How to know how much Marshmallow root to give?

rang_27

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As many of you know Jordan has chronic constipation. I stoped giving him lactulose because I'm convinced that, the medication is what caused his blood calcium to spike. So I've been able to control the constipation mostly through diet, however; once in a while he still has some difficulty. I remember reading that Marshmallow root works, but my question is does anyone know how much to give him? I know that slipery elm root works too, but I remember reading that there was some sort of shortage of slipery elm root, so I want to go with the one that is not in short supply. Any ideas?
 

blaise

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

As many of you know Jordan has chronic constipation. I stoped giving him lactulose because I'm convinced that, the medication is what caused his blood calcium to spike. So I've been able to control the constipation mostly through diet, however; once in a while he still has some difficulty. I remember reading that Marshmallow root works, but my question is does anyone know how much to give him? I know that slipery elm root works too, but I remember reading that there was some sort of shortage of slipery elm root, so I want to go with the one that is not in short supply. Any ideas?
Hey Rang_27!
Since you and I last "spoke", I discovered that Slippery Elm is also high in calcium and is contraindicated in cats with hypercalcaemia tendencies. (felinecrf.org - see "Cautions")

So, I just did a search for marshmallow root - it seems that it, too, has a high calcium content!

felinecrf.org suggests Miralax as a safe alternative.
 

sharky

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I beleive it was half a cap but double check that with the vet ... Yes slippery elm is getting to be a endangered species ...

IMHO I would not TOUCH Miralax
 

the_food_lady

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

As many of you know Jordan has chronic constipation. I stoped giving him lactulose because I'm convinced that, the medication is what caused his blood calcium to spike. So I've been able to control the constipation mostly through diet, however; once in a while he still has some difficulty. I remember reading that Marshmallow root works, but my question is does anyone know how much to give him? I know that slipery elm root works too, but I remember reading that there was some sort of shortage of slipery elm root, so I want to go with the one that is not in short supply. Any ideas?
Is Jordan an older kitty?

My 16 yr old kitty Tigger occasionally gets constipated; partly due to age but also because she is not a big canned food eater (eats more dry than canned, though she is given canned twice a day). What I do now is give her some SubQ fluids every 2-3 weeks, about 100cc's. This seems to do the trick! I can usually tell when she's starting to get constipated because she insists on snuggling up on the couch with me and she'll pass gas LOL
 

kittkatt

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Have you tried canned pumpkin? Not the spiced kind that's used for pies, but just the plain stuff. It's supposed to work well for constipation and diarrhea.
 

tuxedokitties

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Check with your vet first, of course - the dose may vary, as well as whether or not that particular herb is appropriate in his case. The dose I use for Felixia is 1/2 capsule mixed with 2 cc of water, and it's really seemed to help her a lot. I love that the taste of mashmallow doesn't bother her - she doesn't fight me when I give it to her, but she would spit out the slippery elm.
 

blaise

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Unfortunately, pumpkin is also high in Calcium....

The requirement here is for a calcium neutral stool softener.

Originally Posted by sharky

...IMHO I would not TOUCH Miralax
Sharky - what is that opinion based on?
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by BLAISE

Unfortunately, pumpkin is also high in Calcium....

The requirement here is for a calcium neutral stool softener.



Sharky - what is that opinion based on?
the base ingredient and my knowledge of drugs...
 
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rang_27

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Originally Posted by BLAISE

Hey Rang_27!
Since you and I last "spoke", I discovered that Slippery Elm is also high in calcium and is contraindicated in cats with hypercalcaemia tendencies. (felinecrf.org - see "Cautions")

So, I just did a search for marshmallow root - it seems that it, too, has a high calcium content!

felinecrf.org suggests Miralax as a safe alternative.
Thankyou for that information. Jordan is doing so much better I don't want to add anything that will increase his calcium. I had tried canned pumpkin in the past and he would not eat it. I did try sub-q in the past, but he is not a good paitient, he will not sit still for that. He has not been constipated enough to require another vet visit, so I guess continueing with the wet food only diet and monitering him closely is the best way to go for him.

For those that don't know Jordan is 5 & has struggled with constipation and idopathic hypercalcimia for over a year and a half now. He had been on 5 mg of prednisone every day until a couple weeks ago. I was able to drop him down to 5 mg everyother day. I will take him in this weekend to have his blood calcium rechecked. If it is still low enough, I will wait until after the holidays & drop it down again (He & I are traveling for the holidays so I don't want to be messing with his medication while we are out of town.) He is doing so well, I am just working to find the best possible balance for him. I want him off the pred, but the vet isn't sure that will ever happen.
 

sugarwookie

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This may be a late reply to your thread, but I've discovered a new supplement that has my cat going daily, after a few trips for enemas and obvious constipation. I sprinkle a pinch in her food at each meal and she went from every three days of spitting out a couple of knuckles to a log daily. It's called Lax-eze by Vet Select.
 
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