How dangerous is Cisapride?

[taomom]

My vet prescribed for my cat to take Cisapride to help with bowel movement. We tried pumpkin and lactulose, didn't work. We tried miralax, I gave my cat a total of 1 1/2 tsp a day, didn't work. So now we have to result to using drugs. (My cat eats wet food by the way, no dry kibbles) Have anyone here who have used Cisapride saw any side effects from it? 

To those who have used it, did it work?

 

[molly92]

Cisapride is very safe. I think the only side effects are diarrhea (which most owners with constipated kitties will welcome!) or stomach cramps if too much is given. It stimulates the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract to contract. If a cat has not had a bowel movement for some time, this is helpful because those muscles have not been used much recently and are not used to contracting and pushing the stool along, which cisapride will help make happen. My cat was on it for 2 weeks when her chronic constipation got particularly bad and she was fine, I saw no side effects and she did have bowel movements. Cats who have megacolon or conditions where those muscles are chronically weak may need to be put on cisapride long term.

Just because a medication requires a prescription does not mean it is dangerous, and just because a remedy is "natural" does not mean it won't be dangerous.

I hope your cat is feeling better soon!

 

[laura mae]

My cat Booberry has been on Cisapride for over a year.  He seems okay on it. My vet makes me bring him in every 6 months though. Before the Cisapride he had two enemas and great difficulty with elimination. It's still not a daily thing but he hasn't had to have an enema since.

I still have to mix 1/8th teaspoon of miralax with his food morning and evening to keep things more comfortable as they move along. He's a happy cat and doesn't mind the medication at all. The compounding pharmacy flavors it with tuna.

Sometimes he vomits when he has to go. And sometimes the medication works seemingly on its own and he's surprised that he's pooped. So those are two things I'm not pleased with.  We're pretty sure for him, it's a damaged nerve thing and so the signals aren't there until it's a really significant issue.

 

[Puppycat2*]

I've begun using transdermal cisapride and so timing with food is not an issue anymore
Cisapride does work and my fuzzy baby Soho is not not experiencing any side effects either...
The cause of my cats pooping issues are not very clear (stress related?)
At times he will freak out when he needs to poop
Sometimes he is okay and other times he runs around (zoomies) when he feels the need to poop....dropping poop everywhere but into the litter box....
Using cisapride+ miralax ( so he does not become constipated) because of his wanting to hold poop rather than release it.....