Ideas to relieve constipation soon?

[kb2yjx]

O yes!!! The hairball diet is a fiber fest!!! Ask your vet about a low residue diet, he/she may be able to suggest one....Hills makes the I/D....and it is canned.... OR you might put low residue diet for cats in your search engine and see what comes up...Good luck...

[Catlady711]

If you're still checking on this thread about your constipated kitty...

I have a cat named Jack that had the same problem, although he never got quite bad enough to have to be sedated and manually evacuated. Mine was diagnosed with Megacolon.

Currently he's on 3ml. of Lactulose (can be varied as needed) twice a day, 70% canned W/D (he prefers dry) and 30% dry W/D (he hated pumpkin), and 5 mg of Cisapride twice a day. Since we started this routine he hasn't had to have an enema in almost 2 years.

If this is a reoccuring problem with your cat, ask your vet to x-ray him and see if he also is Megacolon.

If so, your vet would have to have a compounding pharmacy make up the Cisapride, but it helps move the poo along while the lactulose, wet food, and (in my cat's case) high fiber diet keeps things soft so he can pass stools.

I know how frustrating it is to see your cat straining and not being able to pass stool and knowing how uncomfortable he must be. Good luck, I hope things straighten out for your kitty.

[critters]

I'd up the lactulose. I adjusted Buddy's as needed, although constipation was never one of his serious problems; I gave it to him pretty much as a prophylactic because of his spinal cord injury.

[1196rachel]

Thanks everyone - just noticed the newer posts.

We saw a locum vet once, a very young woman, who mentioned megacolon but at the time following discussion with family we thought she must have been a newly qualified vet who was a bit over-enthusiastic. Maybe thinking vets are young is a sign I'm getting old!!

I'm going to up the lactulose gradually since Jack's dose is a fair bit more than Iggi's currently on. I think that will help him so I'll see how it goes.

I'll keep a close eye on him and if things happen again then I'll ask the vet about megacolon.

He's going along quite well now, not straining but the occasional 'incident' outside the litter-tray.

Thanks again.