What can I give my Cat for megacolon?
This vet does not sound like he is very versed in Megacolon. When a cat has megacolon this means their colon muscles are not working properly to push the stool out. So, this is usually helped by giving the cat a motility drug called Cisapride. The Cisapride helps contract the muscles to push the stool out.
What kind of food do you feed your male cat?
Also my male cat is on Blue Wilderness Chicken and Rice which is grain free I was going to do half Ca Natural and half Blue plus canned food for both. I do a mix of good quality canned mixed with select varieties of Fancy Feast, as my male is picky about canned food.
What is megacolon in cats and how dangerous is it?
Megacolon is a chronic condition that occurs most often in cats and is basically a mega-sized, stretched-out, weakened colon. Megacolon in cats can cause devastating health consequences as the colon fills with old, hardened feces, and the colon is not strong enough to pass the “cemented stool.”
How long does it take for a cat to recover from megacolon?
The cat will likely have increased bowel movements and loose stools for two to three months following surgery. If no complications occur after surgery, most cats do quite well. Unfortunately, megacolon seems to be a devastating condition for many young kittens who develop the condition.
How often do cats with megacolon poop?
In addition, it may pass several bowel movements each day. However, after one to two months, the stools will become formed and the cat will have an average of three bowel movements every two days.
Is a raw diet good for cats with megacolon?
Prevention. Megacolon can be prevented with healthy lifestyle management. Feed a species-appropriate, raw or grain-free canned diet. Give a good probiotic and digestive enzymes with each meal.
Can megacolon be reversed in cats?
Cats with pelvic obstruction secondary to pelvic trauma can be treated by removal of the abnormal pelvic bones (pelvic ostectomy) to allow normal passage of feces again. Unfortunately, if the megacolon has been present for greater than four to six months, dilation and loss of function may be irreversible.
How do you fix a cat's megacolon?
Subtotal colectomy, the removal of the majority of the colon, is considered the treatment of choice for the surgical management of megacolon that is not responsive to dietary and medical management. This is major surgery, but the overwhelming majority of cats respond quite favorably.
Can raw egg help a cat with constipation?
It is best to feed the egg with the shell, which contains calcium. If you don't include the shell, the egg can have a laxative effect on your pet. Just break the egg and crumble the shell and mix it with the egg white and yolk. Or - grind the shell in a food processor or blender.
What cat food helps with constipation?
The 11 Best Cat Foods for ConstipationSmalls Fresh Cat Food – Best Overall. ... Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Cat Food – Best Value. ... Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Cat Food. ... Purina Pro Plan Vet Diets OM Cat Food. ... Royal Canin Mother & Babycat Mousse – Best for Kittens. ... Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Chicken Pumpkin Canned Food.More items...•
Can megacolon in cats be cured without surgery?
Treatment of megacolon in cats depends upon the cause and severity. A medical approach is usually tried first, but surgery may be necessary for severe or chronic cases. A medical approach involves the use of laxatives, colon-wall stimulants, enemas, and high-fiber diets or low-residue diets.
How long does it take for Miralax to work in cats?
As a general guide, cats need about ¼ of a teaspoon of Miralax twice daily. How fast Miralax works differs a lot from cat to cat. Some cats will experience relief within a few hours, others in a couple of days. Most owners report that they see a change within six to 12 hours of the first dose.
What natural remedy can I give my cat for constipation?
Tips and Home Remedies for Constipation in CatsIncrease Water Consumption. ... Try a New Diet. ... Help Your Cat Maintain a Healthy Weight. ... Increase Exercise and Enrichment. ... Minimize Stress and Anxiety. ... Add More Litter Boxes. ... Try Fiber or Probiotics. ... Ask Your Vet About Over-the-Counter Laxatives.More items...•
Is megacolon reversible?
Hypertrophic megacolon is often reversible with the early removal of the colonic outflow obstruction. If left untreated, the obstruction will result in progression of the condition to an irreversible dilated megacolon.
How much pumpkin should I give my cat?
Feed your adult cat 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin daily, or mix that amount into her food. However, we recommend first checking with your vet before indulging in canned pumpkin for cats. Do not give your cat raw pumpkin, pumpkin pulp, or the stem or skin of the pumpkin.
What causes mega colon in cats?
Causes of Megacolon The congenital form is an abnormality of the colon seen at birth. These patients may lack the Auerbach's complexes in the colon. The acquired form is the more common of the two. The most common acquired form is known as idiopathic, which means the cause of the disease is undetermined.
Can a raw diet cause constipation in cats?
Some raw foods do contain too much bone which is not good, as this can make a cat constipated.
Do cats live longer on raw diet?
As history and research has shown, providing the diet a feline was intended to eat, not a human diet, has many beneficial aspects to living a healthier and longer live than when feed a commercial dried or wet food diet.
