Fasting Before Cat Neutering

[caiti]

I got home a little before 7pm tonight and I noticed my roommate left the cat food and water but he's getting neutered tomorrow morning. So I took it away and texted and called her. She just got back to me and told me she wasn't told he needed to fast. I'm thinking they just forgot to tell her. Has anyone heard of putting a cat under anesthesia without fasting? I know it won't be anything but annoying to him for the night but I don't want to make him go hungry if he doesn't need to.

I think it would be safer to keep his food and water pulled and I'm debating texting my roommate back (who will not be here tonight) and telling her I think it's a good idea to fast him. I don't know how prevalent the risk of aspiration is under anesthesia so I don't really know if it's an over reactive precaution or a valid health concern. After all, she is his owner and I don't want to tell her what to do if it isn't a big deal after all. Thoughts?

 

[Ash]

When my cat was spayed, I don't remember them telling me she needed to fast prior to the surgery, but this was also a few years ago, and I may have had to fast her but don't remember it...

 

[Snickers]

I always had to have my dogs and cats fast for neutering/spaying. I believe nothing after midnight unless things had change from a year ago.

Chins I had neutered never had to fast.

 

[arf2184]

It won't hurt to fast him, so I'd just do it.

Its been a while since we've had any critter spayed or neutered, but I do believe we were told no food or water after midnight.

 

[caiti]

Ha, apparently he's getting neutered at 7:20 PM not AM so I gave him his food back (he's a happy kitty now!! Well he was only starved for like 2 hours...jeez cat acts like it was for days). My roommate said she's just going to call the vet's office in the morning to double check before she heads off for work. That makes me feel all better. Thanks for all the replies. You guys are speedy--I like it!!

 

[Sycamore Chins]

Woah, what hospital neuters at night? That sounds really weird.

Definitely fast him for atleast 12 hours before surgery. This helps minimize the risk of aspiration and, were it a more invasive surgery, would help the vet be able to move the organs around and not have to fight with food in the stomach and intestines.

 

[caiti]

Woah, what hospital neuters at night? That sounds really weird.

I know, I'll have to ask her where she's going for it. I thought it was weird too!! And I told her it was standard to fast for 12 hours for general anesthesia. So I'm hoping they just forgot to tell her and if she pulls his food before she leaves for work, he'll just have 12 hours of fasting so it'll all be good.

 

[3CsMommy]

I was told to fast Tie Dye for 12 h before the appointment was scheduled, so I'd say don't give him breakfast, but let him eat tonight if he wants. (And yes, unless it's an emergency, fasting is a good idea. There's a chance of upset stomach during the anesthesia causing serious complications.)

 

[RDZCRanch]

I doubt he's being neutered at night. Some clinics, in order to minimize risks, will add on a one night boarding fee and keep the cat the night before surgery to ensure they are fasted.

I can't tell you how many times someone came in and didn't tell us that Fido ate a chicken leg last night because they just felt too bad keeping ALL food from him for 12 hours. The danger of your animal dying when not fasted under anesthesia is high. When they are waking up from the anesthesia, they are still groggy and under enough to NOT have a swallow reflex. This is usually when they will start vomiting and then aspirate or choke on their own vomit because they have no ability to swallow or get rid of the vomit. I've sat many an hour inside of a kennel with a vomiting dog or cat waking from anesthesia and me with gauze wiping away the vomit and drool as it comes up to keep the animal from dying. It's not fun and it's not easy to keep them from choking on their puke.

 

[caiti]

I woke up and he had a little kibble in his bowl, just like 10 pieces. I just threw them out to be safe.

Tab--yes I was also wondering if he was just spending the night at the hospital. That would make sense if they didn't tell her to fast him because then they would just do that there. And if they wanted to do blood work or something, I don't know if they already did or what not. I didn't get a chance to ask her if they are keeping the cat overnight but I guess I'll find out either way. Thanks for the info on the probability of vomiting under anesthesia. I knew what happened, but I just wasn't sure statistically actually how likely it is that an animal vomits. Most of the animals I saw out of surgery at the vet hospital I worked at didn't have any problems, but it was a small practice and most of the clients were pretty good at complying with health suggestions like fasting. But I guess with something like anesthesia, it effects everyone differently so there's really no way to know if your animal will become nauseous or not.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I've never seen a dog or cat come out of anesthesia without nausea. The fact that they can't see straight makes them nauseous. If an animal "reacts" to anesthesia that generally leads to respiratory arrest under anesthesia and/or death, not vomiting.

So, if an animal even has water in their stomach, they will vomit coming out of surgery it will just be clear instead of containing food particles.

 

[caiti]

Oh, I always thought the nausea was a side effect of the anesthesia not from being dizzy, although, it makes sense to me now that you've explained it. I guess I never thought about it that way entirely, since people get nauseous from anesthesia I assumed animals possibly could as well. I always thought animals could vomit on the operating table, but I wouldn't know for sure about that either.

So do some vets say it's ok for them to have water because it is less likely they will choke or get a large enough amount in their lungs to cause damage? I know some vets say no food and water, but some have said no food yet water is ok.

So--it turns out (good thing my roomie called the vets this morning) they're just doing bloodwork tonight, which I still find weird since it's so late at night. And she'll bring him back tomorrow morning and they told her to stop feeding him tonight. Apparently she just forgot to feed him this morning but she came back on her lunch break.