Isoflurane

[Rylie]

I live in North Dakota and not many savannahs, if any at all, are seen here. I live in a small town with about three local vets and am having trouble finding a vet that will use only isoflurane in Nailah's spay. They want to treat her like a DSH, which I understand but I do believe that they aren't 100% the same and I want to abide by my birth contract with the breeder.

One vet even said "We treat savannahs all the time, we don't think its necessary to use only isoflurane so we won't." I find it hard to believe that in this rural North Dakota town they treat savannahs all the time.

I also asked several questions about raw feeding. They all looked at me like I'm trying to poison Nailah. They've see bones rip through intestines before. I asked if the bone was a raw bone or a cooked bone, and they had no idea.

Looks like I'm going to have to make a special trip to Minneapolis which is 5 hours away to get any assistance with her care that is beyond normal immunizations and checkups.

Just wondering if you have any idea why several vets would refuse to use only isoflurane? Any advice for me in speaking with regular vet about this?

 

[admin]

Rylie, I will let Per answer the isoflurane question, but most vets do not know much about nutrition...I do not believe it is included in their training...so I would just feed raw if you want and not worry about what the vet says or thinks...

 

[Kronos]

The extra time it takes to get her spayed at a clinic that will do what you want will be worth it. And I agree with Paige about what vets say about nutrition. Very seldom will you find a vet that has anything positive to say about feeding raw.

I plan to switch to raw feeding my cats very soon, my dog is already on it and doing great.

 

[Pam Flachs]

What I was told at my vet's office is that they are all trained in using ketamine, but not other anesthetics. They told me if one of mine ever needs anesthesia, they will bring in the anesthia specialist on-call, even in an emergency. I did have it added to all of my cats' records at the vets to NOT use ketamine.

 

[admin]

I have some questions about the non-use of ketamine...I mean, what is the rationale for NOT using it? many people with savannahs have used ketamine with no issues.

 

[Pam Flachs]

I'm only going with anecdotal evidence by others, and my vet told me all of their Bengal owners (they have a lot of those) request none either. I'd rather be safe than sorry, although there is no guarantee with other anesthetics.....

 

[admin]

I know what you mean but...I like to see the research and data behind it...and I wonder how many savannah breeders and owners use ketamine...or a ketamine mix...I bet it is a lot more than you would think and I also bet the incidents of something going wrong is the same as any other anesthetic, but I am just guessing...now for servals...that is a different story...or even F1's or F2's...I just want to know the rationale behind not using it.

 

[Pam Flachs]

From what I understand, some higher generation Savannahs have smaller livers and lower blood values from the serval ancestor that does not metabolize the ketamine well. As mine are lower gens, and my vet is comfortable using the isoflurane, that is the route we will go. For the record, most of the kittens I have sold (F4 and F7) had surgery with ketamine (the rest used iso) with no problems.

 

[AundreaLea]

What I have read is that SV tend to have smaller than normal (cat) livers, a trait that is inherited from the serval. Don't know if it is true or not, just what I have read.

 

[admin]

I may agree with that on a serval, F1 or F2, but taj's liver is normal size for a cat...he had to have ultrasounds and MRI and that is what was determined. And that is exactly why I am asking the question...thanks Aundrealea - that is what I thought the rationale would be but...I'm not sure I buy it in the lower generations or even the F2's....servals, yes.