What am I doing wrong?/Experiences

FrenchToastKitten

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My 12-year-old girl, Sassy, has had health issues ever since we rescued her when she was five. From UTIs, crystals, tooth-extractions (pre-when she lived with us), anal gland issues, pancreatitis flare-up, anemia, the beginnings of kidney disease, arthritis, antibiotic resistant E-COLI for a stretch, stress, anxiety, over-grooming, etc. I am most definitely forgetting something.

Saturday night she started straining. Yowling. Was restless. Wouldn’t eat or drink water. My lactulose was out so I had nothing. There is a backup of all emergency animal hospitals in LA so I couldn’t get her in anywhere until the morning and then she wasn’t worked on until early evening. It seemed to traumatize her and the enema they gave her didn’t work. They were horrible.

Her actual vet was able to squeeze her in Monday morning. They kept her for the day. She had two warm water and lube enemas on mild sedation, IV fluids, anti-nausea meds. They did an X RAY to see that she was definitely backed up before doing the enemas. They said the stool was actually soft so that was good. And that she was doing great. She said that she did poop when she was there. They also checked her kidneys and they were still stable. She had been acting off for two weeks before this and walking slower, and had lost all her hair on her front leg in a section (that is now growing back). She licks a lot but that has never happened all of these years. Her vet and I talked via email so we thought it was just her arthritis and bad back acting up. So basically it’s been a stressful journey since Sunday.

When I picked her up they made it seem like she’d be pooping when she got home. She seemed ok in the car. Calm. Calmer then she usually is when she gets home from the vet. She got Butrophonol at the vet for the procedure which she’s never gotten before.

They prescribed her Cisapride to help her GI tract that I pick up tomorrow. And now I have to just give her lactulose everyday instead of as needed like before.

She seems to be a little better than Sunday. She has licked me, which she wasn’t before. She loves licking us so that’s good. She’s not walking around struggling but she’s also not walking around much. Just to get to her fountain. She is still walking very funny. She’s leaking which I was expecting, but some of her leaking in the litter box is light brown/reddish droplets. No poop.

She is eating! Which I am grateful. But she doesn’t look for it. I have to bring it to her. But she eats.

She just still seems the same. And not vocal either. I haven’t heard her meow since Saturday.

I’m just still so sick over this. Is she just overly traumatized and worn out from the events of Sunday and Monday? Will the food help give her something to poop out? I am at a loss and feel super overwhelmed. Like I am stressing her out.

She won’t leave this one closet. She responds to me petting her. She let me pick her up but didn’t really stay. She felt lighter If that makes sense. She also peed in the closet. Which is unlike her. Does enemas make cats pee like that?

Is she just stressed and am I being impatient and thereby stressing her out.

I can’t eat or sleep. I’m a wreck.
 
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FrenchToastKitten

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Just to add - she has been constipated before. This isn’t new. Just the severity. She’s never needed an enema.

She is also on lots of supplements. Probiotics, dasuquin, protein binder, meloxidyl (which we haven’t started yet but I have).
 

fionasmom

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It does seem that stress might be a big part of this and you will be able to determine that over the course of the next few days as she relaxes at home, hopefully. Maybe you have even seen a difference now.

I don't think that the enema has any direct connection to her peeing in the closet. As for the Torbutrol, which was the brand name that it was under when my vet gave it to my dogs or cats, I always felt that it did cause some side effects which presented as out of sorts behavior. It should eliminate quickly from the system though unless the kidney condition is enough to make it remain for a longer period of time.

Have you started the Cisapride and has she been able to eat and eliminate by now?
 
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FrenchToastKitten

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Thank you for the response. There was definitely improvement today but still no poop. I pick up the Cisapride tomorrow. I spoke to her vet and she said to be patient it’ll happen. We are giving it until tomorrow. She is eating! So I’m grateful for that. I think I am stressing her out because I keep checking on her and hovering. I just can’t calm down.
 

fionasmom

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I am glad that something is working! Of course, you have to monitor her, but if she seems comfortable try to leave her for a few minutes to see if she relaxes.
 
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FrenchToastKitten

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I just wish I knew how long this is going to go on for. I feel like I thought she was feeling better but now she isn’t. I feel like she’s aged 25 years in a week. How long do constipation episodes last. Or how long do people’s cats get over enemas and traumatic experiences. I’m so sad. I haven’t been able to eat or sleep. And I’m very tired. I don’t know how to handle her being sick but I know she has chronic things.
 

fionasmom

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Do you suspect something else is underlying all this? Your personal vet sounds competent but does he think that she needs to see a cat only vet or a specialist? It is not any reflection on them. Did you get the Cisapride started?
 
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FrenchToastKitten

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I worry about a further underlying cause but I don’t want my mind going there. I also wouldn’t know what we would have to look for. I think between her anxiety, anal gland history, anemia, kidney disease, history of crystals, and bad arthritis and back (she has slipped disks etc) - there are so many reasons. We’re looking into more treatments for her back like Assisi loop.

I am of course blaming myself because I started giving her some dry food again after not and have been lax with her probiotics.

We get a senior panel every three months, I stay on top of her kidneys, and bring her to the vet the minute something is off. She had a slight heart murmur a month ago from nerves but I brought her to a cardiologist regardless.

They did do an X-Ray this weekend.

I finally got the chance to pick up the Cisapride. I’m worried about a side effect they warned me about in regards to my car specifically? They told me to stop the minute I saw it? But I can’t remember what they told me over the phone and I’m waiting for them to call me back to remind me. So that I can start it.
 

fionasmom

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I do see that with the multiple conditions that your baby has that it is hard to know where to go first even if you wanted to start with specific consultations. You really do provide excellent care for her and in the face of the complications it seems that you are assuming the responsibility for causing them when in reality you have done nothing to make her worse in any way, dry food included. I know that this is completely frustrating and heartbreaking as nothing seems to work permanently. You are right to wait for the vet to tell you which side effect to look for....which does not mean that it has to happen, remember that. Please post what happens.
 
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