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Original poster

Kitten swallowed a bobble. Having surgery - handhold please

49 replies

Usernameisntavailable · 09/07/2023 13:18

Our 5 month old kitten swallowed a long hair bobble this morning. She's very small so I called the emergency vets (no normal vets open) to see whether they think she could pass it in her poo but they advised she comes in for them to induce vomiting.

Unfortunately it didn't work and she wasn't sick. They said with how long the bobble is and because she's so small they don't think she would be able to pass it. They are going to try and scope it out but they think that the tube to put down her throat would be too big and they might not be able to do it, in which case they will take her into theatre and try and find it.

She swallowed the bobble at 8:30 this morning so I think it would be out of her stomach by now anyway so looks like it will be surgery. However she only just had her spay operation 4 days ago and she's already going under for another. I feel so so guilty, I feel horrendous and I can't stop crying. So much to go through in such a short space of time at 5 months old.

I'm just looking for some comfort really

OP posts:
Florissante · 09/07/2023 13:59

What's the news, OP?

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 09/07/2023 14:01

@Florissante no news yet. I'm going to call at 3:30 for an update if I haven't heard anything by then

OP posts:
SophieHope7 · 09/07/2023 14:01

Ohhh I'm sorry! How awful! Know that she will be so well cared for at the vets. Lots of love to toy and little cat. Update us? ❤️😻❤️

WombatCowgirl · 09/07/2023 14:06

It's not your fault, kittens do such silly things! Mine was spayed, then bit through her stitches and had to be re -sutured under another general anaesthetic 24 hours later, she was woozy for a couple of days but very soon fine. I appreciate how you're feeling though, she will be fine and it will be a silly story to tell when she's a big bruiser bringing you frogs/ pheasants etc

Shopper727 · 09/07/2023 14:15

My cat ate the string of a balloon it got stuck and she had to be opened up to get it out she had a massive scar I felt terrible never had those in the house since stuff happens op, I didn’t envisage my brand new v expensive kitten nearly dying a week after we got her and the bills we were left with, thankfully she had decent insurance. But it does shake you. Hope your little kitten is ok op

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 09/07/2023 14:17

Thanks everyone. Appreciate your comments a lot

@Shopper727 oh no that sounds awful. what was recovery like for your cat? I was counting down the days until she could have her spay stitches out and take the cone off her head and now it seems like its all gonna take a lot longer. Keeping her still and making her rest is very difficult lol

OP posts:
Florissante · 10/07/2023 08:02

What's the news, OP?

Chasingadvice · 10/07/2023 08:09

It'll live. Don't panic unnecessarily.

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 10/07/2023 09:58

@Florissante I had a call last night saying they didn't have chance to do anything as they had so many emergencies come in. It was too late to do the scope because they managed to make her sick and only food came up. They gave her an x-ray and could see that the bobble was making its way through the intestines. They monitored her overnight and said they will call me this morning to tell me the plan.

They will x-ray her again and if it looks like it's stuck they will open her up and take it out. I haven't received a phone call yet, just anxiously waiting.

OP posts:
Igmum · 10/07/2023 10:07

Praying and a handhold ❤️

spiderlight · 10/07/2023 10:08

Everything crossed that she passes it and doesn't need surgery.

ahunf · 10/07/2023 10:11

Oh no. What a nightmare. Strange how she ate it as it wouldn't taste that nice but I suppose she's just a baby. Hope it all works out ok.

Florissante · 10/07/2023 10:50

Oh, no. More waiting! Fingers crossed that it makes its way through your kitten's digestive system without any drama.

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 10/07/2023 11:30

Hello!

A different vet called me this morning and gave a second opinion. He said she is absolutely fine and healthy and not showing any symptoms of a blockage. He said the surgery of opening her up and going into her intestines is very invasive and quite high risk and he doesn't think that surgery should be performed unless it HAS to be. So he is happy to discharge her today and for us to just monitor her and hope she passes it in her poop at home. If she has any symptoms of being unwell over the next few days I am to bring her straight back and they'll do the surgery. But until then he thinks it is just unnecessary stress and risk for her when she's perfectly fine right now.

Picking her up later tonight at about 7pm

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 10/07/2023 11:41

Oh great news! If she eats, drdinks, poos, wees and looks happy then it will be passing through OK.

But I don't envy you having to poke through her litter tray leavings to check it's come out!

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 10/07/2023 11:53

@Allergictoironing oh yes I will be anxiously waiting to sift through the poo 😆 she actually hasn't had a poo since it happened, the vet said she just passed a little nugget which isn't like her. She usually has two good poops a day. I am hoping that's because she was in the vets though and it's a change of scenery/routine and was also quite sedated for most of yesterday

OP posts:
spiderlight · 10/07/2023 14:53

I really hope it makes an appearance today. The second vet sounds very sensible.

WhichWitchWillBeWhich · 10/07/2023 22:35

Has it made an appearance yet, OP? 👀

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 11/07/2023 08:23

@WhichWitchWillBeWhich no, she hasn't pood at all! Her last BM was Saturday night and she hasn't pooped since. I asked the vet if it's safe to give her a bit of lactulose or something but he said he would leave it for now because it may just be because she was at the vets and was a bit stressed etc. We brought her home last night at 7pm and she's been playing, eating, and weeing but still hasn't done a poo, I'm a bit worried

OP posts:
Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 11/07/2023 11:23

One hair bobble safely retrieved

All I can say is, I'm very thankful for the second vet saying he didn't want to do the surgery. If it was up to the first vet they would've gone ahead and done it unnecessarily

I know they were acting in her best interests as they really didn't think she would be able to pass it. But I'm really thankful to the other vet!

Kitten swallowed a bobble. Having surgery - handhold please
OP posts:
spiderlight · 11/07/2023 11:31

Woohoo! Really glad it's reappeared without the need for major surgery. Thank goodness for the sensible vet.

Meanwhile, we are now on peach-stone poo watch with the world's stupidest cocker spaniel 😫

Original poster
Usernameisntavailable · 11/07/2023 11:35

@spiderlight oh noooooo!! Why are pets so stressful 😭 keeping my fingers crossed for you and pup

OP posts:
Florissante · 11/07/2023 12:11

That's great news, OP.

And fingers crossed all goes well for your spaniel, @spiderlight.

EL8888 · 11/07/2023 12:14

Phew! Great updates

spiderlight · 11/07/2023 13:19

He's done it before - he's absolutely fine at the moment and I suspect he'll randomly and loudly throw them up in the middle of the night some time this week, and then try to eat them again if we don't get to them fast enough.