Geez, I was so tired last night, I spelled Cat with "K" and called your vet a "He".

But thought about you guys a lot today and couldn't wait to get in and see how she was doing.

I'm so glad to hear it all went so well. What a relief. Lots more good thoughts on the way for a speedy recovery.

Great news. Thank heavens.
Sleep well!

Great news Kelly! Your vet sounds like a wonderful Dr. and so kind and reassuring!
Give Cat a kiss on the muzzle from me and hugs to you!
Healing thoughts sent your way. Glad everything went so well.
You are such a great dog momma!

I am very happy to hear that your baby is doing well. Give her a big hug and a kiss on my behalf and tell her that she is a good girl


Ram

Thanks, everyone! You have no idea how much you all mean to us!!

Connie, rest assured that Cat was NOT alone at anytime last night. When she was on the bed, Paul or I had an arm around her at all times (when I let them be around her, the other dogs kind of made up a fur barrier around her as well). She was not allowed to jump up or down- Paul and I picked her up. She was also carried up and down the stairs to go potty outside (we have 5 steps down to get to the door). She didn't move unless prompted by us, though- once she found a spot she was there until I thought she needed to go outside.

I put up the air mattress last night and she and I slept on that... there was NO WAY she was going to sleep alone last night! She started out by my feet, but at about midnight or so, I felt her move up to the pillow which is where she usually sleeps. I woke up with anesthesia breath on my face

She is much more steady on her feet today, and her appetite has returned. Last night she half heartedly ate a small meatball of hamburger. Today she's had 2 small meals of about 1/4 lb hamburger - I am keeping her meals small until I know that her gut is ready for it.

She is still very subdued and sleepy today, though she has lost that "glassy eyed stoner" look. When she's awake, she's super clingy. She's on Tramadol and Arnica for pain. The incision looks great- no fever or swelling. She has not even attempted to lick at the incision.

She has spent most of the day in my over-stuffed leather chair. It's just big enough that she can curl into a ball and put her head on the arm and sleep. She knows she's not supposed to jump up so she will stand in front of it and stare at me until I give her a boost up. When she gets down to get a drink of water or whatever, she kind of slithers off. Then she stares at me again til I put her back in the chair. Ummm, yeah, not spoiled at all... Paul has commented that "the Queen certainly does like her throne."

The other dogs have been great- since the initial excitement wore off. Drift and Toni cooled their heels in their crates until after dinner, then I let them be around her. Once they figured out that she wasn't feeling well, they went into nurse mode.

I don't think Paul expected that she would be so weak and would need so much attention, but has risen to the challenge of helping me care for her. To be honest, it suprised the heck out of me! He's not a nurturing kind of guy.

Well, I'm gonna go let her out again and see if she'll take more hamburger (laced with pain pills). I will keep you all updated

Kel (and Cat)

"She is still very subdued and sleepy today .... When she's awake, she's super clingy."


IME, completely normal with the pain meds and GA after-effects.

This is all such a relief!

By tomorrow she will likely be starting to feel like herself. It takes a little bit for an older dog to get over the anaesthesia, plus hysterectomy hurts.
If any of your pain medications have mental effects (probably not the tramadol, not real familiar with the other) some older patients would rather have pain than confusion, are frightened by "dulling effects" of medication. You might try experimenting with less pain medication, she might actually feel more normal, save the medication for nighttime, so she gets a good sleep.

Poor baby. These guys sure seem to go thru some yucky stuff after being put under. Vince whined most of that first night and it wasn't even anesthetic.

What Betty's saying makes a lot of sense. A bit of disorientation along with the pain discomfort is probably pretty confusing for them.

Sounds like the incision is doing well and you're doing a great job in the nursing (aka: spoiling) department. And tell Paul it sounds like he's doing a great job too. Sure is nice to have that extra set of hands thru stuff like this.

Here's hoping that every hour has bit more comfort for her.

So pleased Cat is home safe and sound, and going in the right direction, you must be so relieved to have her back with you, I hate leaving them in the vets and walking out the door without them, I am sure she will be back to chasing rabbits in no time!

Give her a big squeeze from her UK support team

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

If any of your pain medications have mental effects (probably not the tramadol, not real familiar with the other) some older patients would rather have pain than confusion, are frightened by "dulling effects" of medication.

This is a huge part of my preference for tramadol. Even before it went generic and only the expensive Ultram was available, this was the med I chose (and of course still do) for moderate or moderately severe pain.

It aids in serotonin release (and apparently has a fairly weak selective reuptake effect as well).

I first saw the difference in the effect on my dogs between the hydrocodone-type meds and tramadol when I had a dog who needed a couple of days' worth of pain relief after a minor but painful procedure and I mentioned that I had Ultram (tramadol) at home and wondered if it could be used and a new RX avoided.

The vet was completely agreeable, and I saw then that the dog didn't seem to have those confusion or dullness effects.

I started requesting that switch whenever appropriate, and intend to stay with it unless something stronger is ever needed.

Vets too have been making the transition to a great degree, I've noticed.

It tastes horrible, which is an administration challenge. Also, it too has upset-stomach and constipation possibilities, but much less than something like hydrocodone and its relatives.

For myself, it has close to the level of Vicodin relief without the Vicodin confusion, nausea, "stupidity," or severe constipation.



{Arnica is an herb which in homeopathic strength has no known side effects (at least none I know), and which in herbal, non-homeopathic, strength has potentially serious side effects, but confusion is not one of them.}

All JMO. Not a health professional.