Aa
my Nemo....
hi everyone, I've been a little 'preoccupied' and worried lately. All is well NOW, however my Nemo did require a procedure under anesthesia this a.m.
he has a stricture in his bowel, (tightening) this stops his stools from passing easily therefore he can become very constipated, I give him inulin/extra water/pumpkin/milk as well as occasional Miralax to help keep his stools soft and help with the motility, but I'm not always successful than he needs to go in for an enema...
thats what happened over the weekend, he began vomiting...just 3x so it wasn't an emergency(yes I did phone my Vet...lol)
Monday a.m he went in got an xray that showed a blockage at the end of his bowel and my Vet attempted an enema..but was only able to insert the nozzle part way cuz his stricture was soooo bad. Well 24 hrs later it still hadn't produced any results
So this am. back to the Vet, who put him under anesthesia to see if this would relax his stricture enough that he could get in manually and extract this piece of poop...sorry tmi
If not his only other option was a fast trip to the city and a bowel resection... removal of the part of his bowel where the stricture is...and sew the bowel back up...many complications with this type of surgery, I have been in an absolute panic over this but came to the decision last night that if my Vet wasn't able to remove this blockage and the stricture remained to tight than I decided I would not put poor little Nemo through this very extensive emergency surgery and I would have our Vet euthanize him while on the table, believe me this was not an easy decision to make as many of you who know me also know how very much I love both my kitties and go above and beyond for them, it wasn't a case of money, I would find that somehow...it was a case of taking into consideration all the possible complications afterwards and after all the misery this little fella would endure it still may come to the choice of needing to put him down....so I just couldn't
I layed there beside him in my bed this morning and had a good cry while I hugged him tightly, I was so sure this was going to be a one way trip to the clinic this time
4 hours later...my Vet phones, he was successful!!!! bless his heart, my own heart just skipped a few beats when he said this...he removed the blockage and Nemo can come home shortly...mind you he still has to poop normally because there is still bm in his intestine further up, but with the blockage removed he God willing WILL tonight and everyday onward...
this will be an ongoing battle as it has been for the past 4 years, I have to keep on top of his intake and his movements...which isn't always easy when there are two cats in the household...but hopefully we'll get 'things' working and back on tract again..
he has a stricture in his bowel, (tightening) this stops his stools from passing easily therefore he can become very constipated, I give him inulin/extra water/pumpkin/milk as well as occasional Miralax to help keep his stools soft and help with the motility, but I'm not always successful than he needs to go in for an enema...
thats what happened over the weekend, he began vomiting...just 3x so it wasn't an emergency(yes I did phone my Vet...lol)
Monday a.m he went in got an xray that showed a blockage at the end of his bowel and my Vet attempted an enema..but was only able to insert the nozzle part way cuz his stricture was soooo bad. Well 24 hrs later it still hadn't produced any results
So this am. back to the Vet, who put him under anesthesia to see if this would relax his stricture enough that he could get in manually and extract this piece of poop...sorry tmi
If not his only other option was a fast trip to the city and a bowel resection... removal of the part of his bowel where the stricture is...and sew the bowel back up...many complications with this type of surgery, I have been in an absolute panic over this but came to the decision last night that if my Vet wasn't able to remove this blockage and the stricture remained to tight than I decided I would not put poor little Nemo through this very extensive emergency surgery and I would have our Vet euthanize him while on the table, believe me this was not an easy decision to make as many of you who know me also know how very much I love both my kitties and go above and beyond for them, it wasn't a case of money, I would find that somehow...it was a case of taking into consideration all the possible complications afterwards and after all the misery this little fella would endure it still may come to the choice of needing to put him down....so I just couldn't
I layed there beside him in my bed this morning and had a good cry while I hugged him tightly, I was so sure this was going to be a one way trip to the clinic this time
4 hours later...my Vet phones, he was successful!!!! bless his heart, my own heart just skipped a few beats when he said this...he removed the blockage and Nemo can come home shortly...mind you he still has to poop normally because there is still bm in his intestine further up, but with the blockage removed he God willing WILL tonight and everyday onward...
this will be an ongoing battle as it has been for the past 4 years, I have to keep on top of his intake and his movements...which isn't always easy when there are two cats in the household...but hopefully we'll get 'things' working and back on tract again..
