long term loose stool

[prosperity]

I am using FloraMore. My vet seemed thrilled with that brand but I will check out the ingredients. Samuel is on day two without his diarrhea pill (Centrine). I will see how the day progresses.

He is also now on only 3 food ingredients. . . . . peas, duck and chicken.

 

[raggiekitty]

mschauer, are you still feeding California Nat? Do you feed canned food also? If not, do you just sprinkle the EP Holistic Solution over the dry? Zoe is getting finicky

about the wets that she's been eating..so just want to know what you're giving Coco now....thanks

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by RaggieKitty

mschauer, are you still feeding California Nat? Do you feed canned food also? If not, do you just sprinkle the EP Holistic Solution over the dry? Zoe is getting finicky

about the wets that she's been eating..so just want to know what you're giving Coco now....thanks

Most supplements are tasty to the cats so sprinkling over dry often works ... but i always put it with wet or homemade

 

[raggiekitty]

Ok...just making sure over dry still works ok...Maybe my cat will stop being so stubborn...she's wanting the lesser quality wet foods that I used to just use to top her "good for you" foods with so she'd eat them. Her breath reeks like the food and it's harder on her tummy..but she's really being stubborn!

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by RaggieKitty

mschauer, are you still feeding California Nat? Do you feed canned food also? If not, do you just sprinkle the EP Holistic Solution over the dry? Zoe is getting finicky

about the wets that she's been eating..so just want to know what you're giving Coco now....thanks

I feed her a variety of things, wet and dry.

I don't like to sprinkle the HS over dry because too much of it falls off the kibbles and so doesn't get ingested.

Coco is finicky about about wet foods also. To make sure she ingests enough of the HS I make a gruel for her consisting of equal parts HS and brewers yeast (which she *loves*) and enough water to make a thinish gruel. She laps it right up.

 

[raggiekitty]

Yeah, I'm thinking since she doesn't finish every wet meal, she won't be getting all of her HS and L-lysine that I add to it.
I'll look for some brewer's yeast and give the gruel a try...thanks.

 

[raggiekitty]

I finally found Excel brewer's yeast at a pet store today and made the mix with HS and water and yep, she licked the plate clean!

Thanks.....AGAIN!

 

[cococat]

Originally Posted by michmt

They are not having accidents. They are making it to the litter box, but their stool is very loose, almost pudding like, and it smells AWFUL! I'm cleaning the litter box at least 5 to 6 times a day, if not more. My vet told me not to use pumpkin because it's more of a laxative and would defeat the purpose.

This isn't true. I own several dogs and one cat and pumpkin works great for both loose stools or constipation. I have used it for years when the need arises and keep a can on hand just in case. The only way it would be a laxative and make it worse is if you are giving too big of an amount. My biggest dog (90lbs.) only gets one TBS. That is all it takes.

Hope you find out the problem soon. Since your problem is ongoing that is a big problem. Do you have a holistic vet? Maybe you should check into one. http://www.holisticvetlist.com/

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by cococat

This isn't true. I own several dogs and one cat and pumpkin works great for both loose stools or constipation. I have used it for years when the need arises and keep a can on hand just in case. The only way it would be a laxative and make it worse is if you are giving too big of an amount. My biggest dog (90lbs.) only gets one TBS. That is all it takes.

Hope you find out the problem soon. Since your problem is ongoing that is a big problem. Do you have a holistic vet? Maybe you should check into one. http://www.holisticvetlist.com/

even the conventional vets around here suggest pumpkin as a anti dirreal and anti constipation aid

 

[raggiekitty]

I've used pumpkin occassionally when her stools were too loose and when changing foods...it does help. And I agree, it only takes a small amount mixed with the food. This is a problem I really wish none of us (and our cats) had to deal with

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by RaggieKitty

I finally found Excel brewer's yeast at a pet store today and made the mix with HS and water and yep, she licked the plate clean!

Thanks.....AGAIN!

I'm glad it helped. Not all kitties like brewers yeast. I also sprinkle it on top of food I'm trying to get her to eat. Sometimes she will just sniff something and walk away without even tasting it. A little brewers yeast on top can sometimes tempt her enough so that she at least tries the food before rejecting it. It can also get her to eat something she has eaten in the past but for some reason won't touch on a given day. Cats! Geez...

 

[river]

mchauer, could maybe your solution be because of the digestive enzymes in Holistic Solutions? Have you tried other probiotics without digestive enzymes?

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...turaltreatment

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by river

mchauer, could maybe your solution be because of the digestive enzymes in Holistic Solutions? Have you tried other probiotics without digestive enzymes?

