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 Post subject: Licking lips
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 1:31 pm 
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Senior Bengal

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:50 pm
Posts: 61
Location: Essex, UK
Hi,

I haven't posted here in a long time though I read the forum which has always been helpful.

We have two six year old Bengals who are siblings - Biggles and Amelia. Apart from Biggles having a slight heart murmur they've had no health issues.

I realised a few weeks ago that Amelia was licking her lips a lot. I hadn't noticed it properly cos I thought various things like she'd just eaten or had water or groomed etc. Since it's been quite warm I thought it may be the weather. She's been fine other than this.

I hate taking them to the vet cos it's a 40 minute drive there and 40 back, they get extremely distressed in the car hyperventilating etc.

Now in the past few days Biggles, our other Bengal has started doing the same lip licking. Now I'm worried because it's not so hot any more and googling lip licking shows lots of serious things.

Bringing them both to the vet today. Other than this they seem fine. They are indoor cats that we walk on a harness every day or an hour or more. Amelia tends to want to come in after an hour. Biggles stays out for two to four hours depending on how much time I can spare.

Has anyone else encountered this lip licking?

Thanks
Regards
Siobhan


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 Post subject: Re: Licking lips
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 4:07 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
I am not familiar with this and when one googles, usually, you can go stir crazy worrying about all the things that have popped up. The only thing I can think of is that they got into something that was a bit "hot". I don't know what yours do on their walks, but mine is into sniffing and eating grass and stuff. My hubby puts cayenne pepper on the bird seeds and peanut butter to keep the squirrels away. I'd think if my bengal got into that stuff, the lips would burn. That may not be it. I'm guessing they are behaving normally outside of that. Hopefully, they didn't find any hot spices spilled on the floor. But, you are taking them to the vet and maybe the vet can answer the question. It's really odd that both of your kitties would be doing this, so it seems more like a type of allergic reaction to something they both got into. Let us know what the vet tells you.


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 Post subject: Re: Licking lips
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 4:32 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm
Posts: 707
My previous bengal Frosty used to do this alot and the vet said it was gut problems like indigestion or reflux I had to give him probiotic tablets for it, she said they lick their lips alot when they feel sick.

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Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK


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 Post subject: Re: Licking lips
PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 5:14 pm 
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Senior Bengal

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:50 pm
Posts: 61
Location: Essex, UK
Hi,

Thanks for the replies and advice.

Back from the vet now and it was a total nightmare. It's roasting hot here and the car was like a sauna even with the air con on full.
Both cats were hyperventilating so much I really thought something terrible would happen. They howled the whole time.
Biggles went completely berserk and was banging his head on the caged front of his carrier and trying to tear at the bars with his teeth and claws. He torn several claws off and was pouring blood. I was in the back with both carriers but couldn't calm him. The smell of blood was making both cats worse and making me feel ill.

The road to the vets was closed yesterday but should have been open today and was closed unexpectedly thus making the journey longer. The whole experience was hell and I'm never putting them through that again.

Once there the vet was very young and not one we've seen before but we haven't been for ages.
He had a look at Poor Biggles torn claws but then hearing our story said he thought the problem was "behavioural" due to a new cat coming around.

I said I could see that the spraying could be but Amelia doesn't bother with other cats and stays upstairs at night asleep disinterested in who's outside plus how is it she started this probably a couple of months ago and Biggles has just started doing the same??

He said he's just copying her??? Really???

I said we lost our previous cat to kidney disease, are you sure these aren't symptoms of that?
He said no they are eating ok aren't they. I said yes though Biggles has become more fussy, he has prawns as a treat and I have to keep changing brands cos he suddenly rejects them.

I said can I have a blood test to check. Even though Biggles was well behaved and didn't try to bite or claw they failed to hold him steady and he said it was too dangerous taking this blood sample from his neck and he didn't think it necessary. He'd have to sedate him so I said no.

They've had blood tests before without sedation.

He didn't even look at Amelia saying there was no point as it would be the same behavioural thing. I said I'd like her looked at anyway and weighed. I'd put her through hell getting there and he didn't even want to take her out of the carrier.

I'd be over the moon if I had confidence in the vet and believed there's nothing wrong with them but I have zero confidence in him. I wonder if he's even qualified or a trainee?
I'm never putting the cats through that journey again I'll have to see if any vet does house calls.
My husband is satisfied that the vet knows best but I'm sceptical.

Biggles is now hiding under the table recovering and hates me. Won't eat or drink anything. Amelia less traumised because she didn't tear her claws out and has gone to sleep.
Whole trip has left the babies and I shaken and all for nothing. Didn't even get anything for the torn bloody paws and when I asked just said you could bathe them in salt water.

Very unhappy and need a stiff drink! Can't have stiff drink cos I want to take them out for a walk when it cools down.


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 Post subject: Re: Licking lips
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:44 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:44 pm
Posts: 707
That's terrible that you had a bad experience and the vet doesn't sound very good at all, a good vet and nurses should have no problem taking blood from a cats neck I think sometimes they are wary of the breed.
When I take mine to the vets they always say aren't they good natured we see lots of bad tempered ones, none of mine have ever been aggressive at the vets.

I have the same problem with my youngest Pearl when I take her she goes beserk, I first had her in a soft carrier but she nearly ripped it to shreds so I got a hard carrier for her but she bangs her head on it and last time we went she ended up taking the kin off her nose.
She screams like a banshee it's deafening.

I'm lucky my vets is only a couple of miles up the road and takes about 15 minutes to get to, is there another vets you can change to and perhaps you can get something to calm them for the journey I'm sure I saw some tablets advertised at pets at home for this very thing.

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Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK


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 Post subject: Re: Licking lips
PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:57 pm 
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Asian Leopard Cat

Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm
Posts: 9217
What a horrible vet experience for you and your kitties! Doesn't sound as if it was worth all the trouble, $$, and time that you spent. You didn't seem to get any answers. Forget that vet! I'm not sure where you live, but around here, we have several mobile vets that will come to your home and take care of your kitties. I am so fortunate that Raiden's vet is just down the street and it takes like 3 minutes to get there. Raiden howls in the carrier and tries to get out -- it's natural for the cat. I have NEVER had a cat that didn't cry and fight the carrier! Unless they were just so sick, they didn't have the energy.

I think at this point, all you can do is observe your kitties and see if the licking somehow stops. I'm guessing the vet checked their mouths (okay, just the one cat that he examined) to make sure there weren't any dental issues going on or mouth sores of any kind.

I hate that you had such a bad time there -- both for you and the kitties. Now that time has passed, I hope they have settled down and are back to normal behavior. I give you kudos for trying -- but looks like you need to find another vet. You probably don't have many in your area since it takes you so long to get to this one.


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