Bunny, her story:

by Sue

Bunny is a rumpy manx; that is, she has absolutely no tail. When this deformity happens, the affected kitties normally do not have the correct neurological functions in the rear area. Bunny has always been incontinent and will dribble pee when she hops. She will also pee when she sleeps, and has to sleep on towels that we continually wash. She is now about 5 years old and was fine in the bowel movement department until about 6 months ago. She became bound-up (impacted) and couldn't defecate, and therefore didn't eat nor drink (nature's way of not overdoing the colon's storage).

I took her to the vet when I realized her problem. She had an enema and a through cleaning out from the vet. She had to be anesthetized to do it because of the severity of the impaction. About a month later I found her severely dehydrated and needing enemas again from the vet. We got her cleaned out and was treating her for the condition with subcutaneous fluids for her dehydration and canned pumpkin pie for the softening of the stools. When we went on vacation, I boarded her at the vet's for proper treatment while I was gone. When I got back, she was in still in such bad shape that the vet recommended putting her down. I held her and cried while trying to comfort her because she did not look like she was 'all there' in the head. I asked about the colon surgery and my vet said she probably would not have enough protein in her blood to seal the incisions after the surgery. I asked about getting blood transfusions to help her and after what he said (if you want the lowdown, I can tell you!) I decided to bring her home and try to get her well enough to operate on later.

Her treatment during this time was sub-q's for the dehydration, Lactulose (stool softener) and Propulsid (Helps expulsion) and daily enemas. The purpose of the colon is to remove the water from the digested elements and pack them together to eliminate them. When the colon gets a little impacted, the contents keep piling up and lose more and more of the water until it is such a hard dry mass, the cat cannot eliminate it on her own. What I had to do was inject some water (with one drop of Ivory liquid dishsoap) and massage the colon from outside her belly to break up the contents into smaller pieces. When I would do this, Bunny would run away from me and squat to poop, indicating she still had the feeling of what she was supposed to do. In some instances, the kitties with megacolon lose this ability. Once the colon is overfull, it can be damaged enough by stretching to never have the ability to empty itself on its own.

Well, after about 2 weeks of pumpkin pie mix (this fiber will draw the water back out of the body and put it back into the colon), Lactulose, and daily enemas, I noticed she started acting like she wanted to use her box. I also started giving her milk, which can cause lactose intolerance in some cats like humans....it makes them have the runs. So, between the pumpkin mix (1 Tablespoon per day, Bunny will eat it all by itself, no need to mix it for her), some milk, and some Lactulose she was finally able to poop all by herself. But the milk did cause "splattering". This was at the beginning of September when she started to do it herself, and she has done it since. I have since quit giving her milk as it will cause intestinal cramping. I try to keep an eye on her daily by feeling her colon to see if she needs help to pass the matter on. She seems to be doing well and has gained weight and is fat and sassy. She had been a deathly skin-and-bones to the point of my being appalled to even touch her.

While she still had to have the enemas and before when she was so sick, Bunny also had a bladder infection and had blood in her urine. The vet was convinced that she would have to have antibiotics the rest of her life and that her life quality would be compromised, etc., but that has not been the case. When I no longer had to give her enemas or massage her sides and she no longer strained to poop, her bloody urine ceased.

I hope I have given you a little bit to go on. I would say that the cheapest and best thing in therapy treatment is the pumpkin pie mix. This is just canned pumpkin, no spices, and will help to keep the contents of the colon moist and soft. And the best part is it is cheap!

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Update on Bunny: ..... December 2004 and she is still healthy. She will still strain on occcasion, but nothing like before. I have not had to give her an enema for over a year (knock on wood). Her results may not be typical of any other cat, but for Bunny, the diet is working. She is one fat and sassy little Manx.

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Further Update on Bunny: It is now November 2006 and Bunny seems to have no more problems with megacolon. She is in a cattery that is outside/inside and she is a very happy kitty. The megacolon has subsided although she is still incontinent (dribbles pee).

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Sadly Bunny passed to the Rainbow Bridge on January 13, 2008 for reasons unrelated to her megacolon. I will miss you terribly, little girl. ^RIP^