Anal sac and polyp problem

[Juls]

Hi everybody. Dmitri and Jack are still TOTALLY in love and send their
warmest wishes and headbutts to everyone! I apologize for not being
around more often, just have been way too busy with stuff.

Jack is the happiest boy in the world....just so incredibly happy and
content. Dmitri too. (And Jack now has me totally wrapped around his
paw)

Anyway, Dmitri (about 14 yo) has had an ongoing problem with his anal
sacs. I've tried adding heavy pumpkin to his diet, and nothing seems to
really help other than regular visits to the vet for an expression. I
confess that I don't go as often as I should, because it's just so
traumatic for both of us. He screams and I cry. (Seriously...the
assistants always come at me with kleenex)

I've investigated having his anal sacs removed surgically, but
everything I read seems to indicate it just makes life worse for the
cat.

But what I'm really worried about is this polyp that is on his rectum.
The vet has kept an eye on it, and didn't see it as a problem (in fact,
two vets in the same office who have expressed him), and that as long
as it didn't bother him or take off growing, just to leave it be
because of his age and the risks of anesthesia.

But I think it's growing. I'll take him back for another expression as
soon as I can get in with a certain doctor (she has a gentler touch
than the others in the office, but still hurts him so much), and I'll
express my concerns to her.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience with anal (rectal)
polyps on cats and how that went. Is there anything I should be
particularly worried about or watching for that might be a sign it
turned cancerous?

Other than his anal problems (and he also gets constipated and has
itchy butt, plus sometimes he 'scoots' his poop out on the carpet,
which breaks my heart), he's in pretty good shape for his age. Some
arthritis, but loves to eat and play with his little brother Jack. And
loves to play with his catnip pillow and smell catnip as much as he
can.

I've tried various high fiber foods, hairball formulas, etc. and I
regularly give him (them, since Jack has to have whatever Dmitri has)
pea baby food. Fortunately they love it.

I'm just looking for any other ideas on the anal sac thing, but mostly
what to do about the polyp (and I guess I'm wanting someone to say it's
no big deal, just looks gross, but don't lie to me...lol). If he
weren't so old, I'd just say let's remove it, which is really MY
problem not Dmitri's. Do you think it bothers him? ARe these things
painful? If it's just cosmetic, I can live with that.

Thanks everybody...I'm a worrier. :(

Juls, Jack and Dmitri

[Juls]

In article >,
(MacCandace) wrote:

> Hi, glad to hear news of the boys again. I'm a worrier, too, and I don't know
> anything about Dimitri's problem but I just wanted to say 14 isn't that old
> and
> anesthesia can be given very safely, if necessary. You just want to make sure
> they do pre-op bloodwork, monitor him during the procedure, and make sure he
> only gets isoflurane with propofol as the induction agent and he needs to have
> an airway and IVs given during the procedure. It sounds as though this polyp
> is on the outside so it wouldn't be major surgery so I don't imagine he would
> be under for very long or need to be under very deeply. Hopefully, he won't
> require surgery but if he does, I'm sure he would be okay.

This is helpful information! It really seems that the vets didn't think
it was a big deal - it may just be that when I see it, I freak out
because it looks like something horrible to me.

BTW, I now call them the twins because it seems they do so many things
in tandem...cleaning after a meal, looking out the window, giving me
the "feed me" stare and stand. It's very adorable, but so totally
bizarre. Like mirror images except one is black and the other is his
shadow. Jack has just turned into a tub of gray butter, very lovable,
very happy and just the sweetest guy in the world.

Okay, one cute story. LOL. Can't resist.

A month or so ago, we were having bad storms and in fact a tornado
rolled through. The sirens were going off, and it was BAD outside. Tree
limbs blowing down, etc. I actually got SCARED. Dmitri has always been
frightened of thunderstorms, so he had already headed to the cabinet
under the bathroom sink which seems to be the safe spot for him. Jack
wasn't concerned at all, but I said "Jack, we have to go in the
bathroom, come on." He followed me right in (and I was expecting the
roof to go any time), and then he got into the cabinet with Dmitri, and
they just put their arms around each other and held on. Like they were
hugging. It was so sweet that it calmed me down. I think Jack was
taking care of his big brother, telling him it would be okay.

And it was. Then it was time to EAT!

[Juls]

In article >,
(MacCandace) wrote:

> Hi, glad to hear news of the boys again. I'm a worrier, too, and I don't know
> anything about Dimitri's problem but I just wanted to say 14 isn't that old
> and
> anesthesia can be given very safely, if necessary. You just want to make sure
> they do pre-op bloodwork, monitor him during the procedure, and make sure he
> only gets isoflurane with propofol as the induction agent and he needs to have
> an airway and IVs given during the procedure. It sounds as though this polyp
> is on the outside so it wouldn't be major surgery so I don't imagine he would
> be under for very long or need to be under very deeply. Hopefully, he won't
> require surgery but if he does, I'm sure he would be okay.

This is helpful information! It really seems that the vets didn't think
it was a big deal - it may just be that when I see it, I freak out
because it looks like something horrible to me.

BTW, I now call them the twins because it seems they do so many things
in tandem...cleaning after a meal, looking out the window, giving me
the "feed me" stare and stand. It's very adorable, but so totally
bizarre. Like mirror images except one is black and the other is his
shadow. Jack has just turned into a tub of gray butter, very lovable,
very happy and just the sweetest guy in the world.

Okay, one cute story. LOL. Can't resist.

