No need for laxatives with soft poop back up?

[SoftAries]

I recently made a food change to beef that I believe I went too quickly with and it has caused my girl to get backed up.
I noticed this morning during our usual morning routine. She's usually playful and hungry, but refused to eat and instead wished to just lay by the window.

I brought her to the vet, they did an x-ray and saw she was backed up with soft poop.
I was prescribed mirtazapine to make her eat, and advised to not use miralax as the food will push it out.She was also given an anti-nausea shot for when she eats so she won't throw it up.

Just checking to see if this is a good idea? I've had issues trusting this vet, but it's the only one that's close enough to get her too asap.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. How exactly did the vet determine it was soft stool vs. hard via an x-ray? I guess I've never really heard of that being decipherable on an x-ray, but maybe it is.

The fact that she is laying around, not eating, and has either thrown up after what she has eaten, or is being given anti-nausea meds as a precaution after she receives mirtazapine would make me suspicious. Just so you know, the anti-nausea meds that are given via injection are usually only effective for about 24 hours. And, tbh, if she is truly backed up, neither med may help at all.

I know you don't want to waste a lot of time, but is there another vet that you have used before that would be willing to take a look at the x-ray as a 'second opinion'? You can get a copy of the x-ray for free if you ask for it. I only suggest the route in case it would be wise to see if another vet would want to do an enema first before trying Miralax. I personally would not try doing an enema myself.

 

[SoftAries]

Hi. How exactly did the vet determine it was soft stool vs. hard via an x-ray? I guess I've never really heard of that being decipherable on an x-ray, but maybe it is.

The fact that she is laying around, not eating, and has either thrown up after what she has eaten, or is being given anti-nausea meds as a precaution after she receives mirtazapine would make me suspicious. Just so you know, the anti-nausea meds that are given via injection are usually only effective for about 24 hours. And, tbh, if she is truly backed up, neither med may help at all.

I know you don't want to waste a lot of time, but is there another vet that you have used before that would be willing to take a look at the x-ray as a 'second opinion'? You can get a copy of the x-ray for free if you ask for it. I only suggest the route in case it would be wise to see if another vet would want to do an enema first before trying Miralax. I personally would not try doing an enema myself.

Thank you, hi.
Yes, they did a radiograph to see the stool, and it showed on it apparently (I wasn't there, so I didn't see what it looked like)

And yes, this whole thing confuses me too and makes me suspicious. She said "don't give her miralax". The vet gave her the anti-naseau shot so when I give her the mirtazapine, she won't vomit when she eats again. The vet says "she just needs to eat more so the poop is pushed out, so this nausea and apetite med will help".

They do this every single time I come to them with one of my cats. They just prescribe a ton of meds (check my history and you can see all of my vet-related complaints, inc them giving her meds after she got a spay that made her NUTS). And suggest things that make no sense. I don't see why eating more when she isn't pooping would help.

And there is one in another town, but I now have no way to get there until tomorrow.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Any new news? I know it has only been 24 hours, but thought you might have something to update us with.

 

[Alldara]

That sounds odd to me that the vet wouldn't want you to try something to relatively harmless like miralax. Did they say why other than the stool "not being hard"?

 

[stephanietx]

If you give Miralax to a kitty (or human) with soft poop, it can trigger diarrhea, which you don't want. Soft formed poop is better than diarrhea, believe me! Sounds like the vet didn't think your kitty was constipated, just not eating enough to empty her bowels, so giving her meds to help settle her tummy will help her eat and thus, move the stool along.