Yesterday After two enemas at the vet's he came home yesterday and had a great big poo, and I thought that was the end of it. But he spent most of the evening going between LBs and straining again. He's still doing it this morning. And doing the butt scootch. He did eat some dinner last night, and he ate some breakfast this morning. He is back to eating wet food again. I still have some left-over bupe. I've had it for about a month. Would it still be okay after sitting around in the syringes? I was thinking about giving him one of the doses to help him feel better.
Lucy, wonder if the enemas aren’t causing him to still feel like he needs to go ? So glad to hear he is eating wet food Give him extra hugs and scritches from me ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Glad he pooped! Glad he is eating for u wonder what makes them scoot their butts across the floor, sammie does it too
Scootin butts. Couple reason I can think of for that. 1) anal glands, 2) worms, 3) to get any that might be stuck or in fur, 4) I swear they use the carpet like we use toilet paper.
Since Bupe is opiod based, at least in humans it contributes to constipation. I don't think gabapentin is an offlabel seizure medication I don't think it contributes as much to the constipation. Hope the boot scooting boogie slows down and he gets back to feeling better soon. Are you using any miralax or other herbal stool softeners?
Lucy, do you have Rescue Remedy ? It’s what I use for calming ( myself and them ). If lactoulose causes a problem remember pumpkin, SEB and Natural Moves . These are my go-to Poop producers
The vet just called to see how Squallie is doing, and we talked about putting him on prednisolone. I know it will play merry hell with his BG, but I'm not too worried about that at this point. He has to come off the Piroxicam for a while, ideally a month, to prevent ulcers, but we don't have that much time to try and shrink this thing, so he would start it on Thursday, most likely. I would greatly appreciate any input anyone might have on this idea, as soon as possible, so I can make the decision of whether or not to try it. Thanks in advance.
Right now he's on Miralax, Lactulose, and Cisapride. I have SEB but haven't tried it because he wasn't eating wet food reliably, same issue with pumpkin. I don't want to syringe anything if I don't absolutely have to. A HV just recommended Fen-Cho to me, I may give it a try. Not familiar with Natural moves but will check it out. I am not sure about the bupe and constipation. I've had some folks say it does, and some say it doesn't....Right now he seems content and not in any discomfort so I'm not going to give it at this point, anyway. No butt scooting for a couple of hours, no travelling from pan to pan, either. I can hear his tum rumble, so something's going on in there.
I think the pred would be very beneficial at this point Lucy. It would reduce any inflammation in his colon and possibly shrink the mass also. At this point, it's definitely worth trying, IMO. added: and probably increase his appy as well. It does this in humans so why not cats, right? You will be supported here whatever decision you make on this.
Dear Lucy - I wish I knew more about the meds you are asking about but I don't have much to offer on that front. One point I wanted to make about pumpkin is that it works by adding bulk to the stool. At this point, given what you have said about the troubles Squallie is having, I don't think you want to add bulk, so I would avoid that and any other fiber or fiber product such as squash or psyllium husk (or if you do use anything that adds bulk - do so vary sparingly). Sending prayers of healing and hope for you both!
I don’t know about Natural Moves for him then , Lucy . I have to mix it with pumpkin and syringe it down Elmo because he hated it ( bitter).... switched to twice daily pumpkin(2 teaspoons) and SEB twice a day ....civvies will eat pumpkin(but then again they’d eat cardboard ). But once again I have to warm it and syringe it down bull headed Elmo Agree with what Carol just said about pumpkin unless maybe it was watered down... all a mute point if you can’t syringe and he won’t eat it .
Hi Lucy, Rusty had the pred shot (once a month for several months) and I think it helped him to feel better. His problem at the time was sinus congestion, however, not constipation. It certainly took down the inflammation and the difference at first was miraculous (less so as we went on). The rise in bgs of course happened. But that was controlled by a bit more insulin. His diabetes regulation suffered. But that was a small price to pay for feeling better. We used lactulose (mixed into FF Tender Turkey Kitten food) after the vet removed most of a tumor that apparently grew quickly and was situated in his anus and may have been partially blocking it. He recovered quickly from the surgery. Lactulose was supposed to soften his stools so that the surgical site could heal, but I don't think it softened them very much. In any event, the only problem with his stools after the surgery was that they came out in pieces after he left the litterbox (after the main stool had been deposited in the litterbox). "Scooting" is usually because the anal glands need to be "expressed". Let the vet (or the tech) do it!!! Sending more vines for Deputy Squallie.
Squallie's vet is talking about a pill, I guess a daily dose. Kind of a last ditch effort to shrink this mass. Says we'll see results in about a week, IF it works. He's not convinced it will work but offered it as an option, to hopefully gain Squallie some more time. 'Cause right now we are looking at a very short time.
I have been thinking about Squallie lately. I am happy to hear he is eating for you. I hope he continues to do so, and many hugs your way.
I am starting to get concerned that I have not seen him pee since he got home from the vet yesterday. Can anybody tell me what symptoms I should be looking for if he has a blockage or something of that sort going on?
You can dose around the prednisolone and it may help him with discomfort especially if it means keeping the mass at bay or maybe shrink it a bit. I used it as a Hail Mary for one of my dogs with cancer. It did shrink the cancer in about 3 days but it was not a cure. I wont tell you the sad details, but it did give me a few days to figure things out. I would watch to see if Squallie becomes bloated, uncomfortable to the point of walking and not resting. If it is a rather large mass, I am sure he feels the "pressure" of it in his belly. I am so sorry Lucy...my heart is just breaking for you and your stripped little man right now. Vines for clarity and peace.
