CRD Cat with Diarrhea

[jenny82]

Chessy was just diagnosed with early stage 3 renal disease about 2 weeks ago.  Since just before then, he has had diarrhea almost every day.  Our vet said that's not usually a symptom of CRD and she can't see any explanation for it (he had full bloodwork and tests done).

I've been trying adding canned pumpkin to his food but I don't think that's helping.  I've also ordered some slippery elm bark (suggested on the felincrf.org website) that the vet said I could try.  If that doesn't work the vet said we could try probiotics.

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?  Has anyone used slippery elm bark before for diarrhea? 

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

 
Chessy was just diagnosed with early stage 3 renal disease about 2 weeks ago.  Since just before then, he has had diarrhea almost every day.  Our vet said that's not usually a symptom of CRD and she can't see any explanation for it (he had full bloodwork and tests done).

I've been trying adding canned pumpkin to his food but I don't think that's helping.  I've also ordered some slippery elm bark (suggested on the felincrf.org website) that the vet said I could try.  If that doesn't work the vet said we could try probiotics.

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?  Has anyone used slippery elm bark before for diarrhea? 

i'm so sorry that your chessy has CRD. my snick has chronic kidney disease too, between stage 2 and stage 3 -- she's on at-home/hospice care now, as she no longer tolerates vet appointments.

i've used plain canned pumpkin to help firm up diarrhea or just a little loose stools for my cats before, with success. the thing about the pumpkin is that different cats can have different results from it. while pumpkin can help firm up some cats stools, with other cats the pumpkin can actually help to loosen their stools.

i've not tried slippery elm bark, so cannot comment on that one.

now for my snick (who has the chronic kidney disease), probiotics can seriously cause her to become constipated. so probiotics can certainly help firm up stools in some cats. if you/your vet decide to try a probiotic, i'd keep an eye on your chessy's litter box output -- to make sure he is making poops, not becoming constipated. my understanding is that constipation can be a side effect when taking a probiotic, and that not every cat taking a probiotic will experience that side effect.

something else you might discuss with your vet is using plain unflavored metamucil (powdered) to treat the diarrhea. it should be metamucil brand, not a generic. metamucil can be used to either loosen or firm up stools. my snick also has IBD, and we used metamucil (recommended by our vet, and at the dosage our vet suggested) to treat the explosive diarrhea she experienced during the time that her IBD was first diagnosed. our vet said that it's the fiber in the metamucil that helped my snick with her diarrhea.

of course, always check with your vet before trying anything new in treating your chessy's diarrhea.

 

[jenny82]

I'll ask the vet about metamucil too.  Canned pumpkin has helped him in the past, but for some reason it doesn't seem to be working this time.

It's kind of hard to watch his litter box habits because we have another cat, and work during the day.  I can usually tell their poops apart but not always

Thanks!  Best wishes for your Snick

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

 
I'll ask the vet about metamucil too.  Canned pumpkin has helped him in the past, but for some reason it doesn't seem to be working this time.

It's kind of hard to watch his litter box habits because we have another cat, and work during the day.  I can usually tell their poops apart but not always

Thanks!  Best wishes for your Snick

i knew i'd seen someone that mentioned using baby food beets to help identify that particular cats stools in their litter box (was a multi-cat family). i found the thread, and baby food beets are mentioned in post #7 -- http://www.thecatsite.com/t/303176/old-cat-not-right#post_3805402 . i'm not sure what baby food beets might do in a cat who is experiencing diarrhea though, so i'd check with your vet before trying this.

thank you! snick continues to do well, and we follow her sub-q fluids schedule very carefully.

 

[seven]

I was told by the owner at the local nutrition store to be careful that it has no alcohol in the slippery elm and no "inactive ingredients" that might be dangerous for cats or CRD.

She is very experienced more so than many vets. I was also told not to try too many things at once without the advice of a vet that specializes in natural and alternative medicine.

Good luck with your cat. Give Chessy lots of love.  

 

[jenny82]

 
I was told by the owner at the local nutrition store to be careful that it has no alcohol in the slippery elm and no "inactive ingredients" that might be dangerous for cats or CRD.

She is very experienced more so than many vets. I was also told not to try too many things at once without the advice of a vet that specializes in natural and alternative medicine.

Good luck with your cat. Give Chessy lots of love.  

Thank you!!  I haven't tried it yet.  My vet told me he may need a probiotic, so I'm going to talk to her today about that.