When Vets Give Enemas

iluvmycats

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My 19 year old cat has had problems passing poop for a few years now. He's on Lactulose and Cisapride which was working well for a while. A couple of months ago my vet suspected he may have cancer from what she saw on his blood test. She prescribed prednisone every other day. Last week he kept straining and leaking water stool. I brought him into the vet and she gave him a light sedative and pulled out a couple of small pieces of poop with her hand. Last night it started all over again he's straining and leaking watery poop. I brought him in this morning and she gave him a light sedative, took an xray, and gave him an enema. She said he wasn't pushing at all to get whatever small poop was in there out. Could be he was so tired from trying all night long he didn't want to push.

My question is: Isn't an enema with the force of the water suppose to push the poop out without the cat pushing?

She also said she pulled some out with her hand. They gave him a bath and I brought a clean towel for him to rest on in his carrier. He leaked all the way home. He's in the bathroom now with his food and water resting.

I guess I'm confused about just what an enema can do for a cat.

I'd appreciate any help.

Thank you.
 

white shadow

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My question is: Isn't an enema with the force of the water suppose to push the poop out without the cat pushing?
In one word: NO.

Here's a quote from a well-respected website devoted to....yes, feline constipation:
The point of a warm water enema is not to flush the colon, like preparation for a colonoscopy or bowel surgery, but to increase rectal volume just enough to provide a sufficient signal to the enteric nervous system that something needs to be done.
So, the enema has NOTHING to do with pressure or flushing...it has EVERYTHING to do with adding water (which is the missing link) into the system.....the water softens the stool AND triggers the normal rectal response....evacuation.

You sound like one of those rare people (these days) who can actually read and absorb more than (what appears to be) the current norm of 140 characters of text......if I'm right, I believe you'll appreciate a free course in Feline Constipation 101 - the very basics of a0 what goes on in your cat's gut b) the bare necessities it needs to function properly c) what to do when things go wrong.

If that's the case, here you are: http://www.felineconstipation.org/index.html

Now, about that "leaking",,
...Last week he kept straining and leaking water stool... Last night it started all over again he's straining and leaking watery poop.

. He leaked all the way home.
Obviously, nobody can diagnose any cat's condition in an online forum...there is a "BUT" however: there are commonly-observed tell-tale clues in circumstances like this. "Leaking" stool when constipation is suspected is often the result of the system being plugged...but, not entirely blocked...so, a small amount of liquid stool is able to escape around the periphery of the "plug"....much like a pipe that has a blockage but still "leaks" a little. Here's another reputable reference:
[size=+0][size=+0]Sometimes a cat will appear to have diarrhoea but in fact has constipation, and the runny stool is simply what can squeeze around the solid dry stool.[/size][/size]
That quote comes from another trusted site which has an excellent section on constipation here: http://www.felinecrf.org/constipation.htm [While it's focus is kidney-comprimised cats, you can pretty much ignore the kidney-related references (unless, of course, your cat has/may have kidney "issues") (and, at 19, which cat will not have "kidney issues"?]

My "gut" reaction to your story is that 1) there is still some blockage - some stool still "blocking" things up 2) a diet adjustment/the addition of some fibre (like pumpkin) - or both of these - is needed 3)......more discussion with you about all this, especially diet, will be needed.
 
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iluvmycats

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Woke up this morning, went in to check on cat in the bathroom and he was in the litter box forcing to get whatever poop is in there out. I increased the amount of Lactulose I normally put in his food. I'm praying it will cause whatever small piece is left in his colon to flush out.

It breaks my heart to see him trying so hard and nothing comes out. We tried pumpkin when a few years back with no results. The Lactulose liquid and in powder form together with the Cisapride had been working for the past year. We have to find the right combination to get him back on track. He's been on mainly wet food for the past year too.

I'm off to read the links you provided to educate myself further.

I really appreciate all your help.

I'll be back to give you an update.

Thank you.
 

white shadow

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....The Lactulose...together with the Cisapride had been working for the past year

...He's been on mainly wet food for the past year too.
3 quick questions:

- You're using Cisapride...was he ever diagnosed with Megacolon?

- Which wet food(s) are you using & which dry food(s)?

