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natalia December 20th, 2008 02:54 PM

My constipated cat. Help!
 
My cat is constipated and it hasn’t been the first time. A few weeks ago I took my cat to the vet which he took x-rays and saw that he had a large size stool inside this colon and an abnormal kidney which seems to be functioning normally. He is a little on the larger side of his weight, he used to be an outdoor cat until I moved about a month ago, he eats dry food which I have just switched to wet. Also, In the past my cat had fractured this pelvis and so I think this might be another big factor to why he gets constipated. When he was taken for a few nights the vet gave him an enema a day =4 , IV’s, pain killers, and provided me with amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium for a week. What the Doc did was break the stool into pieces by placing his hand under his colon which took 4 days for my cat to actually have a bowl movement.
So last night my cat was having the same contractions as he did the first time he was constipated, so I gave him wet food drenched in olive oil, dripped water into his mouth, and made him run around a little in the house. So at night he ended up having 2 bowl movements! Thank God! And in the morning one more time and it was nice and soft. I hate when this happens, I feel like this is going to keep happening to him. I don’t really know what to do, I called my doc and I’m going to be picking up a stool softener for him. But as of that I’m planning on giving wet food with olive oil, buying canned pumpkin and maybe some powdered Metamucil.

If anyone has been in my situation please help, I don’t want this to happen again. Its too much pain and strain for my cat. Any help will help.

rainbow December 20th, 2008 03:28 PM

I am sorry to hear about your poor kitty. :grouphug:

Slippery elm bark is great to help with constipation. Here is some information about it....

[url]http://www.littlebigcat.com/?action=library&act=show&item=slipperyelm[/url]

Will he chase a laser light at all? They are good for cats that need to be exercised. :thumbs up

Khari December 20th, 2008 04:22 PM

I have a girl cat that has had constipation issues for a long long time - usually about every three months. We are over a really bad episode (I hope). She had major constipation for the last couple of weeks. I finally took her to the vet again because she would strain so hard that she would throw up. The vet put her under for about ten minutes and completely cleaned her out. He also gave her an anema (while she was under) and popped one of her anal glands. This is a new vet and my old vet never cleaned her out. The new vet said that there was a huge blockage at the front of her anal opening that seems to have been there for quite some time. We now have her on Lactulose (a stool softner) and 100% pure pumpkin. It took her about 3 days after her fiasco at the vet to actually have a stool. But since Tuesday she has been pretty regular. I had tried slippery elm for 4 days before I took her to the vet with no response. I may try it again because I am thinking nothing really would have worked because she was so blocked up....The vet had also given me a stool softner called melaxicam.

Sounds like your cat got stressed out from the move??? My vet says that alot of cats that get stressed will get constipated. He thinks that my cat is a little worry wart :laughing:

badger December 20th, 2008 05:28 PM

I have a big, somewhat portly tabby with a history of constipation. He's never needed an enema, but lactulose, pumpkin (which he won't eat :wall:) and Metamucil have all been on the menu. He's been fine for a long time now. My cats do eat quality kibble, but they also get canned morning and night (and sometimes in between). An all-canned diet is optimal, so their gut is well hydrated.

Even if the problem is structural (megacolon), it can still often be managed by keeping tabs on the situation and acting quickly. This sometimes means lurking around the litter box :D.

I never use any remedy for longer than necessary. You want their systems to function normally; the remedy is a kick-start (excluding really severe cases which may require prolonged treatment. But even then, try to get whatever dose and/or frequency down to a minimum, while still remaining effective).

So since he won't eat pumpkin, Badger gets two or three days of Metamucil mixed into his wet food - maybe a half-teaspoon - and when things get rolling again, I stop. Lactulose I reserve for when nothing else works (he hates the taste).

