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Layla is being Spayed today

Sam

Savannah Super Cat
Well folks, Layla is being spayed today and the vet just called me and stated she is about 6 pounds (she is almost 6 months old, she sure looks heavier) and they are not sure if they can do laparoscopy due to her weight and they may have to do the old fashion surgery. With that said, she told me that the cone needs to stay on her for 10 days... She is getting interior sutures, in your experience how long do I have to keep the cone on? What about activity? We have a large metal dog crate that I will put her in along with food and water for about 3 to 4 days right next to our bed. The litter box is another issue, do I put that in there as well or just every 3 to 4 hours pick her up gently and put her in the box?
 

Todd L

Savannah Super Cat
Well folks, Layla is being spayed today and the vet just called me and stated she is about 6 pounds (she is almost 6 months old, she sure looks heavier) and they are not sure if they can do laparoscopy due to her weight and they may have to do the old fashion surgery. With that said, she told me that the cone needs to stay on her for 10 days... She is getting interior sutures, in your experience how long do I have to keep the cone on? What about activity? We have a large metal dog crate that I will put her in along with food and water for about 3 to 4 days right next to our bed. The litter box is another issue, do I put that in there as well or just every 3 to 4 hours pick her up gently and put her in the box?

I would think having the litter box In The crate would be best. This way she can use it as she pleases. Plus moving her around after surgery is prolly not the best
Thing for her.

Just my opinion. And what I would do.


Sent from my Savannah's ipad.
 

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
It's very common for people to overestimate the weight of their Savannahs, I can tend to do the opposite after years of finding out how deceptive their looks can be that way!

When my vet does a spay, he doesn't leave any external sutures so my girls have not had to wear a cone, which I am so thankful for! So am sorry I can't give you any advice on how long, I'd imagine as long as the sutures are there for them to try to pull at...
 

Becki

Savannah Super Cat
Nyah was spayed Friday and had interior stitches. Our vet kept her a number of hours after surgery to ensure all was well. We were told to put a cone on her if she was pulling at her tummy, which she never did. The worst part was giving buprenex. Nyah is not a fan of being held/constrained so getting in her cheek pouch was a feat. It made her groggy so she wasn't running around like a banshee. We did confine her to our room so she didn't misjudge a jump while drugged, she had no problems getting to her litter box and didn't have any appetite loss, little chow hound. She stayed under our bed or in her kitty hut the first 2 days, started speaking to us again day 3, and was stiff until about yesterday. Today is the first day she engaged in full throttle banshee, though we still won't play as rough as she wanted so nothing rips! We check her tummy daily, and all is healing well. Hopefully yours will go as well!
 

Sam

Savannah Super Cat
Thank you all for replies, she is home safe and sound and causing trouble already. The come has come off each single time we put it on her so that is a no go. So we tried the harness we bought her to train her to walk with and so far it had kept her from going nuts. She has lots of energy and wants to play and run, crazy cat lol. She is currently in the large dog cage with a sheet on it and getting some sleep. She will take her paid med in a few hours and then back to sleep :)
 

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
I found it impossible to keep a cone on Babbage last year too... with their proportionally smaller head it seems impossible to put the cone tight enough to not be removable without strangling them :-(

Some have had success with stomach sutures by putting socks (with the toe cut out) over the midsection. Guess it depends on how determined a cat is. I've seen people using baby onesies too with a hole cut for the tail... anything that covers their torso to stop them getting at the sutures I guess...
 

Sam

Savannah Super Cat
Brigitte, how about jumping and running? The vet said the licking is a huge concern but so is running and jumping. I feel bad for Layla being in the cage but I have no choice as she wants to run like Ben Johnson when not in the cage :-(. By the way I hate typing on an iPhone lol
 

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
I've never been able to stop one of mine from being active, all I have been able to do is keep them confined to a room and not played with them. But honestly, if you put one of mine in a room with no shelves or things to jump up on, they'd bounce off the walls...
 

Sam

Savannah Super Cat
I know I am in the same position, just don't want her to hurt her sutures (interior).
 

John Popp

Site Supporter
I'm right with Brigitte as just because there aren't windows or shelves doesn't mean they won't soon be imagining them and bouncing off the walls. Definitely the litter box in the crate is best, although the daily mess is a little trying as they will be in and out of it. We had to vacuum it twice a day and place a clean pillowcase over the cat bed. I had also rose the floor so their wasn't a lot of climbing or jumping. It's a much shorter jaunt than we had to deal with, but those first days are the toughest on all involved.

Oh, and water and food dishes need to be heavy and flat based. Anything less and you'll have an extra layer of mess to clean up. Also, the clip on crate bowls don't work because if there is a way to get their nose under over it goes.
 
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