Routine vet visit turned nightmare

[Anonymous]

Last Friday we took our 6 year old cat to the vet to have her teeth cleaned. While at work, I got a phone call from the vet saying the cat had an ear infection as well as mild gingivitis. The medication required doubled our vet bill. A few days later, the cat started sneezing and seemed tired (even for a cat). As the days went on, she seemed stuffy and out of it, and last night I noticed snot like fluid coming from her nose.

So at 6 am this morning, I took her to a 24 hour animal hospital. Despite an exam plus $250 x-rays, they couldn't tell me what appears to be causing the cold symptoms. However, they did tell me my cat has a level 3 heart murmur and needs to see an animal cardiologist. How in the hell was this not picked up in her exam last week?? The doctors assured me none of her conditions could have been picked up during the dental cleaning and the murmur may have been easy for the other docs to miss, but I refuse to believe this is a coincidence. My cat was perfectly happy and healthy a week ago.

I'm so mad at myself for ever taking her to the cleaning. I just want my cat to be ok.

I guess I just need to vent, but any btdt stories (with a happy ending) are welcome.

[Anonymous]

While your cat may have picked up a respiratory infection at the vet, I don't think cats (or people) spontaneously get heart murmurs. Maybe the ER vet was mistaken if you've been taking her to vet for regular care for six years and it never came up. A second opinion should put your mind at ease. (I also think x-rays for a cat with a cold seems a bit over the top, but I am no vet).

Hope your kitty is better soon.

[Anonymous]

I have a six year old cat -- he has been to five different vets and only one has ever mentioned a murmor. Clean bill of health for all others. Cat may have a cold - get a second opinion. She may have also developed smthg from the anesthesia -- who knows?

[Anonymous]

My vet says my dog has a murmur and they can't always hear it. I don't think it's as straight forward to diagnose.

[Anonymous]

My dog had a bad experience while getting her teeth cleaned. Now she's had seizures ever since. I don't think animals were meant to have their teeth cleaned under anesthesia. I would never do it again, too risky for such a small benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dog had a bad experience while getting her teeth cleaned. Now she's had seizures ever since. I don't think animals were meant to have their teeth cleaned under anesthesia. I would never do it again, too risky for such a small benefit.

Really? What breed of dog is this? How old was the dog? How soon after the cleaning waszz the onset of seizures?

I ask because I have a dog breed that is prone to seizures--and I have a son who has had seizures and I know how very, very difficult it is to diagnose why they are happening (in our case, anyway).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My vet says my dog has a murmur and they can't always hear it. I don't think it's as straight forward to diagnose.

Definitely true, heart murmurs can be hard to detect and hard to hear even if you know they're there. Our cat has a history of a mild one but they also can come & go depending on stress, etc., I'm told. The last 2 visits the vet has reported (good) no detection of the murmur.

Also had a previously undetected murmur in a previous cat, they can be tricky.

Dental cleaning is, unfortunately, somewhat important since too much buildup can lead to bacteria etc. that can get in the system and affect the heart, for example (like people). I hate doing the anesthesia, too, the only good news is that it is much more controllable and generally with less risk and fewer side effects than even 10 yrs. ago.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thank you for your responses. They really do make me feel better about my cat's outlook.

4:24, I really don't understand your contempt. According to the vet, my cat went into her procedure with an ear infection and gingivitis and she appeared perfectly fine before her teeth cleaning. Maybe my cat picked up a cold at the vet, or maybe she's having a bad reaction to her meds. Who knows, maybe she just has seasonal depression. But I'm not a vet! I wanted answers from the experts so I could correctly treat her problem.

I wouldn't make my own random diagnosis if my child appeared seriously ill and I wouldn't do it with my pet either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thank you for your responses. They really do make me feel better about my cat's outlook.

