Has anyone tried slippery elm bark for their cat?

Laroo

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I have made a few posts about my cat's struggle with constipation and her inability to tolerate popular laxatives like Miralax. I have also tried a few other popular ones and all of these had devastating effects. I am aware that these things have worked well for other cats, but I have also noticed that there is a stickied thread about giving medical advice on this forum. I encourage you to take a look at it before suggesting anything to do with these laxatives. I would prefer to not revisit them in this thread, my cat already has a vet (i.e actual medical professional with a veterinary degree to prove it) and that is done.

As a last resort for my cat, I am looking into slippery elm bark. Apparently it is an effective natural solution that will also soothe a cat's stomach and intestines (something my cat probably needs) and I'm considering giving it to her, but I'm pretty hesitant because of the last experiences we have had with the other drugs. It's claimed to be well tolerated and side effects are rare, but it also appears that my cat is extremely sensitive to experiencing side effects. My vet has approved it but I would like to hear of some other experiences as well before I decide. If you have ever given your cat this stuff how did it go? Did it work? Did your cat appear to do well on it, were they happy, did they have any side effects? If you were giving it and then stopped, please share why.
Thank you.
 
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Laroo

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I have made a few posts about my cat's struggle with constipation and her inability to tolerate popular laxatives like Miralax. I have also tried a few other popular ones and all of these had devastating effects. I am aware that these things have worked well for other cats, but I have also noticed that there is a stickied thread about giving medical advice on this forum. I encourage you to take a look at it before suggesting anything to do with these laxatives. I would prefer to not revisit them in this thread, my cat already has a vet (i.e actual medical professional with a veterinary degree to prove it) and that is done.

As a last resort for my cat, I am looking into slippery elm bark. Apparently it is an effective natural solution that will also soothe a cat's stomach and intestines (something my cat probably needs) and I'm considering giving it to her, but I'm pretty hesitant because of the last experiences we have had with the other drugs. It's claimed to be well tolerated and side effects are rare, but it also appears that my cat is extremely sensitive to experiencing side effects. My vet has approved it but I would like to hear of some other experiences as well before I decide. If you have ever given your cat this stuff how did it go? Did it work? Did your cat appear to do well on it, were they happy, did they have any side effects? If you were giving it and then stopped, please share why.
Thank you.
I also forgot to mention (can posts be edited?? Looks like not?) Since the U.S. elm population has been decimated by elm disease, I would like to get slippery elm that is from trees in Canada or Quebec or any other area they grow that is not part of the U.S. So far I have not found any brands that specify this, so if anyone knows of any, please share.
 

sallyfry

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I have made a few posts about my cat's struggle with constipation and her inability to tolerate popular laxatives like Miralax. I have also tried a few other popular ones and all of these had devastating effects. I am aware that these things have worked well for other cats, but I have also noticed that there is a stickied thread about giving medical advice on this forum. I encourage you to take a look at it before suggesting anything to do with these laxatives. I would prefer to not revisit them in this thread, my cat already has a vet (i.e actual medical professional with a veterinary degree to prove it) and that is done.

As a last resort for my cat, I am looking into slippery elm bark. Apparently it is an effective natural solution that will also soothe a cat's stomach and intestines (something my cat probably needs) and I'm considering giving it to her, but I'm pretty hesitant because of the last experiences we have had with the other drugs. It's claimed to be well tolerated and side effects are rare, but it also appears that my cat is extremely sensitive to experiencing side effects. My vet has approved it but I would like to hear of some other experiences as well before I decide. If you have ever given your cat this stuff how did it go? Did it work? Did your cat appear to do well on it, were they happy, did they have any side effects? If you were giving it and then stopped, please share why.
Thank you.
I have an elderly cat who suffers from constipation. I have used slippery elm in the past, boiling the powder in water to make a sort of syrupy broth. I then poured this over his wet food; he seemed to tolerate it well. I keep it on hand, but am now using Miralax and a product called Pet BM Gold in combination. Also switched him to mainly wet food and bought a water fountain to keep him drinking. We had no problem with the slippery elm, but Miralax seems to work better for him.
 

