Issue with infection in shelter cat after neuter. Do I call shelter?

[Credosporthorses]

Cat has been seen by vet and receiving treatment
Short version:
Cat has developed a nasty abscess after neuter surgery. Vet suggested I call the shelter. What would you say to them in this situation? He is being treated by my regular vet.

Long version:
I just adopted a darling kitty Saturday from a very reputable shelter in my area. Cat was a shelter transfer from a California shelter to my local shelter. He arived unaltered so local shelter preformed he surgery. According to their paperwork and everything I saw on Saturday things went well.

This morning I caught him licking surgery site and noticed a faint odor, that wasn’t present at all last night. When I picked him up I found a nasty abscess on his abdomen. Took him to the vet the first appointment I could get. Vet prescribed strong antibiotics 2x daily and a re-check in a week. He also mentioned I should call the shelter. In this situation where cat is seeing a vet and hopefully all will be healing appropriately, what would you even say to the shelter? I’m not out to get anything from them. Best case wound heals well, worst case he has to have surgery to repair the hole.

[french_fry]

This could have happened if you had had him neutered at your vet and you would have had to cover all of the expenses because sometimes things happen even with routine surgeries.

I understand that you’re not looking for any compensation, so I’m unclear as to why you’d notify them. Did your vet think it was something that was caused by the conditions of the shelter or something that could potentially be contagious?

If not, I’d just let it go and love on your new kitty until he feels better.

[Credosporthorses]

[QUOTE=french fry;8547119]
This could have happened if you had had him neutered at your vet and you would have had to cover all of the expenses because sometimes things happen even with routine surgeries.

I understand that you’re not looking for any compensation, so I’m unclear as to why you’d notify them. Did your vet think it was something that was caused by the conditions of the shelter or something that could potentially be contagious?

If not, I’d just let it go and love on your new kitty until he feels better.[/QUOTE]

I have no clue why it was suggested I call the shelter. I’m fairly positive that they follower procedure to a “T” it’s a very clean and well run program. Thought maybe I missed the reasoning as to why I should call them and a fellow COTHer could fill me in.

[french_fry]

I really don’t mean to harp on this or act like you’re trying to get compensation from the shelter because you already stated you are not, but I was literally just doing this comparison between the cat my friend found on the street and the kitten I adopted from a rescue.

The cat had fleas, ear mites and worms and was unvaccinated and unaltered. All of this plus microchip plus the 5 vet visit fees of $65 each (initial visit, 3 rounds of shots separately, spay) came out to well over 1k. (I live in a very expensive city, but still!)

The kitten probably also came to the rescue with fleas, ear mites, worms, and unvaccinated and unaltered. He was cleaned up, treated for all manner of parasites, neutered, given his first two rounds and microchipped of shots by the rescue. The fee was $100 and I only had to get him one more vaccination.

Shelters and rescues do a lot for so little. A few of my friends have adopted and been annoyed that their pet had mites or worms or a slight complication from their spay/neuter, but generally they have no idea how much they’re saving.

ETA: If your vet specifically instructed you to talk to the shelter, I guess I would? I would just make it really clear that the vet suggested notifying them and that you aren’t seeking treatment from them.

[Credosporthorses]

I absolutely agree that the shelters do a tremendous amount of work. That’s why I will happily adopt my pets and I donate regularly. I was actually shocked that the vet suggested calling the shelter. It’s not their fault kitty abscessed. I would never look for compensation even if it some crazy accident. Part of owning any pet is being financially responsible for it. I’m more than capable of paying for any treatment he may need now or years down the road.

[Ghazzu]

I’d want to know if an animal had performed surgery on had complications.

I might want to review my technique, or, in this case, take a look at my disinfection or equipment sterilization protocols.

Notifying isn’t crucifying.

[TC3200]

I’d notify them. MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bugs affect animals. So I would let them know just in case it was caused by something that the facility can control and or might need to address.

[snowrider]

My shelter has vet students/ recent graduates do some of the work under supervision. I think they would want to know so they could educate or make changes. It’s not personal you are just telling them that this complication happened, complications do happen.

[Anne]

If this is a male cat, and it wasn’t a cryptorchid, an abscess on the abdomen has nothing to do with the surgical site, which would have been under the tail. I’m confused.

[Credosporthorses]

[QUOTE=Anne;8549719]
If this is a male cat, and it wasn’t a cryptorchid, an abscess on the abdomen has nothing to do with the surgical site, which would have been under the tail. I’m confused.[/QUOTE]

His incision was on his belly. His paperwork didn’t mention any abnormalities and my vet said other then the abscess everything looked good. It could be possible but I did not know him before his surger so I just have to go off what the paperwork and my vet have said.

[o0rxkxrox0o]

[QUOTE=Credosporthorses;8550016]
His incision was on his belly. His paperwork didn’t mention any abnormalities and my vet said other then the abscess everything looked good. It could be possible but I did not know him before his surger so I just have to go off what the paperwork and my vet have said.[/QUOTE]

Sometimes they inject a little dye into the skin of the abdomen just under the skin so that people don’t try to re-spay or re-neuter an animal. I’ve never seen an incision for that specifically, but is that possible? Like Anne said, if it was a normal neuter and not a spay, the work would have been under the tail.

