# Lame after spaying



## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

LouLou was spayed today.

I picked her up a 3. When I got her home she was really groggy still. 

I put her on a blanket on my bed and while she was walking around to make herself comfortable I noticed she was limping on her hind leg....the side of the op.

I thought maybe the stitches were pulling or she was just uncomfortable but it was a definate limp.

I phoned the vets who explained that they have the reversal injection into the muscle of that leg and on the rare occasions this can cause a paralasis which can last for a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. They advised if no better to take her back in the morning,

Since then she has slept and i have left her to be comfortable but shes just woken and I cant beleive it she is still very lame.

I am so worried now. Has anyone else heard of this?


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## Clare Ferris (Nov 26, 2009)

deb53 said:


> LouLou was spayed today.
> 
> I picked her up a 3. When I got her home she was really groggy still.
> 
> ...


tbh I have not had many reports from owners that their cat is lame after the op, (work in a vets) some say very quiet not moving much wheter that be because it is a little sore or due to the buster collar maybe. It might be alittle tender when she moves that leg if on the side of the op so she may be holding it in a fixed position as it is more comfortable.
I would try not to worry I dont think it is anything serious, you could always ask your vet for a few days of pain killers incase she is sore, they normally have an injection lasting for the first 48 hrs or so but it wont hurt to give her a few days of cover on top, just dont use human painkillers!
Id let her rest and keep her nice and warm with her food, water and litter tray close by so she does not have to walk far


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Clare Ferris said:


> tbh I have not had many reports from owners that their cat is lame after the op, (work in a vets) some say very quiet not moving much wheter that be because it is a little sore or due to the buster collar maybe. It might be alittle tender when she moves that leg if on the side of the op so she may be holding it in a fixed position as it is more comfortable.
> I would try not to worry I dont think it is anything serious, you could always ask your vet for a few days of pain killers incase she is sore, they normally have an injection lasting for the first 48 hrs or so but it wont hurt to give her a few days of cover on top, just dont use human painkillers!
> Id let her rest and keep her nice and warm with her food, water and litter tray close by so she does not have to walk far


I did say when I phoned back up that I thought it was maybe due to the op site as on that side but she said that they put a reversal injection into the muscle of that leg to bring them round.

She remembered that when this was given LouLou bled from there (in fact she thought I was phoning that it may have started to bleed again!!)

I just hope and pray she is better in the morning and that the needle has not hit anything.


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## Clare Ferris (Nov 26, 2009)

deb53 said:


> I did say when I phoned back up that I thought it was maybe due to the op site as on that side but she said that they put a reversal injection into the muscle of that leg to bring them round.
> 
> She remembered that when this was given LouLou bled from there (in fact she thought I was phoning that it may have started to bleed again!!)
> 
> I just hope and pray she is better in the morning and that the needle has not hit anything.


 If you touch her leg or foot can she feel it? (pinch inbetween the toes for a reaction) there is a nerve running down that leg but if she can feel you touching the foot I doubt there is any damage there


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Clare Ferris said:


> If you touch her leg or foot can she feel it? (pinch inbetween the toes for a reaction) there is a nerve running down that leg but if she can feel you touching the foot I doubt there is any damage there


ok....between the outeer toe and middle yes she draws it up a bit

middle toe to next nothing.

She laying peacefully. So dont want to get her up even though another hour has passed.

Will have another look when she gets up as going to stay awake with her tonight.

Thanks for the advice Clare.


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## Clare Ferris (Nov 26, 2009)

deb53 said:


> ok....between the outeer toe and middle yes she draws it up a bit
> 
> middle toe to next nothing.
> 
> ...


so she has feeling there, try not to worry it is a very anxious time for any owner and even though I am used to ops I still worry about them, but honestly she has been through alot so just let her rest and recover in her own time, all are different and some go home and climb the walks like nothing is wrong others are really quiet and can take a few days to get back to normal, some not till the collar is off. I am not suggesting you take it off as it is on for a reason. Let us know how she is getting on and if still woried tmw phone vet back. is she eating and drinking?


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

No collar.

She had some fluid but not food.

Tbh once she had had a big wee when we got in she has just slept.

I realise that all cats/kittens react different and tbh I would not be panicking at all if it wasn't the fact about her leg.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

MMMMMMMM.......still LouLou is limping on her hind leg!!

