What is the treatment for megacolon in cats?
How is megacolon treated? Usually, a medical approach is tried first, with surgery reserved for unresponsive or advanced cases. A medical approach involves the use of laxatives, stool softeners, colon wall stimulants, and high fiber diets.
Is megacolon in cats curable?
Even cisapride, a prokinetic agent, can stimulate only those feline colonic smooth muscles that are functional. 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.
Should a cat with megacolon be put down?
When megacolon is present, constipation responds poorly to medical therapy. Without surgical treatment, megacolon may become an intolerable problem, with euthanasia of the cat as the probable outcome. Subtotal colectomy is now established as a satisfactory treatment for idiopathic megacolon in cats.
How Long Can cats live with megacolon?
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 often do cats with megacolon poop?
Megacolon most commonly occurs in middle-aged, male, domestic shorthair cats. Stools may appear smaller than normal or be absent during episodes of constipation. Usually, affected cats pass a large amount of dry and hard stool one to three times per week.
Is megacolon fatal in cats?
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.”
Why is my senior cat not pooping?
If a cat is holding her stool longer than normal, constipation can occur as the intestines reabsorb too much water when the stool sits in them for too long. Reasons for this include obesity, stress and anxiety, pain from arthritis or anal gland issues, a blockage, or even some kinds of cancer.
Is human miralax safe for cats?
Recently PEG containing laxatives (Miralax) have been recommended for use in cats. In humans PEG laxatives have been shown to be safe and effective with few adverse side effects.
What to do for a cat with idiopathic megacolon?
Cats with mild or moderate forms (or perhaps those with early stages of the disease) often benefit from increased dietary fiber, administration of laxatives or stool softeners of various kinds, and drugs called prokinetic agents (like cisapride) that stimulate the muscles of the colon.
What kind of cat has obstipation megacolon?
Megacolon with obstipation is most commonly diagnosed in middle aged, male domestic shorthaired, domestic longhaired, and Siamese cats.
How old do cats have to be to get megacolon?
Cats affected with idiopathic megacolon are usually between 5–9 years old. Diagnosing the condition usually happens long after constipation has been present, especially in a multiple cat household, or when cats are indoor/outdoor.
What are the causes of idiopathic megacolon?
There are many potential causes of obstipation, including congenital megacolon (presumed to be due to developmental abnormalities of the intestinal nervous system) and either congenital, traumatic, or acquired diseases of the bones in the pelvis, but over half result from idiopathic megacolon.