SV Kitten With Prolapse - Any Experience?

[tj_johnson]

Would like to preface this by saying that we are getting exceptional advice and support from our breeder, @Trish Allearz - but wanted to put this issue out to the community and see if anyone has had prior experience, and if so, how you/ your vet successfully treated. Below is the background on our poor little Monkey. Thanks in advance for your responses!

Monkey came home on Monday afternoon, and was taken off her soft food for approximately two days, having just kibble on Monday night and Tuesday. She had a bowel movement on Monday night and again on Tuesday but appeared to be straining. The prolapse then occurred on Wednesday morning - the bulge (sorry guys) is very minor but essentially her little behind is bright red and protruding. Brought her right to the vet Wednesday afternoon.

The vet agreed with our breeder's recommendation of a paste of sugar and water applied topically to help keep the area moist. Said we could try Cortisone 10 as well if we could keep her from licking the area. Also recommended kibble with a higher fiber content than what she was on, and reintroducing her to wet food right away since keeping her off wet food could have caused hard stools and the straining.

The vet palpated her abdomen and listened as well and did not hear/feel anything that indicated any stool in the colon. Stated that it is a very minor prolapse and that it was too small for a stitch. Gave her a small dose of laxatone then, and sent us home with a tube, recommending a dose per day until the prolapse cleared up, as well as putting her on a different kibble and reintroducing wet food right away. For food, we elected to feed Natural Balance Alpha Kitten Through Adult (which we feed our DSHs) for kibble and Soulistic canned food.

We gave her a small dose of the laxatone again on Thursday but stopped then as she started having a "leaking" problem that night (which happens right around the time she is scheduled to have a bowel movement, or right after she eats - usually around the same time). Essentially, she passes gas and "leaks" a bit. This has been happening 1-2 times per day since Thursday. Her bowel movements are part formed and part not formed.

The sugar water paste - which we started on Wednesday - wasn't helping. Monkey whe was licking it right off. We called the vet on Thursday and they said to stay the course with the sugar water paste and to use a collar. We tried a soft "donut" inflatable collar and she figured out how to lick around that. On Friday morning it was looking a tiny bit better and since she was licking the paste off anyway, we tried having a day without the collar and paste and just leaving it alone - but the leaking continued.

By Saturday, her backside still looked inflamed so decided to try the Cortisone 10 as originally recommended by the vet who saw her on Wednesday. We put an e-collar on, so no more licking, but the leaking continues when she passes gas, though we only had one "leak" today (Sunday) since adjusting the amount of canned food she is having (now 1.5 oz. morning and again at night, and kibble all day).

As of tonight, it's been about 36 hours on the Cortizone 10 (topical application) and her prolapse is still present. I am planning to head back to the vet tomorrow, but in the meantime, has anyone else ever dealt with this issue? How did your vet treat it? How did you deal with it at home? And most importantly, how long did it take to clear up?
We do think the diarrhea was caused by the rapid food change and too much canned food Weds-Thurs-Fri (we have since reduced the amount closer to what she was getting before she came home) and that the diarrhea and the prolapse (originally caused by straining) are separate issues.
Kitty is otherwise completely healthy, no issues, normal appetite, normal energy level.

THANKS

 

[Kristine]

You are getting good advice from the breeder and from your vet. You can also try a little Preparation H. It may work. Keep doing the sugar water, make it extremely concentrated. Really, really concentrated. The prolapse may resolve that way. I have dealt with a prolapse before and on one occasion the sugar water helped, on another the kitten needed a stitch and after that was fine. What I learned was that you need concentrated sugar water. The key is also to keep the prolapse moist, I would use Preparation H or even Vaseline. I also would just have the stitch done as it is not resolving. But, you vet will be best to judge that. I waited three days before we did the stitch.

