Let's say "NO" to Vaseline

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Please note the second one would apply to butter, too.

Well most of us don't put butter around our nose unless we want to be licked to death by our butter-loving cats whereas some people might well put vaseline on their nose.

FWIW, long ago and far away . . . people put butter on burns which we all now know is a big no-no.

So, the moral of the story here is that we can all learn something every day. I know since I came on this site I have learned many, many things and continue to learn each day.

 

[Willowy]

An interesting note.....the guy who invented Vaseline took a spoonful every morning. He lived to be 101, so it can't be too bad for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Chesebrough

I figure it's the same as Laxatone, just unflavored. Fine for moderate use. But none of my cats will take it anyway. They won't take Laxatone, either

.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by Willowy

An interesting note.....the guy who invented Vaseline took a spoonful every morning. He lived to be 101, so it can't be too bad for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Chesebrough

I figure it's the same as Laxatone, just unflavored. Fine for moderate use. But none of my cats will take it anyway. They won't take Laxatone, either

.

I wonder how his body size and weight would compare to a cat's? Could be a spoonful for him would be like a microscopic amount for a cat? DK - just saying.

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I wonder how his body size and weight would compare to a cat's? Could be a spoonful for him would be like a microscopic amount for a cat? DK - just saying.

Also, I highly doubt the formula is the same as in 1870....

 

[Willowy]

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Also, I highly doubt the formula is the same as in 1870....

IDK. It would seem that "100% pure petroleum jelly" couldn't be formulated any other way.....but I'm not sure. Wonder if an e-mail to the company would be helpful.

 

[mrblanche]

I don't know where that long list of ingredients came from, but it doesn't seem to be for your standard Vaseline, which, as far as I can discern, is 100% white petrolatum, as I said in my first post.

 

[snake_lady]

I had to check, and my Petroleum jelly's ingreds are: white petroleum jelly USP but then I don't use the trademarked Vaseline, I use a no name brand.

Perhaps the brand Vaseline is the one with the funky ingreds, and that is the one that has changed over the yrs.

 

[carolina]

here is what their page says:

VaselineÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] Petroleum Jelly is a mixture of mineral oils, paraffin and microcrystalline waxes that, when blended together, create something remarkable - a smooth jelly that has a melting point just above body temperature. The result - it literally melts into skin, flowing into the spaces between cells and the gaps in our lipid barrier. Once there, it re-solidifies, locking itself in place.

And here is the safety sheet for it - it says it is not safe to be ingested.... so... why is it not safe for humans, but it is for cats? Another safety data sheet

 

[mrblanche]

I read the safety data sheet (the first one; the second one is some format my computer doesn't know how to open). It says that white petrolatum (Vaseline) is safe to use in pharmaceuticals and and cosmetics.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Also, I highly doubt the formula is the same as in 1870....

there is no formula, it's 100% petroleum jelly

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I don't know where that long list of ingredients came from, but it doesn't seem to be for your standard Vaseline, which, as far as I can discern, is 100% white petrolatum, as I said in my first post.

you beat me to it!

Vaseline(tm)is a Brand Name for one petroleum jelly. generic brands are not called Vaseline, just petroleum jelly.

I know someone who uses plain petroleum jelly for hair balls, as advised by her vet. I do not.

I use several different made for cats hairball remedies. Cat lax, petromalt, and laxatone. I rotate them.

the laxatone ingredients have already been listed, (active ingredients are white petroleum and mineral oil) but the Cat Lax active ingredient is cod liver oil, and the petromalt active ingredient is mineral oil.

The most efficient way to use any hairball remedy is to give it on an empty stomach at least an hour before a meal. Hairball remedies are non digestible and glom to the fur (and anything else) in the esophagus, stomach and intestine.

If they are given near meal time they will interfere with nutrient absorption.

Hairball remedies are habit forming, meaning the cat's body will become dependent on them for bowel movements, if used too often, so they should be used no more than three times a week during shedding season (in most places that is April-October) and only once or twice a week the rest of the year.

Daily grooming, for the cat who will allow it always helps, but remedy may still be needed.

 

[gloriajh]

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I read the safety data sheet (the first one; the second one is some format my computer doesn't know how to open). It says that white petrolatum (Vaseline) is safe to use in pharmaceuticals and and cosmetics.