I would say don't panic, watch his diet and his litterbox activity and if he seems to be straining, dose him (one remedy at a time). All other things being equal (no fever, no loss of appetite, no blood in his stool), it is more a management problem. Or, maybe in your cat's case, it's a one-off? Time will tell.

tweety December 20th, 2008 08:38 PM

hi
you said that the vet see an abnormal kidney, but to say that he is functionning normally did he done the test to see if it's everything was ok? like a blood test? a urinary test? Because sometimes problems about kidney is related of problems of constipation. how old is your cat? give us some details please and maybe ask your vet about that??

natalia December 22nd, 2008 11:58 AM

My cat is about 6 years old. The reason for the x-ray was to see how large the stool was inside his colon, that is when my vet noticed that this kidney was abnormal, but it seems to be alright because my vet didn’t mention anything about his kidney and said if there was a problem with it he would let me know.

3 nights ago I bought canned pumpkin and have been mixing it with my cats wet food, he doesn’t really enjoy eating it and neither does my other cat who has no health concerns. I’m planning on giving the canned pumpkin with all meals today and for tomorrow just in the morning and night with the wet food and in between giving them the dry food which they enjoy eating.

Let me know if I should try something else, feed the pumpkin in a different way, or anything.... advice on this would be greatly appreciate! :cat:

Love4himies December 22nd, 2008 12:25 PM

There is a cat food called Almo Natural which has a flavour Chicken and Pumpkin canned. Global here in Kingston ON sells it.

[url]http://www.almonature.co.uk/cat_products.php?tp=2&id=97&lng=3[/url]

sugarcatmom December 22nd, 2008 01:47 PM

[QUOTE=natalia;716566]My cat is constipated and it hasn’t been the first time. [/quote]

How old is your cat? Has he had any recent blood work and a urinalysis?

[QUOTE=natalia;716566]He is a little on the larger side of his weight, he used to be an outdoor cat until I moved about a month ago, he eats dry food which I have just switched to wet. [/quote]

Hopefully switching to wet will help. Try also adding a few extra tsps of warm water. A dry-only diet tends to be dehydrating, which can cause constipation on in some cats. The wet should also help with some weight loss.

[QUOTE=natalia;716566]Also, In the past my cat had fractured this pelvis and so I think this might be another big factor to why he gets constipated. [/quote]

This could be huge factor.: [url]http://www.best-cat-art.com/feline-constipation.html[/url]

[QUOTE]The main causes of feline constipation include dietary problems; foreign (or environmental) bodies that cannot be expelled easily from the body (such as fur, bones, string, etc.); bowel movements that are painful and are the direct result of a rectal or anal disease; [B]obstructions such as tumors or old pelvic fractures[/B], and neurological causes such as spinal cord damage, paralysis, and megacolon.[/QUOTE]


[QUOTE=natalia;716566]I don’t really know what to do, I called my doc and I’m going to be picking up a stool softener for him. But as of that I’m planning on giving wet food with olive oil, buying canned pumpkin and maybe some powdered Metamucil.[/quote]

I caution the use of Metamucil, which can be pretty harsh for some cats. You absolutely must add plenty of extra water with it or you risk making the problem worse. Slippery elm bark is usually a better, gentler choice (although you still have to add some water).

Something else that might be worth trying is aloe vera juice (with no sodium benzoate as a preservative - Lily of the Desert inner leaf juice is a good choice). 5-10 drops mixed in with food twice a day is a reasonable dose. Also [url=http://www.daisypet.com/vetbestcatlube60.html]Vet's Best Cat lube[/url] and [url=http://www.vetbasis.com/prod_cat_hairball1.asp]Vetbasis[/url] hairball gel are good preventative options.

Hope some of this helps!

ETA - here's another link that might have useful info: [url]http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_constipation_and_megacolon.html[/url]

Ann'sFabFelines December 22nd, 2008 04:27 PM

[QUOTE=natalia;717723]My cat is about 6 years old. The reason for the x-ray was to see how large the stool was inside his colon, that is when my vet noticed that this kidney was abnormal, but it seems to be alright because my vet didn’t mention anything about his kidney and said if there was a problem with it he would let me know.

3 nights ago I bought canned pumpkin and have been mixing it with my cats wet food, he doesn’t really enjoy eating it and neither does my other cat who has no health concerns. I’m planning on giving the canned pumpkin with all meals today and for tomorrow just in the morning and night with the wet food and in between giving them the dry food which they enjoy eating.

