Chronic Constipation

Hi,
I would welcome any advice from owners or doctors that can help me.

4 years ago my dear cat started to have constipation issues. This resulted in him having surgery 3 times. It was told to me that a part of his colon had stopped functioning properly therefore resulting in it not being possible for him to pass Stool easily. I have tried alot of feeding options, he now only eats wet food which has Lactulose and water added to it, (as he does not like drinking either!!) This eating style has been successful for 1 year now, with no problems. He passes a stool only every 4-5 days (worrying i know).
This week once again he became constipated, only 10 days after starting him on a special food from Hills for cats with intestinal problems.
I am worried as I believe there must be a better option for him...... does anyone know of any treatment possible that may help my cat lead a healthier life. In his blood tests it arose that his Callium levels are very low.

He is now 8 years old, a lively playful, loving cat.... Turkish Van.

I would love to hear from anyone who has info about this disorder.

Thank you so much....

I'm sorry I can't advise you on this. One thing my guys are not troubled with is constipation, UTI's yes, constipation no. Someone will be along to advise you I'm sure. Good Luck.

My cat, Anya, has megacolon. She had the surgery in 2002 and has been "fine" ever since. She still has the cow patty BM's, and it's hard to keep her clean, but she eats "normal" food and is much healthier than she was before the surgery. Before the surgery she was going to the vet often for enemas, and that was very stressful for both of us, not to mention getting expensive!

You mentioned that your cat has had previous surgeries. Did yours have the subtotal colectomy?

I've read of using Psyllium to help with constipation as well as slippery elm bark. I've never used either, so I don't have any personal experience. Here's a link about the slippery elm bark, which is apparently used for many different conditions. http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_tr...SEB_what_is_it

Hi,

thank you so much for your replies!

The surgeries my cat has undergone before now have been just a clean up of the colon. He has not had this subtotal colectomy. but after reading up on it I think it might be the best option.

I have just picked him up again from the vets, and she told me that they managed to remove 85% of the blockages and he is now on medicine to activate the muscles in his bowl/intestines. I will be keeping as always a close eye on him the next few days and hopefully he will back to his normal playful self within a few days.

How long did it take your cat to recover from the operation? May I ask what you feed your cat?

Thank you once again for all your help! I really appreciate it.

Kind regards

JD

My cat suffers from chronic constipation and takes three medications: Cisapride, senna, and Kristalose. Cisapride helps promote movement in the colon, senna acts as a natural laxative, and Kristalose is a stool softener. However, please consult with a vet before trying any new medication. Before taking all this medication, he was needing an enema every week but not anymore. Plus, he didn't need the surgery because he's doing so well on the medication regimen.

By the way, a lot of vets are now recommending NOT to feed extra fiber for these type of cats. Since the colon is stretched in this situation, the extra fiber bulks up and gets stuck. The new way of thinking is to feed low fiber foods.

You may want to join our little Yahoo group dedicated only to megacolon/chronic constipation. This is open to everyone, by the way. It's the most helpful group because everyone's cat suffers from the same condition.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline...guid=110972772

My cat was on the medications before the surgery, but she was still getting backed up and it was starting to become really expensive. I think in one month I spent over $600.00 on the enemas and vet care. I couldn't continue spending $600 per month and eventually took her to a specialist (that I had to BEG my vet to refer me to) and he performed the surgery.

He assured me that it wasn't the litter I used, or the food I was feeding her. He stated it was a condition that some cats get.

She had a recuperation period of about 2 weeks, and then she was fine. She still has smelly, cow patty poop, and sometimes it's runny....but the main thing is that she is alive and well. :-)

I just took her to the vet last week for a check up (after losing one of my cats :-( ) and he said she is doing VERY well.

I would continue with wet foods. many people I know add miralax to the food for this problems and it seems to do the job. I should point out that your problem seems a bit more serious but it may be worth a try. When I have had that problem I have used 1/8 a teaspoon to start 2x a day up to 1/4 teaspoon 2x a day
I also want to point out that this should not be used for blockage but for constipation
Best of luck

Originally Posted by optionken

I would continue with wet foods. many people I know add miralax to the food for this problems and it seems to do the job. I should point out that your problem seems a bit more serious but it may be worth a try. When I have had that problem I have used 1/8 a teaspoon to start 2x a day up to 1/4 teaspoon 2x a day
I also want to point out that this should not be used for blockage but for constipation
Best of luck

Click to expand...

Just a FYI : the active ingredient in miralax is a controversial one... metamucil( ie psyllium), beneful (a more friendly fiber ) are better first choice s... ie talk tot the vet :_)

Originally Posted by sharky

Just a FYI : the active ingredient in miralax is a controversial one... metamucil( ie psyllium), beneful (a more friendly fiber

) are better first choice s... ie talk tot the vet :_)

Click to expand...

Fiber is not always the best option!! Excess fiber further caused damaged in Buster's colon because it got bulked up and got stuck. Many vets are now suggesting a low fiber diet to minimize the stool size.

Thank you all so much for your help!

I have joined the Yahoo group that you mentioned and will keep you all updated on Ringos progress.

Good health to you all and your four legged friends

x

Originally Posted by Blast-Off-Girl

Fiber is not always the best option!! Excess fiber further caused damaged in Buster's colon because it got bulked up and got stuck. Many vets are now suggesting a low fiber diet to minimize the stool size.

Click to expand...

depends on circumstances .. most still start with high fiber NOT low fiber since if that were the issue with most traditional diets would cause no issues

I have dealt with multiple IBS issues in my home and none needed low fiber ... Fiber type adjustments and amount YES ... you dealt with megacolon which is a unusual beast

Hi JDiamond! My cat has been dealing with this for probably about 7 years now. It has not been a cheap or easy ride. I would love to know if your cat still has these problems and maybe we can exchange some helpful ideas. I have talked to so many different vets but also have been told surgery still wont fix it 100% especially if it is megacolon.  It's SO SAD watching kitty try to go to the bathroom and he just cries :-(

batmansmom said:

 
Hi JDiamond! My cat has been dealing with this for probably about 7 years now. It has not been a cheap or easy ride. I would love to know if your cat still has these problems and maybe we can exchange some helpful ideas. I have talked to so many different vets but also have been told surgery still wont fix it 100% especially if it is megacolon.  It's SO SAD watching kitty try to go to the bathroom and he just cries :-(

Click to expand...

Have you tried Miralax.  It seems to often work when other things don't.  It doesn't work like a traditional laxative, it draws water into the moisture.  Start with 1/4 teaspoon twice a day and then adjust the dosage.  It's a tastless powder which can be mixed into wet food. It can be given long term.   Hopefully you have him on an all wet diet.  The extra moisture will also help.