Back to vets this afternoon.

Just praying they havent caused her leg any damage.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

I've had a few girls spayed and never had this issue with any of them, or the boys for that matter - if its to do with a reversal to a GA.

Even though a couple have come home slightly groggy within a couple of hours they have been back to normal. Even if they spend the next day slightly more sleepy than usual, none of them have ever limped.

If she were my cat, I would be slightly suspicious of an injection causing sufficient bleeding, for the vet to think that the wound had opened up again. Which would make me think they had hit something they shouldn't have when they injected her. If they thought there was a possibility of that bleeding once at home, then they should have told you when you picked her up. The fact they didn't mention it also would make me slightly suspicious too. I would question them carefully about the whole thing. Did you get an itemised bill ? If not ask for one, then you can look up the drugs that she had administered, see if you can find any other reports of the drug causing a similar issue.


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Saikou said:


> I've had a few girls spayed and never had this issue with any of them, or the boys for that matter - if its to do with a reversal to a GA.
> 
> Even though a couple have come home slightly groggy within a couple of hours they have been back to normal. Even if they spend the next day slightly more sleepy than usual, none of them have ever limped.
> 
> If she were my cat, I would be slightly suspicious of an injection causing sufficient bleeding, for the vet to think that the wound had opened up again. Which would make me think they had hit something they shouldn't have when they injected her. If they thought there was a possibility of that bleeding once at home, then they should have told you when you picked her up. The fact they didn't mention it also would make me slightly suspicious too. I would question them carefully about the whole thing. Did you get an itemised bill ? If not ask for one, then you can look up the drugs that she had administered, see if you can find any other reports of the drug causing a similar issue.


I will ask for the itemised bill.

When I phoned this morning they are now saying they do not think it is to do with the reversal injection into the leg they think its just where the op site is painful 

Got appointment at 4 so then they can see that she wont put weight on her leg. She puts it down but wont bear any weight.

She is still very dopey. I am having to hold her food in front of her while she is laying down.

Op site looks ok. No bruising or anything..

Clock watching now.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Hmmm changing their story again, even more suspicious. I don't think the day after she should still be affected by the anaesthetic. They can be slighly more lethargic, but not to the point where they don't have the energy to get up and eat.

Whilst its still fresh in your mind I would jot down a note of all the conversations you have had with them, times and what was said etc, just incase.

I hope it turns out to be nothing, just a very unnusual reaction.


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Saikou said:


> Hmmm changing their story again, even more suspicious. I don't think the day after she should still be affected by the anaesthetic. They can be slighly more lethargic, but not to the point where they don't have the energy to get up and eat.
> 
> Whilst its still fresh in your mind I would jot down a note of all the conversations you have had with them, times and what was said etc, just incase.
> 
> I hope it turns out to be nothing, just a very unnusual reaction.


I will definatly do that.

Thanks for your help and concern. I feel so guilty. I have a cat proof garden so there is no way she would have become pregnant but for health reasons decided it was best to get her done. I know its for the right reasons but you cant help the feeling of guilt.

She hasn't got off my bed. i lift her off for a wee. She screeches. And as i said she just lifts her head to eat.

You can tell by her eyes she is still under the influence of the anaethestic. Its now 24 hours.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

That definitely does not sound right at all, and I hope you get some answers. Poor little girl. If they are not going to be used for breeding then spaying is the only option, but it shouldn't be like this.

If she has eaten something thats good news, but she definitely should not be in that amount of discomfort or that groggy still.

I think they should have given you an earlier appointment too. Post op worries should be treated as a priority. Do you think she is getting slowly better or does she seem to be getting worse?


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Saikou said:


> That definitely does not sound right at all, and I hope you get some answers. Poor little girl. If they are not going to be used for breeding then spaying is the only option, but it shouldn't be like this.
> 
> If she has eaten something thats good news, but she definitely should not be in that amount of discomfort or that groggy still.
> 
> I think they should have given you an earlier appointment too. Post op worries should be treated as a priority. Do you think she is getting slowly better or does she seem to be getting worse?


O definatly not worse...I would be straight there.

She is comfortable just lying on the bed and has purred today. But its when she gets up. I'm dreading lifting her to put her in the carrier as I know its going to hurt her.

