My kitty just came back from the vet but I'm concerned?

She had to get dental work done so they had to use anesthesia. She seems really out of it now, and her face looks kinda funny. She can hardly walk straight and keeps trying to jump up on her cat tree but she can't, she keeps missing. She won't let my boyfriend or I anywhere remotely close to her. Was just wondering if this was a normal thing - the vet is closed and yes there's an emergency vet, but it hardly seems worth a $200 visit to the emergency vet if everything's okay. I've never had a kitty under anesthesia before or coming out of it or whatever, so I just really don't know. I feel very bad, like I'm a bad mommy :( (The reason for the visit is she had some gingivitis I guess, the doc told me so). Please no "GO TO THE VET NOW!!!" answers, I'm fairly sure my kitty isn't going to die. Now if I really DO need to take her to the vet then let me know that, but bear in mind the emergency vet is $200 visit to begin with, not counting other treatment - so only if it's necessary.

My kitty just came back from the vet but I'm concerned?
Every animal comes out of anesthesia differently. I am wondering what time her dental was performed as she could still have some anesthetic in her body (not worn off yet) -- this can cause the difficulty walking and jumping. It's also not unusual for cats under anesthesia to react differently to family members- even growling, hissing, and spitting-- until fully recovered. You are not a bad mommy- dental health is as important as any other health issues as gingivitis can lead to tooth root problems and plaque and tartar can cause bacteria to build up, travel the bloodstream, and affect liver and kidneys. If your kitty had a tube down her throat to help her breathe during the proceedure, you can also expect a mild cough for a few days. I feel your kitty will be fine and dosn't warrant an emergency visit, but I would call your regular vet first thing if she is acting the same tomorrow. She may also have a decreased appetite for a day or so.





Good luck.





** routine dental cleanings usually go home same day**
Reply:It sounds like she's just out of it. If she's still acting a mess in the morning, take her to the regular vet and ask if it's normal.
Reply:She's still stoned, and she sees REALLY big people coming at her. She probably sees more than one of you, double vision.





Let her sleep it off.





I am actually surprised they let her go home so soon, they are usually more alert, before they let her go home.
Reply:Cats (and any critter, really) that have been under anesthesia tend to be woozy for several hours even after they're theoretically 'awake.' Exactly how long varies, but by midnight she should be close to normal. If she's still hazy in the morning, have your vet check her out. Until then, please try to keep her out of trouble.
Reply:It can take 24 hours for a cat to come out from anesthetic completely. Put her in a quiet dark room with very little stuff to jump up on (she could fall and get hurt). Let her sleep it off.





The vet should not have released the cat if she couldn't walk well, but they may have been shutting down for the evening and figured you'd watch over her rather than keeping her overnight.





Keep her quiet. A bathroom is ok. Put the litter box in there and a folded towel and let her be alone for a while. Check her again around 10pm, there should be improvement. If she's still acting strange tomorrow morning then you do need to call the vet. Anesthetic reactions should NOT last that long.
Reply:It sounds like she is like that because of the anesthesia.It can make them a litte umm loopy i guess if you get what I mean
Reply:Sounds pretty normal to me, and you just need to confine her to a place that's safe until she comes out of it. It would have been easier if you had left her in such a place when you came home, but now you might have better luck by throwing a towel over her and moving her to a safe place.





First, identify a safe place where she can't climb anywhere she could fall off of, can't fall down stairs or into anything dangerous. Provide a litter box and a little water, a nice soft place to sleep, and let her rest.





Then, get her there as quietly as you can. You might be able to herd her in there and close the door, or you might have to wrap her in a towel and move her. Just try not to panic her. Talk to her quietly.





If she seems to have trouble breathing due to swelling or whatever, then it becomes an emergency. For now, it's gotta be easier to get her to a quiet place to rest than to get her to the emergency vet, and that's what I think she needs.


Bet you will all be fine in the morning.
Reply:she is scared of the vet so she needs toregain your trust
Reply:I think I would get a new vet. S/He should have given you some idea of what to expect.


Anyway, if they gave her an injection, it can take up to a day for the full effects to wear off. If they used gas, it can take a few hours. The anesthesia is probably still affecting her. You might make up a warm, soft spot for her so she'll be more comfortable, and keep an eye on her.
Reply:She's probably just loopy from the anesthesia. Offer her only small amounts of food tonight, as she may feel nauseous. You don't want to give her the normal amount of food and have her vomit later. Tomorrow she should be fine. If she's still not right in the morning, call the vet's office and let them know.
Reply:When I got my kitty home from the vet after anesthesia, she couldn't even stand up. Her eyes were half closed, and if I tried to stand he up, she would fall straight over onto her side. She looked like a crippled 100 year old cat! But it slowly wore off. I would leave her alone, maybe even in a room to herself with her favorite blanket, toys, food, and definitely water. See if they can page your vet to see if it's normal, otherwise call first thing in the morning. But every one of my cats that have has some kind of procedure, have looked decrepit like this, right after. You are a GOOD mommy otherwise you wouldn't be worrying! Here is a website that a pet health care professional can answer your question immediately. Check it out so you can ease your mind. :)
Reply:It can take up to 24 hours for a cat to recover completely from anesthesia, so she is probably still feeling odd. I think you should place her in a quiet room where not too many people enter, and is seperated from more lively rooms. If she has a comfy cat basket place it in the room, along with a litter box, a warm blanket in the basket and no objects that she could run into/fall off, so she wont get hurt. Let her rest and later on she will be feeling better and back to her usual self!





:)

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