Traci- Davet? Any help here?

[MA]

Hi, I need some help...in a nutshell, my cat 'Khai' had 3 teeth extracted, (Saffan anaesthetic used), to say he has not been right since is an understatement, I know my cat, the vets who cannot find a problem don't. He circles and walks around for hours upon hours, he now can't seem able to jump upwards, if placed in a higher position, he stumbles from the edge of the surface, seems basically miserable although I cannot find the source of any pain, is very disorientated and the only time that he seems contented and settled is on my lap, being re-assured as such. This has now been going on for 3 weeks and is getting worse, especially in the evenings. I have been trying to find some help and advice on the internet, which is how I found this site, but since I cannot identify a problem at the moment, am finding some empathy and a solution hard to come by...



Traci, this sounds neuroligical to me. The member is in New Zealand, don't know as that matters but? Could it have been the anesthesia?

[davet]

suspect only that he had some type of cerebral accident while under anesthesia..not from over dose but possibly what might be termed an idiosyncratic problemm does he have any nystagmus, ie eyeballs moving side to side or any difference in the eye balls, ie one large and one small...i am again just guessing but i think- and again this is not a reccomendation--that i would dose the cat with prednisone to see if there is any brain inflammation...again, i am not reccomending just musing..

[MA]

Thank you all for your replies, I am now 3 vets down on my problem, all of them have offered to keep him in for observation, but I am loathe to do this as my cat is already very stressed esp when he is away from me. Initially, after the dental op I was given Stomorgyl for him to take for a week. However, after 2 days of concern I took him in for a consult (his mouth was still bleeding a little and the disorientation seemed at that point at its worse - little did I know then - and he had a metacam injection, still continuing with the Stomorgyl)

Re Helen's comment about paw oedeama, I picked up on this immediately as I have also noticed how sensitive his paws seem to be. When he is trying to jump from a surface, he puts his front paws right off the edge of it and uses his hind legs to launch from, 2 vets comments were that he only feels for the edge of the surface as a guide, but Khai is not even doing that.

I have his sister as well, whose behaviour under the circumstances is 99% ok, which is a blessing!

Lyn (sleepless, tearful, stressed)
Khai (still a darling)

[Traci]

Assuming the owner means sevoflurane, it wouldn't have been my choice for anesthesia (I prefer ISO)....she needs to discuss this in full with her vet, look over the procedure/incident in kitty's health chart. If kitty had an overdose or an arrest during the procedure, the vet needed to record that in the health chart, have her find out about that immediately.

My concern is she mentions worsening symptoms, I'd get a pro consult right away, it could just be a coincidence in timing, but one way to know is the vet's comments on how kitty reacted to anesthesia upon waking up ([idelayed? any problems with vitals upon recovery? was a combination anesthetic agent used?) ...usually with anesthetic reactions, the symptoms don't progress, so get a consult with a feline neurologist ASAP.

[MA]

Latest report:

The last 24 hours have been awful and I have just returned from my 4th vet who was recommended to me.....and after just watching and observing he said that my cat had gone blind....imagine my absolute horror to actually have to be told this and the humiliation of now seeing it myself, I was so wrapped up in the circling and pacing, and the behavioural side, I couldn't seem to see what now seems obvious. The vet whom I saw tonight is calling the one who did the dental extraction for the op notes, and to discuss why he used the saffan anaesthetic, in the meantime I want to drill and find out all that I can.........ALL HELP AND POINTS TO LINKS ETC VERY WELCOMED

Lyn...and Khai



I don't know why she won't just post here- I've asked her repeatedly to come here.....oh well, I know where the knowledge lies, so I come here instead-

[davet]

it is possible for the sight to return, maybe over a period of months but it can happen and even if it does not, Indoor cats get along fine when they finally adjust to the situation..my 19 year old cat is completly deaf -which i know is not as bad_ but she has adjusted to it...tell your friend that if it is permanant it is not a death sentence.

[Traci]

MA, I have to concur with Davet, while it rare for this type of anesthetic reaction, some cats can indeed recover the vision element, it may take up to several months, but the important thing is ensuring that neurological deficits are not the primary problem.

[Susan and the girls]

Please relay to this person my sincerest concern and prayers for Khai! It breaks my heart to read about his symptoms and the fears that he may be blind.

I'm praying that they'll get to the bottom of this, and be able to somehow reverse it. Oh, how sad this makes me for Khai.....

[MA]

Khai has seriously deterioted today. I rushed him back to the vet, who was himself very shocked when he saw him, and the difference from last night. Khai crumbled and went to pieces even more so whilst I was there, vomitted quite badly and could not stand at all, he seems to have shut down completely, very limp all over and very distressed. There are 2 paths, one is the obvious, the other (which is what we have all agreed on) is for him to go on an IV drip, and have a steroid injection to see if there is any slight reversal in his condition, and we will have to make a decision in 24 hours or sooner if needs be. It definatley seems to be the 'Saffan' anaesthetic that has caused this, and my vet hinted that he was most surprised at it being used, with its know side effects. I have also found on the internet a link to the Australian Vet Journal from Sept 2001 by a N H Dodman called 'the complications of Saffan anaesthesia in cats' but can't get into what it actually states as it has only been used as a reference - any help here anyone??? Am a seriously mixed up female at the moment, with a huge hurdle coming my way, thank you all for your support

Khai died in the night.............
__________________

[Traci]

MA, hope you can relay my condolences to Lyn, how very very sad....

In looking over my anesthesia notes, I cannot find much about saffan (btw, the product is known as alphaxalone/alphadolone) and of course it dawned on me we don't use this in the US. I do know that one advantage of it's use in cats is the lack of respiratory depression as opposed to other anesthetic agents, but I have not checked for studies as it relates to use and adverse effects. Any anesthetic can potentially cause an effect, and this is an area where Lyn and the vet who performed the dental need to discuss.

In Lyn's post, she was referring to three weeks of progressing symptoms, I have to wonder why this was not addressed much earlier. And most importantly, the vet who performed the anesthesia/dental, must record this as an adverse event, lesson for study with his collegues/clinic associates, (lesson learned for future induction with this agent).

While it sounds like a possible overdose, or severe reaction, it could also be unrelated entirely, only the vet can make that determination based on the history, procedure done, reviewing the records, and upon necropsy if Lyn had chosen.

I hope that she can find closure during this difficult time, my heart breaks for her.........