Are there non-surgical treatment options for my cat's megacolon?

Megacolon can be very difficult to treat. I've had good results with Royal Canin's FIber Response diet so you could ask your vet about this prescription diet as an option for Bobi for long term management. It sounds like Bobi may be severely constipated now, and she may need to be hospitalized for IV fluids and multiple medications, or even manual deobstipation under anesthesia. There is also a surgery (subtotal colectomy) that can be performed that might help, so you could ask your vet about referral to a specialist.

I am so sorry for your loss. Megacolon is not particularly common in dogs. There is usually an underlying disease process that causes the colon to become larger than normal, making it difficult to impossible for pets to have a bowel movement. Some of the possible underlying causes include Myasthenia Gravis, severe chronic constipation, disease of the rectum or anus, and injury to the spinal cord or pelvic bones. If a pet is very young with megacolon, it can be a congenital deformity. Occasionally, we never discover the underlying cause; this would be an idiopathic case of megacolon. There are several different treatment options that can help manage mild-to-moderate megacolon, including enemas, medications to stimulate colon contraction, or laxatives or stool softeners, as well as directly treating the underlying cause if known. I am a veterinary acupuncturist and have had moderate success in treating megacolon cats with acupuncture as it is another modality that can cause colon contraction and decrease pain. Abdominal massage can also aid in comfort and stimulating the colon. Occasionally, you have to physically express the stool from the colon if the pet will allow. As I mentioned above, megacolon is not common in dogs. It can be much harder to manage than megacolon in cats simply due to size of the pet. I hope this information has answered your question. If there is anything more we can discuss about megacolon or problems specific to your pet, or tips on handling grief after the loss of a pet, please choose a consult and we can discuss things further.

Hi there. I am sorry to hear that your pet, Simon suffered from this disease. It can indeed be devastating and very hard for the pet to live with. I am sorry to hear that medications did not work for him-even when we try our very hardest to do the best for every patient-some of them are just too sick. I'm sure your veterinarian did everything they could to help ease Simon's pain. My heart goes out to you.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Galaxy! I recommend cisapride, lactulose and Royal canine fiber response for constipated cats. Sometimes with the prescription diet it eliminates the need for most medications. If she isn't eating I would have her seen today and deobstipated (sedate and remove all feces) before the weekend. Then get the cisaride and food started. Sometimes refractory cases need partial removal of their colons. I wish you the best!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Feeding high fibre food is the key in managing megacolon. Please, try Royal Canin Fibre Response - it is a very good diet that hopefully will be more tasty for Yzma than Hill's.

It's possible it will pass but sometimes it can't. I recommend to call your vet and get a time line for when Dexter needs to come back in if he does not pass the stool. These cats often benefit from fluid therapy. In severe cases this needs to be IV but as a maintenance therapy, it could be subcutaneous which you may be able to do at home. These cats often benefit from a high fiber diet and I recommend Royal Canin Fiber Response. Many cats do very well on this diet. I recommend to discuss this with your veterinarian. I hope this helps.

Ranitidine and Erythromycin have known intestinal prokinetic effects and will help with increasing gut motility. I prefer Cisapride over all other prokinetic drugs but these other 2 are a good source in the absence of Cisapride. I would discuss this with your veterinarian to decide which is the best option for your cat. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available for consultation if needed.