Slippery Elm?

[ronronne]

Hello Dr. Jean! I have a quick question. One of my cats is diabetic, and he has been recently diagnosed with idiopathic megacolon. He is going to be put on cisapride to try to stimulate the smooth muscles of the colon so that he won't be so constipated (he's had to have about four enemas in a week, poor kitty!).

I'm wondering if adding some moistened slippery elm into his food might also help move things along. Thanks in advance!

 

[drjean]

Yes, slippery elm is very useful for soothing the GI tract. However, the mucilaginous part is composed of polysaccharides (complex sugars), so because your cat is diabetic (he is on wet food only, yes?) you might want to double-check with your vet about that. Marshmallow (not the campfire toasting-kind but the herb) has similar effects, but also similar content of polysaccharides. It is also very safe.

Here are some more ideas for dealing with constipation, and an article on Slippery Elm:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...onstipatedcats
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...onstipatedcats

 

[ronronne]

Thank you for explaining about the polysaccharide chains in slippery elm. I'll definitely have to look into that. I think I already read the articles you have referenced while I was researching, but I'll reread them and see if there was anything I missed. Would you recommend marshmallow over slippery elm for a diabetic, or since both contain polysaccharides would they be about the same?

Frobisher was on Wellness Salmon dry with pumpkin added for fiber and moisture. Unfortunately the pumpkin added a lot of bulk which filled his intestines and exacerbated the problem, which is why I'm interested in slippery elm since it won't add bulk. I'm transitioning him over to Wellness Core mixed with their Healthy Indulgence wet pouches and thinking of adding moistened slippery elm to that, since it will probably blend with the gravy of the pouches. I have to be extra careful what I feed him because my other cat has allergy issues and although I feed her separately, she tends to sneak a bite of his food from time to time -- the little brat.

I'm aware of the whole dry = evil, wet = good argument and I've read up on it, but frankly I haven't really seen convincing evidence that wet food is measurably superior to equivalent quality dry, especially when moisture is added to dry food. Most of what I've read seem to be opinion pieces with a few facts scattered here and there without reference to actual documented studies.

There's quite a lot of fads now in pet food marketing (wet vs. dry, organic vs. raw, high-carb vs. low-carb, etc), and most of it is to entice consumers away from one brand and switch them over to another on the basis that its better for their pet's health, when really it's all about capturing consumer dollars. I lost faith in a lot of supposedly "premium" pet foods when several of them were involved in the recalls. Fortunately Wellness wasn't one of them, but Eukanuba was, as was Evo and quite a few others that were supposedly superior and health-conscious brands (wet OR dry), including veterinary-only formulas. Now I look at ingredient lists carefully and I look at nutrition information, online reviews from reputable sources, recall lists and reviews of the company manufacturing the product. I also talk to my vet about my pets' diets since they're both older cats with specific health issues.

I'm not saying that all brands of pet food are created equal, as clearly they are not, but IMO judging the nutrition and health benefits of one pet food versus another is far more complex than reducing the argument down to wet vs. dry sound bites.

And that's my rant for today... we now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

Originally Posted by DrJean

Yes, slippery elm is very useful for soothing the GI tract. However, the mucilaginous part is composed of polysaccharides (complex sugars), so because your cat is diabetic (he is on wet food only, yes?) you might want to double-check with your vet about that. Marshmallow (not the campfire toasting-kind but the herb) has similar effects, but also similar content of polysaccharides. It is also very safe.

Here are some more ideas for dealing with constipation, and an article on Slippery Elm:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...onstipatedcats
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...onstipatedcats

 

[drjean]

Big news about slippery elm! Today I had lunch with my herbalist, and was informed that slippery elm is now or is far along the path to becoming an endangered species. Marshmallow is plentiful, more easily renewed (not a tree so it grows fast), similar in content and works just as well, so many folks are going to that as an alternative. The polysaccharide contents are comparable. It does taste slightly sweet to me, but no worse than the elm. So, I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think it matters which one you use, and to be environmentally responsible, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll be updating my article about it soon. BTW Slippery elm is actually quite high in fiber (another polysaccharide) but I think it's mostly soluble fiber; I'm not sure about the marshmallow, I'll try to find out.

 

[drjean]

I'd recommend marshmallow over slippery elm at this point but not because of their constituents. They are really quite comparable in polysaccharides and mucilage; slippery elm may have more fiber since it's tree bark versus a green plant. However I had lunch with my herbalist, and she informed me that slippery elm is, or is on its way to being, an endangered species. Ethical wildcrafters are substituting marshmallow. To me both have a sweet taste but not overwhelming. I kinda doubt they'd really throw off a diabetic, but of course there's all that individuality to think about!

Because of the environmental situation, I'll be updating my slippery elm article soon with info about marshmallow!

I'm moving the rest of the discussion about wet versus dry food to a new thread so folks can find it easier. Hope I did it right!

 

[ronronne]

Wow, I had no idea slippery elm was endangered. Sounds like it's going the way of rosewood due to overfarming, which is a pity. I've already bought some slippery elm powder, but I'll make a point to look for marshmallow next time. I'll have to see if my local health food store carries it, but they stock a wide variety of herbs, so I'm hopeful. (Yes, I'm familiar with the plant -- other mallows grow wild around here, such as cheeses and musk mallow. We're not near the coast though, and I think marshmallow is found in saltmarshes).

Thanks for the heads-up!