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I recently had to put my kitty to sleep. He was 2 1/2 years old and dealing with leaking at times, then blockages. He had this issue for over a year. We switched him to the Purina prescription wet cat food for Urinary Tract issues. He wasn’t a fan of drinking water from a bowl, so we added 1-2oz of water to his wet food. His total water intake was about 8-9oz of water daily (He was only an 8lb cat and the water also includes what the canned food provided.) He was hospitalized 3 or 4 times — the last time he was in the ER for 14 days. The vet didn’t put the catheter in correctly for the first time — causing major urine scolding on his rear end. They did the catheter correctly for another 7 days. A month later, blocked again. With his issue, PU surgery was not an option. His blockages and urethra damage was too far up close to the bladder — this was told to us by multiple vet opinions. With multiple vet opinions, the only suggestion with the last blockage was to do the same 7 day catheter to help the urethra repair again. Our primary vet was honest with us and said that this option would help him, but wasn’t sure if we would ever have a permanent solution to his blockages. In total, we probably spent upwards of $15,000 with all of these issues over the year (The 14 day emergency room stay was $6,500). Money was not a factor for my wife and I — If I knew we could actually fix him and give him a good quality life, I couldn’t put a price tag on it. With a lot of discussion, we decided it was best to put him to sleep. Feeling good for a weeks or a month, then blocking again, then lengthy procedures wasn’t fair for him. It’s been 3 days since we put him to sleep and I can’t help but feel guilt like we didn’t do everything we possibly could do. I did so much deep diving in google for ANYTHING — I read up on stents, bypasses, etc. I truly don’t think there was anything else we could. It would help me feel better if you could give you opinion on if we did everything we could. Thank you!
My min pin is diabetic. He’s been having some digestive issues getting his diet right with his insulin. I’ve noticed the last month or so that his butt has started getting puffy. Last night it was a little red but, he hasn’t been scooting or biting at it. I also have noticed some slimy covering on his stool at times. I’ve been giving him probiotics and since then his poo has been the color of the probiotics, like a chicken boil union cube.
Hello,
I’m not quite sure of what you are describing. There isn’t enough information to assess this? For example I have no idea what a puffy butt refers to? Is it possible to follow up with your vet for an exam and explain to them in person? I’m not sure if there is a problem here or not but I do know that diabetes is one of the most difficult conditions to manage and it requires a lot of help from the vet staff to manage well.
Best of luck.
5 Yr old rescue cat named Maew. Indoor/outdoor. Severe mega colon with constipation/ostibation related to nerve damage from having her tail removed by a dog when she was a kitten.
We have had her in and out of the vet many times for enemas and have done everything we can to keep her going. Laxatives, lots of exercise, diet changes We are out of options and considering colon surgery.
I need a magical diet/food remedy to help her mega colon issues. She actually did well for a few years on high fiber dry food. But that time is over and we are trying every food option to keep her hydrated and avoid colon issues.
We do regular manual palpitation also.
Help help help!
She’s always been there for us with an encouraging head boop and now we have to be there for her. We will never give up! She’s a survivor and deserves much more time with our family
We have been very diligent with miralax, lactalose, and such. We need some hippy-voodoo magic!
In all honesty, I’d keep her indoors due to the injury and the likelihood she’ll end up injured further, especially if she ends up separated from you by a well-meaning human thinking she’s a stray. I would also talk with your vet further about that surgery.
Saturday I was working in the yard and later came across poison ivy. My 6 year old lab was out with me and I’m worried I touched his toy with poison ivy hands or his toy touched poison ivy. Should I be concerned that he will get poison rash in his mouth?
Hello
I wouldn’t worry. I’ve never seen a problem with this and I am surrounded by it and my dogs are too.
Our 5 month old male kitten has severe obstipation. After xray he was admitted to Vet Hospital on Mon Nov 7th. Treatment has been sub cutaneous fulids ( no IV’s) several saline enemas with sedation, oral miralax, and recent start of lactulose. No stool results as confirmed by xray. My question is 1) can a mineral oil enemas soften the hardened stool and 2) is there a way to aspirate the stool with a small suction catheter. I have limited finances and cannot keep him in the hospital much longer. Thanks for any suggestions you might have.
Hello,
In cases like this it is imperative to figure out who this is happening. No amount of removing the feces is helpful if you cannot resolve why it is occurring. Fluids, warm water enemas and even manual extraction are all options (you cannot suction it out as it is too hard to do so). Diet change and exercise are the best places to start if (big IF) this is resolvable. If your cat has an underlying problem that has to be addressed. Call and ask for help from every rescue and shelter and put out a social media plea for help.
