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allison and Bubbles

allison and Bubbles

Member Since 2018
HELP...hello everyone its Allison missing Bubbles and Mor Mor ...I have a new kitty as some of you may know...last night he ate about TWO feet of ribbon from a present I guess that someone had been given in this rooming house...I am really worried...this is new to me...the ribbon was about 3/4 of a cm in thickness...I am up all night...I phoned vet ...but it was too late to induce vomiting ...he ate the string approximately 10hrs ago...nothing in litter box and no signs of distress...what will happen?
 
Hi Allison, I don't have a definitive answer but I'd ring the vet again if I were you... that's a LOT of ribbon. Something similar happened to my Sapphire a year or so ago (she ate some wool) - I never did find out what happened to it but I reckon there are three possibilities: either the ribbon will break down as part of the digestive process and you may not notice it in the litter box, or it might emerge in identifiable piece(s) in the box, or it could wrap itself around something inside kitty (let's hope not). It might depend on what the ribbon was made of perhaps and if it's readily broken down by digestive enzymes... I wouldn't like to say but I'd definitely put a call in to the vet to update them and see what they suggest.

Good luck and let us know what happens...
 
YIKES!!!!

That's.... a lot of ribbon. I don't have any experience in this, so I don't know what to tell you to do other than wait for word from the vet. On the one hand, it's wide and flat enough that I think it's unlikely to wrap around something like string would, but it's such a long piece I don't know how it would be expected to progress through the digestive tract. Best case, like Diana says, it gets broken down. Worst case, it will have to be removed surgically.

The good news is that you know it happened and can be proactive about dealing with it asap. I've heard horror stories where by the time the vet figured out what was going on, the cat was too weak to survive the necessary surgery :(.
 
Thanks Diane and Amber...yes I have called the vet and yes they suggested bringing him in which of course I would like to do...but the cost is actually quite horrendous ...they would first do xrays...then likely want to keep him there at the cost of 600dollars per 12 hrs...omg...this is a nightmare...I have had many cats on my life but none that wanted to eat ribbons...it is dangerous to do nothing also...as if the ribbon constricts any part of his intestine it can spell disaster...septic shock...I think the vets would do the same thing as me...watch and wait ...I dont think they would be able to tell much from an xray quite honestly...this very scary...
 
That's a crazy cost estimate for just x-rays and watch-and-wait. Obviously, the cost will zoom up if he does need surgery, but just keeping him for 12hrs?? Is this an ER vet you talked to? When does your regular vet open?
 
Amber...yes this is the regular cost...just typed you a long message that would not go through so testing this one...my reg vet opens in five hrs...honestly I cant imagine they can determine much from an xray...I think they would do a watch and see like me...?
 
Oh he ate in IN PIECES... that's a lot different from a long length of ribbon that could cause a lot more damage. I'd say most probably it will appear before too long.
 
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Diana...having trouble sending and receiving messages...someone else kindly responded but I am unable to open the text...strange...but yes...I do believe it was in pieces...this is my best guess as I dont think he would have been able to swallow a long length of ribbon and plus I found a two inch piece on the bed beside him before I took it away!
 
Hi Allison. How scary! Do you think giving lactulose or a hairball remedy would help move the pieces out? I have no idea if that’s a good plan, but maybe something to ask your vet. Please keep us posted
 
Hi Sharon!!! long time no speak!! Yes I just gave him some laxamed ...which is a very greast substance used to ease things moving in the digestive tract...yes very frightening indeed...altho I should have mentioned I do believe it was not swallowed in one long piece but rather chewed into maybe two or three inch bits...but still...I am a wreck...up all night with no plans on any sleepage...not anytime soon...the vet said come in for xrays and leave him "with us" which would be ideal in a world where there was an endless supply of money...it is extremely expensive here to leave kittys in for observation...in tbe hundreds...plus an xray is not likely to be indicative of what the digestive tract ceels like doing "next"...know what I mean?
 
my typing skills seem to be revealing how tired I am...I did read over and over that yes this can be life threatening...on the internet ...so I am on high alert...this is brand new to me...it says to watch for 12 to 24 hrs...omgosh ...I am into hour 12...kitty looks fine...is resting peacefully...but no bowel movements...is this normal do you think? I dont know how long it takes for bowel movements to happen
 
I hope the laxamed produces results soon! I think keeping him home and relaxed is fine. You can observe him and get him to the vet if he starts acting out of the norm. When was his last poop? I think once or twice a day is fine. Is he eating normally?
 
