Penis Removal (Blockage)

Last Wednsday night we rushed Bear (unaltered male, possible a burmese) to the emergency vet. I spotted him in the litter box straining with no pee. Picked him up and felt his bladder-it was hard and he screamed at me. Figured he had what Cody had not too long ago-Cystitis. Got to the e-vet and needless to say out of 4 workers there only ONE was NOT rude. We got there around 11:30pm.... we did not leave the place until 2:30, but get this... they did not look at him until about 5 minutes before we LEFT.

They said we could spend about 700$ just to knock him out and get a catheder in him and to get him hooked up to a IV (then we wold have to leave him there, come back later and take him to our regular vet when they open, they do NOT keep animals during the day), OR they could put a needle thru his belly into his bladder and get the urine out and relieve the pressure, they would knock him out so he would be out until we took him to our vet when they opened in the AM. (and we would be able to leave with him) that would cost a little under 200$, OR we could PTS I gave her a very VERY cross look, and she got the picture. We opted to let them knock him out and do the needle thing.
They ended up getting 128 CC's of urine and blood out of his poor bladder!!!!!!!

They never acted like it was that big of a deal that we opted for the cheaper thing. There was just NO WAY we could have paid 700$ at the e-vet, then turn around and pay 3-400$ at our regular vet, since the e-vet doesn't keep animals during the day.

Anyways, when we got back home bear was already trying to sit up .... my understanding was that he would be completly knocked out long enough to last until we could get to our vet in the AM. I placed him in a large carrier for the night, he wasn't supposed to have food or water. So by the time I laid down Bear was wide awake doing the "feed me" dance. Had to ignore his plea. Kept getting up and checking on him, no signs of pain, well besides hunger pains, LOL.

Got up in the AM, took him to our vet-they saw us right away even though it was a full house. They did xrays-nothing, they did say that his bladder was filling up again, took him back and hooked him up to the catheder and IV's. Told us we could visit/call anytime and that if all went well we could bring Bear home.

Of course all did not go well, Friday came around and they took the catheder out, he blocked up before we even got there. Same thing Saturday, xrays-nothing again. So the vet said that there was no way he could let the cat go home like this, and that our only real option is penis removal surgery. My heart sank, I hate the thought of putting a cat through such a terrible surgery. But we have no option, they have already changed his diet-he's been on Hill c/d since he's been there-with no improvment. I did get to go and visit Bear saturday, we spent a good 30 mins together.

So before we left the vet said we could let this sink in and call Monday, and that the surgery would probably be scheduled for early in the week, and that Bear could come home a day after surgery if there are no complications. Get this, I told them how rude everyone at the e-vet was and he said "yeah, many of our clients have said that, call us next time!" I showed the techs the e-vet bill and the busted out laughing at how ridiculous the prices were. One of them said that there was no way she would ever take an animal there.

I spent about 2 hours today shredding old newspapers to use as litter when Bear comes back home, anything else is going to get in his incision.

I feel so terrible for my man, I hope they drug him up real good, god that has to hurt. Please send up those magical TCS vibes, we need it. This is so heartbreaking

I did a thread search and didn't come up with much, has anyone had this done, if so do you have anything you think I need to know?

Wow, poor Bear. Ive never even heard of such a thing!
Lots and lots of healing and quick recovery vibes!

Thanks, Bear appreciates it!

Forgot to mention that one thing went good at the stupid e-vet, they told us that Bear looked ALOT like a Burmese, which I had not realized. This cat was found as a kitten in a tree a year and a half ago, he had been living off of grass (saw it in the litterbox) and was so skinny you could look at him and see his ribs.

Thanks, we need all the vibes we can get!

and sent to you both . ... Im going to ask a stupid question but if they remove his penis how will he pee?

My friends Cat had that surgery and her Cat is ok now. They make a opeing like a female cat. I lost my Frisky to a male blockage though.
We were so stupid he was my first cat and I was a kid. Prayers for your cat.
http://www.petplace.com/cats/what-is...omy/page1.aspx
This link above should help you. It explains it better then I can. Sorry the Er Vet had a bunch of jerks there.

