Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Christie on July 20, 2010, 16:07:48 PM

Title: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christie on July 20, 2010, 16:07:48 PM
Oscar is our youngest neutered male, about 10 months old (and 4+ kilos); he's got a lovely character, very sweet and a real cuddler, has a special spot in my heart!

Had a couple of chicken wings for my lunch; usually, would lock Oscar (and others) out in conservatory so I can eat in peace (Oscar is frantic for his food), but he was sleeping so I figured I was safe. He must have smelled the chicken, thought; he did a long distance kamikaze dive at the plate and scooped up one of the larger wing bones and before I could blink had swallowed it whole, then sat and started to wash his face. I freaked; threw the rest of the chicken in the bin, and grabbed him to see if I could get hold of it, but it was gone down his throat. Phoned the vet immediately, they don't really have an emergency service per se, but they know me and all 6 of our cats, and so told me to bring him in right away. I got him into the travel box and drove straight there, hair all over, drenched from rain. Poor Oscar was so freaked out, he cried all the way there, but wasn't coughing or choking or having trouble breathing. A nurse saw us right away, and got me calmed down, then our usual vet found out I was there and came in to check him (I was relieved to see her)...he seems ok for now, they admitted him and will sedate him a bit to get an xray and see how large the bone is and where it is. I didn't hear him chomp it, so I'm hoping he didn't splinter it, but she said it's not good to try and have him vomit it as it can hurt his throat on the way up, so they may have to do surgery to remove it. So I'm sitting here by phone waiting to hear.

I feel so bad, it was so stupid; I'm always so careful with these cats, what they can eat, only out in garden when we're out there with them, to have this happen really upsets me. We're supposed to go away for a week in about 3 weeks or so but I may have to cancel that if he has surgery...
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Janeyk on July 20, 2010, 16:13:26 PM
 :hug: Poor Oscar, hopefully they won't need to operate fingers crossed xx
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Teresa Pawcats on July 20, 2010, 16:17:11 PM
Dont beat yourself up,Oscar has done what cats do best hunt, you have done everything right and hopefully the vet will remove said bone easily. Feet up and calming cuppa time for you  :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christie on July 20, 2010, 16:21:58 PM
Thanks Janeyk and Teresa, I'm trying to be calm, husband came home early from work to keep me company but is out in his shed  :censored: which is a big help, of course. our vets are the best, I just hope they can do a keyhole type of surgery (if they need to operate) so he doesn't have a tough recovery. He's such a character, a really funny cat, loves to cuddle with me in the bed.
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christine (Blip) on July 20, 2010, 16:50:20 PM
Those of us who aren't directly involved know that your (I'm sure excellent) vet will do whatever needs to be done and that the little rascal will be soon be right as rain again  :hug:  Of course, this won't stop you being frantic with worry  :hug:  Keep us posted.
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: cazzer on July 20, 2010, 18:06:14 PM
poor Oscar.    Hope it goes well  :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: clarenmax on July 20, 2010, 19:16:59 PM
Poor little man, hope all is OK  :hug: :hug:

You can't watch them 24 hours a day, they're like naughty children, into everything they shouldn't be  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christie on July 20, 2010, 20:29:47 PM
It looks like Oscar (and I!) made a sneaky escape!

Nurses watched him for about an hour, no breathing problems, no coughing, etc. So they sedated him and did xrays, the vet looked very carefully at the xrays, and could NOT find a bone! She saw his breakfast, and plenty of gas in his colon (he can be a farty lad  :sick: ), but no sign of a bone in his neck or stomach. So it's possible I did knock him away quickly enough and he just got a taste of the bone, and I thought I saw him swallow it...I did panic, I do admit that! So she is going to give him a mini-enema to get him cleaned out (I told her to hand him over to nurse immediately, since he can be very smelly, she laughed), and then they will keep him in overnight for observation just to be sure. But she says she thinks he didn't swallow it, maybe just made a motion or something that looked like a swallowing motion. And she did say better safe than sorry.

I am so relieved, I can't even begin to tell you! I've been so down all afternoon, worried about him, and his sister Minnie is a bit down in the dumps as well. But I should be able to go pick him up in the morning, after the vet's morning rounds, if all is ok.

Thanks to everyone for good wishes and support, your wishes look like they worked!  :wow:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christine (Blip) on July 20, 2010, 20:35:15 PM
Good news, Christie.  The bad news is that now you have to go and find that bone behind a cupboard or plant  ;)
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Janeyk on July 20, 2010, 20:38:07 PM
That's good news  :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Teresa Pawcats on July 20, 2010, 20:39:00 PM
Right Christie definately put your feet up and relax time, glad alls well  :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: clarenmax on July 20, 2010, 21:32:45 PM
Phew, that is good news  :wow: ;D :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on July 20, 2010, 23:00:26 PM
How worrying for you  :hug: How strange that they can't see the bone  :shify: Glad he seems to be OK, I bet you'll be getting bonelss chicken in your house for a while!  :hug:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Mark on July 20, 2010, 23:27:36 PM
Glad he hadn't swallowed it, but better safe than sorry  :hug:

Sorry but Helen's comment reminded me of a card I was sent once.
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christie on July 21, 2010, 08:45:10 AM
 :rofl:
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Christie on July 21, 2010, 11:13:35 AM
Well, Oscar's at home...had several enormous poos last night  :sick: so endeared himself to the nursing staff!  :P  Cried all the way home, but had a little treat and seems a bit subdued but ok. Sammy keeps hissing at him, prob because he smells strange being at the vets, so is on a time out; I'm to keep a close eye on him for a couple days to make sure all is ok.

Bill wasn't cheap (xrays are expensive!), but worth it knowing he's ok.

Thanks everyone for your support and for cheering me up! And Oscar sez thanks too!
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on July 21, 2010, 13:00:41 PM
Glad he's ok and hadn't swallowed the bone.   Hopefully he will have learnt his lesson but somehow I doubt it!
Title: Re: Oscar @ vet...swallowed chicken bone
Post by: Janeyk on July 21, 2010, 15:40:59 PM
Hugs to Oscar  :hug: