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My 105lb (intact) kuvasz bitch has problems once or twice a month during the summer. I get a 2qt enema bag, add 6-8oz of liquid glycerin and fill with warm water. Insert the hose a bit, and let it flow for a minute then slowly push the hose deeper. The further in you can get it with gentle pressure, the better. Works ever time, usually before she can finish the bag.
Hello I was wondering if it's ok to give my 3 week old kitten coconut oil and how much? He hasn't popped in 2 days but when he last pooped it was diarrhea. Thank you.
Posted by Dan (Seattle, Wa, USA) on 07/06/2013 ★★★★★
After reading many of the cat constipation posts here, I tried 1/4 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil and 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar mixed in her wet food. She had no trouble with it and ate it up. Within a half hour she was pooping good. This was after four days of having trouble. I have used it a few more times when she needs it but she has been pretty regular since. Next time I will try either one or the other and check the results. She is a 19 year old Main Coon.
Posted by Debi (Pace, Florida) on 07/11/2012 ★★★★★
I have tried the pumpkin for my older cat for constipation... It worked but only the first couple of times. My girl had no bm for 2 days, purchased some George's 100% aloe vera, no preservatives, no additives! On the first day after using the aloe... Results... Small but results! Second day of using the aloe, small amount. Third day, good bm this morning after her breakfast. There is no taste, so I added to her wet food.... Perfect! Be careful to not use too much as it could cause them to throw up.
I had to leave a feedback on the Aloe Vera Treatment. I went to see what it also says on the web in regards to using Aloe Vera on a cat. Please see attached link. It says it's poisonous for cats. So anyone who is thinking of trying it do some research before you give that to a cat. http://www.felineconstipation.org/acutetreatment.html
Double Helix - friend said it saved her dog with kidney failure 3 1/2 yrs ago. She uses it as well - Got it from: Pure Earth Products (FL) 352-459-4178
Add magnesium chloride crystals to drinking water of the pet. Chances are magnesium levels are low if giving city / tap water. R/O water systems remove any that would be in the water. Remineralization stages do not add nearly enough back in. Fortunately, I innerstand that we along with our animals came from an evolution of drinking water in nature, which naturally has a magnesium salt content. Or eating in the wild, natural magnesium oxide content. Magnesium chloride is a great substitute. Ever since I give it to my dog and cat they both have lost their previous issues with ahrd stool or crystals in their kidneys causing pain when they pee.
I always ask my fellow animal lovers if they're aware there is next to no magnesium in public water, and if they're able to use common sense to connect that with thier animals' issues not being able to poop or pee right. They typically are ignorant to this. And even respond with high skepticism or innocent arrogance. It's simple though. Common sense. Anyways.Magnesium can cause loose stools if given too much. But it can also cause loose stools to go regular in animals and humans .
How much to give?
I go by Ted's recommendations. As practicing tjhem for near a decade, they hold true.
Mix up a dropper bottle with half magnesium chloride crystals, and half pure water. the crystals dissolve instantly.
Add 1 drop for every cup of water in your water jugs you keep at home. Thats about 16 drops.
For initial magnesium repalcement though, I add extra to their water bowls or food. Start low and work up.
a 5 lb cat would need only a single drop of magnesium in it's daily water intake. I may give him 2 drops in his water cup for the day. Adding it to his food sometimes causes GI upset if it isnt thoroughly mixed, so adding half a drop would suffice for food.
a 60 lb dog can have up to 3 drops of magnesium per feeding. 6-8 drops total per day.
a 140 lb human could have 10 drops per day minimum. more if theyre deficient.
As someone else posted, add melted coconut oil to about 2 - 3 teaspoons of pumpkin and also add some ground-up flax seeds (about 1/4 tsp). The flax seed is to add fiber, which will help to clean out the intestines.
Warm up a Tablespoon of water to the mix in as well; the pumpkin is more appealing when it has been warmed. You can also add about 1/4 teaspoon of ground Slippery Elm instead of, or along with, the flax seed. It supplies mucilage which is soothing to the intestines and will help push things along. If she still won't eat the mix, try pouring 1 tsp or so of tuna fish liquid over the top of it.
Give the oil/pumpkin/flax/Slipper Elm mix to your cat 3 - 4 times a day until she poops. If she is an indoor/outdoor cat, keep her inside so you can see when she has pooped.
My cat was having constipation and would only eat only tiny amounts for 4 days. It took that long of me giving her this same mixture to her before she finally let out a long, dry turd.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Re: getting your cat to take coconut oil, you might try slathering it on her front leg - she will have no choice but to lick it off and consume it while grooming.
