Colectomy...Has anyone's cat had this surgery?

[Purr-tender]

Simon says a big "Thank You" to the Found Cats and the Awesome Angel Army for their prayers!!

I talked to his vet this morning and she said she wants to keep Simon for 2 or 3 more days. He did, with enemas, have 2 bowel movements He's not eating, though. When he was in the hospital the first of the month he didn't eat til I went to visit him. He gave me tons of headbumps then ate. So, this afternoon I will go sit with him. Before we put him through the big surgery I am going to try one more time to get his meds and food regulated to see if we can get him to go regularly. If he blocks again then I will know that it is time for the surgery. Please keep him in your prayers!

Love from Simon and me

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I've only experienced my cat RB Pepper being constipated and he had a kitty enema and then he was put on Lactulose and this helped him. He was a large cat so I think his dose was on the high side but I can't remember the doseage because it was a long time ago. I hope that new meds and a special diet will be able to help him. Prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way. I'm also sorry to hear about your dog. Prayers are going out to him as well. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[lvpets2002]

I too am so sorry to read this about your baby.. I sure hope the meds & new food helps too.. Lots of Prayers being sent.. Huggss for you..

[Catlady711]

I can totally sympathize with your situation. Jack was diagnosed with Megacolon back in 2007.

You didn't specify which meds your kitty is on. My Jack is on Cisapride to keep the stools mobile in addition to the diet and other meds to keep the stool soft. Is your kitty on Cisapride already?

I had a consultation appointment with a internal medicine specialist and they said they wouldn't consider surgery for Jack unless the meds stop working or he requires more than 2-3 enemas a month. Fortunately Jack hasn't needed an enema since we started the Cisapride & Lactulose along with the high fiber diet.

What the specialist had told me regarding the surgery, worst case scenario was diarhea for up to 6 months, although their experience was more like 6-8 weeks in reality. They told me that they had only a few that had needed to undergo a second surgery for the problem, but it was always a slim possibility. In their opinion the surgery was a last resort and their experience was that most of the cats went on to have long, healthy lives after the recovery.

My thoughts are with you in this situation.

[phesina]

Prayers for Simon, that he does well.

[dehlers43]

The success of this operation may depend on the cause of your kitty's "poo problem".....it's a common surgery used frequently and successfully to treat megacolon. However, my Winston had the surgery and did not make it. He was born with nerve damage that affected his colon and the left side of his body. The vet explained that the nerve damage most likely prevented the reconnected colon from healing. She did a second surgery to see if anything could be done and sadly, there wasn't......I told her if that was the case to just not let him wake up.....
In spite of all the $$, time and effort to help my special needs kitty it was not all in vain. Winston lived almost two good years and I am grateful for that time.

Anyhoo, he did really well up until the very end, which was why I tried the surgery as a last-ditch effort. His little colon just quit working.....

Someone else mentioned lactulose - that's what I used for Winnie....I just sprinkled it into his food (a mix of baby food meat and Clnicare) and it worked really well.
Good luck......all paws crossed for you.....

[Purr-tender]

So sorry to hear Winston didn't make it. We've got to give them a chance though, don't we. Simon's problem is from and old pelvic fracture. Surgery to rebuild his pelvis was done October 2009. Still doesn't have a normal size opening for the stool to pass through his colon even after the surgery.
Simon has been on lactulose for a year now. My vet wants to increase his dosage and add laxatone plus pumpkin for more fiber. He's still in the hospital. I went and spent some time with him this afternoon. I got some good headbumps and lovins'. He is still straining and crying. I had hoped for more improvement by now. He's had 3 days of enemas and laxatives. He is not a happy camper. I was holding him and his vet came up to me and he swatted her! That's not like Simon. He's just been poked and prodded one too many times.
I read on the Catster forum this evening about switching from lactulose to miralax with better results. I'm going to call his vet in the morning and ask her about that.