Cat grooming question

[Traci]

What did the vet tell you about the groomer and the sedation used? Asked you this before. What did he tell you?

[Bama]

It's a new vet that wasn't there when I had the cats groomed.

[Traci]

Did you talk to anyone about the groomer and the sedation? If you didn't, this becomes another problem because he is then free to go somewhere else and do this to more cats. It needs to be brought to the attention of the clinic.

[Bama]

I talked to the new vet, like I already said. Yes, apparently the groomer is free to groom and sedate as he pleases. If I had his name I'd give it to you and let you hunt him down.

[mamabear]

The groomer in no way should be able to sedate an animal themselves. Sedation is a drug and can kill any human or animal if given at the wrong time thus the reason we as humans get blood work done before we undergo any sedation so the dr's can see if there is anything that might harm us when the sedation is administered to us.

This also applies to anything that is living and breathing. Why oh why would this vet allow this groomer to do this.(smack smack smack upside both their heads)

Any groomer that feels that it might be necessary to have to sedate an animal must do so under the advisement of a Vet. The Vet can weight the animal and run some tests prior to sedation to see if this animal is healthy enough to undergo even the smallest of doses. Plus if any groomer gives the wrong dose to any animal they might be at risk as well for the animal to all of a sudden leap or jump and bite them. not to mention flopping around the table while the groomer thinks since it's sedated that it doesn't need to secure it to the table and walks away and the animal falls off the table. OR worse yet, the animal is secured to the table with that string or wire to it's neck and they walk away while thinking the animal is fully sedated and the animal all of a sudden wakes up or is groggy and falls and strangles itself.

Sorry to bring this gruesome portrait but I use to watch this at the tender of 17 brand new to the vet tech field and well scars run dead with many things I witnessed. Groomers that sedate are not good groomers in my book.

You have groomers that are separate from a vets office then you have
Groomers that are within the office or associated with them.

You have animals that come into the vets office that use the groomer there and you have some that don't use the vet but use the groomer. Either way that groomer should have the owners approval before sedation and give a VERY GOOD and medical reason for having to have to animal sedated. If the animal is a really bad biter than the vet looks and does the weight and bloods and then vet sedates and groomer does their thing. I use to help with grooming as well and I would ask the owners to muzzle the animal before they left so I can groom them right away even if other clients were in their first or I would say if the animal bites you need to bring them in at this time so I can take care of it right then and there. I always tried the no sedation method, sedation can take a toll on an animal as well as with us humans.

So the groomer that is there now doesn't groom cats unless they are sedated?

If this is a fact then I would make it clear to your vet that You will NOT being using that groomer and that you do not appreciate the Vet approving such haphazard sedation on animals JUST BECAUSE poor baby groomer had a bad experience. I certainly didn't understand having a bad experience and all but the animals well being should never be compromised due to our insecurities.

I am glad that you are checking on this stuff and getting info on it before allowing a perfectly healthy kitty to undergo such unnecessary dangerous sedation. I'd find another groomer that doesn't use. Shelters and rescues use the places that are closest to them not nessesarily the ones that are the best. It really depends on the organizations and their funding or if they have a contract with that particular vet.

Also contact's with certain vets means that they use that particular vet for a fee and that vet's fee might be cheaper than other vet's in the area. I know someone in the shelter business and this is how a new vet is found and if someone comes in cheaper then when the contract with that vet is done they go to the cheaper place.

I know you are looking to learn from this so thought i'd shout out my 2cents for ya ta help out.!!! Been away from these forums for a week or so so just catching up.

[Traci]

I ask for the third time, what did the vet say about the groomer? I seriously doubt he/she said it was perfectly ok for the groomer to sedate pets without written consent from the clients, nor via supervision from the vet. And, supposedly the groomer is no longer there? So, was he/she confronted and fired, or did he/she simply walk out the door and the vet clinic did nothing about this?

If you knew the groomer was sedating your cats without supervision, it was up to YOU to discuss that with the clinic's owner or any one of the vets and it was up to YOU to find out what sedation method was used. And, if you knew, then again, it was up to YOU to inform the vet so that other pets were not put at risk.

Again, what was the method or drug used? You have yet to answer that.

We've explained to you no less than three times the seriousness of this issue. If your vet's clinic was fully aware of this and allowed it to occur, then they are negligent and acting illegally, and you would be just as responsible for not demanding the groomer was held accountable. The vet clinic is also accountable and if what you say is true, then why on earth are you using this clinic for your pets?

[Bama]

You're pretty hardheaded, aren't you? And that's me being nice!

For the second or third time, there is a new vet, there is nobody there from a year ago when I last had the cats groomed so give up already. The vet does NOT know the groomer, his name, where he came from, where he went, NOTHING! Get it????!!!!

I came here for information. You said NOTHING about things to look out for with new kittens, NOTHING about diseases, NOTHING about conditions they might have, NOTHING about their care. ALL you have done is fuss about stupid, inconsequential things when I am trying to give these babies a home that is better than where they came from. I am NOT the enemy although you seem to LOVE making me out as one. IF I had ill intent or harm in mind, why would I have even come here.

Get a life and a personality, why doncha???

GEESH!!! I'm outta here so don't waste your time. I'm done wasting mine!!!!

[Traci]

Excuse me, Bama, but here are your posts,

Is it standard procedure to sedate cats when being groomed? I have two himalayans and the groomer insists on putting them to sleep before he grooms them. I have always felt wary but let him, figuring he knew what was best. I'm watching "Groomer Has It" on tv and they aren't sedating the himalayans. Should I seek out another groomer that doesn't sedate? Another thing...he clips their whiskers...I don't know if it's on purpose or not.