Let me know if I should try something else, feed the pumpkin in a different way, or anything.... advice on this would be greatly appreciate! :cat:[/QUOTE]
Hi Natalia,

My 9 year old male cat, Pip, has had chronic constipation issues for 2+ years. I have had him on stool softeners and medications such as Cisapride and Dulcolax. He has had enemas by the vet and has had to be sedated several times to remove impacted feces. Kitty Lax and other hairball pastes work if he doesn't flip all of it off of his paws and nose. My latest trick is to put the hairball paste into an EZ dose medicine syringe and squirt it into his mouth. I think if he gets enough in his system each day, it should do the trick. I have to sit on the floor with Pip facing me. I put one leg over his body so that he can't escape during this process. So far, it seems to be working. Any hairball paste that contains mineral oil should work. Try this and let me know if it works for your kitty.

sugarcatmom December 22nd, 2008 06:08 PM

[QUOTE=Ann'sFabFelines;717826]My latest trick is to put the hairball paste into an EZ dose medicine syringe and squirt it into his mouth. ...... Any hairball paste that contains mineral oil should work. [/QUOTE]

I'd strongly advise not squirting anything with mineral oil into a cat's mouth. If they were to accidently aspirate some, it will cause lipoid pneumonia. Chronic use also interferes with nutrient absorption in the intestinal tract, and can result in an inflammatory response as the cat's body attempts to get rid of this petroleum by-product. There are much safer options.

natalia December 23rd, 2008 12:38 PM

Thanks for your input sugarcatmom, I don’t think I will be using Metamucil right now, just gonna stick to what I’m doing for now and observe my kitty. But that was really good to know that I gotta add lots of H20 to it.

As of the Slipper Elm Bark, where can I find this? Is it a liquid, tab, or ointment? What size should I get? And how much and frequently should I be administering it? Sorry I’m asking a lot of questions it’s just that I have never heard of this? Also, I have an Aloe Vera plant in my house, can I actually cut a piece of the plant and mix the liquid from inside it into the food? Or I no way!?

Thanks for all your help People.. :goodvibes: :cat:

Khari December 23rd, 2008 12:46 PM

Quote: As of the Slipper Elm Bark, where can I find this? Is it a liquid, tab, or ointment? What size should I get? And how much and frequently should I be administering it?


Here are a few sites I have come across for slippery elm. It even has advice on constipation in kitties :cat:

[url]http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=slipperyelm[/url]

[url]http://www.harpsie.com/constipation.htm#slippery_elm_bark[/url]

sugarcatmom December 23rd, 2008 01:32 PM

[QUOTE=natalia;718204]As of the Slipper Elm Bark, where can I find this? Is it a liquid, tab, or ointment? What size should I get?[/quote]

Best bet is to try a health food store. Sometimes you can find it in the vitamin section of certain pharmacies, but not always. In the health food store you might be able to get the loose powder, otherwise it comes in capsules that you can pull open and mix with wet food (make sure the caps only contain slippery elm, no other ingredients). I would start with about 100mg twice a day and work up from there as needed (up to 100mg 4X/day). So if you get capsules that are around 400mg, you can pour the powder onto a plate and divide it into 4 equal piles. Cats don't usually mind the taste too much, but if you have a finicky kitty, you can also make a syrup (recipe to be found in the link [B]rainbow[/B] gave above) and syringe it in. Or else mix it with something irresistable like plain meat baby food.

[QUOTE=natalia;718204]And how much and frequently should I be administering it? [/quote]

I prefer smaller doses more frequently, which is why the 100mg 4X/day instead of 400mg all at once. One caution with slippery elm is that if your cat is on any medication, make sure not to give it within an hour of the meds. It can interfer with their absorption.

[QUOTE=natalia;718204]Also, I have an Aloe Vera plant in my house, can I actually cut a piece of the plant and mix the liquid from inside it into the food? [/quote]

Probably not the best option. Not to scare you, but aloe vera can actually be somewhat toxic to cats. It's actually the part just underneath the skin that is toxic, and the cat would have to eat an awful lot, and then it might cause a bit of intestinal upset. The inner leaf juice doesn't contain any toxic parts. It works by improving bowel motility, so it has a different action than slippery elm, which balances water levels in the intestinal tract.

