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#1
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Megacolon
My Hobbes has megacolon. He's been having a hard time defacating in
the last few months which has lead the vet to giving him enemas, xrays, stool softener, etc. (Poor baby.) He's now on two medicines indefinitely. One is a stool softener (lactulose) and the other is to help his muscles push (cisapride). Also, no more dry food. He has to be on Science Diet I/D wet food. My poor boy's been through the wringer! Yesterday he kept trying to go in his litter box. I noticed his frequent trips to the litterbox with no results, so I called the vet to get an appointment and while I was on the phone, Hobbes threw up and then took the hugest dump I've ever seen....right in front of me! The nerve. Hopefully we'll get this under control and he'll live with it okay. |
#2
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Megacolon
LauraM wrote:
My Hobbes has megacolon. He's been having a hard time defacating in the last few months which has lead the vet to giving him enemas, xrays, stool softener, etc. (Poor baby.) He's now on two medicines indefinitely. One is a stool softener (lactulose) and the other is to help his muscles push (cisapride). Also, no more dry food. He has to be on Science Diet I/D wet food. My poor boy's been through the wringer! Yesterday he kept trying to go in his litter box. I noticed his frequent trips to the litterbox with no results, so I called the vet to get an appointment and while I was on the phone, Hobbes threw up and then took the hugest dump I've ever seen....right in front of me! The nerve. Hopefully we'll get this under control and he'll live with it okay. Megacolon doesn't go away: Hobbs will be on latulose and cisapride for life. I'm guessing he might be a Maine Coon as they seem predisposed to megacolon. M. C.'s are wonderful cats!! Have you considered the surgical solution for this? Ten years ago, I developed total constipation resulting from a reaction to medication. Ended up getting flushed out (twice!) by a brave and determined nurse at the e/r. I know how it feels to be plugged up. Give Hobbs a skritch from one who knows. |
#3
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Megacolon
On Jan 8, 4:59*pm, Bryce wrote:
LauraM wrote: My Hobbes has megacolon. *He's been having a hard time defacating in the last few months which has lead the vet to giving him enemas, xrays, stool softener, etc. *(Poor baby.) *He's now on two medicines indefinitely. *One is a stool softener (lactulose) and the other is to help his muscles push (cisapride). *Also, no more dry food. *He has to be on Science Diet I/D wet food. My poor boy's been through the wringer! *Yesterday he kept trying to go in his litter box. *I noticed his frequent trips to the litterbox with no results, so I called the vet to get an appointment and while I was on the phone, Hobbes threw up and then took the hugest dump I've ever seen....right in front of me! * The nerve. * Hopefully we'll get this under control and he'll live with it okay. Megacolon doesn't go away: Hobbs will be on latulose and cisapride for life. *I'm guessing he might be a Maine Coon as they seem predisposed to megacolon. *M. C.'s are wonderful cats!! Have you considered the surgical solution for this? Ten years ago, I developed total constipation resulting from a reaction to medication. *Ended up getting flushed out (twice!) by a brave and determined nurse at the e/r. *I know how it feels to be plugged up. Give Hobbs a skritch from one who knows. He *is* a Main Coon! You're psychic! He's laying on his back right now looking at me with those lovable eyes. Yeah, I figured he'd be on these meds for life. I certainly hope they work. I'm waiting with baited breath for him to use the litterbox. I don't know what I'm going to do if he has to have surgery. He's an older cat and I'm not sure I want to put him through surgery. He's already had the one where you make "him" into a "girl"....he had crystals that couldn't pass. He had a hard time with that one. I'm giving him a scratch for you. |
#4
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Megacolon
LauraM wrote: He *is* a Main Coon! You're psychic! He's laying on his back right now looking at me with those lovable eyes. Our megacolon cat is a tortie. Yeah, I figured he'd be on these meds for life. I certainly hope they work. I'm waiting with baited breath for him to use the litterbox. I hope the medicine works for him. Maybe you've said -- but are you also giving him fluids? I don't know what I'm going to do if he has to have surgery. He's an older cat and I'm not sure I want to put him through surgery. Our cat was 11 when she went through the surgery. She's 13 and very happy now. It really was a relief for her. He's already had the one where you make "him" into a "girl".... Poor boy. Most male cats just get neutered, but yours went through with the whole sex change? he had crystals that couldn't pass. He had a hard time with that one. I'm giving him a scratch for you. Good luck, Rhonda |
#5
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Megacolon
Suddenly, without warning, LauraM exclaimed (1/8/2009 4:57 PM):
My Hobbes has megacolon. He's been having a hard time defacating in the last few months which has lead the vet to giving him enemas, xrays, stool softener, etc. (Poor baby.) He's now on two medicines indefinitely. One is a stool softener (lactulose) and the other is to help his muscles push (cisapride). Also, no more dry food. He has to be on Science Diet I/D wet food. My poor boy's been through the wringer! Yesterday he kept trying to go in his litter box. I noticed his frequent trips to the litterbox with no results, so I called the vet to get an appointment and while I was on the phone, Hobbes threw up and then took the hugest dump I've ever seen....right in front of me! The nerve. Hopefully we'll get this under control and he'll live with it okay. As an alternative or perhaps complementary treatment, you might ask your vet about Benefiber (yea, the people laxative). Has no taste, easy to mix in a tiny bit of water and pour over food. Meep, according to the vet, doesn't have megacolon (her problem is that she rarely throws hairballs, everything goes out the other end), but she did have chronic constipation before the Benefiber (poo every 3 or 4 days). She gets 1/8 tsp in her evening food (along with her glucosamine/chonodroitin powder). This keeps her a lot more regular, and her poos are more, well poo-ey rather than rocks. Good luck with Hobbes, poor boy. jmc |