And I need answers about her leg. Shes got enough to contend with the op site without having pain in her leg too.

It must be so painful as you would have thought that the pain from the op would over ride just a discomfort in her leg (if that makes sense).


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

If she has had a long acting pain killer then she shouldn't really have any discomfort from the op. I'ver certainly never had a cat that has been like that, then again like people they are all different and react in different ways. Maybe she was hypersensitive to something they used.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

What a shame, for you and the cat. You were the woman with the other (1.4 kilo) cat? Grace? And you delayed Graces op and now you have this with the other one. This certainly isnt something I have experienced before. Yes to very groggy for as much as 12 hours after the op (I had that one cat I said that was in reverse for 12 hours after the op, walked backwards and everything), and yes to them being off colour the next day, but when I read your other post last night I was just thinking she was groggy and wobbly from the GA. But its so strange that you say the leg pain is worse the operation pain. 

Youre probably at your vet appointment now. 

Hope all goes well. 

Thoughts are with you both.


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## miffy (Jan 31, 2010)

The type of anaesthesia that she had can cause some cats to have 'bad recoveries' where they thrash around a lot. It is possible for them to injure themselves that way, especially limbs. This is just a side effect of the drug and doesn't normally cause major problems but could have happened in your case. you are certainly doing the right thing taking her back to the vets. hope she gets better soon.


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Poor girl. I hope she is okay.


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Well we are back....

Vet first checked the op site and said it looks real good and no temperature too.

Regarding the leg, basically it was a load of tosh that I was told on the phone regarding the reversal injection hitting a blood vessel and causing paralsis!!! He reckons...

...that LouLou is just one of those cats that stress after a spay (apparently some do) and that is why she is groggy and feeling sorry for herself!!. And that she is not putting the leg down due to it pulling on the muscle that has been cut with the op!. He has given her a long acting painkiller/antibiotic and said he would give her a couple of days before she would be back to normal. O yes he also said that if it was one of us we would still be in hospital!.

So Ok got to give him the benefit of the doubt and vets do know best dont they???!!
I will keep a good close eye on her until she decides she can get up. If it was nothing she would have forgotten about it when on the vets table and being in a strange place I would have thought.

I remember years ago I bred a litter of Rough Collies and their mum came running in from the garden and skidded in a play bow across the floor and hit one of her pups legs. I took it to the vets (it was 6 weeks old then) and was told "O no its not broken or anything its because its a Rough and they over react to everything ! I insisted on an x ray and yes it was and she spent the next few weeks in heavy plaster!

I just hope the vet is right and not fobbing me off.

Yes Tje, it is me and how glad I put little Grace off.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

Deb53, I cant say whether the vets explanation sounds okay or not as I have no medical training. What I will say, _*trust your own instincts*_. I have found out on (the very odd) occasion that I _did_ know better than my vet and judged a situation better than him. So now when I dont trust a vet's diagnosis, I keep on at them and dont automatically take their word as gospel  if I feel I am right, I push my case.

You know your cat FAR better than the vet does. You are a FAR better judge of she is very poorly or she is just a little bit poorly than the vet is. You know yourself if youre a panicky type or a calm & rational type the vet doesnt. (but they sometimes wrongly assume were all neurotic panic-mongers).

That whole paralysis story (which they do a U-turn on today) isnt exactly confidence inspiring though.

I can well understand youre glad you didnt get little Grace done yesterday as well. We were having a discussion recently on early neuter (by early I mean 12 weeks old, so even smaller than your Grace is, and a lot younger) and I said in that discussion that complications in neuters arent that uncommon (especially in female neuters), and if I am going to have a cat with post-op complications I would rather that cat was 26 weeks old and 2.5 kilos as opposed to 12 weeks old and 1.2 kilos.

I lost a perfectly healthy 6 month old foster kitten (she had been with me since her birth) to complications that were brought about by the stress of the neuter. She developed Feline Hepatic Lipidosis, which is a liver disease which starts with stress-induced anorexia and ends in death and its almost always triggered by a traumatic event. In her case the only trauma she had in her life was the operation to be spayed  even the vet agreed with that. At first we werent that worried, we just thought she was groggy and not hungry and would recover in a day or two after the op. She eventually died after about 5 weeks (hospital, tube feeding, the lot), but I am sure if shed been younger or smaller shed have died within a week or two. At least being a good weight pre-op gave her a fighting chance.

