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

[Purr-tender]

My dear Simon is having a rough year. Last October he had pelvic reconstruction surgery due to a broken pelvis before we rescued him. He was having trouble pooing and xrays showed the old injury. Well, he has blocked again. July 1st he had emergency surgery while we were on vacation (we took him with us). He is back in the hospital again, again completely blocked. His surgeon wants to remove his colon. I know this is necessary for him to have any kind of quality of life. Has anyone here ever dealt with this before? And, yes before you ask, he has been on special diet and meds to help his stool stay soft. I am heartsick over this. Simon is such a wonderful boy and it hurts to see him suffer. He's only about 2 years old. Of course friends who don't understand our bond thinks we should let him go They think we've already spent way too much. ($5000) I can't put a price on his life

[Laura's Babies]

I have no experience with that but I fully understand how you feel. I would check out ALL options and weigh them all, research online as much as possiable to learn all I could keeping in mind quality of life verses quanity. If he could live a normal happy life after having that surgery and you can afford it, and are prepared for the after care and make my decision from there.

Questions I'd have would be how many of these surgeries has the vet doing it already done.. What the outcomes were, how did the cat do afterwards and such as that. Even try to find other cat owners who has been through this (as you are doing here)..

Start here if you haven't already.. http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=...op&fr=chr-tyc8

read here.. read on down to what others say.. http://www.catster.com/answers/quest...olectomy-18561

[Purr-tender]

Laura, the surgeon who will do Simon's surgery is a board certified, old pro. So no worries there. I did do a Google search and found some good info but I want to hear from cat owners who have been through this. I understand that sometimes the stool starts to firm-up with time. Thanks for the link to Catster. I went there earlier and did a search but didn't find the link you posted. It gave me some insight. Ultimately, I know he will have to have the surgery. On top of all this, my 12 yr old poodle, Bink, was diagnosed with cancer and has a surgical consult with this same surgeon in week. When it rains it pours!

By the way, my husband is a riverman. He's a captain on the Ohio River. I know you do that kind of work, too. What waterway do you work on and what's your position? Jim works 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off. This has been his/our life for over 30+ years.

[Laura's Babies]

WOW! I have been on the Ohio River! Just last January when my boat was on the shipyard, they sent me up there. We work 28/28.. I am the cook. The whole first year I was out there I was on the Ohio.. It is SO pretty up there. I am assigned to a lower Mississippi boat so I mainly stay on the LMR... nothing to see out there much but levies and some beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I have been out there going on 15 years. Does your hubby work local or is he on a long haul boat?

Sounds like you are right on top of things with your babies. I don't recall anyone here having a kitty with that colectomy but since I am gone half the time, I do miss a lot. That IS what you need, someone that has been through it. Maybe you could PM some of the people who posted on that caster sight and someone answer you and you can learn more..

Yes, when it rains it pours and you can only hope and pray it all comes out good in the end.. Good luck on your search for answers, let us know what you find out and how it goes.. OK (please)?

[Purr-tender]

Jim works from above Pittsburgh to below St. Louis. He's always worked the Ohio. He wants to retire so badly, he's had enough of the river.
The cook is the heart of the boat! The cook on his boat is a good one, too good. lol He's always bragging about her desserts.

I'll let you know how things go with Simon.

Here's my Simon.

[catmandu]

Poor Dear Simon, youare such a Very Young Cat to have to go through all those surgeries.
Thank God you have a Guardian who is behind you 110% and will do their very best for You!
We Found Cats and All Of Our Awesome Angels Army are All Praying for You Simon to get well soon
We LOVE SIMON and Your BEST FRIEND Guardian