Miralax and Pancreatitis

I saw some statistics online showing that Miralax which is supposed to help cats poop can cause pancreatitis, what do you all think of these:

http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/miralax/pancreatitis+acute

http://fixyourgut.com/miralax/

http://factmed.com/study-MIRALAX-causing-PANCREATITIS ACUTE.php

Thank you for posting these articles and drawing attention to this possible problem.  It's always hard to know how much to extrapolate between cat and human studies, but it's certainly a good idea to be aware of the possible link and keep an eye out for problems.

About the articles:  In the third article, it states that only 26 cases of miralax- associated acute pancreatitis have been reported to the FDA in 8 years which doesn't exactly ring alarm bells, even if cases are under-reported.   However, the other two articles do suggest a more definite association.  The first one consists of self-reported cases, which always have to be taken with a grain of salt.  Having said that, it was a website of self-reported side effects that confirmed something I suspected about a medication I was taking, long before the pharmaceutical company got its act together and actually admitted it.   I think those kinds of websites are very useful.

I am not sure what to make of the second article since the author is a "health coach" and not a doctor.   I've found it's usually best to maintain a healthy scepticism about those kinds of websites.  The author could be right on target, but I'd need to check his sources before accepting everything he says.  

The main thing is it's always a good idea to be aware of potential side effects like these so if odd symptoms appear, you can be right on top of things.

Those articles are also about Humans, not cats.

Miralax is safe to give to a cat providing that the cat is under a vet's care and proper dosing and adminstration is followed. For long term help of constipation, there may be other products the vet can prescribe or suggest.

Yes it's for human not cats, but the thing is not enough research is done on cats, so I just get scared seeing things like this even if the stats are only on humans.  To those who give your cats miralax, how much tsp do you give it per day? And it's not good to give it long term?

My kitty has IBD and is prone to constipation.  I haven't needed to keep him on it permanently yet, I only give it as needed like during hairball season.  My vet told me to start at 1/8 teaspoon twice a day and adjust up.  You want the dosage that keeps things moving but doesn't cause diarrhea.  Of course your kitties vet is the best source of info about medication and dosages.  Each kitty is different.

TaoMom said:

 
Yes it's for human not cats, but the thing is not enough research is done on cats, so I just get scared seeing things like this even if the stats are only on humans.  To those who give your cats miralax, how much tsp do you give it per day? And it's not good to give it long term?

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A typical cat dose of Miralax is 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon of the dry powder up to twice a day. Check with the vet for a recommend dose and how often to give first.

You have to mix the powder into water first (a few spoonfuls is fine) to dissolve it and then mix it into canned food (Humans mix a dose into a full glass of water and then drink it all). Miralax works by drawing water from the body into the intestines. If you just give dry powder sprinkled on canned food, the powder may cause your cat to become dehydrated which makes the constipation worse.

I'm not sure if Miralax is ok to give long term. That is something you have to discuss with the vet. Under proper vet supervision Miralax may be ok to give long term. There are other medicines that can be used for constipation. Canned pumpkin can be given for constipation as well and won't harm the cat as long as you're not feeding entire meals of it

O.......M..........G.........  I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My cat has been on Miralax for maybe a couple of years, and he has pancreatitis.  I KINEW it was the Miralax!!!!!  He gets 1/8 tsp. 2x/day.

kflei said:

 
O.......M..........G.........  I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My cat has been on Miralax for maybe a couple of years, and he has pancreatitis.  I KINEW it was the Miralax!!!!!  He gets 1/8 tsp. 2x/day.

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I'm so sorry your kitty has pancreatitis. I hope he is getting supportive care as it is very painful. Pancreatitis in cats is poorly understood and the exact cause is often unknown. Feline pancreatitis has been linked to genetics, diet, allergens, infection, toxins, vaccines, anesthesia, and prescription drugs. While I suppose it's possible, I wouldn't be too quick to draw this conclusion and potentially overlook other considerations. One of my cats has been on Miralax for five years now and has never had pancreatitis. Another one of my cats developed chronic pancreatitis and he never had Miralax. I remember searching frantically and scouring the web for hours and hours trying to find out what caused my kitty's pancreatitis. I never knew for sure. But as I learned to manage his condition (for three years), I was able to determine what lessened the frequency and severity of his pancreatitis flares. I hope your cat gets better soon!