4:24, I really don't understand your contempt. According to the vet, my cat went into her procedure with an ear infection and gingivitis and she appeared perfectly fine before her teeth cleaning. Maybe my cat picked up a cold at the vet, or maybe she's having a bad reaction to her meds. Who knows, maybe she just has seasonal depression. But I'm not a vet! I wanted answers from the experts so I could correctly treat her problem.

I wouldn't make my own random diagnosis if my child appeared seriously ill and I wouldn't do it with my pet either.

Let us know when your cat's feeling better OP. (I'm sure she will be!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last Friday we took our 6 year old cat to the vet to have her teeth cleaned. While at work, I got a phone call from the vet saying the cat had an ear infection as well as mild gingivitis. The medication required doubled our vet bill. A few days later, the cat started sneezing and seemed tired (even for a cat). As the days went on, she seemed stuffy and out of it, and last night I noticed snot like fluid coming from her nose.

So at 6 am this morning, I took her to a 24 hour animal hospital. Despite an exam plus $250 x-rays, they couldn't tell me what appears to be causing the cold symptoms. However, they did tell me my cat has a level 3 heart murmur and needs to see an animal cardiologist. How in the hell was this not picked up in her exam last week?? The doctors assured me none of her conditions could have been picked up during the dental cleaning and the murmur may have been easy for the other docs to miss, but I refuse to believe this is a coincidence. My cat was perfectly happy and healthy a week ago.

I'm so mad at myself for ever taking her to the cleaning. I just want my cat to be ok.

I guess I just need to vent, but any btdt stories (with a happy ending) are welcome.

OP, I am sorry. When the vet found out that you would pay for teeth cleaning, suddenly they saw $$$. Your cat probably got a cold at the vet.

[Anonymous]

Why do cats need their teeth cleaned? All my 3 passed away cats lived to 17-18 years without cleaning. It is not like they eat candy then need to get on national TV to show their pearly whites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do cats need their teeth cleaned? All my 3 passed away cats lived to 17-18 years without cleaning. It is not like they eat candy then need to get on national TV to show their pearly whites.

+1 mine are both over 15 and the vet has been recommending cleaning for over 10 years. It's a HUGE profit center for them, but the risks far outweigh the benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dog had a bad experience while getting her teeth cleaned. Now she's had seizures ever since. I don't think animals were meant to have their teeth cleaned under anesthesia. I would never do it again, too risky for such a small benefit.

Really? What breed of dog is this? How old was the dog? How soon after the cleaning waszz the onset of seizures?

I ask because I have a dog breed that is prone to seizures--and I have a son who has had seizures and I know how very, very difficult it is to diagnose why they are happening (in our case, anyway).

She is a lab mix and she was about 6 yo. The seizures started a couple days later. May have been her bad reaction to the gas anesthesia or the fact that she recently had three vac.

All I was trying to do was make sure my dog was up to date and healthy. Who knows what triggered it? Now she takes human seizure med twice a day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do cats need their teeth cleaned? All my 3 passed away cats lived to 17-18 years without cleaning. It is not like they eat candy then need to get on national TV to show their pearly whites.

they don't if they don't get a lot of buildup but if they do it can foster bacteria that can get in the bloodstream and affect the heart, just like in humans. Our cats have needed only 1 cleaning between them in 10 yrs. each so our vet isn't just pushing it for bucks, if they don't need it, they don't get it. Some cats have more of a problem than others w dental issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do cats need their teeth cleaned? All my 3 passed away cats lived to 17-18 years without cleaning. It is not like they eat candy then need to get on national TV to show their pearly whites.

+1 mine are both over 15 and the vet has been recommending cleaning for over 10 years. It's a HUGE profit center for them, but the risks far outweigh the benefits.

Had one cat get its teeth cleaned, (feel for the old vet telling me it was essential), got a call it had a fever, had to stay at the vet for observation, on antibiotics, almost died. After that experience I have never had another of my animals teeth cleaned - my animals have lived long and happy lives without it (18, 16, 15 years). None of the animals I grew up with ever had it done and they also lived long lives. I think having an animal put under for a procedure is much worse for it than the plaque build up.