- When did he last have bloodwork done....and, was his calcium level raised?
 
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iluvmycats

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A few years ago when his constipation first started he was x-rayed for Megacolon and the vet assured me he didn't have it.

I'm feeding him Life's Abundance & B.G.wet food. He was getting a little Orijen dry food, but I've practically stopped giving him dry food now.  Long story short, one of my other cats was a diabetic so I fed all three of my cats the food the diabetic could have. He passed over the Rainbow Bridge in September. I'm glad you asked, because the food he eats is mainly protein and I can easily change that now that my other cat has passed.

He had blood work done six weeks ago, and again over the weekend. When the vet calls me with the results, I'll ask about his calcium level.

I really appreciate all the help you're giving me.

God bless you.

Michele
 

white shadow

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...the food he eats is mainly protein and I can easily change that ..
I would NOT be changing that food at all.......that's as close as you're likely able to get to a natural diet....unless, of course you open to a raw diet. Do understand, though, I'm NOT even suggesting raw food (although it would probably do wonders).(IF you're curious or open to considering it, check out the "raw" section in the nutrition forum)

I had a couple of "ideas".......I'm personally not a fan of Lactulose. I (and my cats) have found it "yucky" ) (!).....there's a human laxative called (in the US) Miralax...a tasteless powder which can be mixed with wet food...it's an "osmatic laxative", like lactulose, but without the "gooey" effect.....and, without the calcium that's in Lactulose. IF a cat's blood calcium level is "out-of-wack, THAT itself can cause constipation (among other problems). Osmatic laxatives are described here http://felineconstipation.org/acutetreatment.html#OsmoticLaxatives (With the usual disclaimer of "ask your Vet first), perhaps give Miralax a try. There's more info about Miralax, inclding dosage, here http://www.felinecrf.org/constipation.htm#treatments

My other suggestion was to be that you speak with people here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=2 These people have been around forever....well, OK, for the past 12 years....so they know a thing or two about constipation in cats....personally, I know that that's where I'd be if I were dealing with this.

BTW, even though the pumpkin didn't seem to help, I think I'd be adding some into his wet foods....if you got through the felineconstipation.org site, you'll now know that feeding those gut bacteria is the first step in preventing problems!
 
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iluvmycats

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Checked with the vet's office for his calcium level. He had a blood test in Oct. and another one over the weekend and his calcium level is normal.

I'm waiting for the vet to get back to me about the Miralax. Sounds like a better choice over the Lactulose just because it's tasteless.

He spent the weekend in the bathroom, and finally passed a long stool Sunday evening. Monday morning we gave him a bath and he has free to run around the house. He likes to stay in his bed in the family room, with his food right near his bed.

Yesterday, Monday, he didn't have a BM. I thought maybe he was so emptied out that there just wasn't enough in there for him to go. I gave him 2 ml of Lactulose twice, each time in his small can of food. He also had his usual 2 pills a day of Cysapride.

This morning I checked his litter box and it was empty, but there was a little bit of dried poop on the entrance to the box (it's a closed box.) This tells me he tried to poop and couldn't.

Thanks for the link to the Megacolon/constipation forum there's a lot to read there. :))

For 19 years old I think he's relatively in good health. Every five or six months it seems something has to be tweaked with his meds; what was working for several months isn't working now.

The vet has him on 5 mg. of Prednisone every three days now.

Thanks again for all your help.

Michele
 

menasmom25

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how is your cat doing now?  I have been having the same probelms with my foster cat, who i want to adopt, but my husband can't handle the smell whenever he gets constipated and starts leaking again--had TWO enemas at tyhevet's office just after thanksgiving, and leaked in the bathrom for another week before he finally stopped.  Then he was fine for a month, finally started eatign on his own.  NOw his bottom is all messy again this morning.  I don't know what to do.  LIke i said, he is a foster, and i haven't seen his medical records, but he is about 20 pounds, 6 or 7 years old.  I have to drag him out of the bedroom and clean him in the bathroom now and hope he doesnt' contniue to leak after that...
 

sophie2ellie

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All the letters on this page are very helpful.  I am saving them all and will read them tonight.

Thank You

MEM
 
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