Samantha - leaking poop after colon resection

Furballsmom

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Hi
I would show them this thread when you go in.

Also, you're saying she's getting under furniture? Can you contain her in one room until this gets squared away, and block off access so she remains out where you can get to her?

Also, others will correct me if I'm wrong but you
might be able to use chamomile tea on her bum. Store bought is safe (garden grown is not), brew some, cool it and apply.

It's anti bacterial, anti fungal, will ease discomfort and is safe if she licks it.
 

ToniR

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Yes, thank you. Her junction wasn’t removed, which gives better odds. It’s turned from liquid to a consistency but the problem is, she’s not aware of it when she passes it in her sleep. The doctor said she and all others should never have an issue of leaking out spontaneously. They may or may not use the box and/or drop liquid or solid because they again, feel the natural urge. And some remain liquid indefinitely. But my cat doesn’t have an urge it just flows out throughout the day and night. When I hear it she never wakes up. She’s never even tried to control it or go to the box. The doctor said she’s never heard of a cat losing control of the anal sphincter because that area and nerves are not touched. She feels it because she’s driving herself mad constantly trying to clean it up and she’s completely raw. I can’t keep the collars or surgery suits on. She’s hacked all the cones and soils the suit immediately after I clean her and put a new one on. She’s miserable.
 

ToniR

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Hi
I would show them this thread when you go in.

Also, you're saying she's getting under furniture? Can you contain her in one room until this gets squared away, and block off access so she remains out where you can get to her?

Also, others will correct me if I'm wrong but you
might be able to use chamomile tea on her bum. Store bought is safe (garden grown is not), brew some, cool it and apply.

It's anti bacterial, anti fungal, will ease discomfort and is safe if she licks it.
I do keep her contained most of the time, but my house is a cat freeway and when I’m back and forth trying to clean her or everything she touches she’ll get away from me at times. She’s figured out 2 places I can’t get to and can’t close off. I’ll ask the vet about the tea. Thank you
 

nanniecat

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Thank you so much all. Really appreciate hearing about the recovery period and the links to FGESF.

We did spend a fortune at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists - $2k for the ultrasound that detected the growths and $7k for the surgery. We go back for a 2 week recheck on 9/30/2021. The surgeon’s response to our question about whether Samantha would regain control of her bowel movements was that she didn’t know. She did not offer a solution surgical or otherwise. She did tell us to stop clavamox on 9/25/2021 (8 days post surgery) to firm up the stools. That has helped marginally. The IM vet says she had major surgery and is still recovering. He said he could not comment on post surgery bowel incontinence.

Sam squats over her box but often nothing comes out. Then she exits the box and there is poop on her rear and dropping onto her crate. I see soft poop in the box, so she is hitting the box at times, but there is always poop on her and in her crate. The frequency of the poop is also high. The hospital shaved her rear so we can help clean it. It is red, raw and painful from having so much soft poop on it. Sam has always been such a lap cat.

The surgeon highlighted infection as a very serious risk of bowel surgery. She did not mention fecal incontinence as something to expect in the post operative period.

I would appreciate any guidance on how other owners, cats and care teams have managed fecal incontinence. Does this happen with bowel surgery? How long will this last? What are the surgical treatments if it does not improve with time?

thanks for all your support.
my 19 yo was just pronounced cured by her onco on 12/6/22 a long 6 yrs. but she is completely healed. no evidence of fgesf in ultrasound and labs! a miracle
 

nanniecat

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Hi all, our 6 year old DSH underwent surgery to remove masses in her colon at gulf coast veterinary specialists in Houston. The surgeon removed 7 masses from her colon and 1 mass from her lymph node on 9/17/2021. The surgeon performed a resection to rejoin the remaining pieces of her GI tract. She came home on 9/21/2021.

She is on gabapentin twice daily to keep her calm and for pain management. She was on clavamox, which she stopped on 9/26/2021. We are keeping her in a crate while she recovers. She has not moved much and has been lying in her litter box. Sometimes she tries to use her litter box, but mostly she is leaking poop all over the crate.

Does anyone have experience with fecal incontinence after bowel surgery? How long did it last?

Also, we just got the biopsy results. No cancer detected. Sam has Feline Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Sclerosing Fibroplasia (FGESF). It is very rare and we are learning more about it.
just found yr post. how is your cat? my girl is a survivor of fgesf. i can share what i learned if u still need help? it was 6 yr journey
 
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