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I tried that for Merlin I think, but I was told it helped runs, lol. Have you tried pumpkin? You have to post a certain number before you can edit your own posts here, a bit nuts imo😹
 
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Laroo

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I tried that for Merlin I think, but I was told it helped runs, lol. Have you tried pumpkin? You have to post a certain number before you can edit your own posts here, a bit nuts imo😹
I have tried pumpkin, but she didn't care for it. Slippery elm bark is supposed to help acid and nausea too, it sounds like it's very beneficial.
 

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I have tried pumpkin, but she didn't care for it. Slippery elm bark is supposed to help acid and nausea too, it sounds like it's very beneficial.
It didn't help Merlin or Sybil as far as I could tell but each cat is different. I also tried it myself and as I recall it gave me runs and a stomachache, it did not help my reflux very much if at all.
 
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Laroo

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It didn't help Merlin or Sybil as far as I could tell but each cat is different. I also tried it myself and as I recall it gave me runs and a stomachache, it did not help my reflux very much if at all.
Ok, good to know. Did you use a powder and make the "gel" or tea I guess? This is how I was planning to do it, if I decide to.
 

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Hi! I have a 19 year old that I administer SEB daily, mainly for nausea due to his Chronic Renal Failure Disease (CKD) what I can say is that it has been great for him over the last year. Personally I use organic pure pumpkin for constipation along with the 1/8 teaspoon of SEB if constipation or diarrhea occurs. What I can also tell you is ideally you want to use organic or wild-crafted SEB powder but if you cannot find loose SEB, you can usually find capsules in a 350 - 400 mg, but try to make sure the capsules only contain SEB, no fillers. It’s hard to find capsules that do not contain magnesium stearate because it’s a glidant used in the manufacturing process (it helps the powder flow when the capsules are being filled.) Magnesium stearate is not a real problem, but I would still try to avoid capsules containing other ingredients. Also some people make syrup out of it and you cannot make syrup recipe from capsules containing any other than slippery elm bark. Also avoid tinctures because they often contain other ingredients, especially alcohol.
Dosing is 1/8 - 1/4 a teaspoon 1-2 x a day. I sprinkle it in my bebes wet food, but some bebes may not like the flavor so pill pockets or the syrup are also alternatives. Your bebe will let you know, I’m sure! All in all I’ve had nothing but good things to say—my boy prefers natural and we’ve had a lot of luck with keeping him regular and feeling less nauseated using SEB. It took about 2-3 days to work for him with the stool, hence I mixed with organic pure canned pumpkin (aka only ingredient = pumpkin/no spices etc) to see results I his stools. Wishing you and your bebe good health, and more loving in this thing we do called life! Hope that helps—no side effects from SEB and excellent results here!
 

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Ok, good to know. Did you use a powder and make the "gel" or tea I guess? This is how I was planning to do it, if I decide to.
I had capsules and sprinkled them into their food.
 

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One of my cats has been taking Slippery Elm for a year now. It has helped tremendously with his stomach acid without any side effects. We mix 0.75 mL into his wet food daily and he eats it just fine.

Have you also considered marshmallow root? It is similar to slippery elm but my understanding is that marshmallow root is more geared towards moving things along than slippery elm. We just added marshmallow root to my cat's diet to help with summer hairballs and it has made a noticeable improvement (this is in addition to slippery elm, we're trying to figure out exactly how much marshmallow root he needs, I'm starting to think between 0.5 to 0.75 mL). It's been a month and there have been no side effects.

One option I would consider if I were in your position is Animal Essentials Colon Rescue. It has both slippery elm and marshmallow root plus licorice root and plantain leaf, so it may be more soothing than either slippery elm or marshmallow root by themselves. It also comes in both a liquid and a powder. But I don't know where or how they source their ingredients.
ANIMAL ESSENTIALS Colon Rescue Herbal GI Support Dog & Cat Supplement, 2-oz bottle - Chewy.com
 
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One of my cats has been taking Slippery Elm for a year now. It has helped tremendously with his stomach acid without any side effects. We mix 0.75 mL into his wet food daily and he eats it just fine.