Thats why I was kind of pushy on the other post that you get Grace spayed at a later date. Chances definitely are everything will go perfectly well. Its the tiny percentage of the time when complications do arise that you realize that every extra 100 grams of fat on them can mean the difference between life & death.

Cats are amazingly strong and resilient animals and I am sure LouLou will be fine.

Wishing you both well.


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

Tje said:


> Deb53, I cant say whether the vets explanation sounds okay or not as I have no medical training. What I will say, _*trust your own instincts*_. I have found out on (the very odd) occasion that I _did_ know better than my vet and judged a situation better than him. So now when I dont trust a vet's diagnosis, I keep on at them and dont automatically take their word as gospel  if I feel I am right, I push my case.
> 
> You know your cat FAR better than the vet does. You are a FAR better judge of she is very poorly or she is just a little bit poorly than the vet is. You know yourself if youre a panicky type or a calm & rational type the vet doesnt. (but they sometimes wrongly assume were all neurotic panic-mongers).
> 
> ...


Thankyou for your kind words Tje. Yes I certainly am glad Grace hasn't been done yet. TBH I think it will be a good fair while before she is up to weight for the op due to the dreadful start in life she had.

Thats awful regarding your foster kitten. I think we tend to think of spaying and castration as a run of the mill routine op and forget that spaying is major surgery and any op that involves an anaethestic is a risk.

Regarding LouLou , yes it is so true what you say about knowing our animals. I am tonight just making sure she is comfy, eating and more importantly that she is getting fluids in her. She still wont get off the bed, but I am leaving her where she is happy, she does purr when stroked though. If no improvement in herself or her leg tomorrow I will be back again.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2010)

Hope the vet is right and it does sound plausible apart from the injection story which is odd, but spaying is a major op and I think we do tend to think of it as a easy op as it is so routine, I'm sure she'll be almost herself again tomorrow.


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## rebenda (Jan 1, 2009)

deb53 said:


> LouLou was spayed today.
> 
> I picked her up a 3. When I got her home she was really groggy still.
> 
> ...


It happens quite alot dont worry too much hun, normally it can wear off after a couple of mins once jabbed but im sure she'l be fine!


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## Clare Ferris (Nov 26, 2009)

I think the vets explanation is a plausible one, I have seen some animals reluctant to walk after this op as the movement triggers pain in this area so the muscle near her leg will be sore, hopefully the pain killers will help. Atleast there is no sign of any wound problems/infection.
You say you have no collar for her, do your vets not routinely put them on? I would get one to put on when you are not around as if she does start licking when she is feeling better then you may have major problems if she introduces bacteria from her mouth into the wound or chews the stitches out before it has healed. Hope she gets better soon


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## deb53 (Jun 4, 2009)

"I'm so happy, I'm so happy" LOL

Loulou has improved so much over night and is now walking around. In fact she improved during the night as she woke me walking over my head!!

I think she was in so much pain and needed that extra painkiller injection.....well I say extra I am now thinking that maybe they forgot the painkiller when they gave her the reversal as they were concerned about the bleeding at the time....but we will never know!!

I'm just so pleased she is getting back to herself.

Thanks for everyones advice

xx


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2010)

I'm really pleased she's feeling better, maybe she feels pain more, like in us human some have a high tolerance to pain and others don't, maybe something to remember in the future if she is hurt or needs surgery.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

Deb53, I'm so glad to read that LouLou is on the road to recovery. 

Brilliant news.


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## Clare Ferris (Nov 26, 2009)

thats good news, glad she is feeling better, as for the vet forgetting the painkiller I cannot say for sure but will say that I see animals react differently to pain, some are fine others feel it more. I have seen hundreds of cat spay ops and all have the same painkillers/protocol. Most are fine with you touching the wound to clean it others seem alot more inpain if it affects them that much then we advise they have additional pain relief either by inj or oral route. I guess she was one of those individuals with a low pain tolerance.
I would ask the vet next time if you can take extra pain relief home as it wont hurt to give extra cover just incase your other kitty reacts the same.


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