After Today's Ultrasound and Meeting with the Vet...I've chosen to do the colon resection invasive s

So glad to read that Nala is coming home today! Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, keeping her from running and jumping for two weeks while her insides heal. But how nice for all of you to have her home!

I mentioned in another post that I personally do not know anyone who has a cat with this surgery. But I would think a low-residue food that doesn't produce a lot of waste would be a good way to go. A really good quality canned food with high protein and low carb. Depending on Nala's stomach sensitivity, you may need to watch the fat percentage. I also agree with Raintyger that raw could be really good for Nala. There are a number of commercial raw brands that don't require any prep beyond thawing the night before.

I couldn't find much, either about diet. The most I found was that in general it should be low residue and high nutrients. Maybe it is because the subtotal colectomy is such a big surgery that the vet needs to make initial recommendations?

There was another post on a different forum in which someone did recommend a raw food diet. If you want to try it, it does not have to be complicated. You can get commercial raw or use a premix. Commercial raw would mean the most complicated thing to do would be to remember to thaw out the food with sufficient lead time. With a premix you just put the meat in a food processor and mix in a supplement package (the premix) and maybe some liver, depending on the premix. Again, though, I'd wait until you know Nala is fully recovered for that.

I would think about probiotics after she is recovered, too. Less colon will mean less beneficial bacteria, and they are saying now that good gut flora supports about 70% of the immune system.

Just catching up here! I'm so glad that Nala got through surgery okay and is home.     I would definitely be on high alert for any running, jumping, etc. Sometimes they're so quick about it.     I'm actually a little surprised that the doctor didn't recommend cage rest.   

This thread is old, but a few of the posters said their cats had this surgery:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/236396/my-cat-had-colectomy-surgery-for-megacolon-looking-for-others

This thread is newer and the OP opted for surgery, but there was never an update:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/276509/...-kitty-not-responding-to-lactulose-or-miralax

Yes all around! I have not been saying much, but I have been following your updates. I am so glad to hear that Nala is doing well so far. I hope things continue to progress as they should.

I'm impressed Nala is eating! My girl had her stomach and small intestine cut so they could remove a headband that got stuck in the pyloric sphincter valve. She was in a cone due to the itchies from the stitches for 14 days. She didn't feel like jumping or running due to the pain and weakness the first week home. Don't rule out having to take her in for hydration should she stop eating or drinking.

Siameselove03- like everyone else I am really happy that Nala is recovering fine .you mentioned in one of your other posts about wet food and that you were concerned about half in the morning and half at night. Nala's previous weight and her age is very similar to my Gracie and Grace eats two cans of fancy feast day .I give her half a can four times a day. each has little of her MiraLAX .I'm not suggesting Nala eats fancy feast but mostly I was just commenting on the amount of any wet food she could eat later when the vet takes her off the A/d. I cannot leave any food out all day unless there's a little wet food left over with no MiraLAX and because my younger kitty eats dry and I can't leave that out because Gracie can't eat dry. what we do for our little loved ones, right!?

Raintyger, Katruble, AbbyNTim, Bonepicker, Historian, Peaches08, Wasabipea, JClark, GO Holistic and Mosimom...

Happy Tuesday to ALL....

I wanted to start by telling you all THANK YOU, for sending the well wishes with your compassionate thoughts and advice it means a lot to me. Thank you for researching things along with you and for those of you who do have a cat with Mega colon or don't know anyone with a cat who does to give advice I appreciate your input, I will take anything.

