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Ketamine is often advised against, imho it depends on what anesthesia your vet is most experienced with.
The reason ketamine can be dangerous with Savannahs is the same reason it can be with any other lean muscled cat breed, for example Oriental Shorthairs are reported to have issues with it too. Because it is injectable and is dosed by weight, if a cat has less body fat for its weight than the average cat then more anesthetic is in their system (not absorbed by bodyfat) and hence it is easier to overdose a cat that is lean. Of course, if a vet is very experienced they may be able to adjust the dose accordingly. But with inhaled anesthetics (like isoflurane) if the cat is struggling the mask can be removed and the effect stopped...with something that is injected, its not so easy to reverse. There are injectable anesthetics that are reversible...ketamine is not one of them.
Another reason many don't like it is the hallucinogenic properties of it, that is why some people choose to take it recreationally... "special K"...
Apart from that, a Savannah should be treated like any other cat...even in this regard it is not so much breed-specific but body type specific. My vet doesn't use ketamine on any cat...
The reason ketamine can be dangerous with Savannahs is the same reason it can be with any other lean muscled cat breed, for example Oriental Shorthairs are reported to have issues with it too. Because it is injectable and is dosed by weight, if a cat has less body fat for its weight than the average cat then more anesthetic is in their system (not absorbed by bodyfat) and hence it is easier to overdose a cat that is lean. Of course, if a vet is very experienced they may be able to adjust the dose accordingly. But with inhaled anesthetics (like isoflurane) if the cat is struggling the mask can be removed and the effect stopped...with something that is injected, its not so easy to reverse. There are injectable anesthetics that are reversible...ketamine is not one of them.
Another reason many don't like it is the hallucinogenic properties of it, that is why some people choose to take it recreationally... "special K"...
Apart from that, a Savannah should be treated like any other cat...even in this regard it is not so much breed-specific but body type specific. My vet doesn't use ketamine on any cat...
KMcgown
Site Supporter
Thanks! Ah yes, we had a big litter in February! Please let us know how you she is doing...i was going to suggest my Vet if you needed her she is great but you are taking her to best hospital around. Can't beat Angel.
P.S. She is very cute
and love the picture.
D
Dantes
Guest
After Duma was up from neutering, he spent the rest of the day acting like he was high, but in a high energy way that I could not keep him contained. The next day he was fine and back to normal, though.
KMcgown
Site Supporter
How did you make out?
D
DianeBC
Guest
No polyp, No obstruction, and all signs of swelling have come down. She is hardly coughing now.
WE will keep treating Pneumonia, probably aspiration pneumonia. Hoping not asthma, but still a possibility.
BUT - Apparently had a hard time waking up from anesthesia, Dr said what should have taken minutes actually took hours! I believe she said propofol and fentanyl in very small dose, enough for only a few minutes. Could be the liver is not metabolizing toxins. So now she is concerned that there may be issue of “liver shunt” It does maybe explain very low body weight, and a few other things, But I cant help fear, we are in a maze.
At least this test is simple blood test and can be performed at our regular vets. And surgery to correct while not typical in cats, is not unusual.
Good news is Anaya is returning to her playful self, we have so missed her spunk!
Thanks so much for all the the boundless resource of information this group is!
PS What do I have to do to be a “Site Supporter” I did join via Pay Pal, but I’d be happy to support otherwise, as this group has provided much support during my many sleepless hours! lol
WE will keep treating Pneumonia, probably aspiration pneumonia. Hoping not asthma, but still a possibility.
BUT - Apparently had a hard time waking up from anesthesia, Dr said what should have taken minutes actually took hours! I believe she said propofol and fentanyl in very small dose, enough for only a few minutes. Could be the liver is not metabolizing toxins. So now she is concerned that there may be issue of “liver shunt” It does maybe explain very low body weight, and a few other things, But I cant help fear, we are in a maze.
At least this test is simple blood test and can be performed at our regular vets. And surgery to correct while not typical in cats, is not unusual.
Good news is Anaya is returning to her playful self, we have so missed her spunk!
Thanks so much for all the the boundless resource of information this group is!
PS What do I have to do to be a “Site Supporter” I did join via Pay Pal, but I’d be happy to support otherwise, as this group has provided much support during my many sleepless hours! lol
No polyp, No obstruction, and all signs of swelling have come down. She is hardly coughing now.
WE will keep treating Pneumonia, probably aspiration pneumonia. Hoping not asthma, but still a possibility.
BUT - Apparently had a hard time waking up from anesthesia, Dr said what should have taken minutes actually took hours! I believe she said propofol and fentanyl in very small dose, enough for only a few minutes. Could be the liver is not metabolizing toxins. So now she is concerned that there may be issue of “liver shunt” It does maybe explain very low body weight, and a few other things, But I cant help fear, we are in a maze.
At least this test is simple blood test and can be performed at our regular vets. And surgery to correct while not typical in cats, is not unusual.
Good news is Anaya is returning to her playful self, we have so missed her spunk!
Thanks so much for all the the boundless resource of information this group is!
PS What do I have to do to be a “Site Supporter” I did join via Pay Pal, but I’d be happy to support otherwise, as this group has provided much support during my many sleepless hours! lol
DianeBC - I am happy to hear she is feeling better and hope she does not have a liver shunt...hopefully all will be ok now...
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