[vxf111]

I too think it makes sense to notify them. It’s a complication. The surgeon should be made aware. Not for compensation or because you think they’re a bad group or anything like that. Just because a vet should know if a procedure did not go as planned for his/her future reference.

This is a MALE cat? Why is there an incision on the belly?

[S1969]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8551036]
This is a MALE cat? Why is there an incision on the belly?[/QUOTE]

Yes! Yikes! Maybe they started to spay it before they realized it was male.

But yes, I would notify the shelter; and I would ask about the incision on the belly.

[Beethoven]

[QUOTE=Anne;8549719]
If this is a male cat, and it wasn’t a cryptorchid, an abscess on the abdomen has nothing to do with the surgical site, which would have been under the tail. I’m confused.[/QUOTE]

Glad I wasn’t the only one confused!

[scheherazadetbmare]

Notify the shelter. And ask why there was an incision in that area on the cat.

Thank you for adopting the cat.

[trubandloki]

Jingles for your cat.

I think calling the shelter to give them a FYI is not a bad thing. Just make it clear you are calling because your vet thought they would want to know, that Kitty is doing great and your personal vet is tending to the issue and you are not looking for compensation or anything.

On the ‘why the belly’ thing - I would guess it is a marking like someone suggested above. My neutered male dog has as green tattoo line on his belly from the shelter. (No idea how one would not know a male dog is neutered or not but that must be their system for all pets.) I can see how some pets might reacts to that.

[vxf111]

I can’t see someone mistaking a tattoo for an INCISION.Especially after taking the cat to the vet and being told there’s an abscess there?! I certainly can’t see a VET mistaking a tattoo for an incision?! Also, I think they generally only do that for SPAYS since you can’t see externally if the cat had a hysterectomy. You can see externally if a cat has testicles so no need to tattoo for ID. I suppose some shelters might do it, but that’s the exception not the rule, I think.

Something doesn’t make sense here?

I can only see the following options…

1-OP is confused, cat is a female, there is an abscess on the belly incision site. Seems unlikely but I suppose possible.

2-OP is right, cat is male, he was both neutered AND had some other surgery on his belly which abscessed. In which case, the OP ought to have been told what was done to this cat?!

3-OP is right, cat is male. He was neutered in the normal fashion. He has a separate abscess in his belly, no surgical site there. But if that’s the case, why did HER vet suggest she report the abscess as a surgical side-effect? A snippy snip under the tail should not even in a gross negligence situation cause something to rupture in the abdomen?

I am mega mega confused. #2 strikes me as the most LOGICAL option in which case I’d be quite upset that the rescue didn’t fully disclose the cat’s medical condition when she OP adopted him. Or I suppose #3 and OP somewhat misunderstood what her vet told her. Her vet wasn’t suggesting the abscess was a surgical complication but maybe a pre-existing condition that the shelter should have discovered and warned OP about? I guess that could make sense too.

[sorrelfilly721]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8551036]
I too think it makes sense to notify them. It’s a complication. The surgeon should be made aware. Not for compensation or because you think they’re a bad group or anything like that. Just because a vet should know if a procedure did not go as planned for his/her future reference.

This is a MALE cat? Why is there an incision on the belly?[/QUOTE]

When I picked up my female cat from the shelter, they mistakenly gave me a male. Not out of the realm of possibility.

[Ghazzu]

If this is a shelter that does high volume S/N, it is possible the cat was mistakenly prepped for spay surgery and an incision made before the error was noted.

Or he was a crypt.

[Credosporthorses]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8553027]
I can’t see someone mistaking a tattoo for an INCISION.Especially after taking the cat to the vet and being told there’s an abscess there?! I certainly can’t see a VET mistaking a tattoo for an incision?! Also, I think they generally only do that for SPAYS since you can’t see externally if the cat had a hysterectomy. You can see externally if a cat has testicles so no need to tattoo for ID. I suppose some shelters might do it, but that’s the exception not the rule, I think.

Something doesn’t make sense here?

I can only see the following options…

1-OP is confused, cat is a female, there is an abscess on the belly incision site. Seems unlikely but I suppose possible.

2-OP is right, cat is male, he was both neutered AND had some other surgery on his belly which abscessed. In which case, the OP ought to have been told what was done to this cat?!

3-OP is right, cat is male. He was neutered in the normal fashion. He has a separate abscess in his belly, no surgical site there. But if that’s the case, why did HER vet suggest she report the abscess as a surgical side-effect? A snippy snip under the tail should not even in a gross negligence situation cause something to rupture in the abdomen?

I am mega mega confused. #2 strikes me as the most LOGICAL option in which case I’d be quite upset that the rescue didn’t fully disclose the cat’s medical condition when she OP adopted him. Or I suppose #3 and OP somewhat misunderstood what her vet told her. Her vet wasn’t suggesting the abscess was a surgical complication but maybe a pre-existing condition that the shelter should have discovered and warned OP about? I guess that could make sense too.[/QUOTE]

Cat is definitely male. No mistake on my part at least. Pretty certain vet thought it was a complication but he wasn’t very clear, hence why I came here asking if others would call the shelter like he suggested since I was certain I had missed his reasoning.

Any ways he’s got the antibiotics going and his appetite is back to normal. So things are looking up for the little guy. He was even lucky last night DH gave him salmon scraps from dinner. Now if he would just stop his 3am sprinting around on the hard woods I would appreciate it greatly.