A month or so ago, we were having bad storms and in fact a tornado
rolled through. The sirens were going off, and it was BAD outside. Tree
limbs blowing down, etc. I actually got SCARED. Dmitri has always been
frightened of thunderstorms, so he had already headed to the cabinet
under the bathroom sink which seems to be the safe spot for him. Jack
wasn't concerned at all, but I said "Jack, we have to go in the
bathroom, come on." He followed me right in (and I was expecting the
roof to go any time), and then he got into the cabinet with Dmitri, and
they just put their arms around each other and held on. Like they were
hugging. It was so sweet that it calmed me down. I think Jack was
taking care of his big brother, telling him it would be okay.

And it was. Then it was time to EAT!

[Karen Chuplis]

in article , Juls at
wrote on 7/16/03 10:28 PM:

> In article >,
> (MacCandace) wrote:
>
>> Hi, glad to hear news of the boys again. I'm a worrier, too, and I don't
>> know
>> anything about Dimitri's problem but I just wanted to say 14 isn't that old
>> and
>> anesthesia can be given very safely, if necessary. You just want to make
>> sure
>> they do pre-op bloodwork, monitor him during the procedure, and make sure he
>> only gets isoflurane with propofol as the induction agent and he needs to
>> have
>> an airway and IVs given during the procedure. It sounds as though this polyp
>> is on the outside so it wouldn't be major surgery so I don't imagine he would
>> be under for very long or need to be under very deeply. Hopefully, he won't
>> require surgery but if he does, I'm sure he would be okay.
>
> This is helpful information! It really seems that the vets didn't think
> it was a big deal - it may just be that when I see it, I freak out
> because it looks like something horrible to me.
>
> BTW, I now call them the twins because it seems they do so many things
> in tandem...cleaning after a meal, looking out the window, giving me
> the "feed me" stare and stand. It's very adorable, but so totally
> bizarre. Like mirror images except one is black and the other is his
> shadow. Jack has just turned into a tub of gray butter, very lovable,
> very happy and just the sweetest guy in the world.
>
> Okay, one cute story. LOL. Can't resist.
>
> A month or so ago, we were having bad storms and in fact a tornado
> rolled through. The sirens were going off, and it was BAD outside. Tree
> limbs blowing down, etc. I actually got SCARED. Dmitri has always been
> frightened of thunderstorms, so he had already headed to the cabinet
> under the bathroom sink which seems to be the safe spot for him. Jack
> wasn't concerned at all, but I said "Jack, we have to go in the
> bathroom, come on." He followed me right in (and I was expecting the
> roof to go any time), and then he got into the cabinet with Dmitri, and
> they just put their arms around each other and held on. Like they were
> hugging. It was so sweet that it calmed me down. I think Jack was
> taking care of his big brother, telling him it would be okay.
>
> And it was. Then it was time to EAT!

I'm so glad that you were all OK!! I hope the polyp presents no further
problems.

Karen

[Karen Chuplis]

in article , Juls at
wrote on 7/16/03 10:28 PM:

> In article >,
> (MacCandace) wrote:
>
>> Hi, glad to hear news of the boys again. I'm a worrier, too, and I don't
>> know
>> anything about Dimitri's problem but I just wanted to say 14 isn't that old
>> and
>> anesthesia can be given very safely, if necessary. You just want to make
>> sure
>> they do pre-op bloodwork, monitor him during the procedure, and make sure he
>> only gets isoflurane with propofol as the induction agent and he needs to
>> have
>> an airway and IVs given during the procedure. It sounds as though this polyp
>> is on the outside so it wouldn't be major surgery so I don't imagine he would
>> be under for very long or need to be under very deeply. Hopefully, he won't
>> require surgery but if he does, I'm sure he would be okay.
>
> This is helpful information! It really seems that the vets didn't think
> it was a big deal - it may just be that when I see it, I freak out
> because it looks like something horrible to me.
>
> BTW, I now call them the twins because it seems they do so many things
> in tandem...cleaning after a meal, looking out the window, giving me
> the "feed me" stare and stand. It's very adorable, but so totally
> bizarre. Like mirror images except one is black and the other is his
> shadow. Jack has just turned into a tub of gray butter, very lovable,
> very happy and just the sweetest guy in the world.
>
> Okay, one cute story. LOL. Can't resist.
>
> A month or so ago, we were having bad storms and in fact a tornado
> rolled through. The sirens were going off, and it was BAD outside. Tree
> limbs blowing down, etc. I actually got SCARED. Dmitri has always been
> frightened of thunderstorms, so he had already headed to the cabinet
> under the bathroom sink which seems to be the safe spot for him. Jack
> wasn't concerned at all, but I said "Jack, we have to go in the
> bathroom, come on." He followed me right in (and I was expecting the
> roof to go any time), and then he got into the cabinet with Dmitri, and
> they just put their arms around each other and held on. Like they were
> hugging. It was so sweet that it calmed me down. I think Jack was
> taking care of his big brother, telling him it would be okay.
>
> And it was. Then it was time to EAT!

I'm so glad that you were all OK!! I hope the polyp presents no further
problems.

Karen

[Juls]

In article >, Karen Chuplis
> wrote:

> I'm so glad that you were all OK!! I hope the polyp presents no further
> problems.

Thanks!

[Juls]

In article >, Karen Chuplis
> wrote:

> I'm so glad that you were all OK!! I hope the polyp presents no further
> problems.

Thanks!