The cat I recently lost after 19 years got diabetes when she was 11 or 12, but it was controlled by using a wet canned food with no sauces, high protein and under 10% carbs. But when she was 17 she got kidney failure. While there is basically no meds in Sweden for treatment for cats with kidney failure I joined an on line group and they helped a lot. These cats often have constipation. Miralax is not sold or allowed in Sweden but I got it into the country. She got about tsp 2 times a day. I began with 1/8th of a tsp and just added to it until her stool was good. It works well. The only thing they have here is a paraffin wax that is liquid and the cat gets it but it coats the stomach so NO food is digested it just passes on through with no nutrition.
One of my cats (10 years old) had constipation some time ago. Problem was solved after I stopped feeding him commercial food (homemade now). Few days ago I fed him a new canned food (supposed high quality) and constipation came back; he is healthy again but I want to have something here for constipation, just in case.
Many recommend Psyllium (Plantago ovata); however, in my country the only good quality product with Psyllium is mixed with Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers (in some countries known as "roselle", used for teas).
I read that some Hibiscus is toxic for cats... does anyone know if Hibiscus sabdariffa is safe for them?
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Hibiscus sabdariffa is considered a non-toxic plant and its parts have a very low toxicity - so low as to be considered non-toxic.
That said, it will kill a mouse if you fed it 5000mg/kg body weight. It has been used on cats for blood pressure studies with no toxic effects noted in the cats.
Posted by Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 07/16/2013 ★★★★★
Yes, start mixing a tablespoon of pure pumpkin into his food each time you feed him. This is PURE, canned pumpkin, NOT the pumpkin-pie filling which contains sugar.
I regularly add pumpkin to my dog's food each day, and his stools are perfect.
Posted by Emma (Rockville, Maryland) on 11/30/2012 ★★★★★
This is not a permanent remedy, but it works for a blockage or compaction. My cat is 19 years old, and has trouble with constipation. Her stools are often dry and come out in small pieces, and she strains when she needs to eliminate.
Once I had someone else look after her while I went on a trip for a month, and during that time she got compacted to the point that she lost her appetite and stopped eating. When I got back she was very weak and had lost a lot of weight, and she was no longer cleaning herself. Her caretaker thought she was failing because of her age -- in fact, he was scared that she was about to die -- and he had started to forcefeed her with a liquid diet. She wasn't pooping, but she did dribble a little liquid poop. It occurred to me that the small amount of liquidy poop might not be the result of her liquid diet, but instead be coming from a compaction in her colon.
I mixed powdered magnesium citrate in some water and force fed her that with a syringe. Lo and behold, she pooped a lot the very next day, and started to show some interest in eating again. Little by little she started to eat more and poop again, and she became stronger and stronger until she was back to her old self. Occasionally it happens now that she goes a few days without pooping. She usually loses her appetite when that happens. I immediately give her the magnesium citrate, and she is back to normal again. Sometimes I don't give her enough and I have to do it a second time. I wish I could find something to put in her food every day instead -- that would be a lot better, I'm sure, but she is so finicky. Canned pumkin won't do, but I think I will try aloe if it is tasteless. Still, magnesium citrate works when the constipation is so bad that there is a blockage.
Please for the love of God, don't play Doctor on these helpless animals and FORCE things down their throats without the PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF A LICENSED VETERINARIAN! What is wrong with people!! Would you eat something that could potentially hurt you on the 'advice of a friend" without speaking to a DOCTOR??!!
Your pet may not have immediate symptoms from Aloe Vera, but it is poisonous to cats, and it will cause kidney failure.
Toxicity, Symptoms and Treatment
The toxic compound in aloe is saponins, which is a naturally occurring detergent found in various desert plants such as Yucca schidigera and Aloe vera. Unfortunately, saponins are toxic to cats as well as dogs, birds and lizards. Symptoms of aloe poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, tremors and a change in urine color. According to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, the first symptoms typically appear six to 12 hours after the cat ingested the plant. If you suspect your cat has ingested aloe, stay calm and immediately take the pet to your veterinarian along with any remaining parts of the aloe plant. Even if your cat doesn't show signs of poisoning, you should seek medical assistance since symptoms may not appear for several hours or possibly days later.
The part of the aloe vera plant that is toxic to cats is in the fibers of the plant. If it is juice fit for human consumption it should be fiber free and ok for pets. Or so I was told. Always good to double check any information from a stranger!