Well needless to say bringing her home did Not go as planned and made for a really frustrating day. Vet called yesterday morning Monday, said I could bring her home she did so well so 430pm was my pick up time. I get there get the meds, directions and foods to take home and I said is the vet sure she should go home after only post surgery 2 days?? She said yes it is fine. Of course I was scared and still am I don't know what to expect or what to do this was all new to me. So I finally get my girl in my arms and we head home. I get inside and put everything down and start to open a can of food because she was talking up a storm hungry. Vet said she seemed to regain her appetite after surgery which is good and hoping it continues as she has lost more weight down to 10.8lbs from 14.5...Anyways Nala eats and goes around the corner after I washed he bowl I head to my daughters room and forgot to close the door....She was on the bed. I picked her up and put her on the carpet near the kitchen where I could see her. I looked down blood was on my shirt I went to look at her belly blood on the carpet half her belly incision opened up I could not believe it! I called he vet by this time it is 530 he just got home and he had to meet me to re glue her belly closed. He sent her home with am E collar which when I put it on she wont walk she will fall over she hates it she acts paralyzed. (Like right now she started licking and I just put it on and she stares at the ceiling paralyzed its actually fun but pitiful) So this next 2 weeks is going to be rough, round the clock babysitting her wounds and stool sitting. Vet said after a week the belly sutures should be healed but the internal sutures will take 14 days very serious she cant do anything and limited walking. Vet never mentioned a cage he said keep her confined in my laundry room with her bed and box...Well I tried that and I walked away and she stood up on her hind legs and used her paws and opened the door by pulling the handle down. Siamese are a cut above the rest intelligent and smart as hell so I don't know what they hell to do. (She just took the E collar off as we speak I am doomed)...So Good news is she has had a small soft stool each day since surgery up until this morning which is great news and no diarrhea just real soft smelly and tarry looking like described so that is some good news. All meds were stopped completely which is more great news he wants to see how the colon that is left responds. (You will not believe I just put the E Collar on backwards, tighter and she keeps getting out of it). This is stressing me out I am glad she is home but watching her every move is driving me crazy and its on 12 hours into 2 weeks of babysitting. I even cut gauze and put surgical taped it to her wound and she pulls it off....So that is where it all stands. I got no sleep exhausted. I borrowed a neighbors gate she tried to jump it, I thought about a cage but if she wont keep the collar on so she will lick that is the main thing right now... I just ran in the kitchen she had her back feet inside the E collar choking herself and got it off a 4th time...Thanks for listening to me vent this is not going to be easy....I am going to get off here I just called the vet to take her or a few days till at least the stomach sutures heal I am beside myself.

I will be in touch when things calm down. Love you all and thank you. Just called vet I am bringing he to the vet to stay until her stomach is healed I cant control her at all now she is bleeding, at least he found it funny I sure don't....

Katruble thanks for your in put on food, I was giving Nala a half can of the 5.5 ounce which is tuna can size so total 2 can per day which now he weight has dropped so I am feeding her 3 or 4 small meals a day as instructed. I am still unsure how much a cat should eat of wet food per day to me 2 cans is a lot but I am unsure of what the right amount is I never used it before so what seems a lot to me may not be. Its all over whelming for me really I am at my wits end right now.

Raintyger you really know a lot about this disease and the colon anatomy of the cat so I am assuming your beloved Poppy had Mega Colon? You will have to share your story with me sometime if you care to but you are well diversed in this arena and I appreciate your input and trying to help me.

GoHolisitc I will check out the threads you posted thank you so much for doing that for me because I was wondering how to find other people whos cats have Mega Colon and gone through the surgery.

Historian thank you for keeping up with me, it is ok you don't have to post responses no one does actually but I appreciate the thoughts and communication of those who do....

My cat was a pain in the butt about her incisions when I finally got her spayed (I know not as serious). She chewed on them so much she got them infected. Long story short, older adult cats and surgery incisions of any kind are going to be a battle. I think your idea to keep her at the vet for a few days longer is a great idea with the extent and seriousness of her surgery. I am sure your vet will understand.

TheHistorian

I was at my end this morning at 630...13 hours straight all through the night..I actually thought the vet would be annoyed with me but he was hysterical. He could not believe how she opened doors and got on her back chocking herself and ripping the collard off her head 4 times and I even flipped it the reverse and she did it a few more time...He agreed it was a good idea to keep her because everything he suggested for me to do at home, I tried all night long so he said she will stay until stomach is healed. I am sure she will be home by Friday I think that is long enough he said 5 to 7 days but she keeps opening it so its prolonging the time...All I know is I am exhausted going to take a nap up all night and its 10am. I feel bad to put her there again but it is safer for her but I miss her...I told the vet if he never owned a Siamese or don't know much about them, they are highly intelligent cats that are tricksters and little whoodeenies on 4 legs.

