Pain meds after surgery?

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

Jeddie will be having his mouth lesion removed (all of it, hopefully) on Tuesday for biopsy. What pain meds should I ask for afterwards? And on what sort of dosage for how long?

I am assuming that he will have a lot of mouth pain, so pilling seems counterproductive. Are their injectable pain meds that I can administer at home?

Original post here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=70581

While I know he is somewhat uncomfortable now with this lesion, it won't compare at all to how he will feel afterwards. And the surgery may (probably will) leave him permanently compromised where his tongue is concerned. I won't know until they examine him how extensive the excision needs to be. After 12+ years he will have to learn to eat and groom differently. I am having a hard time with this and the fact that I can't communicate with him about WHY this has to happen.

He has been one of the most laid-back cats I have even known - one I could carry like a football in one arm down the stairs to the car for vacation trips. He was just sort of la-di-da about the process, looking around with curiosity (compared to other cats where you take your life, or at least your face, in your hands just by holding them outside there front door). But yesterday a neighbor stopped by and I was holding him in my arms (Jeddie, not the neighbor!) and he was trembling and clingy. Some of that probably has to do with the fire evacuation less than a month ago, but I am so afraid he will be further traumatized by this surgery and the whole day-long trip to the specialist vet and all the tests.

Plain and simple: I feel like he won't be the same cat even if we can save his life. I feel like I am mourning him already.

 

[Karen & Smokey(GA)]

Buprenex is good. It is usually administered orally, but can also be given by injection Sub-Q.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

(((((((Shelia))))))) Keeping you both in my prayers.
jeanne

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

(((((((Sheila))))))) Keeping you both in my prayers.
jeanne

 

[Lisa & Mary]

I agree that Buprinex is a good one for you and it has been good for GoGo when she had to have all her molars/premolars extracted at once. The vet prefilled syringes (without needles) and I just had to squirt a small amount in her mouth. You can put it right on the part where they remove the lesion/lump and it'll get absorbed and provide overall pain relief. GoGo was on it for about 10 days so it is good for fairly long periods.

I hope the biopsy shows good news

 

[Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin]

Be forewarned, Buprenex/buprenorphine can make some cats spacey. Gandalf would just lie there and stare. He did the best with Gabapentin, but I don't know if that's available as injection. The pills have to be compounded because pharmacies no longer stock it in small enough dosages for cats. By doing "the best," I mean that he seemed to relax on it without being so spaced out. I consider Buprenex to be more effective at pain management, so in this case since it's injectable it would be preferable.

I understand what you mean about Jeddie being skittish since the apartment fire. Gandalf never had been afraid of storms until we had a very bad one at my apartment building. I lived on the top floor and I thought the roof was going to come off. It was hailing and lightning so bad too. I grabbed him and ran to the basement floor, but although we were below ground level, there was an outside door and the noise was still horrible. Ever since then he became afraid of storms.

Also, it's not a huge leap to consider that he may be picking up some of your own anxiety. Cats are incredibly sensitive creatures and the closer they are to us, the faster they pick up on our emotions.

Will be praying for you and him all day on Tuesday. :YMHUG:

 

[Blue]

Yes, bupe is very good but my Oliver was transformed into a drooly drunken sailor of a cat on bupe, no matter how little I gave him. He is very good with gabapentin and gets BID 25mg for his chronic pains.

I really can't say for sure, but if Oliver were to have some major surgery, I think I would want to have some bupe on hand.

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

Buprenex was what I was thinking, but I don't really have any experience with it. One of my cats got it at the vet after a dental with extractions and she seemed OK on it.

I am hoping that he won't need pain meds long term. I ask about bupe and gabapentin.

Thanks for the posts - if you can think of anything else I should be asking about when I get there, let me know. Like, what about antibiotics?