Good luck, and let us know how things work out.

sandyrivers December 24th, 2008 05:32 PM

Cat constipation
 
My cat Tonali was constipated as a kitten quite often. The vet gave us a product called 'laxatone', which worked fine but was also quite expensive... A small amount of petroleum jelly works fine as well. Twice a day until stools soften!
Good luck

Ann'sFabFelines December 25th, 2008 10:15 AM

[QUOTE=sugarcatmom;717869]I'd strongly advise not squirting anything with mineral oil into a cat's mouth. If they were to accidently aspirate some, it will cause lipoid pneumonia. Chronic use also interferes with nutrient absorption in the intestinal tract, and can result in an inflammatory response as the cat's body attempts to get rid of this petroleum by-product. There are much safer options.[/QUOTE]
Thank you, sugarcatmom, for the info about the issue with mineral oil. It looks like I will be purchasing some of the Vetbasis hairball gel to use instead of the hairball products containing mineral oil. I think that Pip will tend to take this over other things like pumpkin or slippery elm bark.

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 09:53 AM

Megacolon
 
This is my 1st post here. My name is Lori I have an 11 yr old male cat that was diagnosed with megacolon around a year ago. Lately it's been getting harder to treat, he is on Cisipride 3x a day which does not seem to be as a effective as it used to be.....he can go days without pooping. Right before Thanksgiving he had to be knocked out and manually cleaned out by the vet.....this past week he was there 2x & had 2 enemas (Mon & Thurs). The vet says he should go no longer than 1-2 days without a bowel movement....not only is it stressfull on my cat & myself to do this to him but my pocketbook can not keep up with this anymore. Medication costs about $100 a month & enemas even MORE. I see there are alot of you that have gone through this here & am looking for any help or advice I can get, I am at the end of my ropes here, I just don't know what to do anymore, surgery has been suggested but it is very costly, there is no guarantee that it will cure him & I don't think I want to put him through such major surgery, leaving only one other option, putting him to sleep....just the thought sends me into tears....I would appreciate any feedback

sugarcatmom January 3rd, 2009 12:27 PM

[QUOTE=loriacatlady;724310]This is my 1st post here. My name is Lori I have an 11 yr old male cat that was diagnosed with megacolon around a year ago. [/QUOTE]

Hi Lori, welcome to the board. I'm sorry to hear that you're kitty has megacolon, it is such a frustrating condition to deal with. What does your cat eat?

Khari January 3rd, 2009 01:20 PM

[QUOTE]The vet says he should go no longer than 1-2 days without a bowel movement....not only is it stressfull on my cat & myself to do this to him but my pocketbook can not keep up with this anymore. [/QUOTE]

Please do not do anything as drastic as putting your cat to sleep b/c of the mega colon. Please check out this group for support [url]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/[/url]

3 weeks ago my vet put my cat under a mild anasthesia, applied an anema and cleaned out a huge blockage. Although my cat has constipation issues (not a megacolon that I am aware of) and she has stools every 3-4days. The vet says this is okay as long as she is not straining, in pain, throwing up, and the stools are not super hard. He is happy as long as the stools are abundant when she does have a stool. But he has told me that if she goes to 5 days without a stool than I have to bring her in. I have lost many hours of sleep worrying about her but I am coming to terms with the fact that she is normal in every other aspect except her pooping habits. I also am starting to believe that maybe some cats are just more speradic in their bowel movements.

Is your cat straining or in pain after 2 days with no bowel movement? If not, than maybe it is time to find another vet. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. I would not be able to afford taking my cat in to the vet every couple of days either. This has never been an option with my vet. He has told me to call him when I get concerned and he will make the decision if I should bring her in or not. He also told me that the stool softner "Lactulose" can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. I save 5-6 times the amount I would spend paying for this at a vets office.

