From: Jnglecats@
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:19:53 EST
Subject: Re: [HOL] Constipation

In a message dated 11/10/98 5:14:24 PM Pacific Standard Time, wordlady@

<<  Lee, some months ago you said you were having trouble with constipation when you switched your  kitties over to raw. How did you solve the problem? Or have you? >>

Gees!  I don't remember <gg>  My best recollection is that I got nervous cause only one cat pooped for about three days.  But then I guess they started again.  Only thing I remember doing was giving a little slippery elm, but you probably have already tried that.  I have heard that too many bones will constipate, tho, so maybe if your feeding bones you should cut back until you get a balance of some sort.

Sorry I couldn't help.  Bet others can help, tho.  Do come to me with your upchucking troubles, tho, cause I'm the vomit queen <gg>
Lee

* * * * * * * *
From: "Kathy Buhler" <kashmir@
Subject: Re: [HOL] Constipation
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 00:07:21 -0800

Hi all

Pick me! Pick me! Yeah, if Lee is the vomit queen, I'm the constipation queen. Kashmir had / has constipation probs big time. I tried pumpkin, didn't work. I added extra carrots to her food. Nope! Psyllium worked well, but not right away. It took 2 or 3 days, giving her the psyllium goop with each meal (about 1 tsp). Worked like a charm. No diarrhea either. If it's constipation with the
beginning of raw food feeding, the only thing I can suggest is to slow down. If they've been on raw for awhile and this is sort
of a cumulative problem, add extra veggies to the food, carrots are esp. high fiber. Garlic will help keep things in balance (I'd suggest the actual garlic, tho, and not the capsules -- I like the fresh stuff best). If things get bad, you could try a little bit of bran with a little bit of butter. I didn't try that one, but it makes sense. I've heard that oil will help, but my personal opinion is that oil won't really solve the problem the way fiber will. Whatever you do, take it slow. You don't want to bring on diarrhea, and too much fiber will really upset their tummies. The psyllium should work well. Oh, and wherever possible, add water. If the kitties are hydrated properly it'll help. What recipe are you using right now? Do your kitties eat bones? Kashmir still won't touch 'em, and that's after over a year of trying. I keep hoping, tho!

Take care
Kathy and the cats, who greeted me with big grins tonight after having found the stash of dry
"treat" food

In a message dated 11/11/98 6:56:16 AM Pacific Standard Time,wordlady@ writes:

<< Still only get poos every 2nd day or day and a half. >>

If they are regular at that, it's probably not too much of a problem.  I think regularity is the key.  Did you try the psyllium someone mentioned?

Lee

In a message dated 11/11/98 6:56:20 AM Pacific Standard Time, wordlady@ writes:

<< Vegs are heavy on the carrots & broccoli, well cooked & pureed,  with some grated raw zucchini. Mixed whole grains, cooked for about 45 mins  & pureed with the vegs. >>

I would feed the veggies raw.  First, if they can get any nutritional value from veggies, I think it would be from raw - like plants cats munch on in the wild.  Broccoli is a gassy veggie, this might be causing some problem.  I use Italian squash, it's like zucchini, the cats love it, and alfalfa sprouts, sometimes carrots, sometimes green beans.  The other thing I would do is cut out the grains.   I am now grainless except for the wheat or oat bran from Frazier's VitaMineral mix, and some dry food they get for treats.  But definitely, go for the raw veggies rather than cooked - they will act as fiber and you may not need the psylllium.
Lee

What really works great is Lactulose.  It's a stool softener.  It's an inert sugar that draws the liquid into the stool.  It really works
better than anything I've tried for this problem with one of my cats.

Hans

hey jean, everyone-

> Is this a human-type remedy from the drugstore? Who makes it, please?
>
> >What really works great is Lactulose.

lactulose is available thru vets- it's an allo med for constipation....

jean, i still like the raw veggies suggestion bet, then psyllium. i use raw veggies, chop 'em in my mini chopper, and add a sprinkle of ground flax seeds to each meal- no constipation in the 2 who eat that way.

just MHO

Vick and company: Skippy, Sam, Max and Jezebel
.... AND Jake the foster Aussie

* * * * * * * *
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 13:37:38 -0800
From: Hans and Susan <basenji@
Subject: Re: [HOL] Constipation

