Diet to manage megacolon

siameselove03,

Am at work now so I can't write much.  If you can remember what the vomit was like it would help at your vet visit. Was it food? Or hairball? Or was it internal liquids (stomach juice)? If it was liquid, what color was it? How often has the vomitting been happening?

Has she been eating normally? If they get all stopped up then sometimes the poop can decrease appetite because the colon feels full. Can also cause vomitting as there's no more room for anything else.

katruble said:

Right now Gracie is still pooping better with MiraLAX instead of lactulose .I am going to go away Wednesday and Thursday and have a pet sitter to take care of her. this'll be my first time away in over three years .the MiraLAX is much better right now and I hope it keeps helping her poop ;-)

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Congrats on the the positive change with MiraLax and being able to take a trip!

siameselove03 said:

 
Raintyger; My cat is fixed and has always been an indoor cat never has gone outside and wont so at almost 12 she is a lazy girl but rounds around the house like a kitten from time to time. I don't understand the can stuff or what to feed a cat this wet food thing is all new to me. The ingredients I posted above is what was on the can for both duck and chicken & turkey mix. I have a few cans left of the chicken/turkey mix and once I am done with that I will use only duck which will be in a few days. I don't know the amount of calories she was getting from her previous dry food. It was by Royal Canin Fiber Response food if you are able to research it and tell me. This wet food is low fiber and low carb maybe so she don't gain a ton of weight I don't know I don't understand this at all...I am not happy taking her to the vet today, today is 5 days no poop yet but a tiny nugget that was like clay you can mold it so it wasn't hard or soft. Something is not right and it is upsetting plus she vomited this morning to...

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Are you transitioning your cat slowly from the Royal Canin Fiber Response? Did the vet give you any guidance on transitioning from dry to wet? Sometimes abrupt changes can cause digestive upset that can result in constipation and vomiting. Especially with an IBD kitty. And your cat is going from really high fiber to low fiber, which may take some getting used to. I'd talk with the vet about a transition plan, if this were my cat. Probiotics and/or digestive enzymes might help with this process.

AbbyNTim.... The vet never mentioned to transition slowly and I didn't even think about that. She has been on the canned food a week now so she is past the transition phase at this point I would think. The vet saw here today and is ordering pancreatic enzyme pills to help her with digesting and see if that helps...She just passed a small piece of stool and it is not hard it is not soft more like clay or putty, you can form it like playdo. vet said it weird and he doesn't know why this is happening but these clay like stools are stuck along her colon. He was wondering if long term miralax use may cause this so tonight I night Colace capsules for once a day and convert her over to Colace. She has been dragging her about on the ground trying to get the poo out. Vet said this is not your typical constipation issue and still feels surgery is not required and may not be the motility it very well could be this clay like stool glued to her colon. He said if she has not gone by Thursday morning to bring her in I am assuming he will do another colon flush...Very stressful...He also said if this situation does not change in 2 weeks with her going poo normally then he will do an Ultrasound.

She also has lost more weight which is raising concern she was 11.2 today and last Monday she was 12.2 and two weeks before that she was 14.5 pounds....I am increasing the can food amount to almost

RainTyger... I told the vet this afternoon that she ate at 500am and vomited around 9am and it was muddy like now that she is on wet food there is no food pieces like dry kibble to see so I am assuming it was digested or maybe laid on her stomach. She never vomits hairballs but I am assuming it was food muddy brown like substance but no stomach juice. The vomiting happened once this morning and once last week so not often. He did give her steroid injection to calm any inflammation down but he said today obviously that did not work because she vomits periodically. Yes she eats like a pig no problem eating and drinks a ton of water. Yes correct if she is backed up she always vomits because there is no room....

The vet saw here today and is ordering pancreatic enzyme pills to help her with digesting and see if that helps...She just passed a small piece of stool and it is not hard it is not soft more like clay or putty, you can form it like playdo. vet said it weird and he doesn't know why this is happening but these clay like stools are stuck along her colon. He was wondering if long term miralax use may cause this so tonight I night Colace capsules for once a day and convert her over to Colace. She has been dragging her about on the ground trying to get the poo out. Vet said this is not your typical constipation issue and still feels surgery is not required and may not be the motility it very well could be this clay like stool glued to her colon. He said if she has not gone by Thursday morning to bring her in I am assuming he will do another colon flush...Very stressful...He also said if this situation does not change in 2 weeks with her going poo normally then he will do an Ultrasound.

