Stitches dissolvable or not?

[HappyS]

Hello! We have two baby Savannah's that we will be adopting once they are of age to fly!

But we were hoping to get opinions on neuter/spay options. Our top two vet options differ by type of stitches, medication, and monitoring.

Vet A: dissolvable stitches, both go home after surgery, male gets no meds. Vet tech states the doctor is familiar with Savannahs. One doctor only and many vet nurses.

Vet B: comes back to remove stitches, female must stay overnight, and both get medication for pain. This place is overall more expensive and we do not mind the difference ($250 for both) if it means better surgery care. Vet tech states she specializes in Bengals. Bigger practice with multiple doctors and multiple vet nurses.


I'm unsure of if there is a better method but we are leaning toward the latter vet as it seems like more care. Would you say in your experience that one type of treatment or stitches is more healthy or absolutely necessary for the Savannahs? Or with regards to surgery they need more care than other cat breeds?

Both use 100% isoflurane.

 

[admin]

Ok - dissolvable stitches is what my vet used on Taj (male) and he was given pain meds...I like having more than one vet available, although I'm sure the vet nurses are very capable.

 

[admin]

We also have a couple of threads on this subject: http://www.savannahcatchat.com/threads/another-anesthesia-thread.633/#post-7744

http://www.savannahcatchat.com/threads/what-type-of-relationship-do-you-have-with-your-vet.506/

http://www.savannahcatchat.com/threads/isoflurane.384/

 

[HappyS]

Thanks for the answers! We were just worried paranoid that dissolvable stitches may not be the "best" option and wary about differences in after care. One said they don't need the over night monitoring for the female (the other requires it) and doesnt prescribes medication for the males but I wasn't sure if that was safe or not. We really don't have any issues with the use of isoflurane so that isnt a deciding factor for us.

 

[admin]

IDK why more vets don't prescribe pain meds...they think cats don't feel pain? I don't get it...

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I'm a fan of dissolveable stitches and would not do a spay any other way! There's usually nothing for the female kitty to bother and pull at which means they don't need to wear the cone of shame!

I have not had to have a male or female stay overnight after altering for quite some time, and honestly males don't need pain medication for a neuter. It's less invasive than for females and relatively minor surgery. Pain meds have the downside of sometimes causing the cat to move awkwardly and hurt themselves more. With a spay they need some but my vet cautions about too much as it can make them do things they really shouldn't be doing like jumping about because they aren't feeling anything.

I think some of what you are seeing as greater "care" is expensive extras that aren't necessary and to me not even desirable. We all have different ways of looking at things though and I do think you are best going with the vet that you had the best feeling with!

 

[admin]

I agree Brigitte, although my vet gave me pain meds in case they were needed, which they were not for Taj's neuter,,,I would rather have the meds on hand in the event I need them.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

For my mind, if I thought my male cat was in extreme pain from the neuter, I'd be taking into the ER in any case... as I'd be worrying something weird was going on...with my cats, that's always a possibility! Didn't Gary crown me Queen of the Bizarre Veterinary Cases?

 

[admin]

I think so...you are Extreme pain is one thing...mild pain is another...I'm still of the thought that we do not really know how much pain a cat actually feels because they hide it so well.

 

[HappyS]

That's great information to know! The vet tech at the Vet B kept saying how very essential it was to keep the female overnight and it was an absolute necessity so I was wondering if it was necessary for Savannah's especially. Same thing with the meds and they kept going on about all the extra monitoring they do during surgery, IV catheter etc...

But I tend to be for myself and my family, no meds unless necessary and try not to put too many chemicals in my body and I'd like to do the same with our kittens.