Some Constipation Questions

[foxxycat]

let's hope things stay the way they are and don't escalate. HUGS

 

[maggiedemi]

Yeah, cats get kidney problems because they aren't big water drinkers. I wish they were more like dogs. When my brothers dogs come over they steal my cats' water and drink the whole entire bowl! I wish my cats would do that. Anyway, let's hope it's just inflammation and the change in diet helps...

 

[missmindy]

Thanks again everyone. We are in a holding pattern until tomorrow when the vet is back in the office. I'm not too keen on not being able to talk to someone, I guess if it was an emergency I could, but I get not having too many different people making decisions. She was tired last night-understandable, but still eating and drinking well. We still have super soft poop plops, so that's going to take some more adjustment. I'm just glad there is poop of any kind twice a day!

 

[missmindy]

No update for today as the new vet did not return my repeated phone calls to find out about the ultrasound. This leaves her diarrhea issue unresolved now too. This vet only works 2 days a week so now I have to wait until Friday. I am extremely unhappy especially because the ultrasound was not normal. If this is the way this practice runs, I'll be looking for another new one soon.

 

[duckpond]

Keeping my fingers cross for the little girl!

 

[foxxycat]

No update for today as the new vet did not return my repeated phone calls to find out about the ultrasound. This leaves her diarrhea issue unresolved now too. This vet only works 2 days a week so now I have to wait until Friday. I am extremely unhappy especially because the ultrasound was not normal. If this is the way this practice runs, I'll be looking for another new one soon.

That seems to be the norm now- many only work 2 days a week and at 2 or 3 locations. Honeybee's cardiologist has 3 places he satelites from which makes it frustrating in an emergency=right now things are fine-but if she was getting cardiac issues they would make me drive the next state to his home office..he used to work out of the office here in Portsmouth then they lost all their specialty veterinarians-this is an ER hospital that claims they have these services but on a night I need said services I was told to drive 90 minutes away...unacceptable. Luckily the vet near my house hired an internal vet medicine doctor with ultrasound qualifications so I don't have to go out of state but still it's really annoying because I really liked the cardiologist-a younger guy who only needed 5 minutes to do the ultrasound and lets me stay in the room-showed me on the screen what we were looking at.

She has asthma and that summer she was coughing more than usual-he said to up her meds-but wanted to make sure cardiac wasn't causing issues as we had her on prednisolone and just wanted to make sure the pred won't make her sicker...so yes sometimes you have to network to find a decent vet. sometimes a 2 hour drive one way is worth it. her cardio is now in portland maine so every 2 years we see him when I am on vacation in Maine-it's an hour drive then where otherwise 2 hours from home. Anyways sorry for rambling and yes don't be afraid to network for new support staff.

 

[maggiedemi]

Is she still having diarrhea? If the vet calls you back, maybe ask if you can lessen the dosage of the stool softener. It's called Lactulose, right?

 

[missmindy]

Update-

Vet said to take her totally off cisapride and leave the lactulose as is. If she stops pooping, add it back in. She's still having "cow pie" poops, but she's not leaving little drips all over like she was.
We are also going to for an Internal Medicine Consult on next Thursday for the "thing" they found on the ultrasound. Both regular vets agreed they can't diagnose it, and that it might be something or it might be nothing. I'm sure it's going to be an expensive endeavor to find out. I'm not comfortable watching and waiting on a potential cancer though

 

[maggiedemi]

Oh good. That's what I figured, that one of those stool softeners had to be adjusted downwards a little bit. Well I'm still hoping it's just inflammation, and once it goes down, then that "thing" they found will disappear.

 

[missmindy]

Oh good. That's what I figured, that one of those stool softeners had to be adjusted downwards a little bit. Well I'm still hoping it's just inflammation, and once it goes down, then that "thing" they found will disappear.

Thanks! They said it's a "pea sized" growth and not related to the constipation/vomiting issue. We may have found it totally by accident. It wasn't on the ultrasound she had last year though, so that makes me so nervous. I've lost a cat to cancer and another to a benign tumor that grew out of control, so I'm scared

 

[foxxycat]

Prayers and HUGS for your kitty!! Pea sized is small-hoping it stays that size!!! Or disappears!!!

 

[missmindy]

Just a little update that we are holding steady. Well I'm a wreck worrying, but we are still having lots of poop and no constipation. I dialed back on the cisapride or the vet, but when we got to one dose a day, she started displaying her "I don't feel good" behaviors. She gets really restless, vocal, and licks plastic bags. She only does this when she's backing up I've learned. So I gave her a 2nd cisapride and she made the biggest poop I've ever seen a few hours later. Still have to find the right balance of that and lactulose!

 

[maggiedemi]

That's great! Yeah, it's always a balancing act to get the right consistency of poo with cats.

 

[missmindy]

Just got back! Did a 2nd ultrasound and took a bunch of measurements. Both the IM vet and the radiologist feel her nodule is benign. Since she isn't symptomatic, they want to recheck in 3 months. It's in a pretty bad location, so fingers crossed it just stays the same! Did a GI panel as well and they will call me with that. All in all a good visit!

 

[maggiedemi]

Yay, good news! How is the poop situation?

 

[missmindy]

Yay, good news! How is the poop situation?

Poop is still the same-a little more "formed" now. IM vet said she wouldn't mess around too much and would go with too soft instead of trying to firm up too much.

 

[missmindy]

Another little update-
GI panel came back ready. Only thing that was off was an elevated folate level. I guess that can be present as an overgrowth of bacteria and other GI issues? Everything else was normal. The IM specialist still feels waiting the 3 months is the best course of action unless symptoms develop. We had a vomit episode last night, but it was a hair ball and didn't look like any of the previous vomiting episodes. I backed off lactulose slightly and we only had one poop today. Might have to dial that back up again. Otherwise we have a seemingly happy kitty.

 

[maggiedemi]

Does she poop more than once a day? My cats only go once a day, usually in the early morning.

 

[missmindy]

Does she poop more than once a day? My cats only go once a day, usually in the early morning.

Yes-usually once during the day and then again overnight. She went again later after my last post of course lol. I dropped her middle of the day lactulose, so she's only getting that and cisapride in the AM and PM. That seemed to help. It's much more formed and still pliable. No more cow patties or puddles!

 

[maggiedemi]

I wouldn't worry if she only goes once a day as long as it's a good amount. My cats have always gone once a day.