Opus, I have read that cats are less efficient at processing plant-based proteins than animal-based proteins, but I have not read that about plant-based oils vs. animal fats. And anyway, the key phrase is less efficient, not "cannot." (If a cat couldn't get anything out of plant-based foods, they would not eat their prey's stomach contents and all, and they often do.) I don't know what would happen if a cat ate some plant-based oil, but if they are less efficient at processing it than they are at processing animal fats, that might in fact not be such a bad thing in your boy's case ... maybe he would expel it without breaking it down and using it, making the feces slide through more easily. You never know.
Pip cats cannot process PLANT based Oils only ANIMAL nature ones such as Krill or Salmon
from what I read...ground up flax seed (powder) is a source of lechithin and can be useful for hairballs...but NOT in oil form
from what I read...ground up flax seed (powder) is a source of lechithin and can be useful for hairballs...but NOT in oil form
thx for the tips.....many oils are safe for dog use but not for cats they have a very different digestive system, so caution is needed
he unfortunately hates fish....even the smell of it turns him away...but I do open a Krill Oil tablet and give him that via syringe(its a real fight!!)...Krill oil is very good for cats even better than Salmon oil...sardines would be good for him if he'd eat them..
he unfortunately hates fish....even the smell of it turns him away...but I do open a Krill Oil tablet and give him that via syringe(its a real fight!!)...Krill oil is very good for cats even better than Salmon oil...sardines would be good for him if he'd eat them..
Oh, yeah, the oil that they pack sardines in, yummers to a cat. He gets the oil, you get the sardines. They're delicious on a cracker!
Try fish oil too, Doc Knilans in Illinois suggested that when Kessie was sick, said the stronger smell might give a better appetite.
I gave a dog of mine oil every day for his ultra-dry coat, mixed into his food, not mineral oil however but vegetable oil. It seems like any kind of oil or fat that is not bad for your cat could be stirred in. Think of the contents of prey -- there is fat and oil there. Why not try a mild vegetable oil, like canola or light olive oil, or possibly just some fat from meat? You might be inadvertently cooking him his food with too light a touch on the necessary fat.
Sorry to hear of your bad news apple....wishing you some better days ahead
Yeah we pet people are a breed of our own aren't we:)) ..wouldn't have it any other way, I feel blessed to have my boys..I truly believe they give us back as much or more than we give them
And YES we celebrate the poo's....so we are a little nuts Ali..lol
Yeah we pet people are a breed of our own aren't we:)) ..wouldn't have it any other way, I feel blessed to have my boys..I truly believe they give us back as much or more than we give them
And YES we celebrate the poo's....so we are a little nuts Ali..lol
Apple- you beat me to it. It's fun that no one here thinks we are nuts when talking about poo. It's even odd when talking about it with vets... he was telling me about my 8lb puppy who poo'd a great dane size pile and was in awe of him. We are nuts.
Here we are celebrating POO ARRIVALS - its a Very Weird World we live on, no???
Im very glad to hear your good new at the same time I read the previous bad ones.
Just got some sad news, not about cats and yours make me smile...
Btw "my life is far from being in control..., I guess that's partially why I seek the sanity of a 'cats world' " could be my own motto...
Im very glad to hear your good new at the same time I read the previous bad ones.
Just got some sad news, not about cats and yours make me smile...
Btw "my life is far from being in control..., I guess that's partially why I seek the sanity of a 'cats world' " could be my own motto...
Oh Pip I can't tell you how happy I was to be bringing my boy home yesterday afternoon....I'm still smiling from ear to ear...AND he had a real good poo FINALLY early this a.m....YEAH!!!!
My Vet is an awesome man, he listens and researches when he doesn't know the answers....he cares!! He's been my family doc for a number of years and has seen me through many crisis's with 'my fur family' members...yeah a good man!
Annie, since Nemo's constipation issues began and the stricture was discovered nearly 5 yrs ago now, he's been tried on many products...some didn't work at all for him while others have worked marginally. he is a strange kitty who stopped eating anything commercial a number of years ago...so I make his food(cooked pork or chicken, ground up than supplements added)
So there are NO grains in his food, and after alot of experimenting I add either pumpkin or zucchini for fiber as well as INULIN...an insoluable fiber...that speeds up transit time.
had NO success with psyllium
he also loves a 50/50 mix of cream and milk that he gets 3-4x's a week to help keep his stools softer...the occasionally 1/4 teas of Vit C powder also helps him
I never let him go over 2 days without a poop, if he does he gets a small dose of Miralax(called Restorlax in Canada btw) and this works 90% of the time...