Hi. I had a female tabby cat who was fine until she was around 10 years old. Then she suddenly began having constipation issues and would cry and hide under the bed. Her little butt was all red and swollen and she was straining and licking at it. Long story short - after years of help from the vet, which really didn't do much for her at all (pumpkin, laculose, manual extraction - you name it) I read online at a Yahoo forum on the subject, about giving Miralax sprinkled dry on the wet food each day. She never had an issue again unless I stopped. She lived to be almost 20. Now I have a cat who used to be feral and he can go for over a week without pooping. He never drinks water! I tried all the usual remedies listed here, and the aloe juice did nothing! Anyway, I'm back on the Miralax for him which works 100% and there is no taste. I don't want him to end up with megacolon like my little tabby, so if this is what it will take, I guess that's what I will do. I feed him a raw diet which I make myself. I am told he is extremely healthy otherwise. My recommendation - use the Miralax. It seems so unnatural, but if the cat gets megacolon, it's a horrendous situation.
My cat gets constipated. She will not eat pumpkin and other suggestions for dealing with this condition, so I have had her on Royal Canin Gastrointestinal food. This works great and she is actually, finally, losing some weight. The problem? This food is now out of stock everywhere! So, does anyone have a recipe for food for a cat that includes plenty of psyllium that she'll actually eat? Or know of another brand that works well? I've got her on urinary/hairball food now that says it greases the skids, so to say. But she goes outside and I don't see her poops anymore, I just see that she's 'wider' than before, so I know she's backing up. I do feel that losing weight will help with transit issues, but we have to get there first to know.
Any suggestions? so far, she won't eat any wet/canned food, only the dry. She'll eat some yogurt, but dairy isn't good for her. I'm putting miralax in her water, but who knows how much she's actually getting. Thanks
Hi Carol, I have a suggestion. Purchase some Chia seed from Aldie or wherever. Soak it in water about 1 to 4 ratio or chicken broth. It will swell up and look like cells holding all that liquid with the cat will need and its body to prevent constipation. Mix that into the wet cat food daily. I suggest just a couple of teaspoons with each meal & never feed the cat dry food. If you do have to feed the cat dry food food soak that in water or chicken broth also. As the cat ages, it gets more and more constipated. If it really is bad, you can reach a couple inches up above its tail and help to relieve the cat which I used to do with an old cat all the time. Meow mix wet food makes a pate that has extra gravy. I recommend that as well.
Posted by bodulica (Barrie ON) on 05/13/2019 ★★★★★
I have an old cat with constipation problem. Two enemas, drugs, pumpkin... nothing worked. Then I found out about Lax-eze.{prebiotic natural fiber supplement} No problems any more. Sometimes he skips a day, but that's all. Very happy with results.
Thank you for your reply Wendy. I have tried the pumpkin and the coconut oil and cannot get her to eat them in her food. As I said, she is a picky eater. I have been able to get her to eat her food with olive oil in it but the olive oil is not giving her any relief. I'll go back to the coconut oil and try it again. She 'sneeks up' on her food now like she's saying "OK, what is Mom putting in my food today! " Thanks again Wendy.
Constipation is a potential side effect of turmeric in people and pets. It is a remedy for diarrhea in the same. When there is constipation in someone/pet in my house, I do tend to avoid turmeric for that reason. In general though we don't find it causes constipation when taken with adequate water.
How about milk of magnesia or pumpkin? Is kitty getting enough water? Cats who eat dry cat food rarely get enough water, which can cause bladder stones and constipation.
Is it possible your cat has a hairball? My cats and pet rabbits both had trouble with this. We used an OTC hairball gel for that.
Blackstrap molasses and slippery elm are also good for constipation.
What about massaging kitty's abdomen with castor oil? It absorbs through the skin and helps the bowels to move.
I hope kitty feels better soon - please keep us posted....
Hi Ron, please do not use castor oil or molasses on/for your cat (or any animal). Cats are missing an important enzyme for detoxification, Glucuronosyltransferase (sp?) it is a major phenol detoxification enzyme. Most cats become lactose (dairy) intolerant when they have stopped nursing. Things given may seem fine at the time however down the road you end up with your cat in renal failure, a build up of toxins in their kidneys. Molasses has lots of sugar and that is bad for cats & dogs. Most of the OTC hairball treatments have petroleum jelly used in it, would you eat petroleum jelly? Milk of magnesia is not safe as you need be extremely careful with magnesium and cats, very low dose can be helpful but more could be toxic, how would you know how much to give.
Mama to Many, I like much of the advice you give, however I just had to step in (respectfully) this time. I do work with cats and I keep learning so much as time goes on. Please do much needed research before giving anything to your pets.
