Floyd's swollen neck post blood test

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Jen

Jen

Member Since 2012
Good Morning:
I had an odd experience at the vet today and wondered if anyone has any insight.
Floyd, my 14 year old diabetic cat has been recently diagnosed hyperthyroid. This morning I had him at the vet to test his T4 level (to do with hyperthyroidism), and they were also checking his blood glucose. After they checked the BG, apparently (I was not in the room) he started to freak out and act wild. He's never been good at the vet, but this was very unusual. They couldn't calm him down enough to draw the blood for the T4 test and sent him home with me. Now his neck and chin are visibly swollen, and his breathing is labored. Has anyone else had such an experience? Should I be concerned?
Thanks,
Jen (and Floyd)
 
The labored breathing bothers me. I would call the vet ASP.
It is not unusual to see swelling when a jugular blood draw does not go right. You can get some blood to leak out and form a hetmatoma.
 
I have never had an experience like that but then my vet generally takes blood from the leg as opposed to the neck. A little swelling is possible but if his chin and neck are visibly swollen and his breathing is laboured, I'd take him back to the vet right away.
 
I think a trip to the ER is in order if the vet isn't open. Breathing problem worries me. The swollen neck and chin could be a hematoma if the needle moved when Floyd acted up.
 
Thanks everybody for your responses and concern. This forum offers so much expertise, support and reassurance that I don’t know what I’d have done without it over the years :)

Today, Floyd’s OK, but still not up to snuff. I didn’t take him to the vet because that was the condition they sent him home in. For the first time in years, he didn’t ask for supper last night, or breakfast this morning, although he did eat both. He’s normally meowing for meals an hour before it’s time. He is still somewhat swollen, and his breathing sounds slightly asthmatic. I was supposed to take him in this morning so that they could get the blood needed for the T4, but decided it could wait until next week (vet said that would be OK). He spent most of yesterday under the bed, poor boy.

The vet didn’t really explain what happened, just that he started to “freak out” after taking the first blood sample. They’ve never had trouble with him before, just a cowering cat. Until I posted here on the forum, I hadn’t heard of hematoma. Unfortunately, with the new diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, he needs to have blood drawn at the vet so we can adjust medication until his numbers are normal. Now I’m afraid that an already antsy patient will be terrified. Oh well, he will get lots of pats once we get home.
 
Perhaps they can give you something to help calm him before you take him in, or use some sedation when they need to do a blood draw. Safer for him and the staff, plus less stressful for all.
 
That's an excellent suggestion; feeling kind of silly for not thinking of it myself. I will phone the vet today.
 
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