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...turaltreatment

It's definitely because of the microrobes and enzymes. After all to provide those microbes and enzymes is the purpose of giving the supplement.

I haven't tried other probiotic supplements. Other brands have different ingredients from the HS and since I know the HS works for Coco I don't have any reason to try another.

See this thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...rm+loose+stool

Edit: On second read I guess what you are asking is if an enzyme only supplement might also work. That maybe the prebiotics and probiotics aren't needed. Possibly. I don't think there is any reason to avoid the prebiotics and probiotics though. Do you have some concern about them?

 

[river]

As a curious person I would just like to know whether your cat needs both the enzymes and the probiotics, maybe someday you can run an experiment to determine exactly what he needs.

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by river

As a curious person I would just like to know whether your cat needs both the enzymes and the probiotics, maybe someday you can run an experiment to determine exactly what he needs.

I have considered trying other supplements for pretty much the same reason, curiosity. I'm reluctant to experiment with her health though. Her energy level has ticked up a couple of notches since starting the supplement. Not that a Bengal needs extra energy!

I believe the enzymes are the major component of the HS anyway.

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by river

mchauer, could maybe your solution be because of the digestive enzymes in Holistic Solutions? Have you tried other probiotics without digestive enzymes?

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...turaltreatment

You do realize that what this article is suggesting is a method to allow the bodies natural defenses kill off a parasite? I don't think it is meant to address diarrhea not caused by a parasite.

 

[river]

Yes, I thought maybe the enzymes might be killing off a parasite your cat might have, which is what is solving your problem.

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by river

Yes, I thought maybe the enzymes might be killing off a parasite your cat might have, which is what is solving your problem.

She has repeatedly tested negative for parasites.

 

[mschauer]

Since this thread is getting rather long and difficult to read in it's entirety I thought I would point out a few things:

This thread was started because my then 2 yr old bengal, Coco, had had a loose stool ever since I got her when she was 10 mos old. She had never been sick and never been on antibiotics (both are things known to cause diarrhea/loose stool) and was otherwise in perfect health.

She had been tested for parasites (also known to cause loose stools) and even for T. foetus (a parasite not usually tested for). The tests were all negative.

My vet just wanted to find a food, perhaps a prescription one, that she could eat and have firmer stools with. I didn't like the idea of finding just one or two foods that she could eat and that being all she could eat. I wanted to try to understand and address the cause.

I started this thread and got lots of excellent advice. That advice plus what I had read elsewhere lead me to believe that a probiotic supplement may help Coco. I tried Eagle Pack Holistic Solution and within 2 days Coco's stools were close to normal and within a week were completely normal and have remained so. I give her the HS ever day and after experimenting with not giving it to her just to have the loose stool return, I believe I will have to continue to give it to her daily for at least the foreseeable future.

For anyone whose cat has had a loose stool or diarrhea for a long time (weeks, months), the first step *must* be to rule out a medical cause. This can only be done by a vet.

If a medical problem has been ruled out this thread contains a wealth of information you might be able to use to find a resolution to your kitty's problem.

Long term, non-medically explained loose stools seem to be a very common problem with cats. I'm sure everyone welcomes hearing about the experiences of others, especially what has worked and not worked for them.

Anyone is free to PM me if you have questions about my experience with Coco, or about anything else for that matter. And, of course, questions can be posted here.

 

[gedale]

Ronidazole should only be given to cats that have been definitively diagnosed with Trichomonas foetus.  It  shows up in stools in fecal float tests only 14% of the time.  So a PCR analysis needs to be sent to a special lab.  Costs about $100.  Once the Trich is found through a PCR, then ronidazole can be given.

Tf is a protozoa that causes chronic diarrhea in kittens and young cats.  No other med except Ronidazole works.  Needs to be given at 30mg/kg in a capsule once a day for 14 days.  Missed or inconsistent doses can keep the med from working.

Kittens and young cats who are otherwise healthy ( eat well, usually have a normal weight, and are playful), but have chronic diarrhea (very stinky, and sometimes with  blood and mucous) for several months almost always have Trichomonas foetus.  This disease was discovered fairly recently.  A vet at North Carolina Univ. has pioneered the research on this parasite. A lot of vets don't know about this disease, the special ways you have to collect specimens, and treatment.

I'm putting this info out there, because food allergies are a rare cause of chronic diarrhea, Tf is fairly common.  In a study that was done at a cat show, 31% of the cats either had Tf or were active carriers.

If you feel you have tried everything: several medications, changing food, adding pumpkin, etc and you still have a problem, I would suggest that you have your vet send your kitty's stool to a lab for a PCR test for Tf.