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 01:53 PM

[QUOTE=sugarcatmom;724364]Hi Lori, welcome to the board. I'm sorry to hear that you're kitty has megacolon, it is such a frustrating condition to deal with. What does your cat eat?[/QUOTE]It is very frustrating, It makes me cry.......he eats Iams in the can & some Purina One Naturals(dry)(it says it's easy to digest) I limit him the dry food, but he loves that the most.....he is a very picky eater....I also let him have some cold cuts(turkey,chicken,roast beef) I use the cold cuts mainly to hide his pills in(he's a sweetie but when it comes to taking pills not so sweet) I also sometimes hide his pill in a blob of cream cheese, eventually he catches on to me no matter what I do. I love this cat soooo much this is killing me........

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 02:07 PM

[QUOTE=Khari;724380]Please do not do anything as drastic as putting your cat to sleep b/c of the mega colon. Please check out this group for support [url]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/[/url]

3 weeks ago my vet put my cat under a mild anasthesia, applied an anema and cleaned out a huge blockage. Although my cat has constipation issues (not a megacolon that I am aware of) and she has stools every 3-4days. The vet says this is okay as long as she is not straining, in pain, throwing up, and the stools are not super hard. He is happy as long as the stools are abundant when she does have a stool. But he has told me that if she goes to 5 days without a stool than I have to bring her in. I have lost many hours of sleep worrying about her but I am coming to terms with the fact that she is normal in every other aspect except her pooping habits. I also am starting to believe that maybe some cats are just more speradic in their bowel movements.

Is your cat straining or in pain after 2 days with no bowel movement? If not, than maybe it is time to find another vet. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. I would not be able to afford taking my cat in to the vet every couple of days either. This has never been an option with my vet. He has told me to call him when I get concerned and he will make the decision if I should bring her in or not. He also told me that the stool softner "Lactulose" can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. I save 5-6 times the amount I would spend paying for this at a vets office.[/QUOTE]He sometimes will go every 4 days, if he goes longer than that he will vomit from straining..........I would say after 2 days he does strain a bit, sometimes I see him going in & out of the litter box numerous times but there will be nothing there....I have never heard him cry in pain, but you can see the look on his face(he looks mad) I have not had good luck with the Lactulose, he spits it out ,gags & has vomited from it....most of it has ended up being a sticky mess all over his fur......Not sure I can afford bringing him to another vet, but I have been feeling like I need another opinion, I for sure can not afford to bring him for enemas every 2-3 days...the cost is unreal.You mentioned the type of stool he does have(when he goes) they are very big,usually round & very hard.
Believe me I love this cat more than anything, I've had cats my whole life but I have a special bond with this one & vice versa.....the last thing I want to do is put him to sleep, I just wonder if I'm being selfish putting him through all this because I'm not ready to let him go.
Again about the Lactulose, you said I can get this over the counter? & if so what dosage do you give your cat? Thank you so much to evryone that has answered me.....I appreciate it more than you know.

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 02:11 PM

And thank you Khari for the link to yahoo....it's amazing just how many people & their cats are dealing with this.

Khari January 3rd, 2009 02:27 PM

[QUOTE]the last thing I want to do is put him to sleep, I just wonder if I'm being selfish putting him through all this because I'm not ready to let him go.[/QUOTE]

I think the group on yahoo will be good for you....I am not experienced with megacolon but from what I know it is not deadly. It is something that can be controlled and tolerated by trying different remedies that will work for your cat. I am glad you have checked it out. Go in the archives and see what sort of advice you can find for your situation. Ask the group questions. They are willing to help....remember they have been where you are and can help you out:thumbs up

[QUOTE]Again about the Lactulose, you said I can get this over the counter? & if so what dosage do you give your cat? [/QUOTE]

The vet gave me a 1cc syringe to give to her twice daily. Your cat may need more. Maybe call your vet first to see what he recommends...I am lucky because my cat likes the taste of lactulose so she will lick it right out of the syringe while I hold it. And she will also lick it off my hand. You may have to hold your cat and open his mouth and put the syringe slightly into his mouth. Thankfully it is not that much of a dose. I don't know if the lactulose has made her go more regular but I do know her poops are more spongey now and not as rock hard.