Had no problems with my computer (MAC) opening the first one, with Safari browser.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I read the safety data sheet (the first one; the second one is some format my computer doesn't know how to open). It says that white petrolatum (Vaseline) is safe to use in pharmaceuticals and and cosmetics.

Cosmetics are not usually ingested so I would want to have a more complete list of just which "pharmaceuticals" it is used in and what their applications are, whether used externally or for ingestion.

Thanks Carolina for doing that research and finding those items. It's always good to get all the info out there so we can make educated choices.

 

[gloriajh]

Originally Posted by otto

there is no formula, it's 100% petroleum jelly



you beat me to it!

Vaseline(tm)is a Brand Name for one petroleum jelly. generic brands are not called Vaseline, just petroleum jelly.

I know someone who uses plain petroleum jelly for hair balls, as advised by her vet. I do not.

I use several different made for cats hairball remedies. Cat lax, petromalt, and laxatone. I rotate them.

the laxatone ingredients have already been listed, (active ingredients are white petroleum and mineral oil) but the Cat Lax active ingredient is cod liver oil, and the petromalt active ingredient is mineral oil.

The most efficient way to use any hairball remedy is to give it on an empty stomach at least an hour before a meal. Hairball remedies are non digestible and glom to the fur (and anything else) in the esophagus, stomach and intestine.

If they are given near meal time they will interfere with nutrient absorption.

Hairball remedies are habit forming, meaning the cat's body will become dependent on them for bowel movements, if used too often, so they should be used no more than three times a week during shedding season (in most places that is April-October) and only once or twice a week the rest of the year.

Daily grooming, for the cat who will allow it always helps, but remedy may still be needed.

Your instructions - as when to give a hairball remedy that is non-digestible - make a lot of sense.
Even though virgin olive oil, or almond oil, is digestible, I wonder if those instructions should also be followed? (I would never use cod liver oil because I stay away from any fish products as much as possible - fish contributes to urinary tract crystals.)

Good point about the problems with remedies that may become habit forming and lead to additional problems.

I wonder if the vet, your friend goes to, is just relying on information talked about over "light conversation", or if the vet has actually researched the pros and cons.

 

[mrblanche]

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

Had no problems with my computer (MAC) opening the first one, with Safari browser.

Nor did I. It was the second one that downloaded but would not open.

I haven't gone completely through the listings, but white petrolatum and mineral oil are both approved as veterinary drugs for the treatment of hairballs. In human usage, so far I've found mostly external uses (dry skin, diaper rash), although it IS used in artificial tears. (In fact, I just realized I've used that product when I experienced a scratched cornea.)

Most of the human uses I've found are external, but I did find one application where it's used in oral applications to hold active ingredients in place. Oh, and Preparation H is mostly white petrolatum and mineral oil.

Personally, as I said, I don't eat Vaseline myself, and I have plenty of the commercially available stuff for the cats...if they would take it.

 

[ldg]

I just wanted to add some links to this list. The thread was started in 2009, but it is a timeless topic, and relevant now that we're in shedding season many places around the world.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/226763-side-effects-of-petrolatum/

A study linking the petrolatum impurity polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs to breast cancer was completed at Columbia University. The study indicates that breast tissue of women with breast cancer were 2.6 times more likely to have increased amounts of PAHs attached to their DNA than the breast tissue of women without breast cancer.

....Petrolatum or mineral oil jelly and mineral oils can cause skin photosensitivity or promote sun damage. Petrolatum may interfere with the body's moisturizing mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping despite its cosmetic use as lip protection. According to the Environmental Working Group, petrolatum may be found in one of every 14 products as well as 15 percent of lipsticks and 40 percent of baby lotions and oils. The Federal Drug Enforcement Agency restricts petrolatum in food to 10 parts per million, and insists that petrolatum used in food packaging or drugs meet governmental standards on impurity restrictions for PAHs.

So why is petrolatum in human food restricted to 10 parts per million - yet it's OK to feed cats hairball treats packed with the stuff? :dk:


Petroleum jelly side effects: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/petroleum-jelly-side-effects.html

...its use in cosmetics is banned in many nations including the EU.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8623501_mercola-dangers-petroleum-jelly.html

Dr. Mercola advises not using petroleum jelly or petrolatum on your body or on your child's body because it may contain impurities since it is derived from petroleum. The risk is that you will absorb toxic substances through your skin.