Have you also considered marshmallow root? It is similar to slippery elm but my understanding is that marshmallow root is more geared towards moving things along than slippery elm. We just added marshmallow root to my cat's diet to help with summer hairballs and it has made a noticeable improvement (this is in addition to slippery elm, we're trying to figure out exactly how much marshmallow root he needs, I'm starting to think between 0.5 to 0.75 mL). It's been a month and there have been no side effects.

One option I would consider if I were in your position is Animal Essentials Colon Rescue. It has both slippery elm and marshmallow root plus licorice root and plantain leaf, so it may be more soothing than either slippery elm or marshmallow root by themselves. It also comes in both a liquid and a powder. But I don't know where or how they source their ingredients.
ANIMAL ESSENTIALS Colon Rescue Herbal GI Support Dog & Cat Supplement, 2-oz bottle - Chewy.com
I have not looked into Marshmallow root yet, but I will. I found this slippery elm tincture on Amazon that has no alcohol and looks like minimal other ingrediants. Amazon.com: Slippery Elm Tincture - Organic Ulmus Rubra Liquid Supplement - Herbal Extract Drops to Support Digestive Function, Weight Management & Throat Relief - Natural Demulcent - 2 fl. oz Bottle: Health & Personal Care
Do you use powder? What strength? I will check out that Animal Essentials one.
 
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Laroo

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slippery elm bark from canada - Google Search

This page has a number of Canadian sources. I have never used it for myself or an animal, so can't comment on its effectiveness or lack thereof.
Thank you, I will take a look. I did discover that the only elms in Canada that have no disease are in Alberta and Vancouver. I guess it may be near impossible to find out if they are ever used to manufacture this.
 
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Laroo

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Hi! I have a 19 year old that I administer SEB daily, mainly for nausea due to his Chronic Renal Failure Disease (CKD) what I can say is that it has been great for him over the last year. Personally I use organic pure pumpkin for constipation along with the 1/8 teaspoon of SEB if constipation or diarrhea occurs. What I can also tell you is ideally you want to use organic or wild-crafted SEB powder but if you cannot find loose SEB, you can usually find capsules in a 350 - 400 mg, but try to make sure the capsules only contain SEB, no fillers. It’s hard to find capsules that do not contain magnesium stearate because it’s a glidant used in the manufacturing process (it helps the powder flow when the capsules are being filled.) Magnesium stearate is not a real problem, but I would still try to avoid capsules containing other ingredients. Also some people make syrup out of it and you cannot make syrup recipe from capsules containing any other than slippery elm bark. Also avoid tinctures because they often contain other ingredients, especially alcohol.
Dosing is 1/8 - 1/4 a teaspoon 1-2 x a day. I sprinkle it in my bebes wet food, but some bebes may not like the flavor so pill pockets or the syrup are also alternatives. Your bebe will let you know, I’m sure! All in all I’ve had nothing but good things to say—my boy prefers natural and we’ve had a lot of luck with keeping him regular and feeling less nauseated using SEB. It took about 2-3 days to work for him with the stool, hence I mixed with organic pure canned pumpkin (aka only ingredient = pumpkin/no spices etc) to see results I his stools. Wishing you and your bebe good health, and more loving in this thing we do called life! Hope that helps—no side effects from SEB and excellent results here!
Good to know it is helping your CKD cat, mine also has this and is stage 3. Hence the constipation. I may revisit the pumpkin again since it sounds like many people are having good results with it. I know my kitty also has nausea and acid, so it would be nice to see if this will help with that as well. I did find this tincture on Amazon that has no alcohol and and only vegetable glycerin and distilled water as added ingrediants Amazon.com: Slippery Elm Tincture - Organic Ulmus Rubra Liquid Supplement - Herbal Extract Drops to Support Digestive Function, Weight Management & Throat Relief - Natural Demulcent - 2 fl. oz Bottle: Health & Personal Care
but I am not sure how much to give her. It seems like mg vary greatly. Ideally, a tincture would be best so that I can just put a bit into her food. I'm not sure about making the tea form every day, that sounds a bit tedious. Thank you!
 

