Chronic constipation

monaxlisa · Dec 6, 2009

Ruby has chronic constipation. She's on enulose, pumpkin and benefiber but about once a week she gets constipated. She's been to the vet twice, last time I gave her an enema (not fun) now she's constipated again, I don't think an enema will do it this time. Has anyone else had a chronic constipation kitty? My vet says there isnt anything else to do but I feel so bad for her. At this point I don't know if the merciful thing to do would be to put her down since it's a huge painful process every other time she needs to poo. Would that be wrong? I'd feel so horrible that I hate to even confess that it's crossed my mind.
Has anyone tried anything else that I can try?

violet · Dec 6, 2009

How old is Ruby? Are there any other health issues, or is constipation the only one?

monaxlisa · Dec 6, 2009

She's a senior, and she has a slight heart murmer, but otherwise she's got a clean bill of health. I adopted her a few months ago and I just cant believe she would have had this problem at the shelter and they wouldnt have told me about it.

violet · Dec 6, 2009

Do you know how old she is?

Also.... Is she eating any dry food or any high fiber canned? And, have you ever tried grain-free canned and Miralax for her?

monaxlisa · Dec 6, 2009

I don't know how old she is, between 8-10.
She only eats wet and benefiber, enulose and pumpkin are all fibers that are mixed in to her food.
I haven't tried grain free (she won't eat anything except fancy feast, which is probably a big part of the problem) or miralax. I've tried a different laxative but it didn't help.

auntie crazy · Dec 6, 2009

I'm interested in what she's eating, too. Any sort of kibble-based diet is likely to lead to a dehydrated kitty, which can certainly contribute to constipation.

farleyv · Dec 6, 2009

Google "feline megacolon". There is quite a bit of information. I don't know that megacolon is the case, but there is much info there. to you and your kitty.

violet · Dec 6, 2009

Ruby is young! Far too young to give up on her. In fact, young enough for surgery if nothing else works. (My cat was in her teens when she had the surgery and it saved her life.)

Fancy Feast, as a brand, is not the problem, I can assure you. So don't even worry about that.

Just a little bit of info
http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2122&aid=3471

sharky · Dec 6, 2009

You may want to discuss with your Vet about IBD / IBS depending where you live ....

Which Fancy feasts will she eat ? some have more insouble fiber ( ie from green veggies) ...

monaxlisa · Dec 6, 2009

She eats Chopped Grill with a spoonfull of c/d mixed in. She doent like any other flavors and will go days without eating when I try to feed her something good (argh!)
My vet says that she does not have megacolon.

sharky · Dec 6, 2009

for a wet food it has a higher end of ave fiber amount...

violet · Dec 6, 2009

Sharky.....when you say "for a wet food it has a higher end of ave fiber amount..." are you talking about the FF or the c/d? Is there more than one kind of Chopped Grill? (I'm asking because the FF "Chopped Grill Feast" I'm familiar with has no fiber.)

MonaxLisa, why the c/d?

RE: "My vet says that she does not have megacolon."

About megacolon - from Dr. Mike Richards' web site:

The disorder that ultimately becomes megacolon starts out as described in the passage from the Morris Animal Foundation, that you found. At the present time there are a lot of theories about why the smooth muscle disorder develops, but as the smooth muscle that composes the wall of the colon becomes weaker over time, the colon increases in size and eventually constipation becomes a problem. When this goes on long enough, the colon increases in size to accommodate the increase in stool and the result is the condition referred to as megacolon. In a few patients, this problem develops because there is obstruction of the colon in the pelvis, usually due to a pelvic fracture that has not healed with the full width of the pelvis unobstructed.

Please go to
http://www.vetinfo.com/cmegacol.html.

and then scroll down to
Megacolon or chronic constipation - the question from Rebecca and Dr. Richards' answer.

david's steph · Dec 6, 2009

My David has/had chronic constipation a few years ago, it was horrible! ER vet visits every couple of months, he was suffering horribly. What finally worked for Dave (going on about 4 years now) was a switch to a completely all-wet canned diet, no fiber supplements, but Lactulose twice a day..I swear, this Lactulose worked wonders for him. The vets kept saying, try fiber, fiber, fiber, but then I did some research online and read that fiber only works when there is a good amount of intake of water, but kitties are known for not drinking as much as we'd like them too..As long as I keep up the Lactulose, he is fine, and poops regularly..Lactulose was our godsend, for sure..

monaxlisa · Dec 6, 2009

Originally Posted by David's Steph

My David has/had chronic constipation a few years ago, it was horrible! ER vet visits every couple of months, he was suffering horribly. What finally worked for Dave (going on about 4 years now) was a switch to a completely all-wet canned diet, no fiber supplements, but Lactulose twice a day..I swear, this Lactulose worked wonders for him. The vets kept saying, try fiber, fiber, fiber, but then I did some research online and read that fiber only works when there is a good amount of intake of water, but kitties are known for not drinking as much as we'd like them too..As long as I keep up the Lactulose, he is fine, and poops regularly..Lactulose was our godsend, for sure..

I'll ask my vet about that, thanks

What kind of canned food do you feed?

Originally Posted by Violet

Sharky.....when you say "for a wet food it has a higher end of ave fiber amount..." are you talking about the FF or the c/d? Is there more than one kind of Chopped Grill? (I'm asking because the FF "Chopped Grill Feast" I'm familiar with has no fiber.)

I'm pretty sure all cat food has fiber. Fancy Feast Chopped Grill has max 1.5%

MonaxLisa, why the c/d?

Because she'll eat it

and one little can of Fancy Feast twice a day isnt enough for her.

RE: "My vet says that she does not have megacolon."

About megacolon - from Dr. Mike Richards' web site:

Please go to
http://www.vetinfo.com/cmegacol.html.

and then scroll down to
Megacolon or chronic constipation - the question from Rebecca and Dr. Richards' answer.

I've read all about megacolon, but my vet says that's not her issue and I trust him completely

sharky · Dec 6, 2009

1.5% is the top end of ave in a wet food ... it would yeild a dry matter of 4-6%

.75 to 1.5 is typical in a wet food ...

I am going to need to check the c/d later but I suspect it to be very low or very high not a ave

Chronic constipation

monaxlisa

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