Miralax dosing and response time

marc999

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Pumpkin = give during times of diarrhea, to assist in solidifying the poop. 

Miralax = give during times of constipation (i.e. not pooping for days)

Slippery Elm Bark = same, yet a natural alternative to PEG 3350. 

Sound about right? 
 

denice

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I have not used the Miralax, but I have been putting pumpkin, olive oil, and tuna or chicken with my cats soft food. One has constipation issues and the oldest is not able to eat dry kibble much anymore. Unfortunately, I didn't feed them this combination for a couple of days. When I was, there were no problems. Something else is, we changed our litter to Blue Fresh Multi cat. Yes it clumps, but I don't think this causes a problem in cats while they are cleaning themselves. Other kinds, such as clay, I do believe causes a lot of problems in cats.

I am going to try the Miralax, but I wonder if it would be ok to continue with the pumpkin and olive oil or would that be overdoing it?

Something else, I have done, when Blue gets too plugged up, is to give him Epsom salts in cranberry juice with a syringe. Usually, within a day, he has results.

A question I have is, have you ever had a cat throw up just water when constipated? We found a large amount of liquid on our quilt down to our sheets. He had been getting sick so I think that is what happened, not urine.
My kitty has IBD with constipation rather than the usual diarrhea.  He is always nauseated when he is constipated and he vomits bile because he also quits eating.  Miralax works well for him, I don't give pumpkin or any type of oil.
 

penwright1029

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Thank you for the information about the pumpkin, but, as I said, I use it with their soft food.  I read, somewhere, that pumpkin is great for cats to give them extra nutrition and also helps with their bowels. I have been doing this for a long time now, and he is not as bad as he used to be.

For whoever asked about the vomit. Yes it has been foamy bile as well as food. I noticed he was grooming right before this happened. So it could very well be a hairball that got stuck in his intestines. No amount of brushing helps either. I bought a Furminator, but it does not help and he hates it.

I only use a small amount of Epsom salts with a lot of juice. I know it is nasty, but he has always had quick results. This time, though, he hasn't gone and is hiding behind the couch. I have not seen him since I came home this evening.

He is 14 and a Maine Coon, I think. If he is, he has way outlived their lifetime. I am wondering if it is his time. It just may be I need to have him put to sleep.
 

oneandahalfcats

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Thank you for the information about the pumpkin, but, as I said, I use it with their soft food.  I read, somewhere, that pumpkin is great for cats to give them extra nutrition and also helps with their bowels. I have been doing this for a long time now, and he is not as bad as he used to be.

For whoever asked about the vomit. Yes it has been foamy bile as well as food. I noticed he was grooming right before this happened. So it could very well be a hairball that got stuck in his intestines. No amount of brushing helps either. I bought a Furminator, but it does not help and he hates it.

I only use a small amount of Epsom salts with a lot of juice. I know it is nasty, but he has always had quick results. This time, though, he hasn't gone and is hiding behind the couch. I have not seen him since I came home this evening.

He is 14 and a Maine Coon, I think. If he is, he has way outlived their lifetime. I am wondering if it is his time. It just may be I need to have him put to sleep.
Yes, you are quite right about the nutritional benefits of pumpkin. I give this to Max and Thomas as a treat sometimes as they both really like the taste. I too think it can help with bowels, unfortunately not well enough to ease Max's constipation so I stopped using it in this way.

I hope you will be considering a visit with the vet soon, to see what might be happening with your kitty. I have no knowledge of the lifespan of a Maine Coon but generally cats can live well beyond 14 years, particularly if they are indoor cats. I hope he is feeling better soon.
 
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penwright1029

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Actually, Maine Coons don't, normally, live much beyond 12 to 14 years. Blue is 14 so we have been very fortunate he is still with us.

Unfortunately, I am on a very low, fixed income now. When I got Blue and our other two cats, we had a much higher income. As it is, we

have no money for vets anymore. We took on the commitment of taking care of them for life. That is what we are doing.  Our other two

are quite healthy, even though Satin is 19. He still eats, walks around and is alert. Kit is the epitomy of health. She is around 6 years old.

All of our cats were rescues.

I still will feed them pumpkin mixed in with their canned foods. I also add sweet potatoes and sometimes, carrots. They love it, and it helps

our eldest guy since he can't hardly eat dry anymore.
 

oneandahalfcats

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Actually, Maine Coons don't, normally, live much beyond 12 to 14 years. Blue is 14 so we have been very fortunate he is still with us.





Unfortunately, I am on a very low, fixed income now. When I got Blue and our other two cats, we had a much higher income. As it is, we



have no money for vets anymore. We took on the commitment of taking care of them for life. That is what we are doing.  Our other two



are quite healthy, even though Satin is 19. He still eats, walks around and is alert. Kit is the epitomy of health. She is around 6 years old.



All of our cats were rescues.