Was it the plastic-y kind of ribbon commonly used for helium balloons? The kind where if you pull it along the edge of scissors it curls up?

I had a kitty that would ALWAYS find and eat those ribbons, no matter how good I thought I was about keeping them out of reach. Luckily for us, he always puked the ribbon pieces back out (like a ribbon hairball) within a few days.

I completely stopped keeping ribbon in the house - even if someone brought a gift into the house for whatever reason - "Sorry, Rho will eat this and get sick, do you want to take it off and put it in your car or we should toss it now."
 
keeping him relaxed is actually very important ...I just realized when I read your post...bc we all know what tension does to the digestion process...HALT....good point...!....I do not know what to expect here at all but any signs of illness and its off to the vets immediately ...this will truly test how long I can stay up...already been awake for 36 hrs...many more to go it looks like...until I see some action...
 
Hi Kimberbee...YES it was exactly that type of ribbon...thicker than usual tho...3/4 cm thick...not the very thin kind...oh no so I can expect kitty to be getting sick soon...and likely many times over...oh boy...it was a huge amt..like two feet of it....I guess from your description it sounds as tho it is not digestable? the vet said after two hrs of ingestion it would likely not be in his tummy anymore but meandering into his digestive tract....hmmm....maybe your experience tells a different story...and yes he seems to be completely entranced by the stuff like a magnet to it...
 
do you still have eight kitties then? and yes...I lost two kitties in a row aswell...it has taken a huge toll...bigger than I expected ...but yes having Beenie here has been an enormous help but even today I was still misty eyed about my last loss...the pain lingers...glad you are doing ok and that your other kitties buffer some of the pain...this is the first "young" kitty ( 5 yrs old) I have adopted in years...six previous kitties were all senior sick rescues that I happily took on...but decided this time around my soul needed a break from the imminent heartache of caring for the old and sick and then their leaving...it was too much...I sure didnt expect to deal with vets for a long time...but here we may go...I am actually quite worried bc of the amt he ingested...
 
I actually have 10 kitties still. I’ve decided not to take in any more right now because of the pain. Pete and Sam last year then Colin and Jack this year. I’m hoping I can have a sick free year or two before any more problems arise. Last year to ease the sadness I repainted the living room and this year I did my bathroom and will do the bedroom. For some reason the new colors perk me up a bit and maybe the distraction of choosing colors and painting helps too. Absolutely be vigilant, but try not to worry too much about Beenie (Ha! Easier said than done!!!)
 
Just had a thought-- are you sure he ate all that? Is it possible he was playing with it and hid it somewhere? I mean, that's a lot of ribbon for a cat to eat, I can't even imagine how he did it.

Would be such a relief if you suddenly found it somewhere!
 
yes I really hoped for the same thing...it is nowhere around...but yes I truly am scared about the sheer amount...and also that he hasnt had a BM in twelve hrs now ...gave him laxamed...he is in no discomfort...no nausea...I can barely comprehend this myself...
 
Allison, try to stay calm. You have to be 100% positive he ate it, look everywhere and dig through the litter if you have to. As you know sick cats will crawl into the back of closets or way under the bed so we have to be sure he didn't yak it up already. If you find it wash it off and measure it to see how much came back out.
You're not the first person to have this happen so no guilt. Many years ago we stupidly hung tinsel in our Christmas tree and Jasper got into it. He pooped it out in one long piece.
I need input from other members on this. There are a lot of times inducing vomiting is not a good idea even if something has just been swallowed. We're past that point now anyway.
Depending on what the ribbon is made of his digestive juices may not break it down and that might actually be a good thing because then it won't stay in his GI tract for a week.
Something like string could be worse because it will not necessarily ball up. There are too many if's now and I'm not a doctor so...
The cost may seem high but the vet will be assuming care of what may be a situation where they have to keep a constant watch on him. Your vet becomes ethically obligated to not just say "He'll probably be okay". Think of how you would feel if they just put him in a crate somewhere, no one was watching and he began to choke or bleed from this. You would want to know how the vet could be so stupid. I'm not trying to be nasty, this is why vets sign an oath and carry insurance.
Again I need input from others on this. I can't say whether or not you should feed him but if he at least wants food that would be a good thing. Water would be okay.
Do not let him crawl into some space you can't get him out of. I've had to flip a king size bed because a sick cat had planted himself under there and he was not going to come out no matter what.
A lot of this you know already, I'm not being condescending. Stay calm and we'll deal with the money and everything else later.
 
