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Megacolon



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 8th 09, 10:57 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
LauraM[_2_]
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Posts: 137
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 01:59 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Bryce
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Posts: 12
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 03:06 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
LauraM[_2_]
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Posts: 137
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 03:57 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Rhonda[_3_]
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Posts: 168
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 02:28 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
jmc
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Posts: 610
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 04:06 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
LauraM[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 137
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 04:16 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
LauraM[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 137
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 04:20 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Bryce
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Posts: 12
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 04:33 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
LauraM[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 137
Default 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  
Old January 9th 09, 06:16 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
jmc
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 610
Default 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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