She also has lost more weight which is raising concern she was 11.2 today and last Monday she was 12.2 and two weeks before that she was 14.5 pounds....I am increasing the can food amount to almost 2 cans a day...

Siameselove03- is your vet sure it is IBD ? could possibly be megacolon if it's a motility issue then she may need cisapride but not a lot of it like Gracie is on now .I understand your fear and frustration it seems like it should be easier to analyze but it's very frustrating .I don't think even The veterinarians really know what to do most the time .I think they're just playing trial & error also like we are. Gracie is pooping about every 2 to 3 days and pooping a lot. but I also noticed tonight she's doing that thing where her butt is bothering her and I don't know if it's irritated .she's a little chubby & cant bend over and clean .I don't know , it makes me nervous to go away for a couple days now .I am giving her a lot more fluid through syringe orally or on her food. I know if they're taking MiraLAX because it will draw fluids from the body to the stool then they need extra water to keep the body hydrated .Gracie doesn't ever drink from a bowl.So I have to give her extra water.

Siameslove03- i'm not a professional but I would suggest maybe even a little more food because she is losing a lot of weight in a fast time. 2-3 pounds in a kitty is a lot . keep me informed .I hope she does well.
This site has given me a lot of guidance ,information ,and support.

AbbynTim- thanks for the positive feedback .I still have concerns and I still have fear that something is going to happen before I leave Wednesday morning and I won't be able to go .I hope to stay positive .at least her pet sitter is a veterinary tech.

I'd agree with @AbbyNTim that the drastic contrast between the RC and Evo might be causing problems. Not only is RC high fiber, but the type of fiber is insoluble. Insoluble fiber bulks up the stool and moves everything along faster. Kinda like a broom sweeping everything out.

I wasn't able to find out any information on calories. You may have to call RC to find out.

I was going to ask if an ultrasound has been done. Ultrasound technician said that my kitty's gut motility was "diminished," so we knew part of the problem at least was motility.

An news?

No dry food is the first thing to cut out with these conditions, glad a vet finally said it instead of pushing prescription dry food

Katruble....Yes I am giving her more food to increase her weight. She was over weight at 14.5 pounds they had wanted her to lose weight and she did it was not the healthy way but yes I am feeding her more and watching her weight very closely. Mega Colon according to Vets and what I read is when a cat is constipated for a very long time and the cat strains to push it through the colon to get it out and it is stuck there that is stretches the colon in a certain area that never goes back to its normal size and that is where the stool gets caught up at because the motility is lost there. That is why they resect the colon where it is stretched and reattach the good parts so stool will pass normal. Now in my cats case her colon looks normal according to x-rays and ultrasound they see no stretching of the colon wall anywhere BUT she has all the symptoms of Mega Colon I agree with you. I have had her to three vets now for opinions of difference and it comes back to the same thing that my cat is complicated in diagnosing. He feels it is IBD more so that is where the vomiting comes in at. Now cats will vomit if they are backed up with stool of course who would want to eat or keep it down?? Here is the latest news on my cat, I rushed my cat in yesterday because she was struggling to go poo in her box and couldn't and she was dragging her but scooching all over the floor which means there is poo there she cant get out so I brought her in. The put her to sleep filled her colon with an enema and she said all he had to do was squeeze along her colon and the poo came flying out of her. The poo was not hard or soft it was like clay you can press it and mold it. So her colon muscles are not squeezing that is what the facts are looking like at this point, The vet also read that Miralax in cats with chronic constipation issues or motility issues will hurt the cat in the long run. Miralax is good for mild to moderate cases but not severe and that was news to me so my vet took her off Miralax immediately and now takes a Colace Capsule once daily. Yes my cat has lived on Cisapride 2 x per day for 2 years now but literature also said Cisapride will not work with cats with severe colon issues like my cat so it is all making sense now why everything is all of a sudden not working for her she is no longer a mild or moderate case she is now severe. The vet researched a drug that is used for motility on cats called Ranitidine syrup 15mg twice daily so we are all praying this works and if not it looks like surgery to resect most of her colon will be her only option as if it were a true Mega Colon. So I am scared very upset that all medications are failing and reality of surgery is getting closer. So I am very upset I am very sad and frustrated. Last night my cat was not her self after giving her this new medication she seemed not to feel well and at 1am she vomited a huge puddle of green liquid that smelled horrific so I am assuming the new medication maybe...I called vet to advise him of this occurrence after using the new medication. I gave it again today if it happens again I will know it is the medication and that means this one option to possibly help her motility cant be used then its time to take the next step so you can imagine how I feel right now. Keep in mind if Gracie is dragging her but on the floor as you mentioned it is one of two things, 1 she has stool she cant pass and it is bothering her or 2 her anal glands need to be drained. Anal glands on cats must be squeezed every 3 months or so by the vet, people at home do them but I cant bring myself to do that but I make sure I take her in to have it done it takes 5 minutes to make sure nothing is stopping her stool from passing....Even though Gracie is going normal all it takes is one piece to get them irritated to drag there but that is a red flag always pay attention to it...Try to have fun on your vacation and I wish I was local to you I would defimnitely take care of your cat for you and you would not have to worry for I have lived this nightmare and know the ins and outs of Mega Colon care and IBD....I need the support of everyone I am facing very sad times and making the decision of surgery so please keep my and Nala in mind as we struggle through this tough time of anxiously waiting to see if meds work or vet turns to me and says its time for surgery...Much love to you....Karin...