With that all said, coconut oil (1/4 - 1/2 tsp.) is safe and for most also effective, give it time, also pumpkin (for both constipation and diarrhea) work for most (1/4 -1 tsp.) and plain, no sugar added or anything else not needed in plain yogurt (organic) in small does (upto 1 tsp.) a few times a week to help gut flora. Yogurt when cultured has broken down the lactose and is fermented and full of good enzymes for the intestinal flora. Always start low dose. Hope this helps you Ron and anyone else in need. Keep up your good work Mama to Many.
Posted by Maggie (Idaho) on 06/13/2017 36 posts ★★★★★
I'd read that pumpkin is good for constipation in pets but I don't usually have pumpkin on hand. I do however always have frozen winter squash. I tried the winter squash and it works. I think pumpkin, sweet potato and the winter squashes are high in fiber which is what's needed for constipation.
Posted by Sandra (Seattle, Wa) on 05/22/2017 ★★★★★
My elderly cat suffered from extreme constipation. She would strain and nothing would pass. I found two things that worked well. Canned pumpkin - 1/2 teaspoon each day. It takes a couple of days to work through the system, but it did the trick. Also, my holistic vet recommended slippery elm. I opened a capsule and put about 1/4 capsule in some liquid, dissolved it, then gave it in a syringe. This also worked very well.
I've done that, and it works well. This is something that should only be considered with larger breeds such as the kuvasz, maremma sheepdogs, and great pyrenees, and any similar sized or larger breeds. Home enemas should never be attempted on a dog smaller than 70 lbs, as it is easy to get the dosage wrong and overfill the colon in smaller breeds, which can cause all sorts of problems as well as perforation.
Large, XL, and giant breeds, tolerate enemas well, and provided you use common sense (never use otc phosphate enemas), it is perfectly safe on these dogs.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
It may help to use the search function on your computer and to spell it both ways 'megacolon' and 'mega colon' to find all the references to it in the replies.
Posted by Tabatha (Oshawa, Ontario Canada) on 07/15/2013
My 11 yr old male cat has suffered the last 2 yrs with constipation and hard stool. Numerous trips to vet for enemas and disimpacting and over 3 grand in bills he still has problems :( he has been on lactulose 3 times a day and cisapride daily. Won't eat dry food anymore and just licks juice off wet food. Pls help. Will pure pumpkin help?
Tabatha
I have a cat with IBD and constipation. My vet said to give him Miralax daily, but I want to try a more natural approach. Maybe you can use Miralax for your old cat? It's not natural, but I haven't found a natural daily supplement for this issue.
Read this online.....can't vouch for it as I'm not a vet, just a concerned pet owner like you all...I HATE taking cat to vet as it seems to usually make him 5x worse from stress (might get the initial problem resolved, but then he'll get a URI or UTI or a number of other issues.
Anyway, here's what I'd read elsewhere:
Give your dog or cat 1/4 to 1 tsp of magnesium citrate powder dissolved in some very hot water. Cats small amounts - larger pets higher dosages - Very large dogs can have 2 tsp. After it dissolves you can add a little cooler water so it is easy to drink. It dissolves beautifully and quickly. You can also syringe feed the magnesium citrate to your pet if need be. The magnesium can be given 2 or 3 times the first day.
Posted by Pam E. (SouthWestern California) on 08/16/2023 148 posts
It is only the *latex* that is found in small amounts in between the skin of the leaf & the clear gel that is toxic ... *not* the clear gel! This latex (yellow or white) is thoroughly *removed* from the gel-only products made for consumption. The clear 100% gel with NO preservatives & NO additives is *safe* for humans & pets.
Conventional medicine at one time used straight aloe latex to treat constipation, which was far too strong & extremely painful ... thus giving Aloe a much undeserved bad reputation for using any part of the Aloe for that purpose. However, the clear gel is a far cry from the latex, and very soothing & helpful. In some cases it works like a dream, while in others it may not work, but won't cause distress, either.
I stronly urge those afraid of using Aloe gel to consider this article:
"Is Aloe Vera Toxic to Pet Cats, Dogs, Other Animals?"
Our Havanese 8 month old puppy was constipated and hadn't gone for 1 ½ days. He had been out walking around the yard extensively but no luck. My daughter stumbled across your website and she had told me pumpkin and I didn't believe her! I had to put my glasses on just to see it for myself!! Luckily last night I happened to make a pumpkin cake and had leftover pumpkin. Within two minutes of licking up a generous teaspoon of pumpkin, he went straight to the laundry room where he rings his bell to go to the bathroom!! It works like magic... Unbelievable!! Thanks so much!!
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