Worried - cat not perking up after dental

[timtam23]

I just wanted a bit of perspective here in case I'm worrying needlessly about my cat being slow to recover. My 4 year old healthy cat went for his booster & checkup recently, all fine apart from quite a bit of tartar and gingivitis. The vet talked a bit about different dry food but I thought as he's young, go straight for a dental & start afresh with clean teeth. So he went in on Monday, had it done,uncomplicated procedure with no extractions needed & he had a metacam injection. I picked him up in the late afternoon. He did look pretty dishevelled and was quite zonked/disorientated, unable to purr or miaow (sore throat?). He didn't eat at all & we kept him in overnight. The next day he was still a bit disorientated & in fact couldn't make the big jump onto the shed when he went out, although he went up onto the outside wall in smaller steps. Again didn't eat (we had soft wet food out for him) although had some water. By Wednesday he was less lethargic but when I returned from work and he still hadn't eaten I took him back to the vet. Vet said it was unusual to have such a slow recovery - checked him over, everything seemed ok according to vet. Gave him 2 injections - one buprenorphine & one metacam. He did perk up noticeably Weds evening/Thurs, was trotting around and was sniffing at his food although not eating any of it. Today I'm back home from work late & apparently he's been asleep all day. Food from this morning is untouched. He's quite quiet, I took him downstairs & he's gone straight back up to the bed. Vet now shut until tomorrow. We were given post-op metacam but advised to give only with food so he hadn't had any due to not eating. However I've given him a bit this evening as he seemed to respond to pain relief before. I've had cats go for dentals before (elderly doddery ones as well) and they really did bounce back pretty quickly so I can't help worrying that this young fit one seems to be finding it quite tough. I was going to ring the vet again tomorrow unless any need for urgent advice overnight - can anyone give any reassurance or any ideas as to why he might not be wanting to eat? Sorry for the essay...

The dental was the right call. We had a cat with gingivitis. You wouldn't wish that on any animal. get well soon puss.

I hope he gets well soon. You have to have dentals done. Toothache is the worst thing ever and you can't leave teeth to rot. There is a small risk with all procedures but it's one you have to take. So don't blame yourself.

The vet just called and his kidney blood tests are very bad indeed. But his urine sample was unexpected as it isn't very concentrated so it doesn't look like dehydration alone. I asked if he was very sick and she said yes (I didn't need to ask really). They are keeping him on a drip with a view to rechecking tests on wednesday & having another chat then depending on whether there's any improvement. They offered to let me visit - at first I wasn't sure but I'm going to go and see him this evening. Thanks for the replies as I do blame myself and am really upset. For anyone who remembers the thread on the little kitten found under the car bonnet this is him - Dudley - it isn't looking good for him right now

Oh no. I remember Dudley. I really hope he recovers.

All the best Dudley darling.

Oh no. I remember.
Good luck.
You shouldn't blame yourself. You did and are doing the right things.

Poor Dudley. All the best to him, timtam.

Please don't blame yourself timtam, you did the right thing by getting the dental done.

Sending hugs and purrs to Dudley from Harry and I.

Yes. I remember his arrival.

Whatever happens, he’s had a wonderful - and completely unexpected - life.

You did what I would have done, I wouldn't have requested bloods in such a young cat either.

I think seeing you will do him good.

Me neither, I have to say.

I wonder whether this could be his initial trials and tribulations catching up with him?

Thank you everyone. Yes I keep telling myself that we rescued him from a very precarious situation and he really has been the most loved and pampered cat for the last 4 years. I'm going to visit this evening and I'll try not to wail and cry all over the vet

Wail and cry if you need to. Hoping for better news for you by then though.

You did the right thing having the dental. You can’t let him have a sore mouth. Do go and see him. I treasured the cuddles I had with Snorg when she was critically ill and not expected to survive.

Sending positive thoughts Dudley's way. Is horrible when they're so ill but please do not blame yourself.

I've just got back from seeing him. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to go. It was better than I had expected. He's on a drip, looks more alert & brighter in himself although he's extremely nervous of everything. He sat on my lap, enjoyed lots of strokes and even ate little pieces of roast chicken from my hand. This is the first proper food he's had for a week, and he seemed really interested in it. So all in all I feel more settled about him being there & I'm allowed back tomorrow to see him again if I want. He's still very unwell but I think there's hope of further improvement.

I hope so.

Hope so too.

Most people wouldn’t opt for preop bloods in this situation, as the chances of there being a problem are remote, so I wouldn’t blame yourself.Equally most vets wouldn’t encourage you to have bloods taken as strongly as if it was a geriatric cat undergoing a GA.This has probably unmasked an underlying subclinical problem and tipped him over the edge rather than causing it, so he would probably have developed clinical signs anyway at some point. Also if he needed a dental and that was left he may have been in pain. I think you and your vet made what seemed to be the right decision for the cat at the time based on presenting signs - noone’s fault but obviously devastating for everyone. I hope bloods have improved in a couple of days, he’ll hopefully be feeling a lot better on the fluids now anyway

sending good wishes for a speedy recovery, glad he has a lovely owner to care and do what is best for him, it is not always easy! hope he is home soon

I was actually wondering whether he could have ingested something from the car engine during his trials and tribulations, Smiley. Something that compromised his kidneys - say - and it’s only because he’s been living as he has that it hasn’t shown before now?

That's a good point actually cozie, there are all sorts of nasties under a car bonnet. I guess I will never know for sure. If his bloods have improved by Wednesday I think they are keen to proceed to an ultrasound - which might show if there's a more chronic problem which was subclinical as Smiley has said.

Hoping for good news.

Poor scrap. Fingers crossed for him.