My 11-year-old female DSH cat has been diagnosed with megacolon. Treatment (over a year) has consisted of frequent enemas and a daily oral injection of casapride and a stool softener, which I don’t think works any more. Is there something else that can be done, not involving surgery, which I think is too dangerous for her age.
Thank You
This is a terrible disease and very hard to manage. First make sure your cat is on the right dose of cisapride ( 2.5 mg for cats up to 10 lbs, 5 mg for 11-15 lbs, 7.5 mg if over 16 lbs given 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals) Lactulose is a common stool softener at 2-3 ml 3 times a day adjusting the dose to get soft formed stools. Other cats do well on Dulcolax or Colace. You can also add 1 tsp daily of flavorless Benefiber or Metamucil powder to your cat’s canned food. An all canned diet would be best, but if you need dry Purina EN is a good choice. It is a low residue food and easy to digest. You can only get it at your vet. Also Prescription diet ID by Hills comes in canned and dry.
If medical management doesn’t work Remember age is NOT a disease. look at risk factors for surgery – diabetes, heart, liver, kidney problems, pros and cons of after effects, quality of life now, ect… 11 is not old. Plenty of cats live until they are 17-21 these days. Talk to your vet about your options.
Good Luck,
Katherine Beachy, DVM
The Cat Clinic of Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Hi colonmom,
I understand your concern about surgery, and I see it as a last resort. Fortunately 11 years is not too old if all else fails and she’s in good health otherwise. As for medical treatment, I would start with a low residue diet like i/d or en. The cisapride should be given twice daily, anywhere from 2.5 mg to 10 mg (start low and work up). I will have clients try milk as a stool softener, but lactulose ( aka constilac, enulose) will work nicely but is more messy. I generally give that twice daily, anywhere from 1-3 ml. Regular exercise can help keep things moving too. If your cat is relatively thin, ask your vet to show you how to palpate her abdomen so you can check to find out if the stool is building up.
Good luck.
Lori L Coughlin, DVM
The Cat Practice
Oak Park, IL
11 years is not too old. I’m done megacolon surgery on much older patients.
Phillip McHugh, DVM
Park Veterinary Hospital
Durham, NC
Do go to the Yahoo groups support group for kitties & Cats of all ages with either Chronic Constipation, or Megacolon. It is a marvelous support group with lots of friendly advise from so many women mostly, who have cats with these problems. I am posting there often, also. And asking questions
One thing you may want to try is Miralax, if you live in the U.S> or if in Caaaanada it is called “Propeleyne Glycol 3500” (PEG3500)I a,m not sure I spelled that right–but ask your vet to get it for you. Apparently Shoppers in Canada carries it as over the counter–& usual dose is about 1/8th of a tsp. twice a day or more, but if your cat is ooping a liquid I’d be cutting him back & slowing down the meds if twice a day to once a day till he forms a solid stool. Has he been getting the Hills (Science Diet) o/d or g/d? Some use i/d but I think either get the o/d for a few weeks & then the g/d…………….are you letting him eat on his own or are you also syringe feeding him if he is not eating enough? Also these cats when well enough need the occasional bath so they do not have to continuously try to lick themselves, etc. Alsways start with talking soothingly, calmly & brush first to relax her. (Have the laundry tub ready with a large plastic bowl that will fit your cat, and at least cover half of her lower body. Just use a good all natural or organic human shampoo & after rinsing her thoroughly use a conditioner, I put a tsp. of it in a 1/2 cup warm water & mix well, & spread it over her back end, legs, tail, belly etc. a small amt. at a time…..a small amount goes a long way–this is really important too to give them bum baths if necessary, & wash the tail & bottom area & back legs. They may not like it at first, but they will be happy afterward. Make sure the water is warm, not hot! Keep the room warmyou are bathing him in–& have lots of jugs of warm water ready to rinse him, etc. Have 3 or 4 big thick towels ready to dry her off, & have a dry one handy for after you’ve towel dried her, & wrap it or drape it over her. Put another dry towl on the bed for him to lie on, & stay till he is half dry at least. Put heat on reather than let him get a chill. I give my cat Immunocal to support his immune system, condition the bowel, & overall health. I started with less than an 1/8th of a tsp. in wet.moist food. Note some feed baby food in the meat flavours (no beef to hard to digest!, not very much organ meats, either!) If he is not on a premium dry food do switch–one they like when rejecting everything else is Nutri Source (Milwakee, Minnisota) I also started supplementing a wee tiny bit of Advanced Ambrotose as he wont take ciasapride–throws it up–& he is going daily & softer stool than before that…also maybe take her back to Vet for I.V. fluids or get Sub Q Fluid/I.ZV. fluids under the skin…or if you can’t do that pick up a few syringes (not needle part) to use to give clear Gator Aid to get her electrolytes back on track–he sounds so dehydrated! Hope he is alright!
VERY HELPFUL MY POOR LITTLE GIRL WAS DIAGNOISED WITH THIS