Do cats poop less with better food?
Cats fed low quality food may have more frequent or larger bowel movements because more of the food ends up unusable by the body. Cats fed too much food may also have more frequent and/or larger bowel movements. Abrupt changes in food may result in a change in how frequently your cat poops as it often causes diarrhea.
Do cats poop less on wet food?
Cats do tend to poop less when they are given wet food. dry food and the way your cat's body absorbs and digests them. If you've just recently switched to wet food and have noticed your cat pooping less, this is normal. Feeding your cat wet food can also reduce how often you clean the litter box.
How long can a cat live with megacolon?
There is no expiration date attached to a diagnosis of megacolon, but the disease is serious and should never be ignored. Early intervention is the...
Can cat megacolon be cured?
Treatment of megacolon in cats depends upon the extent and severity of the condition. The longer it continues, the more aggressive the treatment mu...
How does a cat get megacolon?
Under normal circumstances, the colon or large intestines absorb water and store fecal material. When the movement of feces is delayed and feces re...
What are the symptoms of megacolon in cats?
A cat with megacolon will strain when trying to pass feces, but will usually pass very little, or nothing at all, despite great effort. A trace of...
How do you treat megacolon in cats?
You need to take your cat to the vet. First, intensive treatment is needed to clear out the impacted colon, and then medical and dietary treatment...
What do you feed a cat with megacolon?
There are different theories, and you should discuss this in detail with the veterinarian treating your cat. The two most common recommendations ar...
How much does it cost to treat a cat with megacolon?
It is impossible to estimate this cost, as there are so many different possible factors in each case. You should always ask your veterinarian for a...
What can cause megacolon in cats?
In most cases (62%), the cause of megacolon in cats is unknown. The next most common cause is damage to the pelvis, causing narrowing of the pelvic...
How do I know if my cat has megacolon?
The main signs, as listed above, are difficulty passing feces (straining unproductively, often with discomfort, in the litter box), as well as dull...
Is megacolon fatal in cats?
Most cats do survive, but cats treated medically tend to suffer recurrences that need ongoing treatment, and sometimes the issue becomes increasing...
Is cat megacolon contagious to other cats?
No. Megacolon is not caused by an infectious agent, so it will not spread from cat to cat.
How serious is megacolon in cats?
This can be a very serious and life threatening disease, requiring urgent veterinary treatment.
What does it mean when a cat has a megacolon?
This vet does not sound like he is very versed in Megacolon. When a cat has megacolon this means their colon muscles are not working properly to push the stool out. So, this is usually helped by giving the cat a motility drug called Cisapride. The Cisapride helps contract the muscles to push the stool out.
What is the best stool softner for cats?
Usually megacolon cats also have harder drier stools and require a stool softner alongside the Cisapride. Miralax is a wonderful stool softner. Lactulose is a stool softner as well but I have had much better success with the Miralax. Miralax is a odourless/tastelss powder you can add to the cats canned food to eat.
Can mineral oil affect cats?
Mineral oil can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Any laxative can., so be sure to give the lactulose on an empty stomach an hour before a meal.#N#Prolonged use of mineral oil can cause deficiencies of certain vitamins. On the other hand, cat lax is made with cod liver oil. Too much cod liver oil can cause a vitamin A toxicity in cats.#N#Because of these issues, I use three different kinds of hairball remedies, rotating them.#N#thanks for the update on Kattie. I'm glad she's doing better, she is lucky to have you there!
Can you take a cat home with a megacolon?
Megacolon in a cat that young is facing a lifetime of medications that have to be continually increased. however I advise you to take the cat home, so she is yours, and you have control over what happens to her, and take her to a vet experienced in this surgery.
How to tell if a cat has a megacolon?
Megacolon is often diagnosed by clinical signs which can include straining to defecate, weight loss, lethargy, vomiting, and anorexia (lack of appetite). On physical examination, the cat may have a painful abdomen, as well as be dehydrated and depressed.
What causes megacolons?
An injury to the spinal cord can cause megacolon. In addition, mechanical obstruction caused by tumors, foreign bodies, hairballs, and strictures can lead to megacolon.
How often do cats have bowel movements?
However, after one to two months, the stools will become formed and the cat will have an average of three bowel movements every two days. There should be no loss of fecal control.
Can a cat lose bowel control after colon removal?
Although this procedure may involve removal of most of the colon, the anal sphincter will be left intact so the cat should not lose bowel control. Most cats do reasonably well after this procedure with few permanent side effects.
What Is Megacolon?
Megacolon is a condition where the lower part of the digestive tract (the colon) becomes grossly enlarged, full of a large amount of fecal material that the cat is unable to pass. “Mega” means “enlarged” and “colon” is the name of the part of the digestive tract that’s affected by this dilation (widening) and dysfunction.
