detecting obstruction in upper part of bowels

[peridito]

Just looking to offload/reassure myself/restore confidence in vets .

Our 18 year old male cat PTS on Friday . I've been back and forward to the vets with him ( 4 visits ,one before lock down ) telling them he's constipated .Hardly eating ,vomiting on eating ,vomiting water .

They've been checking him ( manual examination ) ,not finding evidence of constipation . Giving steroids.Vet thinking colitis and treat the symptoms .

His penultimate visit they could feel feces and he was given enemas and kept on site all day so that they could ensure the faeces was being expelled . Discharged with lactulose to be given.Steriod injection . And actually I don't believe he did pass anything at the vets that day .

After 2 days ,one episode of watery diarroeah ,nothing solid .Back to vets .Plan enema under sedation ,discover blockage higher up colon .
X ray reveals mass of feces ,staff amazed how much .

By bye kitty .

I just keep wondering how long he had been suffering .That I should have been more assertive with the vets and asked for an x ray .Poor boy with the steroids increasing his appetite and the pointless lactulose and enemas .

I was worried throughout that there might be a blockage but they didn't seem to believe me that he wasn't passing anything .Said he could have been straining to pass diarreah . I said no ,no ,tiny mucousy pellets sometimes .

Any thoughts ? Obviously I'm upset .And I get that it must be difficult if the blockage isn't at the tail end where they would check for feces.

So sorry for your loss. It's heartbreaking

I do think they should have been more thorough, only because one of my old cats, now gone, went through something similar. The first time I noticed him struggling, I took him to the vet straightaway and she told me how serious this can be for cats, and that she would have to keep him in until she was satisfied that she'd extracted everything. She could feel a huge blockage from examining his tummy as well as his rectum. He was diagnosed with megacolon and I was under instruction to call her day or night when he was having difficulty. She was very firm about this. He did have a few worrying episodes and she told me to bring him in for emergency enemas, even on a Sunday and the day she was going on holiday. We eventually managed to control his problem with a daily dose of liquid paraffin. He had megacolon for about 5 years, but he lived to 20. I have to say that this is one condition that I dread any of my cats having. It was so stressful.

Thank you wanttobe . It's helpful to read your post . Something to be aware of .

My poor old boy .Cats so internalise their pain . He purred a bit just before the end .

It helps to discuss this on here as I dare not mention my worries to other household members .No point in adding to distress .