Mission
Animal Hospital and Feline Constipation
Affordable Animal CLinic Granada HIlls INC
Located in the San Fernando Valley, 16907 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Granada Hills Ca, 818-363-8143
Our Veterinarians are waiting to help you
Older cats sometimes
develop constipation, resulting in less frequent bowel movements.
This leads to dry, hard stools which cause pain and difficult straining
when the cat attempts to have a bowel movement.
There
are many causes of feline constipation. Some common causes include foreign bodies (string, hair, bones), tumors,
pelvic fractures, spinal cord damage, and intestinal scars from other injuries.
MEGACOLON is
a condition in cats where the colon becomes very dilated and is unable to
contract sufficiently to evacuate the stools from the body.
The major cause of this condition is thought to be some type of damage to
the nerve supply controlling the muscles of the colon.
Retention
of fecal material can have a very detrimental effect on the cat. Digested
food that stays in the intestine too long will begin to “spoil” and
“rot.” When this occurs, the
bacterial and toxins produced by the rotting food may then be absorbed into the
bloodstream making the cat very sick, sometimes resulting in death.
DIAGNOSIS
is usually confirmed very easily after
obtaining a detailed history and performing a physical examination.
Sometimes radiographs (x-rays) are necessary to determine the extent of
the problem or to locate the presence of strictures or a foreign body.
Blood tests are sometimes necessary in order to evaluate other body
systems that may have been damaged.
PROGNOSIS.
Many cats will have recurrent
problems with constipation and require long-term
medications to ensure proper nerve stimulation and muscle contraction of the
intestine.
TREATMENT
is directed at the specific cause of the constipation.
Treatment may include manual removal of the bowel movements, cleansing
enemas, laxatives, nerve stimulants, antibiotics, and sometimes even surgery
when the condition cannot be controlled with medications.
16907 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Granada Hills, Ca. 91344 818-363-8143
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