Cat Surgery
New England Cat Care provides a range of basic feline surgeries, including eye and dental, neutering and spaying and bladder stone removal. In some critical care cases, we will call upon the services of a board-certified veterinary specialty surgeon.
Preoperative Evaluation
Surgery at our practice will be not performed until we have taken every measure to ensure your cat is healthy to undergo anesthesia. The stress on the body can create problems while undergoing surgery and it is our responsibility to ensure your cat recovers from surgery the best way possible.
Pre-operative evaluations vary depending on the type of surgery your cat requires as well as the medical history. We will discuss the individual needs of your cat and are here to answer all your questions to make the surgery experience is a good one.
Surgery
We understand that surgery is a stressful time for you and your cat. Our medical care team of highly trained professionals are here to make sure your cat receives the best care possible through our advanced monitoring protocols. Our surgeries are performed in a clean operating room and in recovery your cat is kept in a quiet area under the watchful eye our medical team. We ensure your cat's procedure will be done with the highest quality of care because we have a very specific protocol where Dr. Richter is solely in charge of anesthesia. He is constantly monitoring your cat, adjusting and recording exactly how your cat is responding during surgery. Dr. Arcuri performs all our surgeries and she is able to focus on her work because of Dr. Richter's advanced feline anesthesia protocols. Alicia assists both doctors obtaining blood pressure levels throughout the entire procedure. We treat your cat as if they were our own so each surgery is handled with the utmost attentiveness.
What should I feed my cat after surgery?
The answer depends on the procedure performed on your cat.
Your veterinarian will let you know if any changes to your cat's diet will be required after surgery. For example, if your cat underwent a dental procedure, a soft food diet for a day or two after discharge might be required; if your cat had surgery for an intestinal blockage, an easily digestible food might be prescribed (and sent home) for a number of weeks before transitioning to a regular diet. It is essential to closely follow dietary recommendations given to you after your cat's surgery to ensure a smooth recovery. In general, after a surgical procedure not involving the dental or digestive systems, you can offer your cat's regular diet immediately. Some kitties may not want to eat the moment they return home and some do not: both scenarios are fine. But if they refuse food after 8-12 hours, please contact our office immediately.
What is my cat isn't urinating after surgery?
The short answer is this: it depends.
The majority of cats will urinate within eight hours after they get home, but some cats can hold out for 10-12 hours. It’s ok if your cat falls into the latter category. (For example, cats can hold their bladders for hours on transcontinental flights without showing signs of distress.) The exceptions to this rule are if your cat has had a procedure involving the bladder or kidneys and if your cat is showing any signs of distress. Those symptoms include straining to urinate in the litterbox repeatedly with little to no urine production, trying to urinate outside of the litterbox, excessive licking around the vaginal or penile area, profound depression, and possibly anorexia. If you notice any of these signs, please call our office or your local animal emergency facility immediately.
What if my cat isn't eating after surgery?
Some cats will come home from the hospital and eat voraciously; others may just pick at or shun food entirely.
If your cat seems uninterested in food the day following their return to home, please contact our office. It could be a sign of fever, anxiety, nausea or pain, and we’ll need to speak with you to determine if additional medication or an office visit is required.