Hi Dickson...yes I have searched everywhere. .he never leaves my room so it isnt hard to see it is nowhere to be found...I am going to keep vigil on him all day...I am not sure what else to do...I dont have the funds to take him into hospital for observation. ..it is hundreds of dollars per day here...not sure why ...but way out of my budget and I am pretty sure they would be monitering the same things I am ...lethargy....nausea...signs of discomfort...I cannot sleep at all...
 
I AM NOT A DR, THIS IS JUST MY EXPERIENCE!!

So, yes, my sweet little Rho could sniff out, find, and chew up that type of ribbon in an instant! It happened many times before I put my foot down and said, "NO MORE RIBBON IN THE HOUSE!!"

It never seemed to upset his stomach for more than a couple days, but it did take a couple days for it to come out. In the mean time, his bathroom and eating habits were still pretty normal. He would sometimes puke up a bit of food before the ribbon came out, which was pretty normal for him weather it was a hairball or somthing he shouldn't have eaten - it was like a clue to me that I'd soon find a hairball or puke-ball of some kind soon.

Personally, I never took him in for ingesting something like this. He always ate and drank well, was never unusually lethargic, so I didn't see the need. However, I know that when cats ingest strings it can get dangerous fast. If I were you, I'd keep and eye on Beenie, but try not to worry.

One time, I did not realize that Rho had chewed the rubbery string out of one of my shirts - you know, the kind that are sewn into the shoulders you're supposed to hang the shirt on so it doesn't get stretched? Well, one day he was scooting around weird on the floor because half of the string was hanging out his butt. After that, I always cut those strings out!!
 
Mia recently had issues with diarrhea, vomiting and would not eat. I had Cerenia and Bupe on hand which I managed her symptoms with. Because they persisted, I took her to the vet. While we were there - literally, while the vet was examining her - Mia started pooping out a piece of yarn maybe three inches long. I recognized it right away as coming from a bathroom rug I have. The vet told me how dangerous it is for a cat to eat yarn, string, ribbon, etc. It can wreak havoc on their intestines and become very serious. She did an x-ray to make sure she did not see any more and that there were no signs of the intestines being knotted up or anything. Fortunately, everything looked okay. She said we were very fortunate that Mia was eventually able to pass it and that it had apparently not done any lasting damage. It had, however, caused inflammation in her digestive system which the blood work results reflected. I never knew how serious it was for a cat to eat something like that. I never had a cat that did eat things like that, and I have no clue why Mia did. Now that I know, if it was my cat, and I was sure he/she had eaten all that ribbon, I would go in for an x-ray, and I would want to make sure I had medicine on hand for pain and nausea in case it is needed.

Oh, and Mia's symptoms persisted for about two weeks. When they eat a foreign object, it 'may' pass within a day, but it can stay in their system for much, much longer depending on how things go as it travels through their system.
 
Well I caved and am now at the vets facing a 550 dollar bill....that is if no surgery is involved...I wouldn't be so concerned ic it had been a small amount but anything over a foot has me way too concerned to hold off....they will put him on fluids all day and night in hopes to flush it out...
 
Keep us updated Allison. I know a vet's office can be a lonely place and Vancouver is an expensive place to live. You wouldn't be there if you didn't care. :bighug:
Take care of yourself today.
 
If it helps any I just squished up some wet dog food chunks for Noah and was down on my hands and knees begging him to eat. This is not how I imagined my "Golden Years" to be. You have another 30 years before you get to this point.
 
