Newton's Vet Experience

Newton went into the vet on Tuesday. I dropped him off before 8 am so he could get his teeth cleaned. He's been to the vet for a cleaning once before, when he was about a year old, and had several teeth pulled at that time. His teeth have always been kind of crummy. He meowed the whole way to the vet, I think especially upset that his brother wasn't with him. Jefferson was a little confused but I think pretty nonchalant about being left home for the day.

I was pretty worried about him all day, since I knew he'd be knocked out (okay, anaesthetized) for the procedure, and I know that that's not a trivial thing for a cat (probably not so much for a human, either). The vet called around 2 to say he'd woken up and seemed to be doing well. He'd had two teeth pulled, and his blood pressure had gotten low while he was under, but came back once he woke up. (I seem to recall that happened the last time, too.)

I left work a little early to pick him up. I also got a "goodie bag" consisting of a small vial of liquid painkiller for him to take for a few days, and a larger container of liquid antibiotic for him to take for a week. Oh joy.

Newton was out of it all evening on Tuesday. He mostly just sat around on the floor and when I came near him he'd roll over and rub up against me for some petting. I think he was scared and confused by it all and just wanted some reassurance that things were back to normal. I'm sure his mouth hurt, too; the skin under his chin was swollen for the evening, making him look like he had a little pouch. I went out and bought some wet cat food (they eat dry food, normally) which went over well with Newton, and Jefferson was curious, too. Newton didn't follow me around during the evening, but he came up at night and curled up right next to my body, and stayed pressed next to me all night, barely moving even when I pet him, until I woke up the next morning. I bet during his stay at the vet he didn't sleep at all except when knocked out.

He was a little more active on Wednesday, but not a lot. He took the little painkiller amounts easily enough, but he does not like the antibiotic - and who can blame him? To me, it smells like bubblegum. Ick. It's pink, too. It also seems to make him salivate.

Wednesday evening I was getting a little concerned because I'd seen him eating, but hadn't seen him drinking. But the swelling under his chin had gone down, and he wasn't woozy anymore.

By tonight he seemed to be just about back to normal. Thursday morning he joined me after my shower and licked the water off the shower door, as he always does. And he seemed to be able to handle hard food again. He played a little, and otherwise seemed like his old self. He still hates the drugs, though, and is still being very clingy at night. I wonder if he had nightmares when he was under which scare him when he sleeps now?

The vet called today to see how Newton's going. For some reason they always call my home number during the workday, even though they have my work number.

And then I think they called two more times because they thought my answering machine message was cute, and wanted to pass it around the office. (It's also kind of geeky.)

I think he's going to be okay, though. I just need to give him lots of love and help him adjust to normal day-to-day life.

Poor little guy.