Bonepicker, Thank you for your input I am shocked the first vet I have taken my cat to for years kept her on a high fiber food dry no less knowing she is Mega Colon or IBD maybe both. Never once was wet food mentioned. I got a 2nd opinion a few weeks ago and it was the new vet who said stop the Royal Canin Fiber Response immediately and get her on EVO 95 duck flavor which is low fiber, low carb, high protein and grain free one of the best brands out there, expensive but my cat is worth it....

Here is the latest news on my cat, I rushed my cat in yesterday because she was struggling to go poo in her box and couldn't and she was dragging her but scooching all over the floor which means there is poo there she cant get out so I brought her in. The put her to sleep filled her colon with an enema and she said all he had to do was squeeze along her colon and the poo came flying out of her. The poo was not hard or soft it was like clay you can press it and mold it. So her colon muscles are not squeezing that is what the facts are looking like at this point, The vet also read that Miralax in cats with chronic constipation issues or motility issues will hurt the cat in the long run. Miralax is good for mild to moderate cases but not severe and that was news to me so my vet took her off Miralax immediately and now takes a Colace Capsule once daily. Yes my cat has lived on Cisapride 2 x per day for 2 years now but literature also said Cisapride will not work with cats with severe colon issues like my cat so it is all making sense now why everything is all of a sudden not working for her she is no longer a mild or moderate case she is now severe. The vet researched a drug that is used for motility on cats called Ranitidine syrup 15mg twice daily so we are all praying this works and if not it looks like surgery to resect most of her colon will be her only option as if it were a true Mega Colon. So I am scared very upset that all medications are failing and reality of surgery is getting closer. So I am very upset I am very sad and frustrated. Last night my cat was not her self after giving her this new medication she seemed not to feel well and at 1am she vomited a huge puddle of green liquid that smelled horrific so I am assuming the new medication maybe...I called vet to advise him of this occurrence after using the new medication. I gave it again today if it happens again I will know it is the medication and that means this one option to possibly help her motility cant be used then its time to take the next step so you can imagine how I feel right now. I need the support of everyone I am facing very sad times and making the decision of surgery so please keep my and Nala in mind as we struggle through this tough time of anxiously waiting to see if meds work or vet turns to me and says its time for surgery...Much love to you....Karin...

Raintyger....

