Penis Removal (Blockage)

[booktigger]

So glad he is doing well.

 

[jodee simmons]

my cat just had this surgery, Ive had 3 different vets tell me this happens most often  in  altered male cats , especially if they are the large breeds. he told me if you alter a large male cat they need to go on cd food immediately to avoid this problem.my cat grew up wild in the woods  we tamed him about 2 years ago and had him fixed (he was never sick before , the healthiest cat ever), , I regret that decsion  very much now, spook weighed almost 30 pounds he is  mostly rag doll breed he has lost down to 11 pounds , but he is coming home tomorrow , he has been in the hospital going on three weeks, the vet tried everything , food catherters and now  finally surgery  spook is eight years old white with the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen , Ive spent a lot on vets but i got lucky and found the best vet in the world , hes patient  and seems to actually care about animals more than money  which is rare in a vet. thank you dr maddux,pensacola,fl. too bad you werent my first vet i would have known about cd food if you were and maybe spook wouldnt have gotten so sick . i hope to have many more years with spook .

 

[emilymaywilcha]

I always wondered how neutering affects a tomcat's risk of getting blocked. I read somewhere it increases the risk depending on how old the cat was when he was neutered, but not why.

 

[Willowy]

There's a reason a blockage catheter is called a "tomcat catheter". . .I don't believe neutering affects the chances of a blockage, or urinary issues (although most unneutered cats who don't belong to breeders are kept outside due to general unpleasant tomcat behavior, so if they got blocked they'd just go off to die and the owners would never know what happened, so that might skew any survey results). I'm sure I've heared of breeders whose toms got blocked. Probably more related to diet than anything, but sometimes these things just happen. How many humans get kidney stones, after all?

 

[catsallaround]

This is a thread from 2008 but I must add there are MANY of us who have larger neutered males and they are fine. 

I have had 2 out of a few dozen cats have urinary issues-one it came to doing the surgery or not and I decided to euthanize him.  Ben has been ok with NO issues for many years.  Had issues BEFORE he was neutered though also from a very early age.
 

 

[kittylover23]

Lucky is a larger neutered male, and he's ok.

 

[orientalslave]

The Winn Foundatin have a report on early neutering

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Health/spay-neuter.html

This is the crucial bit of it:

it has been shown that

early-age altering of cats:

• does not cause stunted growth in cats (University of Florida study, 1996).

• does not contribute to increased surgical and anesthetic risks or post-surgical complication rates (University of Texas studies, 1997 and 2000).

• does not cause serious behaviour problems in cats (University of Cornell study, 2004, and Mercer University study, 2001).

• does not contribute to feline lower urinary tract disease (University of Minnesota study, 1996, and University of

Texas study, 2000).

• does not cause obesity (University of Minnesota study, 1996).

This is from an articile by Dr Susan Little and from 2005.  It also has the horrifying statistc that anything from 4 million to 15 million healthy cats were killed every year in the US at that time because they are homeless.  I have no idea if it's got better or worse since 2005.

 

[white shadow]

Quote:

I have had 2 out of a few dozen cats have urinary issues-one it came to doing the surgery or not and I decided to euthanize him...

catsallaround, your post reminded me of a study I came across and bookmarked some time ago....something, perhaps, to put 'in your back pocket' should that situation arise in future:

Quote:

Standard treatment for UO (urinary obstruction) may require a number of days in the hospital at considerable expense. The investigators performed a clinical trial involving 15 male cats with UO where standard treatment had been declined by owners due to cost concerns. They speculated that pharmacological manipulation of stress, urethral tone, and discomfort could help alleviate some of the functional components of the obstructive process (urethral spasm and edema) and the patients might not need urinary catheterization. Excluding the most severely affected patients, 15 cats were enrolled in the study and were administered acepromazine, buprenorphine, and medetomidine. Decompressive cystocentesis was performed up to three times daily and fluid therapy was administered as needed. The cats were placed in a quiet, dark environment to minimize stress. Criteria for successful treatment were spontaneous urination within 72 hours and discharge from the hospital. Treatment was considered successful in 11 of the 15 cats. While this protocol cannot be recommended as an alternative to conventional management at this time, it could serve as an alternative to euthanasia when financial constraints prevent more extensive treatment.      http://winnfelinehealth.blogspot.ca...nn+Feline+Foundation)&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail  (with link to study)

-'can't say that too many Vets would suggest that, however.......bad for the 'bottom line'

 

[catsallaround]

Interesting.  It would have had to be done at a er vet as the reg vets didn't do it and the costs were BAD there.

I have a vet clinic who is very willing to try new approaches and will definatley keep this in my inbox. So far have not had many issues with cats urinary.  I think alot due to fact I never fed all dry-I did wet as a treat and now it is all wet.
 

 

[deanie]

You apparently didn't go to the Animal ER on Mockingbird Dr in Omaha, NE.  Had to take Jake in yesterday for apparent blockage.  Everyone was extremely friendly, helpful, very knowledgable, gave me a step by step account of what they planned to do as well as charges, gave me detailed copies of what they did to give to my Vet.  They kept Jake overnight.  However, Dr. Sweeney called me twice on his shift to give me an update.  Jake wasn't blocked but had developed a urinary infection from the week before when he was blocked and needed a catheter.  It's a Catch 22.  When a cat is blocked, a catheter is necessary, but a side effect can be infection.  Yes, it was expensive.  But going to the ER on a Sunday one would expect it to be.  In any event, I can't say enough for the care and compassion both Jake and I received.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You apparently didn't go to the Animal ER on Mockingbird Dr in Omaha, NE.  Had to take Jake in yesterday for apparent blockage.  Everyone was extremely friendly, helpful, very knowledgable, gave me a step by step account of what they planned to do as well as charges, gave me detailed copies of what they did to give to my Vet.  They kept Jake overnight.  However, Dr. Sweeney called me twice on his shift to give me an update.  Jake wasn't blocked but had developed a urinary infection from the week before when he was blocked and needed a catheter.  It's a Catch 22.  When a cat is blocked, a catheter is necessary, but a side effect can be infection.  Yes, it was expensive.  But going to the ER on a Sunday one would expect it to be.  In any event, I can't say enough for the care and compassion both Jake and I received.

 Glad your experience was good, and that Jake only had a UTI this time.  Hopefully he is on his way to a complete recovery now

 

[lininoh]

My cat is in the I/C unit now and the vet left a message that the only way to cure him of this UTI is to have the surgery you talked about.  I had never heard of it and am now trying to decide.

 

[vball91]

If you read through this whole thread, you will see that it is a very effective procedure for males that block repeatedly or block immediately after catheter removal. It will not cure him of a Urinary Tract Infection. Did your cat have a urinary blockage? Is this his first time or have there been other occurrences?

 

[sirpurrsalot]

I just got this done to my Felix. 8 yo male . Had bladder stones, then blocked, had bladder surgery, still blocked x 3, now this procedure ..... He is peeing well so far, 3d after surgery

I'd rather have my cat, than a couch or car. Praying this is THE solution.
3/19/15.