How is this possible?

[catnapper]

I know a lot of you have had cats with crystals and chose to have the operation Pouncer had 2 months ago. I think I asked this before, but I will ask again.... has any of them blocked afterwards?

I've been watching Pouncer with a keen eye for a few weeks now. Been REALLY watching him the past week. and last night I decided that he IS blocked. Without a doubt. Its just a fact I somehow KNOW. I'll stake my veterinary degree on it (slight humor to help me not freak out).

I don't understand how he could be blocked since the surgery. Isn't the surgery supposed to keep him from clocking???? Its not even 3 months since he had it! If I knew he's still BLOCK instead of getting UTIs I'd have never agreed to put him through the surgery, since nothing really has changed.

I didn't sleep for anything last night for worrying about him. Its now nearly 7:00 and I've got two hours of petrified waiting until the vet opens.

and to make something happy in this thread, here he is last week as I put up some Christmas decorations. silly boy - notice his never still tail twitching away?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/kasdesign/2007-pouncer-banister.jpg

[Pam]

Kim, I have never had a problem with crystals in my boys so I am no help there. I did want to compliment you on your gorgeous stair decoration. Oh, and the lights are pretty too. :p My Andy would be eating that garland so I have never been able to have any around. I have a fake fiberoptic tree and he has been known to eat pieces of that too! :eek: Hope you are wrong about Pouncer. :(

[Randi]

Oh, poor Pouncer. :(

Fister used to have problems with crystals, and the first few times (with a couple of months in between) he blocked up again, but after the big operation, everything has been fine. :)

What do you feeed him? My vet said that he should only have Hills S/D, which should dissolve the crystals, and he was not allowed even ONE tiny shrimp. So it's important that Poucer keep a strict diet. Also, make sure he doesn't stress about anything - quiet relaxed surroundings will help.

You can read more about what Fister went though concerning bladder problems - there are pictures too. ;)

Sas also posted some excellent links in one of the threads.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/search.php?searchid=1530264

Get better Pouncer, you're a beautiful boy!

[Medusa]

I've never dealt w/this problem either but I just wanted to say "Hang in there" and we'll be praying for you and sweet Pouncer. Poor boy's been through enough.

[Laura's Babies]

Aw Kim! I can't believe this! Poor Pouncer! I hope you are SO wrong and it is somethng else but now I will worry until you find out. That poor boy has been through so much already. PLEASE let us know something ASAP!

[catnapper]

What do you feeed him? My vet said that he should only have Hills S/D, which should dissolve the crystals, and he was not allowed even ONE tiny shrimp. So it's important that Poucer keep a strict diet. Also, make sure he doesn't stress about anything - quiet relaxed surroundings will help.

He's fed prescription food and never gets anything else to eat. As for stress.... ha! I can't eliminate that around here. We breed stress in this house ;) I am convinced stress is his trigger but the vet disagrees. She says stress can't cause crystals. She did admit its likely that when he stresses, he forgets/refuses to drink as much water as he should and the crystals come as a result of that.... isn't that the same as stress causing crystals? :confused:

We have an 11:00 vet appointment this afternoon. He's currently being his normal nawtee self, trying to eat a bag of cat litter :rolleyes: I gave up trying to figure him out long ago.

[catmandu]

Poor Pouncer Certainly Has Had His Share Of Medical Issues. We Have Never Had Crystals Here, Knock On Wood So We Cannot Give You Any Advice.
All We Can Give Pouncer Is Our Prayers And Love And Pouncer And Mr Scrappy Angels To Come And Visit And Try And Calm Pouncer Down And Get Him To Drink His Water. We Are Praying That Pouncer Will Find Good Health, He Certainly Deserves A Break From Being In Pain.

[catnapper]

I'm back from the vet without Pouncer. They're keeping him to try to get urine from him. He DOES have an enlarge bladder, but she has no idea WHY or HOW. First thing is getting a urine sample. She's hoping my little boy simply has an infection and it hurts to pee so he simply is refusing to pee. If thats not the case, then its highly likely that he has stones and will need another surgery.

What am I going to do if he needs surgery?!? I will not put him down - no question about that, but how on earth am I going to pay for it? I have another 3 months of payments left for the last surgery.