You can buy Lactulose at any drugstore (as far as I know) at the pharmacy counter.  It's a syrup.  I'd never heard of it before either until we had to give it to our Hamisch.  She's a manx with a wierd bum and pretty weak muscles in that area.  Really, this stuff saved her life because she couldn't eliminate easily without it.  Anyway, you can ask for the generic brand and it's TOTALLY CHEAP.  I don't know where you are, but I'm Canadian and we pay about $2.00 for 100 ml.  It comes in really big bottles, so when you have the pharmacist split it into  smaller amounts, sometimes they charge more, it just depends on the pharmacy.  You really don't want to get a large  1 litre bottle because it lasts forever with a cat.  Now, with Hamisch we've gone up and down with the amount, but presently we give her 1 ml. of Lactulose and around 10 ml. of water with it twice per day.  You will probably have to force-feed your cat via a syringe.  Your cat might take the syrup without the syringe because I think it's probably sweet, though I've never tried it.  However, the water part is REALLY IMPORTANT for it to work properly because the Lactulose draws the liquid into the stool and that's what makes it soft.  I mean, you don't necessarily have to give as much water as we do, but you should make sure your cat definitely has more water than usual.  Hamisch has been getting this since she was a little kitten, so she's pretty used to it. Anyway, it can take a few days to work and you might have to adjust the amount to suit your cat. If you do adjust, do it in small increments because a little goes a long way.  Don't forget the water.

Hans

Hi all

DIARRHEA - food passes rapidly through the small intestine, incompletely digested and arrives at the rectum in a liquid state.

Causes:
-Irritating substances including dead animals, rodents, and birds; garbage and decayed food; rich foods, gravies, salts, spices, and fats; sticks, cloth, grass, paper, plastic.
-Toxic substances.
-Allergies. Foods that some cats may be unable to tolerate or be allergic to, including beef, pork, chicken, horse meat, fish, eggs, spices, corn, wheat, soy, people foods and some commercial cat foods. [Ed. comment: Nothing much left to feed the cats.]
-Cats can experience emotional diarrhea when excited or upset.

Diarrhea that persists for a week or longer suggests a chronic ailment such as colitis, IBD, parasite infestation, or malabsorption syndrome.

Diarrhea is not a disease, it is a sympton, you need to remove the underlying cause. The cause of chronic diarrhea over a week's duration is difficult to diagnose and requires laboratory analysis.

CONSTIPATION

Most cats have one or two small stools a day. However, some cats have a bowel movement every two or three days; these cats are likely to be constipated. Straining can occur with constipation but also occurs with colitis.

Chronic Constipation:
- Diets low in fiber and high in concentrated meat protein are common causes of constipation. The problem is intensified if the cat does not drink enough water.
- Hairballs are a common cause of hard stools, particularly in long-coated breeds. Check for hair in stool or if the cat vomits hair. [Ed. comment: Hey, that's Saski!! A ton of hairballs in his stool...]
- Older less active cats experience reduced bowel activity and have weakness of their abdominal wall muscles. Either condition can lead to increased hardness of the stools.

Treatment:
- Cats benefit from high-fiber diets.
- For mild constipation the addition of bulk-forming laxatives is beneficial. Wheat bran [one tablespoon per day] or Metamucil [one to three teaspoons per day mixed into wetted or liquid food] is recommended. [Ed. comment: What? 1 to 3 teaspoons a day?? That seems way too much]
- Stimulant laxatives are effective for simple constipation, but repeated use may interfere with colon function. "Kat-a-lax" and "Laxatone", the latter is especially effective for hairballs.

--Jean, Saski Basket & Amber Sweet T'ing

Hi all and Sharon

<< Just last week someone mentioned that their kitty was having bms like rabbit pellets and there was a suggestion as to what to give as a stool softener. >>

Hey, I'm vying with Kathy for constipation queen :-) I think it was Ahaphia ... she said to mix 1/8 tsp ground psyllium husks with 2 tablespoons of hot water, let it sit for 5 minutes until it is gel-like, and then mix it into the food. Her cat (Myrtle?) had rabbit-like
stools, if I remember correctly.

Anitra Frazier's recipe:
1 T. baby food vegetables and meat mixture
1/2 teas. melted butter
1/8 teas. ground psyllium husks
1/8 teas. powdered or fine bran
2 T. (or more) of water

Anitra also mentions using bran and butter - I think it's 1 tsp bran mixed with 1/2 tsp butter. (note: it's 1/2 tsp bran and 1/2 tsp butter)

You can try 1 or 2 tsp of canned pumpkin (plain, no spices). If you've just started feeding bones, you could cut back to only 2 or 3 times a week b/c they're constipating. You can add extra veggies for fibre - carrots are supposed to be good. Isn't it Vick who swears by raw finely-ground veggies?