Originally Posted by mews2much

My friends Cat had that surgery and her Cat is ok now. They make a opeing like a female cat. I lost my Frisky to a male blockage though.
We were so stupid he was my first cat and I was a kid. Prayers for your cat.
http://www.petplace.com/cats/what-is...omy/page1.aspx
This link above should help you. It explains it better then I can. Sorry the Er Vet had a bunch of jerks there.

Click to expand...

I learn so much here.....

Lots of vibes for Bear!

One of my friends has a male cat that had his penis removed due to blockages too. He was just fine afterwards.

I had that surgery done on my cat and he never had a problem after that, and he lived to be 15. He was two when the surgery was done.

I am so glad I discovered Carpon. I now have two males that need it every day, and it has eliminated all urination problems, and the crystals.

Oh, that sounds awful! I hope the surgery and recovery goes well for Bear!

I found a link to that carpon stuff in another thread- is that used as a preventative measure or only once they have a history of UTI's?

Albus is 4 years old, and so far we haven't had any problems (we've had him less than a year, though.) After reading all the horror stories on here about chronic UTI's, I'm willing to do just about anything to prevent them from starting.

You would only use the carpon if your cat has struvite crystals, and you usually find that our after they have started peeing inappropriately, peeing blood, peeing frequently with little output.

You can see and feel the crystals if your cat is nice enough to leave you a good sample, and the vet can detect them if you take the urine in, or he takes some from the cat.

The crystals develop in a too akaline for a cat PH in the urine. I check the ph with ph test strips. You never want to over acidfy, causes a different stone.

But it is too late for the OP's cat to have this help. It sounds as it did with my cat, that he has passed so much crystal, that the scar tissue has narrowed the ureatha opening so much, that the urine cannot pass through.

After that experience, I am diligent with my two "crystal" cats treatment, and I had enough knowledge to recognize the problem immediately. We have wonderful full flowing, urinations all the time.

Thanks to everyone for the support! I've been googling this, but I didn't see that website yet, thanks for that!

It really helps to know that others have had good outcomes with the surgery.

I do have a question for you guys... He isn't neutered. Would you get him neutered after this? The only reason I can think of neutering him (He wouldn't be able to impregnate a female) is to cut back on litterbox smell, which quiet frankly I wouldn't put him through it just because of that-odor hasn't been an issue. I know with girl cats getting them spayed cuts back on a few health ricks, but I haven't heard of it eliminting health risks in males.

Edit-for those who haven't heard of this surgery, here is a website that has before, during, and after surgery (and a cat who's catheter was 'lost') WARNING SURGERY PICS! http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/Hea...structionCats/

Is there a reason he is not neutered?

Unneutered males are far more likely to block up, which is why I ask. I do think that you should neuter him. It does decrease the risk of various types of cancer as well as spraying....and IMO keeping an intact male if you do not plan to breed him (and I'm talking about a pedigreed cat) is cruel. He can never breed a female, yet he has the basic desires/urges.

Those are great points! He's not neutered because I am 19 and my mother handles the vet bills while I pay for everything else for my cats-and I can barely get enough money up to get their food (Nutro). I've been begging, to no avial, and my mom puts it off. (No one seems to take me seriously(mom/family) becasue I am a teenager, but I have spent many, many late nights researching cat health/nutrition, I am certainly not an expert, but I have scratched the surface in learning about common cat health problems-it's a hobby.) I've been begging since he hit the 4lb mark (required here for speuter), but she always came up with some reason on why we could do it.

BTW, he is stricly indoors, with 2 doors between him and outside. I and my family members are well aware of the unwanted pet population, believe me, the euthinasia rate for my county is 80%...... And so many backyard breeders that it's rediculous. And I am one of those people who don't really get why people are breeding animals, purebred or not when so many animals are being killed each day. I've never had a pure bred anything and don't plan on it. So no, he's certianly not for breeding!!!!

Thanks for giving me your thoughts, I will try get my mom on the bandwagon with me, and get him neutered. But it's unlikely since just the day before he blocked I was pleading with her to get him neutered. I dont understand why she wont besides financial reasons, because any time one of our cats get sick we go straight to the vet, Care Credit card in hand. Just wonder if I should wait until he gets through the surgery and heals, or if they will be able to do it at the time of the penis removal surgery.