...In the European Union's Dangerous Substances Directive, petrolatum is listed as a probable human carcinogen, according to Health-report.co.uk.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_6788183_harmful-mineral-oil-petroleum-jelly.html

Since petroleum jelly and mineral oil (its liquid equivalent) attach to your cells and are not water soluble, they can be difficult for your body to eliminate, sometimes causing buildup in various organs of the body.

I know that the theory is that the molecules are too large to be absorbed in the intestines or colon. Yet the safety data sheet on it that Carolina posted clearly says "The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion."

An alternative for hairballs is egg yolks and egg yolk lecithin:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/250653/egg-lecithin-for-hairballs

http://www.ferretharmony.net/2013/04/27/hairballs-eat-an-egg/

And if egg yolks and lecithin are not enough for kitties with impaired GI systems, consider using slippery elm bark powder up to twice a day for coating/soothing/GI inflammation and a source of fiber to help keep things moving. http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

 

[gloriajh]

Thank you for updating this thread Laurie  

I had wanted to add comments from my Vet regarding hairball remedies - she wasn't in favor of them either.  

When I asked about oils (more specifically about sweet almond oil) she told me the oils weren't safe because they were absorbed in the intestine and because the pancreas was right there, too.  

At any rate now I know oils aren't save, either.

I have one cat that throws hairballs so often that I think it's beginning to harm his teeth which was evidenced by his recent dental cleaning - a spot is on his pre-molar that we have to watch.

I ran across one website that was most interesting (can't remember it just now) ANYway - the idea that hairballs are a normal way of life for a cat, and would usually pass through the digestive system unless it is compromised in some way - as in irritated bowel disease or something like that

Oh, I found it:  http://consciouscat.net/2010/04/28/some-startling-new-thoughts-on-cats-and-hairballs/

Another one that refers to the link above: http://www.pet-health-care-gazette....tory-bowel-disease-ibd-and-hairballs-in-cats/

... As mentioned in Ingrid’s article, hairballs are frequently a result of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in cats. I agree with her also that diet can play a big part in controlling the symptoms of feline IBD. But, what happens when diet alone does not solve the problem? ...

So, Laurie - your solution that you offered about the egg and slippery elm is gladly received!  

I'm not familiar with slippery elm - is there a particular product I would look for?  

 

[franksmom]

Really interesting thread. Even though I have two long haired cats never have had a problem with hair balls. I would never give my cats petroleum jelly as I won't even use cosmetics that contain it. I have bought something called non- petroleum jelly from a company called live clean. Might be something to look into in order to see if that may be a safe alternative. Here is a homemade recipe for non petroleum jelly which is just beeswax and olive oil http://adelightfulhome.com/day-2-make-your-own-non-petroleum

 

[otto]

When I last posted in this thread almost 4 years ago I was using a rotation of mostly petrolatum based hairball remedies.

Not EVER again.

It was only shortly after that I began searching for an alternative. I lost my Tolly to a swift growing cancer, from first symptom to death was only 19 days and I am convinced it was the petroleum in the hairball remedies that caused it. He had a lot of problems, and the hairball issue with him got worse and worse as he got older, I think there was a motility issue and he took massive quantities of that stuff.

I will never use them and will always warn people against them now.

 

[ldg]

So, Laurie - your solution that you offered about the egg and slippery elm is gladly received!  

I'm not familiar with slippery elm - is there a particular product I would look for?  

I know it can be purchased as a supplement in capsule form. I just buy loose powder from the health food store, half an ounce at a time (but I have 8 cats). It only costs $1.40 per ounce there, as I generally pay around $0.70 for the baggie of it (they measure it out, and we're not precise about the half ounce, whatever the scoop dumps). My understanding is that this is far less expensive than capsule form. I like it because it has no stearate or whatever is used in processing of most powders that are going into capsules.

I mix 1/4 teaspoon with a teaspoon of water, and let it gel up. I mix that into the food, and then add some more water. I probably end up using a tablespoon or more of water with it. Fibers need water.... it's just easier to stir into the food without it lumping up when it's that 1/4 teaspoon of powder to teaspoon of water.

 

[otto]

I'm using this Slippery Elm Bark (SEB) product for Mazy cat


All three of them get egg yolk lecithin in varying doses.