Hello Everyone,
This is my first time posting here. Unfortunately my cat died yesterday at the vet's office. She began throwing up 2-3 times a day and some of her hair became matted. All this just happened over the last week. She was 8 years old.
Alley was a very fiesty cat. The only people that could pet her were my myself and my wife. When I took her to the vet, they noticed this, because she was hissing at the doctors and receptionists. The vet said she would have to sedate her to run the tests that were needed. They took x-rays and they came back normal. They also brushed the matted hair out and there was no skin problem.
The vet gave me some medicine to take home and special food to feed her for a week. She then said to come back in 45 minutes to pick her up. She said Alley was still to groggy to take home. After I left the office my phone rings. She tells me Alley died of cardiac arrest while coming off the sedative.
They did have me sign a waiver before they administered the sedative. They did say it could cause complications. To me, all of this happened way to fast. Alley was just fine a week ago. Is there anyone out there that has been through the same thing? I've never been a cat person, but I just feel terrible that this happened. Is it normal to give cats ketamine as a sedative? I don't want to make it sound like I think the vet did anything wrong. This just all seemed to happen so quick.
Thanks to anyone that replies,
Ryan
Cats-Ketamine
Re: Cats-Ketamine
I don't have any answers, I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss... {{{hugggs}}}
Enjoy your time at the Rainbow Bridge {{{Alley}}} and know that one day you will be reunited with your family....
Enjoy your time at the Rainbow Bridge {{{Alley}}} and know that one day you will be reunited with your family....
Re: Cats-Ketamine
I am so very sorry, how very tragic.
Exactly what tests were done, you said only an xray. What was the "medicine" and "special food" that was prescribed? And, under what assumption or suspicion did she prescribe it? What did she think was the cause of the vomiting, etc?
Was she able to give her an exam prior to anesthetic? Did she listen to her heart and lung sounds in order to determine if Alley had a heart murmur or anything else unusual? Was Alley painful upon exam and palpation?
If anything was suspicious or abnormal upon basic exam, your vet should never have used anesthetic. I understand the necessity of a light anesthetic for a fractious cat, but given Alley's age and accompanying symptoms, I think the vet could have chosen a safer anesthetic just to draw blood, one that would have provided less sedation...or, done better to restrain her for taking blood without sedation. Can you take this up with her and ask her what her reasoning was for the use of ketamine? I realize this doesn't change anything, but there are other sedatives that could have been considered. Cats react to ketamine in various ways, it is an anesthetic that should be chosen very carefully per the procedure warranted, and coming out of anesthesia from ketamine can be tough for some cats.
In the future, and if you have other cats, I'd certainly discuss the options of anesthetics carefully with this vet before proceeding. Or, if she doesn't give you other options, or avoids your questions and concern, find a new vet.
I'm so sorry, my heart goes out to you for Alley, ((((HUGS))))
Exactly what tests were done, you said only an xray. What was the "medicine" and "special food" that was prescribed? And, under what assumption or suspicion did she prescribe it? What did she think was the cause of the vomiting, etc?
Was she able to give her an exam prior to anesthetic? Did she listen to her heart and lung sounds in order to determine if Alley had a heart murmur or anything else unusual? Was Alley painful upon exam and palpation?
If anything was suspicious or abnormal upon basic exam, your vet should never have used anesthetic. I understand the necessity of a light anesthetic for a fractious cat, but given Alley's age and accompanying symptoms, I think the vet could have chosen a safer anesthetic just to draw blood, one that would have provided less sedation...or, done better to restrain her for taking blood without sedation. Can you take this up with her and ask her what her reasoning was for the use of ketamine? I realize this doesn't change anything, but there are other sedatives that could have been considered. Cats react to ketamine in various ways, it is an anesthetic that should be chosen very carefully per the procedure warranted, and coming out of anesthesia from ketamine can be tough for some cats.
In the future, and if you have other cats, I'd certainly discuss the options of anesthetics carefully with this vet before proceeding. Or, if she doesn't give you other options, or avoids your questions and concern, find a new vet.
I'm so sorry, my heart goes out to you for Alley, ((((HUGS))))
..........Traci