I know it is sad how many people have cats with megacolon and constipation issues...I am a firm believer that it is because of the commercial pet food that we are feeding our pets. But that is a whole other forum:frustrated:

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 04:01 PM

[QUOTE=Khari;724402]I think the group on yahoo will be good for you....I am not experienced with megacolon but from what I know it is not deadly. It is something that can be controlled and tolerated by trying different remedies that will work for your cat. I am glad you have checked it out. Go in the archives and see what sort of advice you can find for your situation. Ask the group questions. They are willing to help....remember they have been where you are and can help you out:thumbs up



The vet gave me a 1cc syringe to give to her twice daily. Your cat may need more. Maybe call your vet first to see what he recommends...I am lucky because my cat likes the taste of lactulose so she will lick it right out of the syringe while I hold it. And she will also lick it off my hand. You may have to hold your cat and open his mouth and put the syringe slightly into his mouth. Thankfully it is not that much of a dose. I don't know if the lactulose has made her go more regular but I do know her poops are more spongey now and not as rock hard.

I know it is sad how many people have cats with megacolon and constipation issues...I am a firm believer that it is because of the commercial pet food that we are feeding our pets. But that is a whole other forum:frustrated:[/QUOTE]I went to Rite Aid to see about the Lactulose & they said I needed a prescription.....so I went to the vet & she wrote me one, it is 11.00 at Rite Aid which is much less than the vet. Now she needs to get me 10mg Cisipride as he needs 30mg's a day & right now I'm giving him 2 5mg's 3x day....it's really tough. Hopefully I'll have the 10's by Monday.Anyway thanks for your help & I'll keep you posted.

Khari January 3rd, 2009 04:28 PM

[QUOTE]I went to Rite Aid to see about the Lactulose & they said I needed a prescription.....so I went to the vet & she wrote me one, it is 11.00 at Rite Aid which is much less than the vet. [/QUOTE]

I see you live in the US. Maybe it is different here in Canada...I bought this bottle at a big Superstore here. Maybe try different stores (Walmart etc.)when you go just to see if you can get lactulose without a perscription (or call around). Much easier for you and cheaper :thumbs up Was it a big bottle as compared to the vets office? I know I was blown away by how much the vets office was charging for such a tiny bottle. Did he tell you how much to give to your kitty?

I also forgot to mention that alot of exercise is good for constipated kitties...
Lexus is a very timid cat and I have been trying to chase her around the house for some exercise....doesn't work very well because she gets so terrified. Thinks I am going to murder her or something :laughing: Pelase keep me updated...

loriacatlady January 3rd, 2009 05:29 PM

[QUOTE=Khari;724452]I see you live in the US. Maybe it is different here in Canada...I bought this bottle at a big Superstore here. Maybe try different stores (Walmart etc.)when you go just to see if you can get lactulose without a perscription (or call around). Much easier for you and cheaper :thumbs up Was it a big bottle as compared to the vets office? I know I was blown away by how much the vets office was charging for such a tiny bottle. Did he tell you how much to give to your kitty?

I also forgot to mention that alot of exercise is good for constipated kitties...
Lexus is a very timid cat and I have been trying to chase her around the house for some exercise....doesn't work very well because she gets so terrified. Thinks I am going to murder her or something :laughing: Pelase keep me updated...[/QUOTE]I think it is 1cc....I'll go back & get it in a little while, I think it's a fairly small bottle.
I'm just noticing that alot of people are from Canada, that's probably why you can get it over the counter. It figures I'd find a forum in another country!...LOL...was just searching the internet for any info & stumbled across this forum, that's ok though I like having others that know what we're going through:) I keep telling my husband we need to move to Canada, things here in the US keep getting worse!:eek:
I will keep you posted.:fingerscr

loriacatlady January 4th, 2009 09:45 PM

Tyler is in good spirits today....hasn't had a bowel movement since his enema on Friday. I got the Lactulose from Rite Aid today...he is to get 1 tspn 2x a day, that did not go well, he threw it right up both times,any suggestions on that? He is on the Cisipride 2 pills 2x a day. I also had him playing with and chasing a paperball to give him some exercise......how long to I give him before I call the vet again??

