Some Constipation Questions

[missmindy]

Zofran really helped my kitty who used to vomit a couple times a week with inflammatory bowel disease. I add organic pumpkin beechnut baby food a little less than one tablespoon per 5 ounce (larger) can. Miralax dried her out too much and made her even more constipated and I think the Med you mentioned cisapride (?) was pulled off market for people as it causes heart problems. The smooth muscle of the bowel is the same as the heart so you might not want to cause contractions that can affect the heart muscle. Just try adding no more than a tablespoon pumpkin per larger can as recommended by my kitty's internal medicine vet. It sounds like your kitty might have inflammatory bowel disease. A very low. Dose budesonide steroid helps a lot. My kitty is on .4 mg one capsule per day compounded by a compound pharmacy. My kitty also takes 1/4 of the low dose Pepsid ac twice a day. My kitty is on a unique protein diet with no pea no chick pea no guar gum no other gums added no or few carbohydrates. She is on Lotus just juicy venison now. The pumpkin did the trick after trying many other things. The zofran is a miracle drug too. My kitty also had to go on a long term antibiotic to control pancreatitis. You might want to see an internal medicine vet. These specialists have a better handle on care for kitties. Check for pancreatitis which can also cause vomiting and weight loss. Check her liver values too. They are simple blood tests. Might want to get vet insurance before going. Another good thing: I comb and brush my kitty daily. I use a small soft plastic child's brush and a flee comb used on an angle so it doesn't pull her hair. Hope this helps you as it helped my kitty.

Also want to mention my vet said dry food not good for constipation

Thank you both! Long story short we've tried to move to all wet with very limited success. I know dry isn't good, but I have to feed her.

She has an internal med consult next month. They were booked until then. I've read the same things about cisapride, but the vets that have looked at X-Ray feel there is a motility issue and her system isn't moving things along fast enough, and needs it to get things moving. She has also stopped going into her litter box to poop. She pees with no problem, but doesn't even try to poop. I take her in a few times a day and she will try then sometimes and poops when she tries. I'm physically ill over this and am thinking I'm going to lose her since nothing but enemas helps her. She can't live like this.

 

[duckpond]

Have you asked the vet about more food, or even a different dry? I know she is on a very small calorie count, 120 calories a day i think you said? That's very little, and maybe part of the reason she doesn't poop? would a different dry help, as she will not eat much wet? Don't know, just throwing out thoughts and ideas?

my cats all love Farmina. they now get the venison and pumpkin as a treat food. However i was using this other Farmina flavor, chicken and potato. My cats dont have problems with foods normally, this one did not give diarrhea, but all my cats have soft stool when they eat much of this flavor, grain free chicken. Not sure why, unless its the potato. They love the food though.

Farmina Natural & Delicious Chicken Grain-Free Formula Dry Cat Food, 3.3-lb bag

 

[missmindy]

Have you asked the vet about more food, or even a different dry? I know she is on a very small calorie count, 120 calories a day i think you said? That's very little, and maybe part of the reason she doesn't poop? would a different dry help, as she will not eat much wet? Don't know, just throwing out thoughts and ideas?

my cats all love Farmina. they now get the venison and pumpkin as a treat food. However i was using this other Farmina flavor, chicken and potato. My cats dont have problems with foods normally, this one did not give diarrhea, but all my cats have soft stool when they eat much of this flavor, grain free chicken. Not sure why, unless its the potato. They love the food though.

Farmina Natural & Delicious Chicken Grain-Free Formula Dry Cat Food, 3.3-lb bag

I'm going to talk with her tomorrow when we go back in to see what's going on from this weekend. I was thinking along the same lines as you. She's been on the restriction for months, and this just started about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I had asked if her body would go into "starving" mode like ours would if we cut back calories to much. She said no. She was eating 150-160 before and was gaining weight. We talked about changing food a week ago, but wanted to straighten out the constipation first-which hasn't worked of course. She was thinking one thing at a time-fix the poop then deal with the diet. She is full of poop-it just isn't coming out for whatever frustrating reason.

I've wanted to put her on a better quality grain free food to start, but they are all way higher in calories than what I am currently feeding. I've been pushing wet food all weekend with her, and she is eating some. I'd say about an 1/8th of a 3oz can at a time, so it's been a struggle. I haven't heard of that brand before and will definitely check it out. I'm open to anything at this point. I'm also thinking of taking her to a nutritionist at some point too.

 

[missmindy]

Update to say she was checked in for the day at the vet for fluids and enemas. Will bring her home tonight and repeat tomorrow. The plan right now is to stay with the current meds and add some sub q fluids-which I'm scared to do! Will re-evaluate later in the week to see if vomitting/constipation returns. Talked about maybe being IBD. Will see specialist for ultrasound as soon as she can be seen. My poor girl

 

[duckpond]

Bless her heart. I do think i would try a different food when you can. Farmina is a good one. I dont know, im not one to go against a vet, but that just really seems like the cat is not eating enough. Maybe get a second opinion from the specialist on her food? i would rather have a chubby cat if the severe calorie restriction is causing or contributing to her problems.. a high protein, low carb food, and a bit more of it, might be a good thing. I know you are doing everything you can. best of luck! I worry about the little girl, so keep us updated.

