Miralax dosing and response time

sarahhalen

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Hi! I just read your post re: trying hairball remedies for constipation.  Did you find any hairball remedies that worked?  

My girl suffers from constipation.  Tried pumpkin with no success, so I'm looking into trying Miralax.  Like you, I'm not keen on pumping her little body with chemicals, so I'd like to stay as holistic as possible...

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
 

artiemom

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I used to give my guy some laxatone when I thought he needed it.. He suffers from chronic constipation; but he absolutely hates it. 

The best thing is miralax. Start with a small dose, 1/8 tsp mixed in with water and added to the food, once a day.. it will take a few days to work..

some people add a drop of olive oil to the food...that is if your cat will eat it..
 

fleur4

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I don't blame you for wanting to be as holistic as possible, but right now your kitty needs medicine.  I've been giving my girl Miralax every day for years and as a result her constipation problems disappeared!  She was a very unhealthy shelter kitten.  She's now 12 and has never felt better, so it's obviously not hurting her.  

Another thing you might consider is brushing your kitty very, very well every day.  My cat can't tolerate hairball ointment, and the vet said brushing her goes a very long way to prevent hairballs, and probably helps with constipation, too.  Good luck, the baby will be fine!
 

mrsty

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Your suggestions are great, as just like with humans if you give a laxative regularly it may start to not to work as well and you will need more and more to get it to work. Fiber is important on a regular basis...I use a little Benefiber powder because my cats will not eat pumpkin. :smshfrk: I use just a 1/4 tsp and add a little extra water to the wet food. It's completely tasteless so they don't know it's in there. This seems to work pretty well for me.
 

janemulhall

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Is Miralax an "off the shelf" product  meant for humans?

I am curious because I could use it for my cat who I've been using Vaseline for.
 

LTS3

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Miralax is used "off label" for cats. It's an OTC Human laxative product found in any pharmacy. Some stores may have their own generic version of Miralax and those are fine to use and costs less. Just double check the ingredient list. The only ingredient listed should be Polyethylene glycol 3350.

Before using Miralax, ask the vet if using Miralax would be suitable for your cat. If the vet okays it, ask what he / she recommends as a dose and how many times a day it should be given and for what length of time. Some cats need Miralax daily for months, others may need it for a few days just to help things move along.

See post #69 above for the proper way to give Miralax.

Vaseline is typically used to lubricate the intestines to make it easier for hairballs to pass, not for constipation.
 

artiemom

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The Vet's usually recommend 1/8 teaspoon once a day.. then slowly increase according the your Vet's guidelines, until the effect you want is reached. It takes a couple days to work..
 

vickync

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Why are you giving your cat Miralax twice a day on a regular basis anyway?  I have a cat with constipation issues and I give her 1/4 tsp. in wet food for one to three days (until the stool has returned to normal--not runny or too loose).   What diet do you have your cat on?  Have you tried your cat on a wet diet rather than dry to get more fluids into the cat?
 

rascalshadownj2

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Hi,

Just saw this thread. I have been reading some of the posts where people are giving their cats Miralax. I especially thought that was scary about that cat being on Miralax for seven years! Holy Crap! I would Never give my cats ANY OTC (Over the counter) medicine for that long! In fact, I found a link to this site that specifically tells you NOT to give your pets certain OTC drugs meant for people. Here is a link to that.

https://www.drugs.com/slideshow/giving-human-medicine-to-pets-1076

It also tells you that Before you even Consider giving your pets OTC drugs, Consult your vet First! It states that at the very beginning. One time one of my cats had a bad reaction to a series of shots that he received. He threw up, and started shaking. So we contacted the vet, and she advised us to give him an antihistamine. She specified the brand and how much to give him. So that was the only time we give one of our cats an over the counter medicine. So before you rush to the drug store to medicate your cats, Consult Your Vet! Also if your cats are constipated for any length of time, it could be something serious going on. Maybe a change in diet, or some other problem. Take the cat to the vet and get some professional advice, before giving any Human medication. It could be that the cat may need more fiber like someone stated, etc. But personally I would consult my vet before I did anything myself.

That site was very educational. Hope it is for you too.
 

vickync

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Great response!   My vet had told me to give my cat 1/4 tsp. of Miralax to correct the problem with periodic constipation.   She never needs more than two or three days of the Miralax to take care of her constipation and I also now give her one feeding that is wet to increase her daily fluid intake.   
 

artiemom

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My Vets are the ones who suggested the miralax... I am going by their prescriptions....My guy has a problem with constipation....

I also take miralax for myself...
 

fleur4

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My vet recommends it, too.  My girl has severe constipation problems which disappeared as soon as she started getting Miralax every day.  She's been on it for years and I plan to give it to her for the rest of her life.  There is nothing wrong with taking an over the counter drug every day, especially after seeing how well it works.  Her life was miserable before Miralax, now she's healthy and very happy.  That would be like saying to a diabetic "oh my god, you're taking insulin every day?!  That's crazy!".   My cat needs Miralax every day.
 

janemulhall

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I did not give my cat Miralax, as I was waiting to see what other cat owners had done for constipation in the past.  I did take him to the vet and after an xray and enema, the vet said they had no information for me.
 

fleur4

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If your doctor can't find the cause of her constipation, then maybe it's a good thing, because the vet didn't find a blockage or tumor.  My cat was always constipated and she was constantly getting enemas, which are very hard on the body.  She'd get very sick from the chemicals and hide under the bed.  We knew we had to find some solution to this problem and someone in a pet store told us about Miralax and ever since then, our cat has been feeling great!
 

fleur4

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I would suggest maybe 1/4 teaspoon sprinkled in her food with a little warm water.  That might sound like a lot but she may need this amount because she is already constipated.  You should probably call the vet before you give it to her, or look on an animal health website.   Every day I give my cat maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon, but that's to prevent constipation.  The best thing about Miralax is your cat won't even know she's eating it.    Good luck with her, I'm sure she'll be fine!
 

fleur4

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Also, Jane, if the Miralax doesn't work and your vet wants to give the kitty an enema, try the Fleet Glycerine enema.  You can buy it yourself at a drugstore and ask the vet to use it.  It works pretty well and doesn't have all those nasty chemicals that other enemas have.  Good luck!
 

janemulhall

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I have 3 cats.  Is there a way I can give it to him in a srynge?  How much should I put in it? It goes by mm measurements.
 

artiemom

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You can mix the miralax wth some water, either add to his food, or syringe it into him...You do have to mix it with water..
 

fleur4

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Yeh you could do that.  I have to do it sometimes with my cat, not for Miralax but for pills.  You could put a little in a syringe and mix it well with water and just squirt it in his mouth, I think that would be fine.  However, if kitty won't take it that way, could you feed him separately from the other two cats?  As far as mixing it with water, you can use your own judgment, you'll get a feel for how much your cat will tolerate. 
 
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