The vet told me that if nothing changes with my cat in a few weeks he will do an ultrasound for sure and I agree ultrasounds show a lot. I called Royal Canin and the calorie intake is 361 calories per cup for feline and even though it was insoluble fiber it didn't move anything faster and the fiber was 5.7% that is a lot for a Mega Colon cat or IBD cat they need the opposite minimum 1% and wet which Evo has. Here is the latest news on my cat, I rushed my cat in yesterday because she was struggling to go poo in her box and couldn't and she was dragging her but scooching all over the floor which means there is poo there she cant get out so I brought her in. The put her to sleep filled her colon with an enema and she said all he had to do was squeeze along her colon and the poo came flying out of her. The poo was not hard or soft it was like clay you can press it and mold it. So her colon muscles are not squeezing that is what the facts are looking like at this point, The vet also read that Miralax in cats with chronic constipation issues or motility issues will hurt the cat in the long run. Miralax is good for mild to moderate cases but not severe and that was news to me so my vet took her off Miralax immediately and now takes a Colace Capsule once daily. Yes my cat has lived on Cisapride 2 x per day for 2 years now but literature also said Cisapride will not work with cats with severe colon issues like my cat so it is all making sense now why everything is all of a sudden not working for her she is no longer a mild or moderate case she is now severe. The vet researched a drug that is used for motility on cats called Ranitidine syrup 15mg twice daily so we are all praying this works and if not it looks like surgery to resect most of her colon will be her only option as if it were a true Mega Colon. So I am scared very upset that all medications are failing and reality of surgery is getting closer. So I am very upset I am very sad and frustrated. Last night my cat was not her self after giving her this new medication she seemed not to feel well and at 1am she vomited a huge puddle of green liquid that smelled horrific so I am assuming the new medication maybe...I called vet to advise him of this occurrence after using the new medication. I gave it again today if it happens again I will know it is the medication and that means this one option to possibly help her motility cant be used then its time to take the next step so you can imagine how I feel right now. I need the support of everyone I am facing very sad times and making the decision of surgery so please keep my and Nala in mind as we struggle through this tough time of anxiously waiting to see if meds work or vet turns to me and says its time for surgery...Much love to you....Karin...( I am sorry for the loss of your cat Poppy, can you share with me what his illness was and why he passed away. I was wondering was it Mega Colon or IBD....It helps me to know others stories and hardships and most importantly because I care.)

AbbyNTim:

Here is the latest news on my cat, I rushed my cat in yesterday because she was struggling to go poo in her box and couldn't and she was dragging her but scooching all over the floor which means there is poo there she cant get out so I brought her in. The put her to sleep filled her colon with an enema and she said all he had to do was squeeze along her colon and the poo came flying out of her. The poo was not hard or soft it was like clay you can press it and mold it. So her colon muscles are not squeezing that is what the facts are looking like at this point, The vet also read that Miralax in cats with chronic constipation issues or motility issues will hurt the cat in the long run. Miralax is good for mild to moderate cases but not severe and that was news to me so my vet took her off Miralax immediately and now takes a Colace Capsule once daily. Yes my cat has lived on Cisapride 2 x per day for 2 years now but literature also said Cisapride will not work with cats with severe colon issues like my cat so it is all making sense now why everything is all of a sudden not working for her she is no longer a mild or moderate case she is now severe. The vet researched a drug that is used for motility on cats called Ranitidine syrup 15mg twice daily so we are all praying this works and if not it looks like surgery to resect most of her colon will be her only option as if it were a true Mega Colon. So I am scared very upset that all medications are failing and reality of surgery is getting closer. So I am very upset I am very sad and frustrated. Last night my cat was not her self after giving her this new medication she seemed not to feel well and at 1am she vomited a huge puddle of green liquid that smelled horrific so I am assuming the new medication maybe...I called vet to advise him of this occurrence after using the new medication. I gave it again today if it happens again I will know it is the medication and that means this one option to possibly help her motility cant be used then its time to take the next step so you can imagine how I feel right now. I need the support of everyone I am facing very sad times and making the decision of surgery so please keep my and Nala in mind as we struggle through this tough time of anxiously waiting to see if meds work or vet turns to me and says its time for surgery...Much love to you....Karin...

siameselove03,

So sorry to hear Nala isn't doing well. Please don't stress, though. Although the surgery is very invasive most owners say that life is much improved (although not the same) afterwards. There is no more worrying about when/if the next BM will come, no more cisapride to administer.