How Common Is Megacolon?
Megacolon is a common condition in cats, especially in middle-aged animals (the average age is around six years of age). Male cats are more likely to suffer from this, making up 70% of cases, compared to 30% in female cats.
How Do Cats Get Megacolon?
Megacolon has several possible causes, in order of incidence as follows:
Symptoms Of Megacolon In Cats
Chronic constipation is the best way to describe the symptoms of megacolon. The main clinical signs noticed by owners are usually linked to the behavior of the affected cats around defecation.
Causes Of Megacolon In Cats
In nearly two thirds of cases (62%), the cause cannot be identified, and such cases are classified as “idiopathic”. Nearly one in four cases (23%) are caused by narrowing of the pelvic canal (such as after pelvic fractures in a road accident) which causes a partial obstruction, then leading to megacolon.
Diagnosis Of Megacolon
If your DVM veterinarian suspects that your cat may have megacolon, the following steps may be taken. As well as confirming the diagnosis, it’s important to identify the underlying cause so that the most appropriate treatment can be given.
Treatment Of Megacolon
Megacolon is usually treated with medications (laxatives, stool softeners, colon wall stimulants and high fiber diets), and ultimately surgery.
What is a megacolon?
Megacolon is when the intestine becomes enlarged, dilated, and packed with hard fecal matter.
What causes megacolon in cats?
There are a number of possible reasons for megacolon in cats, such as:
What are the treatments of megacolon in cats?
Enemas are the first thing to try at your vet’s office to relieve obstipation. Along with fluid supplementation, possible antibiotics, anti-nausea medications, and discomfort medication. In severe cases, when an enema is not enough, anesthesia and manual de-bulking of the colon are necessary.
What are long-term solutions?
Daily medications are necessary, along with food therapy (low residue, highly digestible diets, or high fiber diets), and supplements.
What happens when constipation cannot be managed with medications?
In such severe conditions, sub-total colectomy surgery provides relief for many cats that can’t be managed with food, supplements, or medications.
What are preventative options?
Preventing your kitty from having hard, infrequent stools is key to avoiding megacolon. The first sign of struggle to defecate with hard stools should be addressed with supplements, like NHV Maris.
Natural options for support
NHV Maris is a natural constipation aid. This formulation helps soften stools and contains herbs that help improve peristalsis and improve intestinal muscle tone.
Why do cats have megacolons?
Two thirds of the time, we don’t know the cause of megacolon in cats, so it can be called an idiopathic, functional obstruction. It is believed that the cause is a degenerative neuromuscular disorder, which is ineluctable, irreversible, and untreatable. This is the reason why medical management is so often palliative at best.
How long did Megacolon stay in confinement?
The next follow-up occurred after four weeks of strict confinement. He was a happy, purring, comfortable cat with a great appetite and a new lease on life. So please remember: Megacolon does not have to be a horrible, chronic, debilitating nightmare. It can be a curable disease with early surgical intervention.
Does erythromycin help with megacolon?
Metoclopramide and domperidone enhance gastric motility, but they have no effect on colonic transit times, therefore making them useless for megacolon .
Does fiber help with megacolon?
Otherwise, it dramatically increases the risk of fecal leakage during the anastomosis. Fibers may help in the early stages of idiopathic megacolon when the colon still has some ability to contract. But in the later stages, fiber supplementation may worsen distention and subsequent symptoms.
Is megacolon a palliative or palliative?
This is the reason why medical management is so often palliative at best. In some cases, megacolon is secondary to untreated pelvic fractures (and rarely a tumor or a foreign body), i.e., a mechanical obstruction.
Can cisapride help a megacolon?
When the colon is overdistended, i.e., when a megacolon is present, cisapride won’t help one bit. However, in the vast majority of cases, megacolon is curable with surgery.
How Does Megacolon Affect Cats?
In cats, megacolon is characterized by slow movement inside the colon. The propulsive forces needed to push out the feces are absent, making it difficult for your feline friend to excrete.
How is Megacolon Diagnosed in Cats?
Now that you know megacolon symptoms, you can easily identify when your feline friend is suffering. The next step is diagnosis. But how is it done for cats? Keep reading!
What is the Treatment for Megacolon in Cats?
If the signs of symptoms of megacolon have been identified at an earlier stage, there is a good prognosis that will guarantee the quality of your kitty’s life.
How Long Can a Cat Live with a Megacolon?
If you are a concerned cat parent, you might often wonder, “how long can a cat live with a megacolon?”
Parting Thoughts
Megacolon is a medical condition often seen in cats that live in stressful environments without a clean litter box. Knowing how to read the signs is extremely important here as it can even help you save your feline friend’s life!
