Cat vomiting: Is surgery the only option for intestinal blockage?

Hello. With Ginger vomiting, I would be very concerned that she may have a blockage in her upper small intestines where an enema will never reach. After 24 hours, it is now time to seek veterinary attention. Poor Ginger will continue to deteriorate due to dehydration & loss of electrolytes. Often, just with the use of IV fluid therapy & the judicious use of laxatives & motility modifying medications, a blockage can sometimes resolve on its own in the hospital. Otherwise, this may require surgery if there is a firm, non-moving obstruction. Please have Ginger evaluated as soon as possible to hopefully get her back to normal quickly. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It sounds like tour friends dog will need to surgery to save its life. Unfortunately, if the obstruction has not passed yet it is unlikely that it will. The longer the surgery is delayed the higher the likelihood that the bowel tissue will be damaged and cannot heal. There is also a risk that the bowel can perforate causing the dog to become septic. It is important that the surgery be performed immediately in order to give the dog the best chance of survival.

Antibiotics are needed as soon as possible as this presentation will result in a severe infection. Intestinal loops must be kept inside the abdomen as they dehydrate quickly. A stitch up and a bandage is needed to maintain abdominal organs inside. Unfortunately the prognosis without treatment is guarded and euthanasia may be a reasonable option.

No this is not generally something that will repair itself. A perforation of the intestines needs to be operated on surgically in order to heal. The mesentery in the intestines will attempt to plug the hole by adhering to the area, but this is not guaranteed and also has a high risk of peritonitis (infection in the belly) as well as creating a rent (hole that other abdominal organs can then get trapped in). Therefore, the best advise is to surgically close the hole, investigate the area to make sure no foreign material needs to also be removed, and then flush the belly to clear out any septic material. I hope that this information was helpful. Best wishes and take care.

Hi there. Poor Mittens! Unfortunately with her history I would highly recommend having her seen as soon as possible-she could be blocked (it actually sounds like she is). It is possible she could pass it with laxatives and iv fluids without surgery (your vet would have to do x rays to determine this). The sooner she gets checked out the better if it's already been a while. I hope all goes well and my best to you both!

I would recommend to take her to the vet ASAP. The concern with the bracelet is that is is causing a blockage in her intestine. The signs of this are not eating and lethargy. You will generally see vomiting as well. Blockages are serious and are fatal if they are not surgically corrected. There could be other reasons like pancreatitis or severe inflammation but you need to be sure there's not a blockage. I hope Sugar starts feeling better quickly!

Because the string isn't passing, and Cloud is having problems with constipation and straining, I would say that the string is causing problems and I would consider having surgery to have it removed. After two weeks, it's likely not going to pass on it's own, so in my opinion, surgery is the best solution.