# Nervous About Neutering



## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Well, its finally time for Psi to get neutered. He's getting it done on Thursday. I'm really nervous about it...

I want to take him in the earliest I possibly can and they said we can pick him up between 4 and 5 in the afternoon. What can I expect after his surgery? What is the schedule of him "waking up"? How long until I should worry about his grogginess and when will he be expected to be back to eating/drinking/peeing/pooing and just being Psi again? Will it be okay for me to leave him alone on Friday morning for a few hours when I go to school? I have to leave again Friday afternoon for a few hours too but I'll be able to check on him after school, will he be okay all alone? I plan to stay up with him all through Thursday night. He'll have stitches, right? How long until they will come out or will the dissolve? Will he have to wear a hood so that he doesn't pick at them?

Okay, I know I asked 500 questions but please help me feel better about this!!!

Thanks, 
tanyuh


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## Majicou (Jun 7, 2003)

When my male cat was neutered, no stitches were needed. (I'm not sure how it works). When we brought him back from the surgery (in the afternoon - the operation was in the morning) all he wanted to do was sleep. He was fine the next day though.


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## Aonir (Aug 18, 2003)

When I got my last cat nuetered, he just slept. When he tried to walk, (needless to say) he walked funny. Within a day, he should be eating/drinking again. If he doesn't eat within 2 days, I would contact your vet. Same goes for unrinatin and BMs. Just to be on the safe side, ya know?

Don't put kitty up anywhere high, he could fall off.. And he won't land on all fours!


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## kittygirl04 (Jul 8, 2003)

Kitty was already neutered when I got him, so I don't have experience with males....but I did have Yoda spayed. She had a little bald spot on her tummy and stitches. For some reason, he didn't make her wear that cone thing. She was a bad girl and did bite at the stitches a little, but I was home with her to make her stop. I had her spayed in the winter--it was cute because her little bald belly was cold, so she kept wanting to lay on me to keep it warm. :)


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## Richo (Jul 4, 2003)

I don't recall anything strange when Barnaby came back from his operation. I would imagine he probably was groggy and slept a lot but if he was acting strange in any way I would have taken note of it.

When an old girlfriend's cat was neutered about 9 years ago I remember him licking the wound a lot but I don't recall Barnaby licking on his wound at all (at least not that I saw). I imagine the stitching/closing of the incision is done differently these days.

Let us know how he makes out.


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## Majicou (Jun 7, 2003)

kittygirl04 said:


> Kitty was already neutered when I got him, so I don't have experience with males....but I did have Yoda spayed. She had a little bald spot on her tummy and stitches. For some reason, he didn't make her wear that cone thing. She was a bad girl and did bite at the stitches a little, but I was home with her to make her stop. I had her spayed in the winter--it was cute because her little bald belly was cold, so she kept wanting to lay on me to keep it warm. :)


I think females require stitching, but males don't - because with females they make an actual incision into the body, whereas with males it is all 'outside'. So males should recover quicker after neutering.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

My toms have had no problems after neutering. My vet keeps them overnight, however. I'm sure he'll be fine.


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Okay thanks guys! I'll be on here every hour making sure he is recovering like he's supposed to hehe. He's such a cute little guy...I'm so worried about him! I'm wondering...how much bigger is he gonna get? He's six months now, so is he half grown, three quarters??

OH! Guess what?!?! This morning when he yawned I noticed that he has TWO canine teeth on both upper canines! Is one a baby tooth that will fall out????? It looks pretty weird. I tried to take a picture this morning but it was too dark, so we'll try later today or tomorrow. It kinds of freaks me out when I look at it hehehe.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Tanyuh, That happened to my daughter! She had such strong baby teeth, they had to be pulled, because the permanent teeth had to have room. Mention it to the vet and see whether he thinks it needs to be pulled.


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Well, he's at the vet. We dropped him off this morning. It's 9 am now and they said he'll have his surgery done at about noon and then I can call to check up on him. We will pick him up at about 4. I hope he is okay. He looked so scared. There was a loud puppy in there and it frightened him so he was cowering in the back of his carrier. I felt so horrible just leaving him there and I'm a complete wreck now. I wish the adoption agency had it done before we adopted him. They usually don't adopt kittens until they are 5 months so that they can spay/neuter them beforehand, but they were crawling with kittens at the time and were trying to get them adopted in order to make room for MORE kittens, so I can understand why they didn't wait. I just wish I didn't have to go through this worry. So, how long does it usually take for him to FULLY recover? The vet said no running or jumping for A WEEK! There's no way I can keep him from running and jumping for a week!! How do they expect you to do that?!?!

Thanks for your support guys,
~tanya a.k.a. nervous wreck


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Tanyuh, we'll pace the floors with you! I think your biggest problem is getting Psi to read the vet's instructions! He'll feel like playing long before the vet suggests. My cats didn't have to wear a collar, not my cats or dogs. Every case is different, though.

