Hi. I'm brand new to this forum and am hoping someone out there can offer me some advice.
We have been dealing with a situation for almost 3 months now with our Maine Coon, Gabby, and are seriously, beside ourselves!
To make a very, very long story short, she had esophagitis (an injury to the lining of the esophagus). When it healed, it healed with scar tissue, causing a serious stricture. An endoscopic exam revealed her esophagus was practically closed up at 3mm. in diameter. We had a specialist perform 2 balloon dilations of her throat (an inflation of a balloon in her throat to stretch the scar tissue back). She appeared to respond well to the treatment, however her symptoms eventually returned -- gagging, coughing and unable to swallow anything but mushed up and watered down canned food.
Her symptoms were not nearly as severe as they originally were (before her first surgery we were spoon feeding her because if she ate to fast everything came back up). Infact, she was eating on her own, relatively good portions and could be safely left to free feed. But she still could only tolerate very soft foods. We decided to go in for a third time -- thinking that one more treatment would be a charm and she would come out being even better.
Turns out her stricture had recurred and was right back to the original 3mm diameter that it was before the inital surgery. We (even our vet) were shocked! The first two surgeries took place back in mid-February and were performed within a 4 days of each other. We waited three weeks before exploring again -- her third procedure was yesterday. So over the past 3 weeks or so, the scar tissue grew back.
The specialist is suggesting another 2 balloon dilations within a week. Bear in mind each treatmeant is roughly $600cdn. and although that is not our main concern here, it's starting to add up. What bothers me, is that I cannot get a firm answer from this specialist if our cat's case is "typical" of this condition, or if it is just a lost cause.
I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has dealt with this type of condition with their cat, or if you have ever heard of anything like this? Before I subject my cat to the stress of two more procedures I want some sort of assurance that the scar tissue won't eventually grow back and choke her in the end.
Any advice at all would be so greatly appreciated. You have no idea!
Thanks for listening.
Ramona
Mission, B.C.
We have been dealing with a situation for almost 3 months now with our Maine Coon, Gabby, and are seriously, beside ourselves!
To make a very, very long story short, she had esophagitis (an injury to the lining of the esophagus). When it healed, it healed with scar tissue, causing a serious stricture. An endoscopic exam revealed her esophagus was practically closed up at 3mm. in diameter. We had a specialist perform 2 balloon dilations of her throat (an inflation of a balloon in her throat to stretch the scar tissue back). She appeared to respond well to the treatment, however her symptoms eventually returned -- gagging, coughing and unable to swallow anything but mushed up and watered down canned food.
Her symptoms were not nearly as severe as they originally were (before her first surgery we were spoon feeding her because if she ate to fast everything came back up). Infact, she was eating on her own, relatively good portions and could be safely left to free feed. But she still could only tolerate very soft foods. We decided to go in for a third time -- thinking that one more treatment would be a charm and she would come out being even better.
Turns out her stricture had recurred and was right back to the original 3mm diameter that it was before the inital surgery. We (even our vet) were shocked! The first two surgeries took place back in mid-February and were performed within a 4 days of each other. We waited three weeks before exploring again -- her third procedure was yesterday. So over the past 3 weeks or so, the scar tissue grew back.
The specialist is suggesting another 2 balloon dilations within a week. Bear in mind each treatmeant is roughly $600cdn. and although that is not our main concern here, it's starting to add up. What bothers me, is that I cannot get a firm answer from this specialist if our cat's case is "typical" of this condition, or if it is just a lost cause.
I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has dealt with this type of condition with their cat, or if you have ever heard of anything like this? Before I subject my cat to the stress of two more procedures I want some sort of assurance that the scar tissue won't eventually grow back and choke her in the end.
Any advice at all would be so greatly appreciated. You have no idea!
Thanks for listening.
Ramona
Mission, B.C.