Urgent! Constipated Cat

phoquee

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hello guys i was away at college and came back to a very constipated, straining, uncomfortable cat so i rushed her to the vet

unfortunately she was severely backed up with hard stool and had to have an enema with 3 days of overnight stay at the vet. she passed some stool but not all of it in that time and the vet sent her home on 1ml of lactulose 2 times a day and said to prepare to put her down. she has a tumor in her pelvis region that cannot be surgically removed but was physically examined ( felt ) by a surgeon during her stay there. so far she's passing small individual pellets every few hours. overall she's eating, drinking, and peeing just fine while not straining ~ too ~ much during pooping but simply not passing much. we switched her to a wet food diet in the last week and have made sure to pour water with the food AND occasionally syringe give her water just in case. is there anything i can do or should we put her down? i don't think forcing another enema will do anything except buy me time with her but she doesn't seem to be in pain though i'll never truly know because she could be hiding it.


i might add that she's a 9 years old feline, 5lbs and the surgeon is overly confident it's cancer though only wrote off that she had a colon abnormality, mass on her paperwork
 
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silent meowlook

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Hi.
If it was me, I would not put the cat down without a second opinion. I think you should see either an internal medicine veterinarian or a cat only veterinary specialist. There is so much about cats that regular veterinarians just don't know. For a veterinarian to suggest you euthanize your cat because they "felt" something is very irresponsible on the vet's side. Of course, I was not there and don't know what they felt or any of the details of what they are thinking.

If it was my cat, I would ask the veterinarian about doing sub cutaneous fluids at home to increase the hydration of the cat in order to facilitate having bowel movements. But, if this mass is obstructing the colon or GI tract somewhere, it might not help. There are also medications to help with GI motility and supplements to soften and add bulk to the stool.

Please let me know what happens. I am hoping that maybe an opinion by a specialist may be more in your cat's favor.
 
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phoquee

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Thank you for the response :) I did tell my mom it was a tad weird no treatment plan was really created / her cancer was never truly looked into but brushed off. However, I do believe the mass is obstructing the colon which is why the vet mentioned euthanasia since the mass cannot be removed. After knowing that do you think paying for a second opinion is still the move or perhaps is putting her through that too much? I'm conflicted with trying to keep her alive but not putting her through extreme stress. I also woke up to watery poo and two piles of vomit, not sure if it's from too much lactulose or if the cancers taking its toll. I'm thinking about simply asking for the fluids and maybe a steroid? not sure if that'd help her feel better for a few more days.
 

LocosMom

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Have you tried restoralax? It’s a powder for humans but works for cats as well. My cat has issues with constipation as well and I sprinkle a bit of it on his wet food every day or other day (depending on severity), and it works wonders. It was recommended to me a few years ago by an ER doc and really does work!
 

daftcat75

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Adding water to her food or syringing extra water into her will not make it to her poops. Her kidneys will simply filter and excrete the excess water through her pee. What you need instead is something that binds and brings water on the whole trip through the cat and won't give up its water to the kidneys. That something is Miralax. You can get this over the counter at any any pharmacy.

For cats, the recommended dose is generally ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of powder mixed in with food twice daily. Your veterinarian will be able to give you more specific instructions based on your cat’s condition and needs.
Source: Miralax for Cats: Is it Safe? | Great Pet Care

Adding a little raw egg yolk to her food can act as a laxative if she's still having trouble passing stools. I would probably start with 1/4 tsp once a day and see how it goes.

Rather than regular use of egg yolk, you may consider supplements from Vitality Science. I would still seek a second opinion, preferably from a specialist if you can consult with one. But in the meantime, you could drop an email to Vitality Science customer support and see if they have any additional recommendations besides their Easy Go. They may have something that can help with the tumor.

Easy-Go New (Cats) - Vitality Science
 

LTS3

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Have you tried restoralax? It’s a powder for humans but works for cats as well.

The same product is sold under the brand name Miralax in the US and PEG in Europe. The ingredient is polyethylene glycol 3350. I use a store generic brand for my cat.

I would get a second opinion from another vet, preferably an internal medicine one. Sometimes another vet has a way to treat the cat without resorting to euthanasia. There is chemo and radiation treatment for certain types of cancers in pets. It is costly but something to consider if a vet feels the tumor can be treated non-surgically.
 
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phoquee

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Hi.
If it was me, I would not put the cat down without a second opinion. I think you should see either an internal medicine veterinarian or a cat only veterinary specialist. There is so much about cats that regular veterinarians just don't know. For a veterinarian to suggest you euthanize your cat because they "felt" something is very irresponsible on the vet's side. Of course, I was not there and don't know what they felt or any of the details of what they are thinking.

If it was my cat, I would ask the veterinarian about doing sub cutaneous fluids at home to increase the hydration of the cat in order to facilitate having bowel movements. But, if this mass is obstructing the colon or GI tract somewhere, it might not help. There are also medications to help with GI motility and supplements to soften and add bulk to the stool.

Please let me know what happens. I am hoping that maybe an opinion by a specialist may be more in your cat's favor.
see
 

silent meowlook

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Oh, if there is a mass obstructing her colon that isn’t surgical, then really there is nothing any laxative will do.
I would get a second opinion but I don’t know what your financial situation is or how stressful it would be for your cat. I am so sorry you and your cat are going through.
 
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phoquee

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she pooped a little more over night but unfortunately there was diarrhea and vomit outside her box and now she's refusing to eat, i don't wanna put her through chemo though i could afford it.
 

LocosMom

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The poor baby. I think it really comes down to quality of life and whether she could enjoy the time she has left or whether it would be painful/stressful. So sorry to hear this.
 

louisstools

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Prayer for you and your kitty.
If finances permit it, you might consider a second opinion possibly from a specialist. You're vet might know someone for referral. Euthanasia is permanent so multiple opinions isn't unreasonable. If you do want a second opinion get it fast. Covid fallout crippled the vet care available in many city from staffing and suoplies. I say that because you might not get it in times

Otherwise you're probably best off listening to your vet if you trust them. Either way sounds like your cat is sick and you need to make quick and informed decisions.

I had to put my boy down last December and the only advice I can give for that is don't prolong it and just get it over with. When it's necessary it's the most kind thing we can do for them.
 
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