Please help my rescue kitty with a polyp in his pharynx!
I recently took in a rescue kitty. He was treated for upper respiratory infection. However, it keeps returning and he always sounds like he is snoring. The vet he was seeing suspects a polyp. However, he isn’t able to remove it. I can’t afford to take him to specialist. Please help! I will travel to you to have him seen.
Hello,
I recommend that you call every local rescue and shelter to see if you can find someone who is willing to help you. There are many vets who will try and do this affordably. I am in northern Maryland. If you find someone close to you please share their information with us so we can pass it along to others.
I think my 2 month old foster kitten may have a nasal polyp. I’m working with a vet who doesn’t think she has a polyp because he says she’s too young to have one. We’ve tried a couple of antibiotics and nothing has worked yet. Her breathing is getting louder and she breathes with her mouth open while holding her head up when she sleeps. I had 2 other kittens last year that had polyps with the same symptoms. After 5 months of trying to treat the congestion with antibiotics, during spay surgery, both were found to have very large polyps. I don’t want to wait that long with this little one.
Do you think it is possible for a 2 month old kitten to have a polyp? If so, what is the earliest age for exploratory/removal of the polyp? Thank you!
Hello
I don’t think being too young is a reason to not look for one. I know many rescues and shelters who spay and neuter this young.
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Hello my cat is 15 1/2 years old and has a heart condition and the herpes virus. He has a nose polyp. It was extracted twice from his left nostril. Now he is not eating . I have been putting a ointment in his ear so he will eat. He does eat but only purée foods. He wants to eat his dry cat food but it seems like he can’t. I brought him to the vet they sent me to a specialist who wants a lot of money to find the polyp and remove.
I watch the YouTube video of you removing a polyp from a cat and the cost and that is so much more reasonable. Do you know anyone in the ny area that would perform the same procedure at close to what you charged? Where are you located? Would you do it?
I just want so much to help my cat.
Thank you,
Pat
Hello
At rhis age I am most concerned about infection and cancer. I think it is best for a full blood work and X-ray as the place to start. I think a polyp is very unlikely in your cats case. I hope this helps.
I have two dogs who made “friends” with a skunk about a week ago. I have bathed them in hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, dawn dish soap. Also had the bathed at the groomer and then bathed them again at home with Skunk Out shampoo. The still smell but not too badly. What seems to really stink is when they open their mouths. I use Fresh Dental in their water with limited success. Any other suggestions?
You can use traditional methods like putting cardamom or fennel seeds in his mouth. This is a temporary solution. I hope this will be helpful. Lemon or vinegar can also be helpful.
My cat will not leave my bed. He lives on my bed. What’s going on and what can I do about?
Is this a question?
Do you provide him a reason and opportunity to leave?
How old is he? Can he move properly without pain? Can he jump? How is his behaviour in general. Did it change?
I’d suggest a visit to your vet, to make sure he isn’t in pain or has other problems that make it hard for him to leave your bed.
If he is healthy and can move normally – does he have reason to leave your bed? Where does he get food, play time, cuddle time?
My previous cat lived on my bed for a few weeks when he was 24, was blind and had dementia. It started with him not being able to jump my on my bed or jumping down. he woudl sort of climb on it and to get down he woudl stand at the edge and meow until I helped him down.
Offering him a stair didn’t help. So I helped him up and down at the beginning. But he slowly lost the ability to find his way around the room and stayed more and more on my bed. He just wasn’t able to find his way around the room anymore.
I guess any limited space would have done, but he would cry out if I wasn’t close, and my bed was always his favourite place. So it was the easiest this way.
Hello
I’m so sorry to hear about your kitty. These cases and this condition sometimes go like this. As much as we try to do everything to avoid them they do happen. Urethral tears and complications from unblocking happen because the area is so sensitive and the tissue so thin and fragile and the force and effort so intense to try to unblock. There is no way around these misfortunate unhappy endings with some of these. It’s why so many cases don’t even get to the point of unblocking. We have to explain that things like this can happen and lots of cats reblock and the cost can escalate quickly and still a cat may not survive.
I hope that you take great comfort in trying. It sounds like you really did do all that you could have.
I refer to this as part of the grief process. I have been in your shoes many many times. Heartbroken, emotionally devastated and still without my best companion. Time will help and you just have to believe you did the best you could.
Thank you for sharing your story. I would like to add it to our storyline section. And build a data base for others to share.
If interested please email me at Krista@pawbly.com.
Sending ❤️