Please get the prayer chain going that its simple and he only has a UTI. Good golly Pouncer, you really like to keep me on my toes.

[Pawla]

Prayers on the way for your boy. I hope it is only an infection. I know exactly what you mean about not putting him down. I'd find a way, as I'm sure you will do!

The picture is beautiful!

[Logan]

Kim, I have Pouncer in my prayers. Gosh, the prayer list is way too long these days. Please keep us posted.

Logan

[jennielynn1970]

Oh gosh... poor Pouncer!!! I hope it's just an infection and he won't need more surgery. Geez, he just can't get a break, can he?! (or you either).

[Emeraldgreen]

My cat Tiger was blocked in 1998 and required emergency surgery. He is prone to blockage and I can tell when he is beginning to have issues because he gets cranky. When this happens I feed him S/D for a few weeks to help break up the crystals. It's important that cats don't stay on S/D. It is only intended for a short period (6-8 weeks I think) and then they should be put back on a preventive diet like C/D or Medi-Cal Preventive. It sounds like Pouncer is on a prescription diet though so you've got that covered.
I hadn't heard of stress causing crystals before but I suppose it's possible. Maybe some Rescue Remedy in his water every day might help.

[catnapper]

He's back home and not a happy camper. He is loaded with infection and crystals. But he did pee and is sent home with Baytril.

They also gave him a $25 enema that he did NOT need.... I told them I had seen him poop in the last 12 hours. I'm a bit peeved at that. At least he's home and will be healthy again soon. Thanks a million for the continued prayers. My poor boy seems to always need them and certainly responds well to them

[orangemm]

Poor Pouncer. Especially after you thought all his problems were over. I have never heard of a cat getting blocked or having problems after the surgery. Our RB Mikey had his done and was fine ever after. And, he lived in a stressful house with lots of company.

I feel so badly for the little guy (and for YOU worrying yourself sick over him).

(((hugs)))) and prayers going up for both of you! :(

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Pouncer!!! :eek: :(
(my thoughts might be a little disorganised but........)

-Rutherford never had problems since his PU surgery (he is the only cat I ever had that done)

-Crystals can (obviously) still form after the surgery, but the food is suppose to prevent that!

-Biddy's crystals were NOT going away even with the c/d, so the vet put him on Ammonil, a urine acidifier, pill. Pouncer might need something like that.

-I realize that this is a mute point now (since crystals were found) but cats can block from things other than crystals (as Jim did).

-Is Pouncer eating CANNED urinary food? It is suppose to help more than the dry alone. (Jim won't eat it though, so :p )


Anyway, at least by the time I saw this Pouncer is diagnosed and on the way to health again.

[catnapper]

Jen, Pouncer looks at the canned urinary formula with distain. He then shoots me evil looks. :rolleyes:

I got a huge compliment from the vet. She said I was a good cat mommy :D It made me feel good. The one vet tech LOVES Pouncer and told me that if anyone else had him, he'd have been dead by now because they wouldn't have caught his symptoms in time. I was so pleased to hear that because I sacrifice so much for him.

It helps soooo much when I have a husband who cares as much about the monsters as I do. I called him bawling at work about money and him. He told me not to worry that we always find the money somewhere. I told hubby his Christmas gift is a furry brown tabby bed warmer... it WAS gonna be the La-Z-Boy massage chair he's dreamt of for years. Sorry hunny, maybe next year? :o

[jenluckenbach]

Jen, Pouncer looks at the canned urinary formula with distain. He then shoots me evil looks. :rolleyes:

I am not surprized, that stuff is AWFUL! :p


I told hubby his Christmas gift is a furry brown tabby bed warmer... it WAS gonna be the La-Z-Boy massage chair he's dreamt of for years.
Well, as l;ong as the furry brown bed warmer PURRS, it can be just like a massage. ;)

[carole]

My lexie has struvite crystals, it has never been suggested yet for her to have surgery, she is on royal canin s/o and so far so good, fingers and all paws crossed, so sorry to hear of pouncer's problems, i would have thought the surgery would do the trick too, good luck i hope his problems are fixable and he will be feeling well again soon.

[Catty1]

Kim, I know you have tried everything...I just wanted to say that Royal Canin is supposed to be a better-tasting food.

