Plain Yogurt

crazyforinfo

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So I did a search here about the runs or loose stools and Plain Yogurt is always suggested. What exactly does it do? How much should you feed and how often?

Molly had a virus a few weeks ago and she just finished her meds on Thursday. The vet had told us she might need antibiotics for another 2 weeks & to keep an eye on her.

I just gave her plain yogurt (boy did she love it) after her soft stool.
Is there anything else?
She is fine otherwise.

Thanks

Ps I forgot to add we put frontline on her yesterday. Would that cause the runs?
 

momofmany

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I've only given mine yogurt when recommended by a vet. I had some fosters with coccidia and she recommended it to help restore the imbalances in their digestive tract due to both the illness and the medicine they were on. She warned not to give them more than a teaspoon a day (they were 2-5 month old kittens) and to do no longer than a week.

Other than that, I can't really help with your question. I'd call your vet and ask about it.

Poor baby!!
 

fr gregg

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Is there any reason why 'flavored' yogurt can't be fed to cats? Just wondering.

Thanks in advance.

fr. gregg
 

daisy'smom

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I really don't know about cats but my puppies get it once a day, it's really good for the digestive system. I don't give them flavored becuse it usually has sugar in it. They also love cottage cheese.
 

fr gregg

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Makes sense. The vet said that a little ice cream as a rare treat is fine for cats...I was just wondering why flavored yogurt couldn't be used in the same way.

fr. gregg
 

kittenkiya

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I didn't know that. I had a cat that when I ate yogurt, he had to have some no matter what the flavor.

Actually he liked blueberry the best. I don't understand some stuff.
 

xocats

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Regarding plain yogurt...
when a kitty's digestive tract is acting up & a bland diet is needed to calm things down,
fruit would not fall into the category of bland.
Fruit has fiber in it.

If the vet suggests yogurt for the pro-biotics, that might make it a different situation.
I would talk to my vet about adding pro-biotics to replace the ones that were killed by the antibiotics.
Yogurt just might be what your kitty needs but I don't know if it would be enough.
 

catsknowme

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To help solidfy the runs, my vet recommends putting the cat on a diet of chicken broth (preferably homemade), with a little of the chicken and some rice mashed in. And the yogurt recommended is plain, and with probiotics. The sugars (and usu. high fructose corn syrup) in the flavored yogurts can actually make the problem worse - high fructose corn syrup is very hard on mammals' kidneys - it was developed to quickly fatten feed animals, who weren't meant to be much longer on this earth anyway. Blueberries actually adjust the pH of the bladder wall better than cranberriers, and both are excellent at making it difficult for bacteria to attach themselves, thus reducing the risk of bladder infection.
 

wookie130

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Originally Posted by fr gregg

Is there any reason why 'flavored' yogurt can't be fed to cats? Just wondering.

Thanks in advance.

fr. gregg
This is because your cat doesn't need the extra sugars, colorings, or sweetners. The fruit that is in there can often worsen diarrhea and tummy upset too. Plain is the way to go!
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by fr gregg

Makes sense. The vet said that a little ice cream as a rare treat is fine for cats...I was just wondering why flavored yogurt couldn't be used in the same way.

fr. gregg
I thought ice cream and yoghurt were two very different things. I know I LOVE ice cream, but I cannot stand to eat yoghurt.

Also the yoghurt suggested is the plain kind with no sugar, fruit, etc. which I think has already been addressed and I'm just echoing.
 

beandip

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Maybe worth adding ...I've always been told to be sure and get the plain "full fat" type (not low fat). It can be hard to find the "good stuff" sometimes. Seems like whenever I need it all they have is fat free, etc.
 
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crazyforinfo

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So I was bad and only gave Molly the yogurt once. She still has the squirts.
Would being on antibiotics for 2 weeks cause this? Mom was kind enough to remind me that sometimes humans would in this case. I can't afford another vet bill! Need some ideas before I have to make another vet visit.
 

momto3cats

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Antibiotics certainly can cause that. I would try giving yogurt every day for a week and see if that helps. It might be a good idea to feed her a bland diet (boiled chicken & rice, or baby food) to calm her tummy.
 

daisy'smom

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I would try a bland diet. Chicken or Lamb Baby food. Or if she will eat boiled rice and chicken and cottage cheese is good too.
 
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crazyforinfo

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Thanks! Lucky for her hubby has taken chicken out for dinner.
 

xocats

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Standard bland diet...

Plain boiled chicken mixed in its own broth with a small amount of well cooked white rice all mashed up together.
No spices of any kind.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by beandip

Maybe worth adding ...I've always been told to be sure and get the plain "full fat" type (not low fat). It can be hard to find the "good stuff" sometimes. Seems like whenever I need it all they have is fat free, etc.
Now this is where I get confused. I thought all yoghurt was basically low fat (unless they've added other stuff into it) and that there is no "full fat" type (i.e., they are one and the same). I thought that was all just a marketing thing.

As I said - I am confused about this thing called yoghurt.
 

momto3cats

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I think it depends on whether it was made with whole milk, low fat milk or skim.
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Now this is where I get confused. I thought all yoghurt was basically low fat (unless they've added other stuff into it) and that there is no "full fat" type (i.e., they are one and the same). I thought that was all just a marketing thing.

As I said - I am confused about this thing called yoghurt.
momto3cats is correct...the kind I called "full fat" would be the type made with whole milk. If it says "low fat" or "fat free" on the container it's not the whole milk variety.
 

purrpaws

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Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

So I was bad and only gave Molly the yogurt once. She still has the squirts.
Would being on antibiotics for 2 weeks cause this? Mom was kind enough to remind me that sometimes humans would in this case. I can't afford another vet bill! Need some ideas before I have to make another vet visit.
Antibiotics certainly can cause diarrhea in both humans and kitties. The reason for this is that the antibiotics, while killing off the bad bacteria making kitty sick also kill off the friendly bacteria living in the intestine. This allows more unfriendly bacteria to invade the intestine, damaging it. As a result, the intestine won't absorb as much of the water from the stool as it normally would.

Yogurt is recommended because it contains friendly bacteria. These friendly bacteria are the ones that turned the milk into yogurt. Look for one that says "live and active yogurt cultures" on the package.

Ok, that was probably more than you wanted to know....
 
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