The Pet Center (.com) gives this conclusion:

A small suture is tied around the spermatic cord and the testicle is removed. The cord is placed back into the scrotum and an antibiotic is applied to the surgical area. The scrotal skin closes the incision itself so no skin sutures are needed. The cat goes home the same day and acts as if nothing ever happened! 
_____________________
Be sure to tell us when Psi gets home!


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Thanks Jeanie, that helps a bit!! I'm gonna call him in about half an hour. I just have to work on my Quantum Mechanics problems for a bit (instead of read the forum hehehe).

I'll let you know.

Thanks,
tanyuh


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## Maleke (Jul 2, 2003)

Any updates on Psi yet???? Did you call to check on him? How did everything go??????


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Hello, 

I picked him up at 3. We took him home and left him in his carrier in a quiet room until 5. I'm assuming he slept. He is VERY groggy/drunk. He started banging the cage door at 5 so I let him out and offered him food and water and put a small litter tray by his carrier. He wanted nothing to do with the food or litter. He just wandered around the room. He couldn't walk very well at all and he kept falling because his back legs would collapse. He'd just walk around like a Parkinson's patient - his head would shake like he was constantly smelling but it just looked like he was shaky to me, like an old person...I hope this is okay. I slept in there with him until 7 and I left the room and I'm gonna go check on him again. He hasn't eaten/drank/used litter at all yet. The vet said she thinks he is doing well. She didn't give us any pain meds and gave us an Elizabethan collar just in case he starts to lick the area. I hope the sleep will help him recover, I'm just worried about the shaking. He also doesn't really seem to recognize me..

Thanks
tanyuh


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## kittygirl04 (Jul 8, 2003)

I hope Psi will be ok. He may just still be out of it from the surgery. I wonder if he is shaky from not eating? I guess I wouldn't want to eat either if someone did that to me. :shock: Please keep us posted on how he is doing!


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## chris in va (Apr 7, 2003)

You're worried about this too much. It's a standard neutering, no biggie. He'll be weird for a couple days, then be back to his old self.


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

*spoken like a true guy* hahahahahha just kidding chris!


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## Richo (Jul 4, 2003)

Now that you mention it, I think that Barnaby did not eat for a while after his surgery. I also seem to recall that he threw up on the rug. I know he did once and I think it may have been after his neutering, because otherwise I would have been concerned about the vomit. Poor little guy. I bet he'll be much better tomorrow. :wink:


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Yip, he is! He is walking around fine now, no more shaking (phew), he just walks kinda slow. He woke me up 2 hours ago (4:45!) and walked all over us in bed and purred in our faces like normal (our bed is on the floor). Then he ate a bit and explored around the room. I let him out and Samhain treats him like she has never seen him before in her life - I bet he just smells funny. So he's been wandering around, using the litterbox and eating/drinking little bits. He doesn't seem to want to use the little litterbox I set up for him in the room but he's gonna have to because we will separate them again while we are at school. Samhain swats and hisses at him and I'm afraid she'll get him in his sore spot. I'm so glad he's returning to normal. I have heard so many horror stories about neutering but its all done now and he seems to be fine. Oh, and hasn't thrown up yet at all, but he isn't eating very much anyway.

Thanks guys for your support!
tanyuh


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## Maleke (Jul 2, 2003)

Good to hear he is doing well!!!! I am taking my kitten to get neutered in about a month so I'll be going through exactly what you were going through!!! :?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

It sounds like after effects from the anesthetic. I certainly hope so! Give us the latest news, ok?


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

He's doing good! Not totally back to normal - he isn't as nimble or active but that's to be expected. He is eating/drinking/using litterbox and purring and being cuddly. I'm so happy! 

Well Maleke, at any rate, this thread will help you know what to expect. I hope your kitten's neutering is a success as well


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## Lori (Jun 8, 2003)

Wonderful, Tanyuh! Glad to hear he is doing well!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

That's great, Tanyuh! He smells funny to Samhain. Rub her down really well with a towel, and then rub him with the towel, back and forth a couple of times so they have the same smell. I'm glad now that the vet kept my pets overnight!


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## tanyuh (Jun 7, 2003)

Thanks guys!

I will try the scent mixing later tonight. She is getting better but she sniffs his bum hehe, then he says "hey, what's the deal??" and turns around and glares at her and then she hisses at him. You'd think after over 3 months she'd be used to his butt smell by now.

Jeanie, the reason they don't keep them overnight is because its a specific spay and neuter place for strays and such. The adoption agency had us bring him there so that they could ensure that we had him neutered. It was in our adoption contract and the cost was part of the adoption fee. I was going to just bring him to our vet but they charge $250 for neuter (why so expensive, i have *no* idea) and then we had already paid $100 for the adoption fee anyway.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

That *is* expensive!


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