Oh, the little devils, we worry about what goes into them and then we worry about what comes out (or doesn't, as the case may be).  <VBG>

--Jean, Saski Basket & Amber Sweet T'ing

Hi list and Sharon:

If you're speaking of a true stool softener, I think we were talking about Lactulose (or generic).  It is a syrup that is some sort of inert sugar.  It works by drawing the liquid that's ingested into the stool. I guess I'm the proponent of this, because our Hamisch has needed it daily since she was a small kitten.  We tried everything else and nothing worked but this.  She's a manx and has a wierdly shaped bum and weak muscles in that area.  Anyway, this stuff definitely saved her life and she's a happy and healthy cat.  You have to make sure if you use it that the cat gets lots of water.  By this I mean that when you force-feed the Lactulose, you also must give your cat extra water as well or it won't work properly.  Anyway, if this was what you were thinking about I can give more details in another post.

Hans

Hi Susan,
Here's an article I wrote for Kate and the Critter Chat newsletter.  Hopefully something in here will prove helpful to Cosmo.

Constipation

It's not very common with dogs and cats, but occasionally they can become irregular.  Most animals will have a bowel movement once or twice daily.  Should you see your pet straining to relieve itself or if your cat hasn't used the litter box recently, he may be constipated.

Cats can become constipated if their litter box is not kept very clean.  They will avoid the litter box and hold back on eliminating and this causes the constipation.  Keeping the litter box clean is essential.  Hairballs can also bring this on and daily grooming to remove excess hair before it is ingested will eliminate that cause.

Dogs also will withhold eliminating if not taken outside frequently enough. A diet too high in meat or bones without adequate fiber can also cause constipation.

Both cats and dogs need exercise to keep proper bowel function.  Try taking your dog for a longer walk or playing a bit longer with your cat to increase the likelihood that they will clear things up for themselves.  An older pet's digestive system may have slowed and will require more moisture in the food and a bit of bran.  Add between « teaspoon and 1 tablespoon bran to each  meal depending on the size of your pet.  Oat bran is a good choice.  Be sure to always have adequate clean water available.

There are many things that can help an animal suffering from an occasional bout with constipation and the most critical is the proper diet.  A good natural diet of raw meat and vegetables with the appropriate supplemental foods is the best way to ensure proper functioning.

The homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica 6X can be given if the cause of the constipation is known to be from too much rich food, poor quality foods, stress or emotional upsets.  For dogs 1 tablet should be given every 15 minutes after each meal or 3 times a day.  Cats can receive 1 tablet after each time they try to use the litter box, but no more than once every 2 hours.  If there is no
relief discontinue after 24 hours.  If relief is seen and then later the constipation returns you can give one tablet as needed.

Some nutritional methods to try include adding garlic to the animal's food, adding a bit of olive oil to meals or adding a tablespoon or two of canned pumpkin to each meal.  Milk can also be used to get things moving again.  In healthy animals milk sometimes causes diarrhea, but if your friend is constipated it may be just what's needed.  Aloe vera juice can be fed every day
as a tonic and gentle laxative. Ground psyllium seed laxatives can be used for your pets also.  Cats should receive 1/4 teaspoon mixed with a couple of tablespoons water prior to meals.  Large dogs should receive 2 teaspoons.

The flower essence of Pomegranate is also used with success for constipated animals.  Emotional causes of constipation can be relieved with the essences of Chamomile or Aspen.

But remember, the best way to keep your friends regular is to provide them with a balanced natural, raw diet.  Suggestions for how to do this are found elsewhere in this newsletter.

Be well,
Nancy and the furkids

Today at work a coworker told me about her cat Cosmo.  He's been severely impacted for the last few weeks and has been pooping (small  hard stools) outside his litterbox consistently.  She & her husband are considering putting Cosmo to sleep.  I am absolutely sick about this.

They have been taking Cosmo to the vet (allo) in town, and none of his  suggestions are helping (laxatone and now some medicine of which he won't even tell them the side effects because they are so severe!)  The vet  says it may be a neurological problem which can't be helped. That's why  they're considering euthanizing poor Cosmo.

I've already told her about using wet food (preferably homemade, if not that than premium natural) instead of dry, and I told her not to free feed. I  also said she shouldn't use the scented litter she's been using.

This is my lunch hour and I'm scurrying to get together some info from  my natural pet care books (Stein, Pitcairn, Frazier, Yarnall, Puotinen).

Tomorrow is the last workday before xmas break.  Do any of you have suggestions for me to pass on? I know this is short notice, but it's  urgent. Please write if you have some ideas.

Thanks,
Susan

Hi all

I was browsing through some cat books (homeopathy & alternative medicine) and found a couple of ideas about how to give psyllium to cats. Thought they might be of interest...

