**8. Postoperative care**

Postoperatively analgesia through opioid administration for a week's time, cisapride to promote colonic motility and stool softeners as lactulose to combat constipation are provided. Fecal impaction may be relieved manually and multiple enemas should be avoided. Many animals start to defecate soon after surgery (Prassinos et al., 2003; Rahal et al., 2007; Ellison & Papazoglou, 2011).

wall. Soon after colostomy and following resolution of fistulas a second surgery is performed for colostomy closure and reconstruction of the atresia ani by performing

Fig. 26. Following resolution of fistulas the colostomy was closed (arrow) and an end to end colocolonic anastomosis was performed (arrowhead) through a ventral midline celiotomy in

Fig. 27. Atresia ani reconstruction through anoplasty was performed following colostomy

Postoperatively analgesia through opioid administration for a week's time, cisapride to promote colonic motility and stool softeners as lactulose to combat constipation are provided. Fecal impaction may be relieved manually and multiple enemas should be avoided. Many animals start to defecate soon after surgery (Prassinos et al., 2003; Rahal et

anoplasty (Tsioli et al., 2009) [Figures 26 & 27].

a cat.

closure in a cat.

**8. Postoperative care** 

al., 2007; Ellison & Papazoglou, 2011).

Table 2. Algorithm for atresia ani treatment methods in dogs and cats. RVF : rectovaginal fistula