 

[Lesley]

I am very sorry you have to deal with this. I am sure you will get great advice here. I know Trish will do everything she can to help. Maybe you should have a PCR panel for diahrrea done. It has been our experience that straight stool samples are very hit or miss. I only suggest this to rule out problems, which can help going forward. Also, maybe you should try Monkey on a limited ingredient protein diet. As in rabbit only or duck only to make sure there are no food sensitivities occurring. I know how upsetting this is, we dealt with it with one of our babies too.

 

[SV Dad]

Keep on the hydrocortisone 1%. That is helping to reduce inflammation, which is definitely an issue at the moment. And the kitten will get some relief from irritation. See the vet tomorrow.

 

[Trish Allearz]

We have dealt with this once-- of course, it was the opposite of Monkey, but we did the stitch and it resolved in a week.

**HUGS** to my girl and her Momma!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I think having the vet look at it again is a good idea...

I might think though that the gas and leakage indicate an upset digestive tract. I think you are right that the diarrhea is not necessarily related to the prolapse but possibly what you are using to treat the prolapse (the laxatone, the change in kibble etc).

I tend to always fall back to what my vet always tells me to do for kitty diarrhea which is boiled chicken and rice. It's so bland it tends to calm things down. Add a probiotic though as it may be that the gas is indicative of a bacterial imbalance in the gut...which can happen easily in kittens.

I've only once dealt with a prolapse in response to persistent constipation in a kitten, so the opposite of your issue. But the issue took months and months to resolve. This was a british shorthair kitten I fostered and he was adopted while it was still ongoing but I still visit him and eventually it resolved. It had improved a lot by the time he left here but every time he pooped it would pop out again and they'd fold his tail down to push it back in it seems and eventually it just stayed in... we had had to put in two pursestrings, the first one was too tight so had to be loosened.

 

[Patti]

I also had one kitten that had persistent prolapse and kept busting the pursestring, but it sounds like the actual prolapse is minor and it is the diarrhea that is causing problems. It sounds like the kitten's diet was changed abruptly and this may be the cause of the diarrhea (on top of the laxatone). I agree with Brigitte that probiotics are in order, and anything that will calm the tummy - boiled chicken (with or without rice as I've had cats that won't eat the rice), raw might also help. You might also consider simply going back on the diet that Trish had her on before sending her to you, then gradually transitioning onto the new diet.

 

[MM3]

So sorry to hear of your little one being in this situation. I haven't dealt with prolapse, and hope I'm not faced with the challenge, but one never knows. I agree with all the previous suggestions on calming the gut, adding probiotics. I would recommend cold pressed organic coconut oil ( ONLY as others have been processed using heat over 100 degrees and all good properties taken away by extreme heat exposure)to Monkey's bottom to keep moist. Licking off the coconut oil will provide Monkey with an added antibacterial, possibly assist with passing hard stools. No need to worry about eating too much, can't hurt. Using a factory made lubricant won't enter the skin, only sits on top and therefore gives the false impression that it is moisturizing. If there is a time in the healing process when a drying agent is needed(is messy& sounds wierd but works) grate an organic potato/ only grate small amounts as needed ( put toweling down) take grated potato and it's own liquid and apply to area your wanting to dry up and heal. Apply as often as you can. if it gets licked off won't hurt kitty and what is absorbed at time of contact is enough to do what it does. Offering both techniques since I've not dealt with this before. Just like reading a book take what info you desire, let the rest go by.

 

[dewsky]

My cat has had a small prolapse for 5 years now ever since she was a kitten. I tried creams and ointments but nothing helped. The vet checked her out and said all was fine. They said I could do a stitch but since it was so small they recommend just leaving it alone. I guess it can be a little unsightly but ive seen pugs have this same problem and too me its not a big deal as long as it doesnt affect her health or mental state.

Some days she has no prolapse and other days it is there.

Since reading on here I may give the sugar water a try just to see but seeing as its been 5 years I am not sure that will help.

 

[Patti]

I think you're probably right that after five years it is probably permanent, but as you say, it is minor and not causing any health issues so not a worry.