Ranitidine is Zantac, an antacid. It is occasionally used for gut motility, but cisapride in general is supposed to be more effective. I'm not saying Ranitidine won't work; maybe it will just because it is a change in medication. But if it does you should ask if you can crush Zantac pills instead and then run down to Costco, where they sell Zantac and their generic brand raniditine for $8.

Did you get a pic of the green liquid? Bile is green, so I'm thinking perhaps there is a gastric or liver disorder. Get in the habit of taking pics. We have nice technology to use in our favor, remember to use it!

I will keep you and Nala in my thoughts tonight.

Siameselove03- how is Nala? I was out of town for couple days .I wasn't ignoring any posts I just didn't have access to free Wi-Fi. I hope your kitty is feeling better today that you are doing fine because it's very stressful when our kitties or any of our pets are ill or not functioning properly, healthwise.

Katruble Yes I knew you were out of town I didn't think you were ignoring me no worries. I posted a new thread things have taken a drastic change and surgery is tomorrow for the colon resection to remove most of her colon the meds are not working anymore and its time to take the next step.  I am on my way to bring her to the animal hospital to drop her off in a few minutes and I am devastated right now....I don't want to take her I copy and pasted the thread I posted yesterday for you to bring you up to date.....Pray for us and keep us in your thoughts please...

An ultrasound was done yesterday to determine if her small intestines, pancreas, liver or any other organ gastricly related was bad because if there was anything else wrong besides her colon (Mega Colon issue) the vet said he would not do surgery and I must put her to sleep. He said If other problems existed on top of the Mega Colon it was pointless to do the surgery it would not change anything. So waiting for the results of the Ultrasound today was like waiting for a death sentence to be handed down. I laid awake all night preparing to put her down today, I cried all night long.

The vet looked at me and said he could not believe every other organ looks good that he really expected with all her vomiting that there could be a small intestine blockage or problem as to why she vomited up so much bile but to his surprise and than GOD he said YES surgery is a go. So I am dropping her off tomorrow Friday at 4pm to get the IV going and prepped for the surgery Saturday morning. The doctor said all meds all avenues have been exhausted that her Mega Colon is not responding to anything anymore because it has reached its limits of therapy and now needs surgery. He also said he does not want to wait another day he will come in on his day off and open the hospital to do this surgery on my cat Saturday morning.

I am upset she has not eaten much at all the past few days the canned food she loved wont touch it and she is dropping weight. I hope this will change after surgery because that is a serious problem and I don't know why it is happening. I boiled some chicken today and shredded it for her with chicken broth she ate a little but not enough I just hope this part changes.

I am a nervous wreck scared worried and all of the above I don't want tomorrow to come to drop her off. I feel guilty making her go through a invasive surgery like this its a rollercoaster inside me and my 14 year old daughter. She will remain in the hospital for a week maybe a lil less depending on how she does but vet said I can come visit her. She is sick of needles and being pushed on she is sick of swallowing pill after pill liquid after liquid shot down her throat and powders in her food and I am sick of giving to her day in and day out it is not fair to her or I.

I pray this will correct her problem and give her a much better quality of life and no more meds no more meds!! I ask you ALL to please stay in touch with me this is going to be a hard 5 days for me especially surgery day as you can imagine. Thank you for being my support through all this. I have struggled with this disease my cat has had for over 2 years since diagnosed and its reached the point the colon doesn't want to function anymore...

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers we will appreciate this very much..

Karin Marie 

Oh dear, Siameselove03. Thank you for the update. I truely hope the best for Nala with her surgery on Saturday. Poor baby ! We love our kitties and always want to do what is best for them, right? You & Nala will most definitely be in my prayers and also prayers for the doctor doing the surgery. Stay strong for Nala & yourself.

Oh god, I hope everything goes all right and the vet can help correct this problem. I am crossing my fingers that everything will work out and both her quality of life an length of life will be increased significantly.