ALSO - Hill's Dental, both my boys enjoy it - and my vet told me in October that he had read studies where this food has crystal prevention properties! He treated Oscar for his few crystals and month-long infection, and I know he is not making this up.

Two ideas: Try the Hills.

Or use the other dry Urinary food and mix a bit of stinky wet food in it. Better he gets most of the prevention than none at all.

HUGS! You is a WONDERFUL cat mommy!

Here is something Pouncer might do...as this nice tabby did:

http://mine.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/sryibrokegr128399667150187182.jpg

[catnapper]

Catty, he's been on Hills, Royal Canin, and Eukanuba. I think the only one he hasn't tried is Purina's veterinary diet. The one he liked best was the Royal Canin. Everyone likes the RC maintence so thats what they are all on.

He HATES the crystal reduction food, whether its dry or wet. He gets a handful of it every night. I feed him the special diet before anyone else gets their food.... he looks at it for 15 minutes before he decides to eat it. Meanwhile. 4 other cats and a huge dog stare at him because they know as soon as he finishes his food they'll get theirs. I learned long ago that if I feed him at the same time as everyone else that he will walk away from his food and bump somebody else away fro theirs. And nobody has interest in going up to his bowl with the crystal reducing diet in it. They all hate it. :rolleyes:

[Catlady711]

They also gave him a $25 enema that he did NOT need.... I told them I had seen him poop in the last 12 hours. I'm a bit peeved at that.

Is it possible that the $25 enema was a cheaper way of diagnosing what might have been causing him not to pee as opposed to a $60-80 x-ray?
Sometimes when cost is an issue for a client we will occasionally try other less expensive methods of narrowing the causes down rather than do the tests we'd like to do instead which cost more.

[Catty1]

Kim - I'm just suggesting mixing a bit of Fancy Feast or something with the urinary dry food, and that might make it more appetizing.

I have to do that to get the boys to take their Omega Oil. :rolleyes: They are NOT spoiled. ;)

[Laura's Babies]

Poor boy! You can bet that poor boy is tired of all this, can't you just imagine how he feels and he has probably tried to tell you time after time, how sorry he is that all this keeps happening to him.

You are TOPS as far as CatMom's go and I thank God it is you that have him and not some one who would have failed to reconize he was in trouble again!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that Pouncer is still having problems.:( Since Storm's PU Surgery, he's had a few UTI's and a few struvite crystal episodes. He was on Royal Canin Urinary S/O both dry and canned and he loved it and so did all of my other cats. I also used to mix both the wet and dry together and I'd add some water to it to give him more moisture.

Now since Starr has colitis and IBD problems, I've been feeding everyone a grain free diet. Both my vet and my holistic vet have approved for Storm to also be on a grain free diet. The holistic vet told me that the grains in cat food can actually cause urinary tract problems.

Now I feed my cats Innova Evo dry and Evangers Organic Turkey and Butternut Squash Dinner canned food mixed in with a little bit of Innova Evo canned food. The Evangers gives them the extra fiber that they need since the Innova Evo wet and dry doesn't have much fiber. I feed Storm a wet mixture of both canned foods and I add a fair amount of water to it so it's a soupy consistency. I then give him a little bit of dry food after he's finished with this. He gets 4 small feedings a day and 2 are like this one and 2 are dry food only. So far he's doing very well.:)

The surgeon who performed Storm's surgery told me that sometimes cats that have had the PU surgery will block again because either the surgery isn't done correctly or if they've had a lot of blockages before they've had the surgery. She said that the more they've been catheterized the more likely that they'll develope scar tissue. Storm was catheterized 1 time before he had the surgery and the 2nd time that they tried they couldn't get a catheter in him because he had what they thought was scar tissue. This is the reason why he had to have his PU surgery done by a certified surgeon and why it cost me a lot more than if I had it done at my vet.

I sure hope that Pouncer will get well soon and that he'll continue to stay well. I also believe that stress can be a contributing factor for crystals. Storm is now also on some herbal calming pills to help his aggressive behavior and to help keep him calm. I also think it helps him with to avoid stress. Good luck.:)

[carole]

I was given hills sd for lexie at first, it was terrible for her, she hated it and it made her ill, but the royal canin so has been great, she loves it now, it took a lot of effort on my part, we just had to keep at it and eventually she accepted it, good luck.