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Problems after anesthetic.

Species: Cat
Breed: long hair domestic,
Age: 5-8 years
My cat was put on anesthia for the blood draw, which was not approved by me. This made him need oxygen for more than 2 hours and he was panting. When he got home, he panted a little, then after getting on his favorite pillow, started to breathe better and relax, however he is still lethargic and will not eat or drink much. My important question is why the anesthia? How long will it take to get out of the anesthia? Will he eat and drink normally soon? Do you think he was given too much anthesthia? Please help. Thanks


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that Kaniakas is not doing well. It sounds like the vet or vet staff had a hard time getting blood from him. I will commonly put an animal under a brief gas anesthetic in order to get blood. Often this is less stressful than wrestling with a cat who is struggling. However, I will always get an owner's approval before I do this. I also go over the risks involved. While most cats do just fine, if a cat has a pre-existing medical condition it can possibly make the cat worse.

The effects you are seeing now could very well be due to the anesthesia. How long these effects last depend on what type of anesthesia was used. If he was given a sedative injection first it can last for 12-24 hours. However, if it was simply gas anesthesia with no injections most cats are back to normal within an hour or two.

If he is still not eating after 24 hours then I would be concerned that there is something serious going on. One thing I would worry about would be if he is having a problem with his heart. Some cats can have a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is a condition they can be born with. Cats that have this often can not have the condition diagnosed without an ultrasound. Then, if they go through a stressful situation (i.e. having blood taken) their heart can struggle. However, most cats that have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will be much sicker (or possibly even die) than your cat sounds.

I think my biggest concern with this situation is that your vet did not ask your permission to do this.

I really hope Kaniakas is feeling better soon. If you have more concerns, you do not need to open a new question. You can simply hit the "reply to Dr. Marie" button and you will not be charged a new fee.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you very much Dr. Marie, I appreciate your help.

First, I made the mistake of calling my cat Kaniakas, that is my last name, his name is Porkchop. Porkchop has always been very healthy until his stool was soft and he was tested, showing no parasites, so then they decided to draw blood because they could not determine anything else. I've had a vet (a while back) tell me that because of the nature of a manx having narrow behind, could cause this situation.

It has been more than 1 hour this was yesterday at 2:30 p.m., now it is 10:30 a.m. the next day, so obviously they gave him an injection which they also neglected to tell or any of the risks involved. Any suggestions. Thanks again, Betty Kaniakas


Customer reply:

Again thank you Dr. Marie, but I forgot to tell you he was given a shor of prednisilone. Could any ill effects be from that? Also, two days prior to that he had xrays and his heart and lungs were perfect, as well as during the recovery of the antestic, his heart and lungs sounded totally normal to the two vets that were there, I made sure to ask. Thanks again, Betty Kaniakas


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry about the delay! It is a busy day here in the office. It is not uncommon for manx cats to have stool issues. However, often there is an underlying cause.

The bloodwork may give some clues. You may also want to ask your vet about inflammatory bowel disease.

It does not sound like he is having heart issues from what you have described. However it would be a good idea to call your vet and ask if they are concerned that Porkchop has not fully recovered.

Hope that helps!



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.