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Good to know it is helping your CKD cat, mine also has this and is stage 3. Hence the constipation. I may revisit the pumpkin again since it sounds like many people are having good results with it. I know my kitty also has nausea and acid, so it would be nice to see if this will help with that as well. I did find this tincture on Amazon that has no alcohol and and only vegetable glycerin and distilled water as added ingrediants Amazon.com: Slippery Elm Tincture - Organic Ulmus Rubra Liquid Supplement - Herbal Extract Drops to Support Digestive Function, Weight Management & Throat Relief - Natural Demulcent - 2 fl. oz Bottle: Health & Personal Care
but I am not sure how much to give her. It seems like mg vary greatly. Ideally, a tincture would be best so that I can just put a bit into her food. I'm not sure about making the tea form every day, that sounds a bit tedious. Thank you!
The Maui Herbs slippery elm you linked to looks very strong, much stronger than the slippery elm I use for my cat. We use Animal Essentials Slippery Elm drops, it is a 1:4 ratio of slippery elm 250 mg strength. The Maui Herbs is a 1:3 ratio of slippery elm 638 mg strength. It may be fine for pets, but I would definitely check with your vet for a dosage specifically for the Maui Herbs. I use about 0.65 - 0.75 mL of the Animal Essentials Slippery Elm mixed into his wet food daily. I spoke with a veterinary nutritionist about making my own but ultimately felt very uncomfortable in my ability to make a consistently good batch, so I prefer to buy it.
Slippery Elm

The mucilage from slippery elm will address the stomach acid, which in turns helps with nausea that's caused by stomach acid, and will also help with constipation. But it may not be enough to solve constipation on its own and it may not address nausea that is not related to stomach acid. If you find slippery elm alone isn't helping, then I would definitely look at products that use several ingredients to address GI distress. Animal Essentials Colon Rescue uses mucilage and anti-inflammatory ingredients, whereas something like Dr. Mercola GI Support adds stomach soothing ingredients to the mucilage and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
ANIMAL ESSENTIALS Colon Rescue Herbal GI Support Dog & Cat Supplement, 2-oz bottle - Chewy.com
DR. MERCOLA GI Support Dog & Cat Supplement, 2.9-oz jar - Chewy.com
 
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Laroo

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I decided to go with the Maui Herbs one from Amazon. Thanks for the lookout though!
How did that one from Amazon end up working out for your cat? How much did you give them?
 
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Laroo

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How did that one from Amazon end up working out for your cat? How much did you give them?
Hello,
I didn't use it very much, so I can't say it was good or bad (or that it had any effect at all.) The cat seemed able to smell it and then she didn't want to eat the food. I returned it and have been giving her Cerenia and Zofran instead, she's been rather bouncy and happy because of it these last few days as well! It seems to be popular opinion that you have to boil the slippery elm, so I bought some capsules from Oregon Harvest. Their quality control is really good.
 

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Our cat was diagnosed with stage 2 CKD a couple of months ago. After a bit of a struggle she finally is eating Royal Canin kidney wet food.

But she was having a lot of vomiting and "pancake" diarrhea that just was not getting better. No big help from the vet.

But found info on Slippery Elm and decided to try that.

After 24 hours she had improved about 90%, and after 3 days she has normal bowel movements again, and has not vomited again.

Her appetite is improved which is no surprise, she is playing again, and is a happy cat again.

I use a 400 mg capsule that I empty and mix with water, then mix with her wet food. Then I divide the food into typically 3 portions and she eats that gradually over a period of time. I have been giving this to here mid to late afternoon and it appears to be working extremely well.

The vet had prescribed pre and pro biotics but they didn't make a big differences. But we are continuing those.
 
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