Oh Allison, I’m sorry you’re in this predicament! I do hope this passes quickly & without complications. We had a dog that ate tinsel & it came out ok. We had dog poo in the yard that glistened in the sun! He did not have any problems passing it so I’m hoping for the same for you. If it’s not one thing, it’s another with our cats! Bless you & many :bighug::bighug: sweetheart!
 
thank you guys and gals sooo much for your much needed support...feels so nice to connect to my awesome cyber friends....missed you folks...wish I had better news but vet said not only are both of Beenie's hips very injured and need surgery (he thinks she was dropped from a balcony and landed on her bottom end ...poor thing...he also is suggesting very invasive surgery to remove the ribbon (the kind you wrap presents with) bc there is a change it could cause an obstruction and then part of her intestines may need to be removed (dead tissue)....last but not least the surgery is over 2000.00...plus all the xrays ...check ups ...pain meds....not to mention how awful Beenie will feel for a week or more...wow...that was intense...I am waiting to see any signs of vomiting or anything out of the ordinary and then I take her in ...he expects she will begin to vomit and he at that point I should not risk leaving it any longer....penny for your thoughts?
 
Oh Allison:bighug: Did the vet think he needed surgery for the ribbon now, or just if he starts having trouble? What about giving more laxmed, did the vet agree that could help? As far as the hips, does he have trouble with them? Any lameness, trouble jumping, etc? Maybe you can start him on a joint supplement to help for now, with surgery an option in the future if necessary.
 
Oh, no....

So, they did the x-ray? Where is the ribbon presently?

Is the suggested hip surgery FHO or something else? Both hips? Yikes....
 
Sharon and Nan...the vet said it would better to perform the surgery while he thinks most of the ribbon is in his stomach...so he is saying rather asap...he said also that there is an unlikelyhood that Beenie will die from giving him another bit of time....I guess what he is saying is as soon as I see any vomiting I need to bring him in rather immediately bc vomiting is the sign that he is obstructed in some way...I cannot comment too much on his hips at this time as I was more concentrated on the immediate concern...say a prayer for us...love from Allison
 
Oh, my.

You must have a million things running around in your head. One more thought, though-- if she 100% needs the hip surgery sometime, is there any chance it could be combined with the ribbon removal, or would that be too complicated a procedure/too hard a recovery?

Oof. What a stressful situation.
 
allison and Bubbles said:
Sharon and Nan...the vet said it would better to perform the surgery while he thinks most of the ribbon is in his stomach...so he is saying rather asap...he said also that there is an unlikelyhood that Beenie will die from giving him another bit of time....I guess what he is saying is as soon as I see any vomiting I need to bring him in rather immediately bc vomiting is the sign that he is obstructed in some way...I cannot comment too much on his hips at this time as I was more concentrated on the immediate concern...say a prayer for us...love from Allison
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wow, I wouldn't wait.
 
I had a cat that ate a long piece of thread. It wrapped around the base of her tongue, where it anchored, and remained strung along her gastrointestinal tract into her intestines, where it eventually worked its way into her tissue and caused slow loss of blood that eventually caused death :( I had taken her into the vet when she started showing symptoms of distress, they could not figure out what was wrong with her, and eventually I was there when she was put down. The necropsy is how we found out what caused her death :(

Please, please, please take kitty to the vet ASAP.
 
After all you've been through and now this. Maybe Beenie fell from a balcony like Cynthia's first cat and it was not intentional. That won't make things any better but you will know he wasn't abused.
Gaylord (he came with that name) broke through Cynthia's screen and fell four floors but managed to land in some shrubbery, lived another 10 years without even a limp. Sometimes little miracles happen and if anyone deserves one it's Beenie and you Allison. Let's see how the ribbon goes and definitely get a second opinion on the hips. One step at a time and know that we are not going anywhere.
 
Did the vet see the string in an X-ray, or just thinks it’s in the stomach? Can you get a second opinion on that?
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
After all you've been through and now this. Maybe Beenie fell from a balcony like Cynthia's first cat and it was not intentional. That won't make things any better but you will know he wasn't abused.
Gaylord (he came with that name) broke through Cynthia's screen and fell four floors but managed to land in some shrubbery, lived another 10 years without even a limp. Sometimes little miracles happen and if anyone deserves one it's Beenie and you Allison. Let's see how the ribbon goes and definitely get a second opinion on the hips. One step at a time and know that we are not going anywhere.
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