Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with long-term urinary and bowel problems after epidural morphine
By Song, Rachel B et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2011·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Suspected epidural morphine analgesia induced chronic urinary and bowel dysfunction in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old male domestic shorthair cat developed chronic urinary retention and constipation after receiving a morphine injection in the lower back during surgery. This unusual reaction led to a decreased reflex in the area around the rear end, which is not commonly seen in cats. To manage the situation, the veterinarian used manual bladder expressions, enemas, and medications to help with bowel movements and bladder function. Unfortunately, the cat is still experiencing long-term issues with these functions 15 months later. This case highlights a rare but serious risk associated with epidural injections in cats.
People also search for: cat urinary retention after surgery · cat constipation treatment · cat bowel dysfunction from epidural
Abstract
A 12-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair developed chronic urinary retention, constipation and a decreased perineal reflex following a single lumbo-sacral epidural injection of morphine during general anesthesia. Similar adverse effects have been reported in humans following epidural analgesia, but this is the first reported case of both urinary and bowel dysfunction in a cat purportedly from an epidural. The cat was medically managed with manual bladder expressions, intermittent enemas, and various medications including bethanechol, cisapride and stool softeners. The cat continues to have long-term neurologic dysfunction 15 months post-onset. This case report describes a rare but serious potential risk of lumbo-sacral epidural injections in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21571562/