 

[maggiedemi]

I was thinking the same thing. My cats can't poop unless they eat a certain amount, at least 7 ounces of food or a little under a cup of food. I go by portion size, not calories, I use my measuring cups.

 

[missmindy]

Thanks to both of you!

Stupid question maybe since we have been talking about calories-she is literally full of "balls" of fecal matter. The vet said there is so much that is almost certainly causing the vomiting, and that problem is it isn't "moving" through her system before the colon dries it out. She also has unformed stool higher in her colon. If she's making poop, she's eating enough right? I'm honestly so sleep deprived from anxiety and cleaning up that I can't think straight.

On a not so great note-she went straight to bed after a quick snack when we got home. She hasn't made a move towards her litter box yet and we have been home about 4 hours. Im supposed to give her a third dose of cipraside and I'm already nervous about the heart stuff. I'm wondering if she needs a few days of steady hospitalization to get sorted out :/

Edited to add she peed a little while ago, but no poop-despite 2 enemas over a 6 hour stay at the vet. She's very grumpy and doesn't want to be handled at all. I thought she was really going to hurt me at medicine time. Now she just seems sad and tired. I guess I would be too.

 

[duckpond]

I honestly dont know. Maybe the specialist can give more information. I just know if you dont eat, you dont poop. Im not sure with your girl, but if this only started after the reduction in calories i would have to think it has something to do with it. Personally i would want a second opinion from a different vet, and maybe want to put her back on the food and amount she was eating before the problem started. Two enemas and no results just does not seem right to me? Just my thoughts and i could be wrong. Why i recommend a second vet opinion. I am pulling for you guys!

 

[missmindy]

Thanks!!

That's a key piece of info I left out-she's been "on restriction" for at least a year. The constipation started, or at least became really noticeable, a few weeks ago when she started vomiting. She did poop before we left for the vet again this AM. I had to put her in the litter box and tell her ok, do your business. Sometimes putting her in the box works and sometimes it doesn't. If she wasnt so bound up, it would have been a good poop. For the amount of poop I saw on the x ray yesterday and 2 enemas, she's still stopped up. Hopefully she'll go today at the vet. I've seen her hold poop and pee for over 24 hours when she's stressed out.

 

[maggiedemi]

Well it might make a poop inside them, but it doesn't come out in the litterbox unless my cats eat a certain amount, around 7oz or so. I'm not sure how many calories that is.

 

[missmindy]

Have her home now. Enema at vet didn't produce anything, although it still show on images. She's going back tomorrow for a DSS enema. If that doesn't work I'm considering taking her over to the ER vet and having them do whatever they need to to empty her out so we can get this under control.
She's been on the restricted calorie diet for at least a year. This problem just came on suddenly. I'll try feeding her more-she loves to eat. She's about 4 pounds overweight already.
Both vets in the practice are agreeing its a motility issue. The cisapride doesn't seem to be doing anything different for her even though she's getting it 3x a day.
I've been going to this practice for over a decade and really trust them. I hope they wouldn't steer me wrong. Still can't get her into the specialist for another few weeks.

 

[maggiedemi]

Can you increase her canned food?

 

[missmindy]

Can you increase her canned food?

We are trying. She has chosen to go 24 hours without eating rather than eat wet. After trying literally 100 different kinds, I've found 2 or 3 that she will tolerate. She is a grazer and only eats maybe a spoonful at a time. I've tried withholding dry, getting her hungry, etc. I worry about fatty liver when she goes on hunger strikes. Important to note none of this has been going on recently-the not eating. Right now she probably takes in less than 1/4 can of wet. The rest is dry. Her diet and weight have been a struggle since day 1.

 

[maggiedemi]

What brand of dry food?

 

[missmindy]

It's Hills prescription from the vet-a metabolic blend to help with weight loss. Since it's not really working, we were considering a change prior to this episode. The vet wants her on all canned, but recognizes our struggle. I'm going to look into the brand suggested a few posts up too. That's one we haven't tried. She will only entertain pates as well.

 

[maggiedemi]

What about Fancy Feast Classics? That's a pate.

 

[missmindy]

She snubbed them except for the creamy delight kind. She also took to Muse, IAMS tuna and Instinct indoor smooth chicken. Sometimes she will eat The I and Love and you brand. Tonight she ate her Muse somewhat willingly-about 1/4 of a 3 oz can. That's been an issue in transitioning her too-when she does eat wet, getting her to eat enough. I'm using tuna flakes as a topper and that helps. I add water to it as well.

 

[missmindy]

For everyone that has dealt with this situation with your own kitties-do we have any hope here? She's had 3 enemas in 2 days, is taking cisapride 3x daily and miralax 2x daily. She hates the cisapride. She hasn't walked into the box to poop in weeks in her own. She has gone when placed into the box, so I don't think it's a total blockage. I just can't wrap my mind around all of this treatment (and expense) and nothing seems to be changing. The only positive is her vomiting has stopped without meds for about 48 hours. She doesn't want anything to do with me and is becoming increasingly aggressive when it's time for the cisapride. I'm scared for her.

 

[missmindy]

And after typing all that up, guess who went into the box and pooped on her own with no coaxing for the first time in 3 weeks-finally-still a ways to go but boy was that good to see happen!

 

[maggiedemi]

Yay! That's good news.