#6
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Megacolon
On Jan 9, 5:28*am, jmc wrote:
Suddenly, without warning, LauraM exclaimed (1/8/2009 4:57 PM): My Hobbes has megacolon. *He's been having a hard time defacating in the last few months which has lead the vet to giving him enemas, xrays, stool softener, etc. *(Poor baby.) *He's now on two medicines indefinitely. *One is a stool softener (lactulose) and the other is to help his muscles push (cisapride). *Also, no more dry food. *He has to be on Science Diet I/D wet food. My poor boy's been through the wringer! *Yesterday he kept trying to go in his litter box. *I noticed his frequent trips to the litterbox with no results, so I called the vet to get an appointment and while I was on the phone, Hobbes threw up and then took the hugest dump I've ever seen....right in front of me! * The nerve. * Hopefully we'll get this under control and he'll live with it okay. As an alternative or perhaps complementary treatment, you might ask your vet about Benefiber (yea, the people laxative). *Has no taste, easy to mix in a tiny bit of water and pour over food. Meep, according to the vet, doesn't have megacolon (her problem is that she rarely throws hairballs, everything goes out the other end), but she did have chronic constipation before the Benefiber (poo every 3 or 4 days). *She gets 1/8 tsp in her evening food (along with her glucosamine/chonodroitin powder). *This keeps her a lot more regular, and her poos are more, well poo-ey rather than rocks. Good luck with Hobbes, poor boy. jmc I did purchase some Benefiber....for myself! *snicker* I go back to the vet in two weeks for a recheck. I'll ask him then. I'm leaning toward following the vet's recommendations to the letter so we know what's going on for sure. At least for now. |
#7
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Megacolon
On Jan 8, 6:57*pm, Rhonda wrote:
Our megacolon cat is a tortie. I used to have a tortie a long time ago. A female named Keoki. What a cutie pie she was. I hope the medicine works for him. Maybe you've said -- but are you also giving him fluids? The vet is rechecking him two weeks. If he isn't going like clockwork, he recommended giving him subcutaneous fluids. For now, he's drinking his water but it may not be enough for his huge self. Our cat was 11 when she went through the surgery. She's 13 and very happy now. It really was a relief for her. I'm s glad you're kitty is better. It's so nice when they have surgery and it works! Poor boy. Most male cats just get neutered, but yours went through with the whole sex change? Well, we do live near San Francisco! *snicker* That was a whopper of a surgery. He almost didn't make it, but he pulled through. Good luck, Thank you for your input and good wishes!! |
#8
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Megacolon
LauraM wrote:
He *is* a Main Coon! You're psychic! He's laying on his back right now looking at me with those lovable eyes. While doing some computer stuff for a vet, I met a Maine Coon who was boarded often. He had megacolon and his owners were too busy to do timely dosing of lactulose, so he got a lot of enemas. Finally, they consulted a veterinary surgeon about a resection. They wanted some sort of guarantee that it would be successful ... a guarantee on surgery. These are well-educated people and well-heeled as well. No guarantee, of course, so no surgery. They brought him back to their regular vet and had him euthanised. And they paid extra for a private cremation so that their daughter would have ashes to bury. He was three years old. I found out about the end a few days later. I asked the vet why she didn't refuse to do the euthanasia. "They'd just take him somewhere else." And a ring of the cash register would be missed. I have a few pictures of Wolfgang ... a twenty+ pound teddy bear. I wish I had had a chance to save him. |
#9
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Megacolon
On Jan 9, 7:20*am, Bryce wrote:
LauraM wrote: He *is* a Main Coon! *You're psychic! * * He's laying on his back right now looking at me with those lovable eyes. While doing some computer stuff for a vet, I met a Maine Coon who was boarded often. *He had megacolon and his owners were too busy to do timely dosing of lactulose, so he got a lot of enemas. *Finally, they consulted a veterinary surgeon about a resection. *They wanted some sort of guarantee that it would be successful ... a guarantee on surgery. *These are well-educated people and well-heeled as well. No guarantee, of course, so no surgery. *They brought him back to their regular vet and had him euthanised. And they paid extra for a private cremation so that their daughter would have ashes to bury. He was three years old. I found out about the end a few days later. *I asked the vet why she didn't refuse to do the euthanasia. *"They'd just take him somewhere else." *And a ring of the cash register would be missed. I have a few pictures of Wolfgang ... a twenty+ pound teddy bear. I wish I had had a chance to save him. OMG...three years old??? That poor little thing. I would never do that to a young kitty. My other cat, Emma, who has since passed, died during surgery. I tried to save her but she was too far gone for the surgery to do any good. They couldn't tell if they could save her until they opened her up. She had IBD for years and it was so bad that nothing could be done. That was SO hard. Hey!!!! I just saw Hobbes dart out of the litterbox really fast. You know how they do that... I think he went! Gonna go check. |
#10
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Megacolon
Suddenly, without warning, LauraM exclaimed (1/9/2009 10:33 AM):
Hey!!!! I just saw Hobbes dart out of the litterbox really fast. You know how they do that... I think he went! Gonna go check. Pet owners: 12+ years of being new-baby parents, worrying about our kids poo jmc |
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