My cat's post-surgery IV catheter wasn't removed. Is it harmful?

Poor guy. I’m not sure if the catheter is doing much good if he is having pain and blood still present. It sounds like the catheter should be removed as your vet suggests to see if maybe it is the reason for his discomfort. Also catheters are traumatic in a lot of cases, so this can also be the source of the blood. This is not a simple thing to decide so all factors have to be considered, which I am sure your vet has thought through so it’s best to follow their recommendation on this one. Worst case scenario is that he reblocks when the catheter is removed, but if he is still being hospitalized they can then reinsert the catheter before anything detrimental happens. However, almost cats arts can have their catheters removed after day 2, although each situation can be uniquely different, 3 days seems more than enough time. If you would like to discuss the specifics of your pets case then please don’t hesitate to request a consultation from either myself or another expert here. I wish Chippy all the best and hope that he recovers soon! Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry this happened to Smeagol! The blood and mucous or mineral material you describe are common for blocked cats. Usually the catheter remains in place until the urine is a normal yellow color. Usually 3-4 days is sufficient. Ideally, Smeagol will also get antibiotics to prevent an infection from the catheter and medications for pain and urethral spasm. I recommend calling or visiting your vet if you have further questions. Best wishes to you and Smeagol!

It can be normal if the bladder is empty. It could also be a sign that he is obstructed again. If he’s painful, not eating or his abdomen is firm and painful please take him right in for a recheck. If there’s no urine in another six to twelve hours then that is an emergency and he’ll need to be seen right away for treatment again. Unfortunately sometimes the urethra is inflammed and can close up again once the catheter is removed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Momo.

If he still has the catheter in, I would monitor it for any blockages, the bag not filling, etc. If the catheter is removed, I would keep an eye for signs of any returning blockage, not urinating at all, painful abdomen, straining to go, vomiting, vocalization, etc. if he was under anesthesia/sedation while the catheter was in, it may take about 24 hours before he feels recovered enough to start eating and drinking normally again.

These catheters are designed to be left in long term. I have seen these catheters even left in for months. However the longer they are in place it will cause irritation and also can lead to infection. I would recommend taking with your vet about why King has in a catheter and that might help determine when it would be removed. hope that helps

The special food should help a lot, it is highly recommended. he should get back to normal within a week, it's quite normal for him to urinate in drips in the first few days as the urethra is likely to be inflamed and swollen.

No, I don't recommend you remove any sutures without talking to your vet first. It is possible they are irritating him but you should have your vet check it prior to removal. Sutures dissolve at different rates depending on the type of suture used - ex: Monosorb only lasts weeks at most whereas PDS lasts months, up to a year in some cases. In cases where we are making a new opening and we want to make sure it stays open (like a PU surgery), we would want to use PDS. My guess is that is what your vet used and that is why there are still some present. Regardless, it should be up to your vet if he/she wants to remove them. I suggest you use more than water wipes to clean the area. Medicated wipes would probably be best. Something like this: ( https://www.allivet.com/p-8167-vetraseb-ck-antiseptic-wipes-ps-for-dogs-and-cats-60-wipes.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.