Checked Out... Checked In...

I'm near my breaking point, so don't mind me...

Today started great. We got up around 8 AM, called the vet hospital and we were told Neala is doing great- can we pick her up at 10 AM? No problem!

We eat breakfast, we pack up the hotel room, pack up the car. We almost checked out, but I wanted to be able to come back if needed- for whatever reason, so we didn't.

We drove down to the vet and waited for Neala. The vet tech that was checking her out said that they were feeding her kitten food, without watering it down, and she was still vomitting some of it up, but that was to be expected. I asked if she wasn't receiving Science Diet A/D and pointed out that everything I have read said it needed to be watered down to allow the esophagus to heal. The tech said that nope, they were giving her the SD Kitten and it wasn't being watered down.

I chalked it up to different opinions and took Neala and got in the car.

The moment I put my hand in her carrier to check on her, I began to worry. She felt COOL to me. Sphynxes should NEVER feel COOL to the touch. This is a very warm breed of cat. They should feel like a warm water bottle.

I was also shocked that she looked like a skeleton- I thought while on the IV and while being fed that she would at least maintain the weight she came in with, but I chalked it up to major surgery and figured things would be okay.

We went back to the hotel room since the tech said it was time for her to eat and I put her on my heating pad and fixed up Science Diet, A/D, with water mixed in. She came out and ate a little, but she just looked... bad. Her breathing seemed labored- to ME- she was open mouthed breathing from time to time.

I hate to say this, but I have seen kittens die and to me, she looked like a kitten that was going to die.

I called MY vet to ask if this was normal- my vet said no, call the surgical center. I called the surgical center and they said to bring her back in.

So we rushed her back in and I sat in the waiting room... And waited... And waited...

I will cut through the suspense for you- basically, her body temperature is 97.5 degrees. The vet did not think that was too low- I do. I've owned this breed for over five years now. Normal body temperature for a cat seems to be between 99 degrees and 101.5 degrees. So this WAS a low temperature in a VERY small kitten.

I mentioned that she was being fed SD Kitten and wasn't keeping it down- the vet said she should be receiving A/D. I told him she wasn't- per the tech- and per the open can of food they sent home with me. So then I asked for her glucose to be checked- it was a little high, but the vet did not seem concerned.

I asked about her labored breathing- he said he didn't think it was labored, but that the open mouthed breathing was probably due to basically heart burn from the esophagus being enflamed.

I asked what he would do if she was his kitten- he said he'd err on the side of caution and leave her overnight.

Bottom line- Neala was checked out and then she was checked right back in. We are leaving her there until tomorrow morning. She sounds stable, but not stable enough for ME to make a 7 hour drive with her.

So I worry... I KNOW this is major surgery and I'm sure if I was just bringing her straight home and keeping her warm, I might not be so paranoid, but I am. Oh, I am.