For constipation:
Soak bran and/or powdered psyllium husks in a small amount of juice or water until soft and fully hydrated, using 1/4 tsp per 10 lbs. of body weight. Add it to food, 1/2 in a.m. and 1/2 at night.

For hairballs:
Combine 1/4 cup powdered psyllium husks with 3/4 cup warm water and let stand until it forms a soft gel. Add 1 tsp gel to the morning meal and 1 tsp to the evening meal.

BTW, for constipation one of the books suggested:
Add grated or pureed apples and other fruits as well as the usual carrots. If the stools are dry, increase the fluid consumption by adding fresh carrot juice, apple juice or water and a pinch of sea salt. Or give dried figs or prunes, soaked overnight - feed directly, or puree and add to food. And try finely minced wheat grass or garlic.

--Jean, Saski Basket & Amber Sweet T'ing

Hi all

Sandy wrote:
<< Wow, no way my cats would tolerate any sort of fruit or juice.  Wonder if cats can use any nutrients in them anyway.  I don't soak the psyllium in water but when I do use it, I pour water into the food right after it and it seems to mix in quite easily.>>

I'm constantly being surprised (and spoiled) by how much weird stuff Saski will eat! He *loves* apricot juice, will lick it out of my glass if I don't watch him.  lol And raisins, of course. Pureed raw apple... This cat wants to be a vegetarian <g>

BTW, I mixed up the 1 part psyllium husks to 3 parts water hairball remedy and let the psylllium fully absorb the water - it resulted in an interesting solid gel. *Very* sticky, as sticky as Laxatone. I can see that it would carry hairballs along with it. I'm keeping it in a little jar and adding it to Saski's food, one tsp per meal, since he's such an avid groomer he always has hairballs. JFYI!

--Jean, Saski Basket & Amber Sweet T'ing
 

Hi all

<<She has fully recovered from that, but now is dealing with hyperthyroidism.>>

Welcome, Kathy and Katie! (That's so cute :)

My Kashmir also has hyperthyroidism, and is also constipated a good deal of the time. It's unfortunate that Katie won't touch carrots cause that seems to be the only thing keeping Kashmir's constipation in check regularly without me having to resort to other methods. Have you tried other veggies? Pumpkin is out too, you say. Hmmmm. Have you tried just carrot *juice*? Have you tried another kind of squash, like spaghetti squash? Zuchini? I'm just thinking of any vegetable I can that would increase her fiber enough. We've been battling this for close on a year now, and I can (and will) give you some tricks for acute relief but I've never given any of them long term. I don't think they'd harm anything with long term use, but my personal philosophy is that it's good to stimulate the body to work for itself.

Psyllium husk is a good one. You have to mix it with unbelievable amounts of water. (Ok, I exaggerate.) Lots of water. I use about 3/4 to one cup of water to a teaspoon of psyllium (which is available in health food stores). I mix that all up till it forms a sticky gel. You can always add more water (and I think my recipe might be more H2O than others use). I add about a tsp of this mix to Kashmir's food. If you have, or know of someone who has, Anitra Frazier's _The New Natural Cat_, she's apparently got a
constipation remedy recipe (I don't have the book so this is just from recollection. I'll look it up in my saved posts later and correct it where I'm wrong). The basics are bran and butter in equal proportions. You can try aloe juice or gel, but make very sure that it doesn't have sodium benzoate as a preservative, as that's poisonous for cats. Add liquid chlorophyll to
her food or water too.

Garlic can be added to her food. Make sure she gets lots of water. Digestive enzymes may also be useful here.  You can also try adding vitamin C to her food if you don't already. Get the tasteless versions: sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, or Ester-C. Though if Katie has kidney problems too, maybe best to avoid the sodium. I use calcium ascorbate for my vitamin C source for the cats. I think 500 mg a day would be a good start. Normally pet practitioners say to work up to bowel tolerance. I've never
done that. I just estimate what I think is good and add it to Kashmir's food.

Oh yes, and if she'll eat the prunes, I can't find any reason not to give them to her once in awhile. Many of the books I have suggest them for constipation anyway.

So these are all good for temporary relief. If you can find a veggie that Katie will eat, that'd be most helpful but all of these things will hopefully work for temporary measures. I wouldn't give any of these long term (except the vitamin C), but that's just my take on things :)  I hope something helps for poor Katie.

Take care
Kathy (too) and the cats

My holistic vet suggested giving Sidney a Dulcolax pill two to three times a week along with the fiber lax.  So far it has worked like a charm. Sometimes I only have to give it once a week.  This is a great improvement and I feel it has helped with his kidney disease.  I thank God everyday. He was diagnosed in Dec.98 and is still going strong.

Dawn, Sidney and Monkey Face