*Here is a good website with before, during, and after pics of the surgery:
http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/Hea...structionCats/

My Sisters Cat has almost blocked 3-4 times already and he was fixed at around 3 months. i bet they can fix your cat at the time and it will not cost much more.

LIKELY much of the issue would go away upon neutering ... Can you talk to the vet ?? Maybe they ll give you a reduced rate or a payment plan ... also can you get a second opnion

Ehhh... Are you sure? I ask because had/has 2 male neutered cats that blocked, one of them blocked 3 seperate times, and during the last episode died-he had penis removal surgery scheduled the next day... Cody, my other male, who IS neutered had crystals not that long ago, but hadn't became blocked yet. We had a neutered boy (RIP) that got crystals... Now that I think of it this is the first intact male that I have heard of getting this... but then again my family speuters. and I read contradiction things on different vet sites... some say neutered males get it more, some say unnuetered males get it more, while others say that it's the same %.

Neither my vet or ER said anything about neutered vs unneutered. Personally I can't help but ponder how neutering would even effect the chance of getting blocked, unless if it has to do with hormones because the uretha is still going to have a small opening after being neutered... If a miracle doesn't happen and he does have the surgery, I will do my best to convince my mom to have him neutered as well. Though he does have some nasty scarring from the crystals, and he will have some more scarring from the catheder... so now his ureatha is even smaller-I honestly I am almost certain that we will go forward with the surgery, unless something drastically changes. Him being neutered wouldn't make him completely block back up in less than 2 hours after they remove the catheder.

The vet he is at was closed today (sunday), and I have to call tomorrow to check up on his condition, and find out the exact day of the surgery... I will ask his opinion about maybe neutering him and seeing how that goes before having the penis removed... but I really believe that it will occur again. Getting a second opinion is easy, 3 vets work at the office. He blocked up less than 2 hours after they removed the catheder.

I am starting to wonder if our well water could be aggrivating the problem, whats better for cats, well water or city water? I do have acess to city water, my grandmother has it.

We do have a payment plan through Care Credit, but my mom is disabled-we are on a VERY fixed income. I don't know how we are going to pay Care, even through the payment plan-they may have to wait a month or two before we can even start to pay them back.

I am so sorry you are going through this difficult time. You are avery smart young lady and are doing all the right things. Doing rescue we are always searching for ways to cut vet costs. Something you may have already looked over is this link from the sticky at the top of this site :
When You Can't Afford a Veterinarian . It may help.

As for the neuter, most times it is easier on them to do it at the same time of other surgery. That way you don't have to put them through another surgery and anesthesia later. The cost may be minimal because of doing it along with the other surgery. To neuter or not is something to discuss with the vet. Ask him about any reason that may come up later that would benefit from being neutered. He may not spray now but if another intact female or male should come around he may start to spray. You are great at researching and collecting information. Apply this to all the "what ifs" for later in his life being neutered or not. Then give this info to your mom.

You are doing a great job taking care of him. I hope all goes well with the surgery.

My Patch blocked up like this in February he's 4 years old, he was neutered at 6 months. I never had a problem with him before. His brother gets UTI but is handled with antibiotics, but Patch blocked right away, he was in his litterbox trying to go then outside the litterbox, trying, all of a sudden there was blood every where. Took him to emergency they tried to use antibiotics first, next day blocked up again, they told me they could clear him but chances are he'd block up again. I had that operation done. He's been fine ever since. Prayers and for Bear

Midnight was fixed around 3 months and he has blocked more then once. The last was the worst because we had to go to the Bay Area to take him to Er. My Sister was living in a Dorm and she had just got a Apartment but wasnt moving in for 2 weeks. My Sister got a phone call that Midnight seems blocked again so she came over then we rushed to the Bay Area and took him to Er. We did not get home until 2am. I also had to sneak him in my Apartment for the 2 weeks. My friends cat that had the surgery like your cat is blocked so many times and he was fixed way before also.