I still will feed them pumpkin mixed in with their canned foods. I also add sweet potatoes and sometimes, carrots. They love it, and it helps



our eldest guy since he can't hardly eat dry anymore.
Well bless you for all you have done, and are doing for these kitties! 19 years old is wonderful, and your good care is no doubt contributing to Satin's longevity. Something you might want to try with Blue, is Slippery Elm. This is a natural herb that is very safe for cats which is used to treat diarrhea as the result of IBD and constipation. It works to coat and soothe the digestive tract to reduce irritation and inflammation and in turn, feces move along more smoothly through the tract. There are reports that it can also be effective in stimulating nerve function in the colon to improve motility. Slippery Elm is a compounded powder that comes in capsule form and bulk powder. You mix about 1/4 tsp powder and stir until the powder is mixed with the water and add this to wet food. You can find this at some drug stores that carry holistic supplements but more likely at health and whole food stores. I am using Slippery Elm on my male cat, and we are getting some very good results.

Here is a link to more information on Slippery Elm : http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

I think that it is very wise to limit the dry food with your older cat, in lieu of wet food which will be easier for him to digest. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that things can turn around for Blue.
 
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penwright1029

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Thank you so much. I will, definitely, try Slippery Elm Bark. If anything can help my little guy, I will give it a run. I also read it is great for poultices for diabetic ulcers. My husband has those so it will also be used for him and for my bowel inconsistencies.
 

mainecoonmom

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I have a Maine Coon cat.....he is 13.  When he was 3, he had to have his colon cleaned out manually.  For the next 10 years, he was on wet food (not grain free but Wellness) and 2 ml of Lactulose twice a day.  All was well until a year ago when he had it happen again.  His stools have always been huge and dry.  I now give him syringes of water often throughout the day.  And he only gets grain free wet canned food.  I have recently moved and the vet here gave him enemas........which worked a year ago but now it happened again!  The vet actually recommended DRY cat food (she sells Royal Canin.)  I have been online for a week reading everything I can find about Megacolon.  I definitely decided NOT to give him the dry food and am buying only high quality grain free food.  I'm still giving him the Lactulose......I'm afraid to quit it!  The past 3 days I have added 1/8 tsp of Miralax twice a day.  But it doesn't seem to be working.  I have upped his dose to 1/4 tsp twice a day and today I added a noon dose of about 1/8 tsp.  He is eating and playing with the other cat.  Sleeps alot.  I try to get him to exercise........he chases a toy for a short period of time but would rather nap.  He seems fine at the moment but I don't think he has had enough of a bowel movement.  Two small stools.......MUCH smaller than before.  But with all the Miralax that he has had, I would anticipate more of a reaction.  I am so worried about him.  Any advice, Kitty Friends?
 

goholistic

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I have a Maine Coon cat.....he is 13.  When he was 3, he had to have his colon cleaned out manually.  For the next 10 years, he was on wet food (not grain free but Wellness) and 2 ml of Lactulose twice a day.  All was well until a year ago when he had it happen again.  His stools have always been huge and dry.  I now give him syringes of water often throughout the day.  And he only gets grain free wet canned food.  I have recently moved and the vet here gave him enemas........which worked a year ago but now it happened again!  The vet actually recommended DRY cat food (she sells Royal Canin.)  I have been online for a week reading everything I can find about Megacolon.  I definitely decided NOT to give him the dry food and am buying only high quality grain free food.  I'm still giving him the Lactulose......I'm afraid to quit it!  The past 3 days I have added 1/8 tsp of Miralax twice a day.  But it doesn't seem to be working.  I have upped his dose to 1/4 tsp twice a day and today I added a noon dose of about 1/8 tsp.  He is eating and playing with the other cat.  Sleeps alot.  I try to get him to exercise........he chases a toy for a short period of time but would rather nap.  He seems fine at the moment but I don't think he has had enough of a bowel movement.  Two small stools.......MUCH smaller than before.  But with all the Miralax that he has had, I would anticipate more of a reaction.  I am so worried about him.  Any advice, Kitty Friends?
No dry food!  
  I'm not sure about using Lactulose and Miralax together. I'm not sure if they counteract each other or what. I've only heard of people using one or the other.  
  Miralax works by drawing water to the colon. Cats have a low thirst drive. Even on an all wet diet, its possible that there's not enough moisture there. Perhaps talk to your vet about administering sub-q fluids at home.

Here are two TCS threads that may be helpful:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/256094/megacolon

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/267201/mo-has-megacolon-i-have-a-question

Or you can do a general search on this site: http://www.thecatsite.com/newsearch?search=megacolon
 

cocheezie

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He may need even more water if you're giving him both lactulose and miralax, since both draw water into the colon. How is his hydration level?

Some people have good luck adding slippery elm bark.

http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html

http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm

Just a thought: I have a small cat (5.3 pounds) who has suffered terribly from constipation (not megacolon). She's on cisipride and 1/4 tsp miralax twice daily and it works great. Lactulose didn't work for her at all. She is one-third the size of my Maine Coon-ish cat (16 pounds). I know the dosage given usually depends on the severity of the constipation. I do not know if miralax dosage might also be size-related. I'd suggest consulting the vet about the dosage.

There are cat owners here who know a lot more about constipation issues than me. Hopefully, one will be along soon.
 

mainecoonmom

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Thanks for your advice about extra water.  I've been giving him syringes of water often throughout the day.  And I add water to his already wet canned food.
 
