Hi all

my 7 year old oriental Tai has just been diagnosed with Mega Colon he is at the vets atm having an enema his 2nd in 4 weeks. He was put on liquid paraffin after his first blockage but obviously it hasnt worked
My vet is doing some research so we can discuss options when I pick him up later today and obviously I am doing the same so we can agree on his treatment.
From what I have been reading he should need a high protein/fat diet and low fibre as cats do not digest fibre well. Also a lot more water to drink and added to his food.

What I think I have learned is the following

Good for him :-
Raw food
Water
High Protein
High Fat - cheese butter
Pate - I assume this is the normal pates we can buy for humans or is it something else?
Miralax - laxative on sale amazon.co.uk also used for humans?

Bad for him
Dried food

I was also wondering about fish oils like cod liver oil is this good does anyone know?

Looking forward to any help I can get

Thanks all

Hello,

I am so sorry to hear about your poorly kitty - unfortunately I don;t know the answer as i am going through something very similar with my cat and was looking on here for advice.

My cat Ruby has been ill for weeks now and has had 2 enema's ans one full colonic. The vets says that the nerves in her colon aren't working and she cannot push the poo out, so it just gets blocked up.

Today the vet said that we were getting to the point of 2 options - 1. refer her to a vet hospital to have tests - taking biopsy's from the colon, which would involve surgery etc to find out what the problem is. However, there maybe no solution or 2. Euthanasia!

I can't believe that these are the options and don;t know what to do. We have to go back to the vets on Friday and make some decisions.

I would be really interested in hearing what options your vet has come up with - if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Hope all went well at the vets

Katy

Well collected him this evening he is again very unimpressed and a very unhappy cat - I am sure I would be too. He is very distressed about not being allowed out, a few cuddles have helped but hes now pulling all the carpet up trying to get the kitchen door to open so he can reach his catflap, he just thinks I'm being horrible to him

The advice my vet gave me was simply to put him on Hills dry food diet when I pointed out everything I had read said to keep clear of dry food she simply said well try the wet food then....needless to say I'm not very happy. I am going to ring tomorrow and ask to speak to another Vet.

I asked about long term prognosis and was told much the same as you if the diet doesnt work then it will be continual enemas or surgery which she didnt seem keen on so of course the other choice is euthanasia

I am disabled on a low income so the surgery is out of the question I am struggling to pay the current Vet bill so soon on top of the last one. My choice is looking very limited so I am praying the diet works. I am going to try high meat diet mixed with water and laxatives.

Any advice would be very welcome

I personally would not start off with laxatives. Have a look for a good quality high meat content food anamonda carney, bozita or smilla. Buy a water fountain to encourage drinking and you could try using a little pre boiled water from the kettle in food which warms it as well as adding moisture (cats don't like stone cold food and at this time of year it's always cold). Having the laxatives in for an if needed option may be an idea but I really wouldn't recommend giving them on the off chance and especially not without vet instructions.

If I were you I'd:
Find another vet
Buy one of the foods suggested
Buy a water fountain
Read up on the suspected condition and the use of laxatives to treat

Good luck

__________________
Proud mum to Tiffany, Bellinda and Jessica

Thanks Claire but the laxatives (Laxapet) were given to me by the Vet unfortunately my daughter went out for the evening with the car and I left them in it so i just just given him some liquid paraffin and mixed his food with water.

I don't recognise any of the food you suggest but will check it out but as I am from the UK it may not be available.

Thanks for the help

yes you should feed him raw salmon, it's very good for him, he'll love it, it makes his coat oilier

There is a yahoo support group dealing with this condition which you should both join.
Feline_Megacolon : Feline Megacolon or severe/chronic constipation
I am sure you will get much more help from this group than from the average vet.
I am sure I have a tub of Miralax somewhere ( cant find it right now ) so if either of you would like to try some for the cats please pm me and I will see if I can send some out.

__________________

Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

Barafundle.....the Pate to which you refer is NOT human food ( far too high in salt etc ) but Pate Style wet foods. If you look in supermarkets you will find Gourmet Gold pate food in small tins which most cats like and should be suitable.
Bozita, Animonda carny and Smilla are all bought online from Zooplus.
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/c...cat_food/42669
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/c...ne/carny/14034

__________________

Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

Thanks paddy I have sent you a visitor message about the Miralax.

As for the feeding never realised it was such a minefield ! spent about an hour going over the Zooplus site and have decided to try Animonda carney tinned food which I will also supplement with some raw salmon as advised also mixed with water and his laxatives.

Wish me luck this diet just has to work

Here is my poor little boy Tai who at the time was objecting to me playing on my laptop rather than giving him the attention

Poor little Tai,

I am off to the vets shortly and feel utterly sick about it as i have been given the two options you have.

No poo this morning either

I have put Ruby on just a high meat content wet food and i have found that the water fountain encourages intake.

I have ordered Miralax, but it comes from the US and can take up to 2 weeks to arrive - my worry is that she'll be totally bunged up again by then. She is on Dulcolax and Lactulose - but they don;t seem to be doing much.

Keep us updated
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