GoHolistic

I read the first post you copy and pasted wowwww that woman got her cat a second resection done where they removed the last 4 inches of the colon and that is living its life with diarrhea and accidents what a shame. I never would even think about putting my cat through a second surgery and I am glad you sent me that post because it confirms why I wouldn't its unfair. Even if my cat was younger I would not put her through it no way...I am going to read the second post now....

Does anyone know the direct link to the Yahoo Mega Colon Group that could send it to me please and thank you I searched it but it showed several didn't know which to choose...

That's great news that she is having bowel movements already and eating too. She sound like a real trooper.

Much as I'm sure you don't want to, it's probably safer to keep her there until that heals reducing the risk of infection.

When I was telling you about my friend that had a similar procedure done on her cat (I'm not sure if it was the exact same thing. since she never mentioned the name), the vet warned her post op of all the potential problems: loose stool, diarrea of the lifelong variety, special diets, NO going outside, etc... Well I don't know whether my friend has let the cat out or not - but Poppy experienced none of the side effects the doc mentioned and is a perfectly healthy cat now. The recovery was quite long, but worth it in the long run. I'm fairly certain she got more innards removed than Nala, I ca't recall - she was really a mess inside with all that string wrapped around everything. (boo to cheap cat toys!)

But on a happier note, after a long recovery... all is well now! Sounds like Nala is on the same path, so happy for both of you.

Hi siameselove03,

Yeah, those siamese can be a handful. I once got a pair of them as foster kittens. They tore up the house. I felt so guilty, running around constantly screaming, "No!" The part that pissed me off was that they would start to claw the furniture, but before they did they would look over my way to see if I was looking. So in other words, they knew it was bad, but the only thing that mattered was if they got caught!

Yahoo! Feline megacolon group:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FELINE_MEGACOLON/info

Poppy had chronic constipation from IBD, not megacolon. But we didn't find out about the IBD until later, those darn vets kept telling me it was in my head until I got to a good vet.

Siameselove03-  I forgot Nala was eating from the larger cans. Of course you would not give her two.  ;-)  I think you are wise taking her back in to the vet until things heal more.  It is hard to keep a kitty down when they have surgery. It is natural for them to jump, climb, etc.  Again, will keep you all in my prayers.  Take care,

Kathi

siameselove03 said:

TheHistorian

I was at my end this morning at 630...13 hours straight all through the night..I actually thought the vet would be annoyed with me but he was hysterical. He could not believe how she opened doors and got on her back chocking herself and ripping the collard off her head 4 times and I even flipped it the reverse and she did it a few more time...He agreed it was a good idea to keep her because everything he suggested for me to do at home, I tried all night long so he said she will stay until stomach is healed. I am sure she will be home by Friday I think that is long enough he said 5 to 7 days but she keeps opening it so its prolonging the time...All I know is I am exhausted going to take a nap up all night and its 10am. I feel bad to put her there again but it is safer for her but I miss her...I told the vet if he never owned a Siamese or don't know much about them, they are highly intelligent cats that are tricksters and little whoodeenies on 4 legs.

Click to expand...

You totally did the right thing. She will heal better under the more restrictive conditions at the vet and you will get some sleep. I myself have never had a Siamese but I currently work at a pet store and have customers that currently have Siamese cats or have had Siamese cats. Oh the stories they have told me. LOL!

Keep the updates coming and best wishes!

Hello Historian....Yes Siamese are intelligent characters, today looking back on last night it was funny but as it was happening it wasn't but Nala is a character. They tell you if you never owned a Siamese and want one to urge people to research them and understand them because that breed is not for everyone. As much as her colon problems have scared me the Seal Point Siamese is the only breed I would ever own If I ever chose to have another. Their personality is like no other feline none...

I dropped her off this morning when I walked in the vets off at 730am as the doors opened obviously the vet alerted the front desk I was returning and to take caution that I was raging angry. They were hysterical when I walked in laughing and asked me if I video taped the things she had done. Well of course I didn't who the hell thinks of video taping while she is ripping her stomach open a 3rd time? Yes she is better off there so many people told me the vet should never have sent her home on the second day after a surgery like that. I also was not happy with his decision because common sense the glue wont stay closed. When I get kids who come to me with cuts needing stitches I don't use glue I stitch it because they are kids and they are wild same thing with cats animals of any kind, common sense tells me the vet knows cats jump you cant keep them down so why wouldn't you stitch the cat?