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raintyger

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Miralax typically takes 2-3 days to work, and only works on newly forming stool. I have heard of longer response times, too. If the stool is soft then you shouldn't need more Miralax or sub-q's. However, I have heard of kitties who are getting Miralax/lactulose and extra water in their food, and they still need sub-q's.

Definitely no dry food, that just makes things worse.

Have you tried cisapride or has the vet mentioned anything about gut motility?
 

mainecoonmom

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I haven't tried Cisapride.  The vet said that would require lab work.  With the whole enema routine, etc., I can't afford $250.00 right now :(  But I could go and get sub-q's.  That is fluids administered in an iv, right?
 

tdonline

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I also syringe occasionally when I see my cats not urinating as much.  I place the cats in the bathtub and syringe about 4 teaspoons of water.  I'm sure at least 50% of it ends up in the tub.  I syringe parallel to the side of the mouth for safety sake but this also means a lot of the water doesn't always get swallowed.

I figure this may be a good intermediate (and cheap) step before sub-q's.  I also add water to their wet food. Am I wasting my time?  Is using a syringe literally a drop in the bucket and not doing much good? 
 

tdonline

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Maine coon,

One of my cats is going through a hard constipation phase.  She has not been diagnosed with megacolon yet.  I find that Miralax softens her poop but so far it really doesn't impact the frequency of bowel movements.  When I was giving her larger doses of miralax, she would still go every 5 days but with runny poop.  So I decreased her dosage and her poop is now well-formed.  Either way her BM schedule didn't change a bit.

This is TMI but I know magnesium oxide does the business for me.  Due to calcium and iron supplements, I find that it throws my schedule off.  I'm right back on schedule if I add just a tiny bit of magnesium to the mix.  I have 250mg pills and I only need a 1/4 pill to counter the constipating effects of calcium and iron.  Magnesium oxide is about the least absorbing type of magnesium (only 4% from what I've read).  I wonder if a tiny dosage would help cats?  I know magnesium overload is dangerous to cats but since magnesium oxide's bioavailability is so low, would an occasional tiny dose be harmful?
 

oneandahalfcats

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I haven't tried Cisapride.  The vet said that would require lab work.  With the whole enema routine, etc., I can't afford $250.00 right now :(  But I could go and get sub-q's.  That is fluids administered in an iv, right?
I would suggest that you try the scruff test to see whether your cat is in fact dehydrated, before going to sub-q fluids. When you have your cat sitting in an upright position on the floor, just pull up the skin between the shoulders to see how readily it falls back. It should spring back right away which indicates that the cat is sufficiently hydrated. It it takes more than a couple of seconds to fall back, then the cat may be experiencing moderate dehydration.

Laxatives such as Miralax and Lactulose work to keep stools hydrated. They have no effect to improve motility.
 
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oneandahalfcats

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Maine coon,

One of my cats is going through a hard constipation phase.  She has not been diagnosed with megacolon yet.  I find that Miralax softens her poop but so far it really doesn't impact the frequency of bowel movements.  When I was giving her larger doses of miralax, she would still go every 5 days but with runny poop.  So I decreased her dosage and her poop is now well-formed.  Either way her BM schedule didn't change a bit.

This is TMI but I know magnesium oxide does the business for me.  Due to calcium and iron supplements, I find that it throws my schedule off.  I'm right back on schedule if I add just a tiny bit of magnesium to the mix.  I have 250mg pills and I only need a 1/4 pill to counter the constipating effects of calcium and iron.  Magnesium oxide is about the least absorbing type of magnesium (only 4% from what I've read).  I wonder if a tiny dosage would help cats?  I know magnesium overload is dangerous to cats but since magnesium oxide's bioavailability is so low, would an occasional tiny dose be harmful?
I would not use magnesium oxide on cats as this can cause cats urine to become too alkaline which can lead to a bladder and UTI infection.

EDIT : Just to elaborate a little further, by the same token, the reason for not feeding cats a lot of fish is due to fish containing magnesium, which in turn may cause urinary infections in some cats.
 
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mainecoonmom

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My cat's skin doesn't feel dehydrated to me.  Thank you, oneandahalfcats, for the advice about checking his skin.  I called the vet about prescribing Cisapride for him but she said she needs to see him and do lab work, xrays, etc.  Plus, it is the weekend now so it would be double expensive.  Now I will hope to get through the weekend...........hopefully with a bowel movement.........or two.........for my cat.  (=^o^=)
 

tdonline

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I would not use magnesium oxide on cats as this can cause cats urine to become too alkaline which can lead to a bladder and UTI infection.

EDIT : Just to elaborate a little further, by the same token, the reason for not feeding cats a lot of fish is due to fish containing magnesium, which in turn may cause urinary infections in some cats.
Thanks One.  I understand.  I just thought an occasional dose wouldn't hurt.  I also thought the low biovailability of mag oxide would also mitigate the effects.  But I suppose if they're not absorbing the MO, they are urinating it out.  And that process of passing the MO would lead to alkaline urine.
 
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