Miralax vs Psyllium vs Lactolose

[Twocoastscat]

Here I am again. I am talking more to you folks than to my own family. Cat apparently has opioid induced constipation. Won’t touch pumpkin, managed to get him to eat food this morning with a little bit of Miralax but called vet since he hasn’t gone in three days after dental surgery. She recommended psyllium which we already had for another cat but when I told her how hard it is to get food mixed with anything into him they said to come and get the laxative. So what are your experiences and suggestions with these items since this is the first time this has ever happened? For the record, he IS eating his unadulterated food just fine and getting the tiny bit of Miralax into him required mixing it with tuna water, mixing that into his canned food- and tipping it with a few bits of tuna. Won’t touch pumpkin, churu, baby food or any of the usual disguisers.

 

[Alldara]

Psyllium will make constipation worse if he's not getting enough water. You basically have to let it refluff with water, get them to eat it and then give more water. It was too stressful to me.

Miralax/Restorilax I just dissolve the crystals into the water and add to the regular food. They eat it fine as the odor is not too much. I find it works 'overnight'. 1/4 tsp twice a day at first. VERY low risk if you're dissolving the crystals first. Safe for long term. It's all of the vets first picks at the cat-only office here. They don't even bother with lactulose.

Pumpkin doesn't work as well but was easy enough to get into my cats. I like the Pure Bites toppers for digestion.

Not tried lactulose, but many posts here of it not working, and then people have to use Restorilax/Miralax anyway.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi,
From what I've read, miralax is being suggested more by vets nowadays than lactulose, because the miralax, which is PEG 3350 doesn't draw moisture from the rest of the body.

Additionally there's a PEG 3350 product available on Amazon that's less expensive.

As mentioned, dissolve the 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon PEG 3350 in a little water and add it to regular food

 

[Alldara]

Is the Miralax flavoured?

 

[Furballsmom]

Is the Miralax flavoured?

No not that I'm aware of.

 

[Alldara]

No not that I'm aware of.

Sorry Furballsmom! I meant the one that T Twocoastscat is feeding their cat.

If it's flavoured, it will be harder to hide and the cat won't like the taste right? I remembered we accidentally bought a pink lemonade flavor one time and had to gift it away.

 

[Twocoastscat]

Thanks everyone. Miralax is unflavored. I always have it on hand because I occasionally need it. O couldn’t care less about the cost, I just want him to poop!

 

[Twocoastscat]

Dumb question. Would it work to dissolve Miralax in water and syringe it into him if he is refusing food mixed with it?

 

[Margot Lane]

Have you tried growing indoor cat grass? A little nosh on fresh grass has become my older guy’s routine…he poops right after.

 

[Twocoastscat]

Used to do that with my former cat - he’d even eat lettuce but it had to be romaine - worth a shot.

 

[Furballsmom]

Would it work to dissolve Miralax in water and syringe it into him if he is refusing food mixed with it?

Yes

 

[Alldara]

Dumb question. Would it work to dissolve Miralax in water and syringe it into him if he is refusing food mixed with it?

Yes that would work.

 

[Mighty Orange]

Yes, but make sure you syringe through the side of the mouth. Do not go straight in because of asphyxiation.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Dumb question. Would it work to dissolve Miralax in water and syringe it into him if he is refusing food mixed with it?

Not dumb at all, that’s how I give Daisy her twice-daily doses of Osmolax (different brand name, same thing). She doesn’t reliably eat wet food, so I’m not wasting a measured dose by putting it in anything. I’ve used it myself, it has no real flavour - that’s one of its selling points for humans, too. She’ll even drink it out of its mixing spoon if she’s just had dry food.

She was on Lactulose for a while but getting that sticky stuff into her was much harder, and messier. Osmolax is much better imo (she has megacolon and is on Cisapride as well).

 

[tamsynstead]

Have you tried growing indoor cat grass? A little nosh on fresh grass has become my older guy’s routine…he poops right after.

My cat used to go outside to eat some grass (everything paved in house). I had a friend pick up some Psyllium and drop it off at the vet, happy to see you're NOT supposed to mix it with their food as I'd suggested that to vet's staff (his day off) so urgent messages winging backward and forward. I'm in Thailand and many are too shy to speak English, drives me nuts. So ordered a taxi for tomorrow, again, and will take the Miralax I bought a while back. And the SAMe which worked for his liver problems but then former vet overwhelmed me with a plethora of expensive 'supplements' and three separate types of food, all in one dish and he stopped eating. I gave him some CBD which worked for the first day only I wish I was dead.

 

[di and bob]

I give my cats about a teaspoon of butter. it works very good to keep things going, and has almost nonexistent lactose. When my older cat was constipated I gave Miralax 1/4 tsp twice daily (it only took one day) mixed in Delectable Lickables in the stew flavors. I mix all their meds in that. I keep it around all the time in case one stops eating.

 

[tamsynstead]

I give my cats about a teaspoon of butter. it works very good to keep things going, and has almost nonexistent lactose. When my older cat was constipated I gave Miralax 1/4 tsp twice daily (it only took one day) mixed in Delectable Lickables in the stew flavors. I mix all their meds in that. I keep it around all the time in case one stops eating.

Butter, hmm. I remember people used to butter their cats paws whenever they moved house. The cat would lick it off and remember it's new location and where he got it. They don't eat butter here but it's available in 'foreigners' shops'. He's not allowed treats because CKD.

 

[tamsynstead]

My cat with CKD has been in the clinic on IV fluids for five days now. Even though he was a constant drinker. Reason for internment - not eating as painful mouth issues, now recovered. I keep getting daily updates with videos of him eating renal food but with a caption 'peeing but no poo'. So I took some Psyllium along and when I went back he'd been covered in his own diarrhea. Told them to clean him up and give him more water as he's used to drinking constantly. Took the Psyllium back (well snatched it from vet's hand actually) as fear they overdosed him. This morning same video with same caption. I'd told them to try the Miralax I'd taken in with instructions on how to administer it. I used to feed him a high fiber food but it's 61% protein - bad for kidneys. Also, there was a litter box just 1 sq foot in his cage. I told them to put him in a bigger (dog's) cage and bigger litter box. They did but still no poo. At wits end. If the vet can't sort it out, what to do? And if lack of fiber really is the cause, as I suspect - renal food - should I return the Psyllium?