14+kitties January 4th, 2009 09:57 PM

Have you tried changing Tyler to a better quality canned food? Maybe adding some warm water to it to make it a little soupy. Do you leave fresh water out for him at all times? Cats are notourious for not drinking enough water. It is imperitive cats get an adequate amount of water daily in order to have everything functioning properly.
Also, have you tried adding pure pumpkin to his diet? Not the pie filling. The pure pumpkin. It acts both as a laxative and for diarrhea. A tblsp mixed in with his canned food may help.

loriacatlady January 4th, 2009 10:41 PM

[QUOTE=14+kitties;725447]Have you tried changing Tyler to a better quality canned food? Maybe adding some warm water to it to make it a little soupy. Do you leave fresh water out for him at all times? Cats are notourious for not drinking enough water. It is imperitive cats get an adequate amount of water daily in order to have everything functioning properly.
Also, have you tried adding pure pumpkin to his diet? Not the pie filling. The pure pumpkin. It acts both as a laxative and for diarrhea. A tblsp mixed in with his canned food may help.[/QUOTE]He eats Iams canned food, he likes the seafood flavor best. They always have fresh water...I have one of those fresh flow water dishes, but Tyler likes to drink from the toilet:shrug: I always make sure the lid is up for him & flush it everytime I walk by the bathroom to make sure the water is always fresh. I tried the pumpkin when he was 1st diagnosed with Megacolon...but he won't eat it (plain or mixed with his food)He is very picky. His condition has definately gotten worse over the past year, I feel it is getting the best of both of us & I don't know what to do for him, it's been a rough year:sad:

Khari January 5th, 2009 03:30 AM

[QUOTE]hasn't had a bowel movement since his enema on Friday. I got the Lactulose from Rite Aid today...how long to I give him before I call the vet again??[/QUOTE]

It is normal for a cat not to have a bowel movement for atleast 4 days after an enema. He was cleaned out pretty good and you have just started giving the lactulose - I would call by tuesday/wednesday if he doesn't have a bowel movement. I also found out that Miralax is sold over the counter in the US. It is kind of like the lactulose but you can get it in an odourless/tastless liquid and put into their food. I think you can mix lactulose w/ some water and mix into their food as well. But I would double check with the vet first. This may be an easier way of feeding it to him. My girl cat has not had a stool for 5 days so she will probably be getting an emema today....poor girl :cry: I spoke with someone that has taken her cat to a holistic vet and her cat has been regular ever since. This may be my next aaproach. I too am trying to find something that works for my kitty...each cat is different. It's just finding what works best for your own kitty. I am praying I find something soon before it progresses into megacolon.

loriacatlady January 5th, 2009 09:06 AM

[QUOTE=Khari;725527]It is normal for a cat not to have a bowel movement for atleast 4 days after an enema. He was cleaned out pretty good and you have just started giving the lactulose - I would call by tuesday/wednesday if he doesn't have a bowel movement. I also found out that Miralax is sold over the counter in the US. It is kind of like the lactulose but you can get it in an odourless/tastless liquid and put into their food. I think you can mix lactulose w/ some water and mix into their food as well. But I would double check with the vet first. This may be an easier way of feeding it to him. My girl cat has not had a stool for 5 days so she will probably be getting an emema today....poor girl :cry: I spoke with someone that has taken her cat to a holistic vet and her cat has been regular ever since. This may be my next aaproach. I too am trying to find something that works for my kitty...each cat is different. It's just finding what works best for your own kitty. I am praying I find something soon before it progresses into megacolon.[/QUOTE]I hope your girl is feeling better today....I know my Tyler will end up at the vet this week also...I try to keep positive but it keeps getting harder. May I ask how much your vet charges when she does an enema? I don't mean to be nosey but when I take Tyler it's at the LEAST $100 and he had to go 2x last week & I just don't have that kind of money anymore...I'd hate to start looking for another vet at this point because he knows them & we've been with them for a long time. I've been in the other forum(the one you suggested) & someone there uses Miralax, says it's great stuff, also Senna which is found in Senocot, they are both stool softeners, have you had any experience with either? Good luck today & I hope your sweetie girl is feeling better!


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