Also, I've heard people recommending the "furminator" grooming tool. Is there anything bad about it or would it be ok for the above mentioned cats?

Thanks in advance.

----

I use a "slicker brush"...I think that's what it is called, short wires on a curved base. The cats aren't matted, I take them in maybe once a year, in the summer, to get their tummy trimmed, just b/c it's easier to let someone else do it. I'll call around and find a better groomer or stick to doing it myself. I just liked the scent (not sure if it's a shampoo or something sprayed on afterward) they use here and they won't tell me what it is. They say it's a secret.

----

He works at my vet's office, one day a week. I don't know if there is a vet supervising or doing the actual sedation or if the groomer is qualified to sedate or not. I haven't used him since last summer and won't be going back to him now. I wasn't informed of his methods until we brought the cats in, he had a little bit of an attitude and even though I felt uneasy, I let him groom the cats anyway because I thought he was a professional (doing what was best for the animals, keeping them calm) and I didn't know what the standard was. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt with the whisker clipping but now I know that you can groom a cat and not bother its whiskers. Watching the grooming show and getting input here gives me a leg to stand on so I know what questions to ask and when to say no.

Thank you for the information.
----

We do use that vet so I will be going back in and asking if that groomer is still there and questioning the sedation, shampoo issues. The whole issue does make me question even the vet but this office is the one used by the rescues and shelter around here so they must be doing something right...or is it just convenient? We're pretty rural and there aren't too many choices available. I just wish I knew more about what to ask, what is and isn't acceptable, that sort of thing....but I'm learning.

----

The groomer in question is gone. There is a new groomer who absolutely refuses to groom cats at all due to some bad experiences. I did buy a furminator at the vet's office today though and can't wait to try it out!

----

It's a new vet that wasn't there when I had the cats groomed.

----

I talked to the new vet, like I already said. Yes, apparently the groomer is free to groom and sedate as he pleases. If I had his name I'd give it to you and let you hunt him down.

----

For the second or third time, there is a new vet, there is nobody there from a year ago when I last had the cats groomed so give up already. The vet does NOT know the groomer, his name, where he came from, where he went, NOTHING! Get it????!!!!

So, you wait until your last post to inform us the new vet doesn't know anything. Note that your posts all indicate the present tense, which is what we read, therefore how we responded. But, the problem remains, apparently you had a year to ask your vet about the groomer and the sedation methods and don't bother to find that out until you come to MY forum and ask these questions, we then give you valid advice, and then you refuse to answer questions on the subject until your last post and you now want to blame ME? The entire point of the matter was that you informed us there was a groomer who sedated cats for no valid reason, apparently did so illegally, both he/she and your clinic vet(s) were apparently acting willfully and illegally and when bringing that to your attention so that YOU could address this with the vet so that the clinic could PREVENT this from happening to other innocent pets and their owners, and so that the groomer could be held accountable. (this means firing, reporting to authorities, getting a conviction in a court of law if applicable, preventing this groomer from doing harm to other pets, preventing this groomer from ever working in the grooming field again, ever). But, I guess that's not your concern? It's also not your concern that your vet (at that time) and his/her clinic allowed that to happen in the first place? Absolutely no clinic owner, no staff member, no technician, no other vet remaining there from a year ago? Not bloody well likely, unless this new vet you speak of bought the original vet/owner out.

I came here for information. You said NOTHING about things to look out for with new kittens, NOTHING about diseases, NOTHING about conditions they might have, NOTHING about their care. ALL you have done is fuss about stupid, inconsequential things when I am trying to give these babies a home that is better than where they came from. I am NOT the enemy although you seem to LOVE making me out as one. IF I had ill intent or harm in mind, why would I have even come here.

Indeed, I wasted a lot of time on you, giving you information and advice you could have confirmed with your vet, given you links to further educate you on specific issues as it concerned your questions, answering every one of your questions with detail and concern, and added additional questions to confirm what you were saying, although you couldn't answer them. And I assure you, when I am told a groomer gives sedation to a cat without client consent, nor the clinic owner/vet discussing this with a client, I do not find that INCONSEQUENTIAL. YOU brought this issue to MY forum, and you are still somewhat responsible, because whomever remains at that clinic only has to look up the groomer's name, press charges, ensure he/she never works in the field again. (unless that was already done but we don't expect any factual answers from you, clearly.)

Don't worry, I will not further waste my valuable time. I will hope and pray though, that you've learned enough here (and I encourage you to validate and confirm the advice given you with your vet, preferrably a new, competent vet), and that you will continue to learn and search for reputable information on raising kittens and cats, and not settle for credulous things you find elsewhere on the net. I would even invite you to continue asking questions or seek help here, but I will not tolerate such behavior at my expense. I was not intentionally signalling you out, on the contrary I was attempting to get to the source of the problem, I answered your questions, and I expected the same of you.

Have a nice day.

[Sonique]

I came here for information. You said NOTHING about things to look out for with new kittens, NOTHING about diseases, NOTHING about conditions they might have, NOTHING about their care. ALL you have done is fuss about stupid, inconsequential things when I am trying to give these babies a home that is better than where they came from. I am NOT the enemy although you seem to LOVE making me out as one. IF I had ill intent or harm in mind, why would I have even come here.

Because letting you know that sedating a cat can seroiusly harm it or even KILL IT, especially if done by someone who isn't licensed, is stupid and inconsequential. Totally not worth mentioning at all.