My cat had emergency surgery yesterday...

[Samurai_Writer]

I got out of work early because of Hurricane Charley (which thankfully did not really affect us much). Go home, and go to give my cat her meds (she's hyperthyroid). I notice a really rank smell coming from beneath her neck. I left her head, and there is blood and puss around her collar. No problem, I think, I will just take the collar off and take a look. THE COLLAR WOULD NOT COME OFF. I couldn't even cut it off the back of her neck because my scissors were too big. So I rush her to the vet.

The vet comes in, cuts the collar and tries to take it off. No go. She then lifts the cat's neck all the way up. Oh my god. It was so awful! The collar had grown into her neck. This is a new, mesh collar with a buckle I just put on her a month ago, and she seemed fine last week when she was at the vet's. Somehow, it got really tight. They had to put her under and surgically remove it.

She's hyperthyroid, so putting her under anasthesia was risky, but she came out of it fine. She's doing ok now and I am waiting for my vet's assistant to come over and help me change her bandage for the first time. I was crying in the vet's office the whole time I was there after I saw how bad it was. I probably will cry every time I change her bandage (twice a day). I cannot believe it got that bad that quickly.

One of my friend's commented that black cat + Friday the 13th + Hurricane Charley was bad luck! I don't believe in it, but it was definitely a very bad day yesterday.

[virgdem]

1. I sympathize with you...

I have four cats and my little black one had something similar about 2 years ago. She had apparently scratched under her collar and it was all bloody. I was able to remove the collar and rushed her to the vet. The vet cleaned her wound and prescribed topical and oral antibiotics. I used to be a big believer in cats wearing a collar, but now none of the four wear them. They are all indoor and are both tattooed and micro-chipped. I think they are all much happier without the collars. I'm not suggesting that you not put the collar back on, as that is your choice. Collars can present a problem and you have to be very careful that no infection sets up under the collar.
I hope that your baby bounces back quickly.

[Bertha Venation]

2. Oh, Sweetie.

:hug: Your cat knows you love her and she will accept your TLC while she's recovering. Don't be afraid when you change her bandage. You can do it. Make sure the vet tech comes over as often as you need her to until you feel comfortable enough to do it alone. :hug: Kitty will be okay.

[Samurai_Writer]

3. Thanks...

It was so bad. You can see her windpipe it is so deep and it is badly infected. She's on oral antibiotics and antibiotic ointment. I've never seen anything that awful in my life, and I am not normally the queasy type. I checked my other cat and my dog's collars as soon as I got home. They are fine. I really think it was the type of collar she was wearing. My other cat wears a breakaway collar that is solid fabric, and my dog wears a leather collar. She was the only one wearing the mesh. I just hope she recovers. She is 14 years old and hyperthyroid and has been very sick since January. She had just started getting better within the last month, and regained a pound (she's now 6.7 pounds).

[Bertha Venation]

4. What is her name?

Have you any photos? You're a good cat & dog mom.

[Samurai_Writer]

8. photos on my yahoo profile...

http://profiles.yahoo.com/bellanoche_redhotbabe

Click View my Photos and then My Pets :)

[lynx rufus]

5. Throw that collar right into the garbage

If you must restrain a cat, use a dual harness
connected to a single lead.
Info can be found at: AfricanServal.com

[happynewyear]

6. or ...

You can by this type of collar that slips off and has a piece of elastic on it. If it becomes too tight or gets caught on something, it will fall off.

I know, I had a cat that had a collar on him for good reason (he got himself into a lot of mischief to say the lease).

I must have bought about 10 or 15 collars the 3 years I had him.

Got pricey after awhile, but what the hell ... He was worth every cent.

However, I agree if you don't have a good reason to have a collar on a cat, take it off and do the cat a favor.

:kick:

[sleepyhead]

7. No collars if you can avoid it.

My little guy got his lower jaw caught in a breakaway collar once. It didn't come off and I got home to see him running frantically all over the place with his mouth open. I disentangled him and threw the collar away. Use a microchip for ID if you need it.

[Samurai_Writer]

9. I'm getting rid of the collars!

For the cats, but not the dog, since he goes outside. The cats are not microchipped, but they NEVER go outside. So I will just keep their rabies tags handy if I ever need to present them anywhere like at the groomers or vets.