Well I know it is in her best interest to be there, I miss her and feel badly to take her away from her home I have thought about her all day. She needs to be there I know I did the right thing to Historian. Thank you Friend.

Kathi...Thank you my friend, I know I did the right thing to even though I miss her and want her home. I figured you weren't thinking of the right can size. I think right now with all the weight loss he would love for her to eat 2 whole cans but I cant even see that happening that is a lot of food...You take care also....Karin

Hey Raintyger my buddy ol pal....

So you had Siamese cats before so you know what I am talking about? By the time 4am came I was screaming at her this morning NO every time I caught her licking her stomach after she ripped the lamp shade off her head a total of 6 times. Every time I screamed NO she stopped looked and me and basically gave me the middle finger and went to town on her tummy. They are stubborn and ever so smart your darn right they will look at you when they know they are doing something wrong. But that is what makes them so unique as I told Historian, Siamese cats are not for everyone and the breed must be researched before a purchase is made. Siamese is the only breed I will every own I love the personality and human like ways and affection especially the talking...So Poppy had chronic constipation...Nala was told for years she had IBD and this new vet diagnosed her with Mega Colon not IBD so my question is what symptoms did Poppy have and was there surgery if any and why did he pass away and how old? Trying to learn as much as I can so I am aware if I ever get another Siamese again in life, I need to be one step ahead of these vets...I should have gotten a second opinion a few years back and I feel guilty I did not...

You are the best thank you for the Mega Colon support group link...Thanks for looking out for me...xxoo

Wasabipea....

Hi Friend thank you for all the support of messages and kind words... I want to apologize because I read your post about your friends cat who swallowed the all the string that got caught obviously sorund the intestines and colon by what you described...The post surgery life style fits that of a complete or partial colon removal. I bet your friend had the same surgery maybe even had intestine removed along with colon if her cat had more innards removed that was really bad it just was not for Mega Colon but if string was swallowed it would wrap itself around all the piping I bet if you asked her that would be the case. She is lucky the cat didn't die...Nala swallowed a hair tie of my daughters and I was very fortunate the vet greased her up inside real well and thank god she pooped it out or I would have been in trouble surgery I am sure. You have to be careful when they are young no matter what the breed is they are child like and mischievous....

Yes think about it I have not seen Nala poo every day in yearssss so to get one Monday night and one this morning before I carted her ass off the vet to stay, Yes I was thrilled!! Lets pray it continues that is my hope. The vet said she was hungry day after surgery he fed her that is why he sent her home which was obviously a mistake I felt he sent her home to soon with a glued belly you cant keep a cat down that is common sense so I was a little upset he sent her home for exactly what I feared happened. Nala had lost a lot of weight was not eating 3 days straight prior to surgery so yes 3 small meals a day I am grateful for. I asked the vet last night was he concerned about her weight he said no she has been through hell for 6 weeks of sickness now massive surgery she is coming around lets focus on the colon right now and post surgery food and stool type..

Nala is a purebred cost me a bit of money but well worth it she is registered so she was declawed right away and is a total indoor cat never been outside never will go outside except for my screened in patio where I turned it into a beautiful area with plants surrounding her and her bed she hangs out in during the day as she loves the warmth that is the closest to outside she has ever gotten.. Thank you for sharing our happiness I really appreciate it....

Karin

Ok Raintyger......

Well I cant figure the darn mega colon group out and how it works, why do simple things have to be so complicated? I clicked on the button that says messaged and wrote a post about Nala being post colon resection and advice on the best canned wet food and flavor to buy her that she can live on the rest of her life once stool is stable and when I clicked send I went to the board and it didn't show up and I cant even find where it is so. Oh well I tried maybe it is there some where and someone will answer? Who knows I don't even know where to answer them at...I will bug the vet to help me I hate forums I can never figure them out...I know Royal Canin is a good prescription brand not sure what she would live on if they even have anything...

Ill figure it out eventually...