on.

do not worry about things you can do nothing about and this is
definitely something you can do nothing about, you will just make
yourself ill and when your little fellow comes home he needs his mum
to be fit and well to take good care of him. It is in the lap of the
gods now.

bookie

On Feb 17, 4:14 pm, "Caramelgirl" wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove a
hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving him
fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain). I'm
really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they really
have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a similar
experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

When she was 3 or 4 years old, my cat got an intestinal obstruction
from eating some of the netting from a dance tutu. She had emergency
surgery (a Saturday night), had a fever, had IVs, and started turning
around for the better on Monday. She still ran a low grade fever for
several days and was on antibiotics. Within the week she was doing
great.

I'm hopeful you'll have the same good result. Please keep us posted!
(By the way, this is the same cat of mine that died on Monday, from a
stroke. Except for the very bad choice of eating that netting, she
was perfectly healthy throughout her 15 years.)

Thank you all for your responses to my post. Knowing that your kitties made
it through their ordeals helped me to relax a little about my baby. I'm
happy to say that I brought Bruno home from the hospital today! He wasn't
doing well in the hospital because of the stress of being around so many
strangers, and he hadn't eaten since last Wednesday. I discussed this with
his veterinarian, and he agreed that Bruno would probably do better at home.
Within a couple of hours of being home, he has already eaten a bit and is
settling back in nicely. I'm so happy to have him home. Thank you again
for your help!


"Caramelgirl" wrote in message
news:f%LBh.5666$am1.3150@trndny01...
Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove
a hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving
him fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain).
I'm really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they
really have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a
similar experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

That's great that he's home and eating! Our cat did the same -- would
not eat a bite for them so they sent her home early. She did so much
better here.

Hope he continues to bounce back quickly.

Rhonda

Caramelgirl wrote:
Thank you all for your responses to my post. Knowing that your kitties made
it through their ordeals helped me to relax a little about my baby. I'm
happy to say that I brought Bruno home from the hospital today! He wasn't
doing well in the hospital because of the stress of being around so many
strangers, and he hadn't eaten since last Wednesday. I discussed this with
his veterinarian, and he agreed that Bruno would probably do better at home.
Within a couple of hours of being home, he has already eaten a bit and is
settling back in nicely. I'm so happy to have him home. Thank you again
for your help!

On Feb 19, 7:16 pm, "Caramelgirl" wrote:
Thank you all for your responses to my post. Knowing that your kitties made
it through their ordeals helped me to relax a little about my baby. I'm
happy to say that I brought Bruno home from the hospital today! He wasn't
doing well in the hospital because of the stress of being around so many
strangers, and he hadn't eaten since last Wednesday. I discussed this with
his veterinarian, and he agreed that Bruno would probably do better at home.
Within a couple of hours of being home, he has already eaten a bit and is
settling back in nicely. I'm so happy to have him home. Thank you again
for your help!

"Caramelgirl" wrote in message

news:f%LBh.5666$am1.3150@trndny01...

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me if they have had any experience with surgery to remove
a hairball from their cat's intestines? My kitty had emeargency surgery
yesterday to remove a hairball from his intestines. During the night he
spiked a very high fever. They got the fever to come down a bit, but he's
still running a low grade fever. He won't eat or drink. They're giving
him fluids intravenously and he has some sort of patch (I think for pain).
I'm really worried that he won't pull through. The vet said that they
really have to watch him closely for the next 72 hours. Has anyone had a
similar experience? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

this is great news, caramelgirl ... please keep us posted.