However there have been a few times nothing has worked than an enema is called for...but Monday was the first time my Vet hadn't been able to get the nozzle in his rectum very far, thus believing the stricture had tightened up far worse for some reason...thankfully under anesthesia he found it hadn't progressed as far as he thought:))))
So we continue with our regime, my Vet wants me to add mineral oil to his food, I am researching that and really don't want too....I don't like using mineral oil...on cats!!! its so dangerous if accidentally inhaled, so NEVER syringe it in their mouths, they can aspirate into their lungs and cause pneumonia....my Vet assures me to add it to food is safe..however I still don't like any petroleum based products internally especially not for long term use..so we are exploring other options such as cellulose or chia seeds...or trying the lactulose once again that he used to take..
thanks for the suggestions and all the comments
My Vet is an awesome man, he listens and researches when he doesn't know the answers....he cares!! He's been my family doc for a number of years and has seen me through many crisis's with 'my fur family' members...yeah a good man!
Annie, since Nemo's constipation issues began and the stricture was discovered nearly 5 yrs ago now, he's been tried on many products...some didn't work at all for him while others have worked marginally. he is a strange kitty who stopped eating anything commercial a number of years ago...so I make his food(cooked pork or chicken, ground up than supplements added)
So there are NO grains in his food, and after alot of experimenting I add either pumpkin or zucchini for fiber as well as INULIN...an insoluable fiber...that speeds up transit time.
had NO success with psyllium
he also loves a 50/50 mix of cream and milk that he gets 3-4x's a week to help keep his stools softer...the occasionally 1/4 teas of Vit C powder also helps him
I never let him go over 2 days without a poop, if he does he gets a small dose of Miralax(called Restorlax in Canada btw) and this works 90% of the time...
However there have been a few times nothing has worked than an enema is called for...but Monday was the first time my Vet hadn't been able to get the nozzle in his rectum very far, thus believing the stricture had tightened up far worse for some reason...thankfully under anesthesia he found it hadn't progressed as far as he thought:))))
So we continue with our regime, my Vet wants me to add mineral oil to his food, I am researching that and really don't want too....I don't like using mineral oil...on cats!!! its so dangerous if accidentally inhaled, so NEVER syringe it in their mouths, they can aspirate into their lungs and cause pneumonia....my Vet assures me to add it to food is safe..however I still don't like any petroleum based products internally especially not for long term use..so we are exploring other options such as cellulose or chia seeds...or trying the lactulose once again that he used to take..
thanks for the suggestions and all the comments
You've gotta find something that is the cat equivalent of fiber gummies for people. Do you think Petromalt would help? I don't know if cats can handle fiber per se.
Wow, so glad you did not have to make that Final Decision at this time. Reads like your vet really cares and wants Nemo to feel better, too.
Oh my gosh my life is far from being in control...lol, guess that's partially why I seek the sanity of a 'cats world'
Thk you for offering to help hold me up believe me you do with each wise and compassionate post you give, each one of you wonderful cat parents do such an awesome job of being there for kitties in need
Thankfully a re-section was not required and I certainly hope it's a longtime before we have to endure another scare like this one...when dealing with any disease with these little ones I always take into account quality vs quantity, we sometimes keep them with us for longer than what's in their best interests, it's always a heartbreaking decision.
I once read the lines "grief is the price we pay for love" isn't that so true
Nemo promises to have a big poo tomorrow said he's just to tired tonight, he also said to tell you and Meezy thanks for the smooch :))
Thk you for offering to help hold me up believe me you do with each wise and compassionate post you give, each one of you wonderful cat parents do such an awesome job of being there for kitties in need
Thankfully a re-section was not required and I certainly hope it's a longtime before we have to endure another scare like this one...when dealing with any disease with these little ones I always take into account quality vs quantity, we sometimes keep them with us for longer than what's in their best interests, it's always a heartbreaking decision.
I once read the lines "grief is the price we pay for love" isn't that so true
Nemo promises to have a big poo tomorrow said he's just to tired tonight, he also said to tell you and Meezy thanks for the smooch :))
Yikes Opus!!! You are not supposed to have these emergencies. You are the one to be here for the rest of us.
It is funny but that is the way I see you. Always strong and everything under control. You know your loyal posters are more than happy to be here for you when your life gets turned upside down....and will always be here .
I did not realize Nemo's condition was so serious that he might have needed a re-section. I would have to think long and hard on that one for my kit too. There comes a time when a proceedure is just too involved for the little ones to come through without suffering more after the Cure.
Wishing Nemo Man all the best and give him a big smooch from me and Meezy!!
So happy the Poop Factory is back on track
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