GI Obstruction - The Cat That Ate the Hair Tie

March’s Pet of the Month

Meet Huckleberry, our March Pet of the Month!  Huckleberry was born on a farm in upstate New York, he is a 6-year-old Domestic Longhair with striking white fur who loves car rides and is most comfortable sleeping on his back with his feet in the air!  Huck wants to teach us about dietary indiscretion and gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction.  

Early this month, Huckleberry presented with vomiting, lethargy, and inappetance.  Huck was not his normal playful, happy self, and his family quickly became concerned.  As reported by his family, Huck has a habit of eating things he should not, such as sticks, straws, strings, and hair ties.  GI upset can be caused by a myriad of different things and we often will not find the root cause, however, after taking radiographs of Huckleberry's abdomen, it was clear that something was obstructing his GI tract.  We took Huck to surgery to find out the cause of the obstruction and ended up removing two hair ties!  Huck has recovered well and is now back to his normal, wonderful self! 

We cannot always keep a close eye on our pets and some, whether they are feline or canine, will get into things they should not.  Cats seem to have a propensity toward eating string-like objects such as hair ties and dental floss.  Dogs are known for eating pretty much anything, including objects such as toys, rocks, and even butcher knives!  Be sure to do your best to pet-proof your house and be wary of the signs of GI upset such as inappetance, vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy and call your veterinarian as soon as possible if any are noted.