Wanted to update you all and say that my cat is on the mend BUT, I need some advice here (sorry it's a bit long)
Took cat last night for his post operative check up, the vet who checked him wasn't the one who did the initial operation. Anyway, the conversation went like this
Vet: Is he eating ok?
Me: Yes, soft pate/mousse type food.
Vet: Ok let's check his mouth and see how he's doing (vet began feeling cats jaw). . . Hmm, I can't find the wire, that's odd let me look under his chin, hmm no wire, I have never known this to happen before where the wire comes out, I've never heard of it ( then he shakes his head and looks at the computer screen to see previous notes) errr So, he is eating?
Me: Yes
Vet: this is most unusual....I will give him a long lasting antibiotic to prevent infection where the wire would have come out under his chin, and I would like you to come back on Friday for another check up.
Me: Errm ok, so this puts paid to him having it in for 4-6 weeks then does it, but how would the wire have come out?
Vet: I don't know, maybe his tongue dislodged it or he pulled it out himself....and yes I suppose it now negates him having it in for 4-6 weeks, but he is eating, right?
Me: Yes
Anyway, I got home and typically went over the conv in my head and with husband, and thought to myself "this makes no sense at all, the cat has been asleep for the last 5 days barring eating a bit of food and having a wee, but he's been so zonked out with medicine he's slept for most of the day and night and how on earth is the vet thinking that in a maximum of 5 days, his bones have fused and all is well
I've been in contact with the vet again today to say that I am not happy to have paid £420 for this operation, and that the only explanation I can think of is that the wire was not fitted correctly and I believe they ought to do the op again at their expense.
The vet did not agree, he is adamant that the cat must have pulled it out (incidentally I cannot find the wire anywhere at all I've even searched through the hoover to see if there, it is not)
My cat has been kept in the kitchen since last Wednesday and in my opinion has not pulled it out...wouldn't I have seen some sort of blood around the area or something ?
With the vet saying he has "never seen a wire being removed in his 10 years since being qualified" my immediate reaction is that it must have been fitted too loosely and has either been ingested or god knows where it is.
So even though the vet said as long as he is eating he's fine, surely 5 days of the wire in place is not ong enough to fuse his jaw? I'm still in conflict with them over this and am going to meet with the clinical lead vet on Friday morning (she is off until then and also the vet who did the surgery is on hols until monday)
Is anyone a vet or know a vet that can advise on this before I go back again?
My main worry is that if they insist on leaving as is, the jaw will not heal correctly and will forever be a weak spot on my cat, and although I love my cat tto death, I don't believe that I should have to pay another £400 + to rectify this.
Sorry it's much longer a post than I wanted it to be!