You are seeing it with the frequent LB visits, straining. Hard to say if that is front end or back end "discomfort". Can you isolate him with a LB for an hour or so and see if he pees?
He's been isolate ever since he came home from the vet yesterday afternoon. Unless he's peeing somewhere besides the litter box, I'm not seeing any evidence of it. He hasn't been in the boxes straining since this morning, though. When should I pull the panic switch?
I agree with Tracey - give the prednisolone if he needs it, and dose around it. I got mine compounded chicken flavour. Yummy pred treats. The big online pharmacies can do that if you are tired of pilling. For pee, since my civvie had idiopathic cystitis, I was shown how to feel for the bladder size. It's on the right side, just beside his spine, underneath and a bit up from the tail. You should be able to feel a balloon squishy thing there. It's oval, lengthwise along the spine. I would reach under the tail from the back then off to the right a bit. You should be able to feel if it's distended. Maybe there's a video somewhere out there showing you where it is. Signs of blockage include frequent visits to the LB, maybe if lucky small dime sized pee bits, licking the "nether" regions. It's also really painful. Sending vines.
Lactulose and miralax both pull fluid into the bowel. I know you add water to his meals, but are you giving fluids? Maybe Beth is onto something with mild dehydration?
Thanks, Wendy. He isn't in pain, and no licking. He hasn't been to the LB in hours. His tum does look and feel distended, to me. I haven't had a chance to try to specifically feel for his bladder, he doesn't want me "messing" with his tum and for the moment, I'm letting him have his way. His bladder is always larger than most cats', freaks my vet out. What would be distended in any other cat is normal for Squallie, so makes it really hard to tell. I really appreciate the heads-up on the prednisolone. I'm just concerned that he won't have been off the piroxicam long enough and will get ulcers; but I'm willing to risk it if it may shrink that tumor.
He ate today, pretty well, actually. Doesn't seem dehydrated (got fluids at the vet yesterday). After prowling the LBs this morning, he has been pretty chilled out, doesn't seem uncomfortable. Maybe a little less active, but he's never real active, so hard to say. Not very purry - I only got one purr out of him today, about 20 minutes ago.
I didn't give it, he settled down and didn't seem to be in pain. I will ask his vet for another pain med, if he needs it. We don't need anything that might constipate him!
I'd be another for giving the pred a go . You need hugs & please give The Stripey Man a million teeny kisses from me .
Lucy, if you send me your address in a PM, I will send you some of the Natural Moves capsules if you think Squallie will eat his food with it mixed it. This way, you can try it out before committing to buying some. My boys detect it in the first AM meal and their first PM meal so I sometimes have to crush a few YA drys on top or sprinkle some florti flora to get them to eat that meal with it the Natual Moves in it. I also give miralax but I have found that giving 1/4 of the capsule ( which is more like a maintenance dose) in the food twice a day keeps them moving better.
Lucy, you are amazing ❤️❤️ No one could love Squallie more or better...he knows he is loved and that you are giving him the best of care and watchfulness . We are all with you both , with love , vines, thoughts and prayers constantly ...my prayer is that all of it surrounds and holds you both . ❤️
I know it's not easy, but try to focus on today and not think about what may happen and when. Make the most of each day you have with Squallie and give him lots of loving. You're doing your best for him and he knows that. Sending prayers for you and Squallie.
Rusty had the pred shot because it was impossible to give him anything by mouth. The shot does begin to wear off, but it's only supposed to be given once in a 30-day period. Sending lots of vines and hugs and scritches this evening.
I would go for the pred. If it works an makes him feel better that's all good. So you adjust insulin it's not the worst thing. Your doing what's best for Squallie.
I agree with Wendy and Jill. Doses can be adjusted. Many prayers and vines for Squallie. BTW, if he has a urinary tract blockage, he will try and pee. It’s not that he won’t even try....if he had to go, he will try but if there’s a blockage, he will strain and strain.
Pred worked for Porto as well, we had to stop because of diabetes diagnostic but it worked marvels for him. I hope it does the same for Squallaie! Porto also has a stone in his baldder and that caused cystitis a couple of times, it was hard for him to urinate. He was going to the litter box, back and forth, trying to pee. I assume it is the same with a blockage, he would become restless not being able to empty the bladder. Sending lots of healing vines and hugs, I hope he is feeling better now that his tummy has relief from constipation!
Lucy, You and Squallie are in my thoughts and in my prayers... have been for days. The power of prayer is strong and real.
((Lucy)) I don't have any experience with pred and the mass Squallie has or the risks associated. However after Doodles was dx with HCM/CHF and on a high dose of meds for a year we believe also developed asthma which was causing him to "choke"...not breath. The only treatment was to add pred BUT because of the risks of giving pred to a cat with CHF were so great they wouldn't prescribe it. There was nothing more we could do to keep my boy comfortable and the end result was inevitable....he was likely going to choke and gasp for air in the end which would be a horrible way for him to go. I had to make myself listen to Doodles as there was nothing more we could do. You know Squallie and what ever you decide is the right thing. Sending loads of thoughts and prayers for you and your sweet boy
