Help...Need Hairball Advice

I took my Kitty-Pooh to the vet on Thurs. because he had been coughing after every meal and was acting a little slow...just not himself.

After various testing, x-ray, shots, fecal exam, etc., (and a $240 bill!), it was concluded that Kitty-Pooh was fine, but had a rather large hairball in his tummy and was constipated. The vet prescribed Laxatone 1/2 teaspoon daily for 5 days, then every other day. Well, one bowel movement and three days later, no exit of a hairball (vet indicated Kitty-Pooh would pass it next day). Kitty-Pooh is still on slow side (could be the horrible heat wave we are stuck in!) but eating ok and no coughing.

Anyone familiar with Laxatone? It is any good? Does it work quickly or take some time? Any suggestions of anything else I can do to help my Kitty-Pooh? I'm starting to get concerned.

This was our first visit with this vet. He is very anti-flea collars and very pro vaccinations. What's your opinion?

Thanks for your help.


charkitty

If the laxatone doesn't seem to be working, I would give the vet a call and ask if there is something else you might use, like metamucil or canned pumpkin. As for the vet himself, antiflea collars is definitely a good sign, as flea collars can be dangerous. Provaccine can be good or bad, depending on how hard he is pushing you. I think that vaccines are very important for indoor-outdoor cats, but less so for cats who aren't exposed to other cats at any time and those with weakened immune systems.

As far as the flea collars and pro vaccinations...

I don't like the flea collars either. I've seen where they do more harm than good.

Vaccinations...if the cat stays strictly indoors and isn't exposed to other cats that go outside, then I wouldn't get the vaccinations. However, if your cat is an outdoor cat or one that gets to go outdoors I would definetly vaccinate. (Don't forget about spaying and neutering, too!) Our vet doesn't push the vaccination issue because she feels that for an indoor only cat the risks of contacting the diseases that the vaccinations prevent is far smaller than the risks of complications from the vaccinations themselves.

Yes I know laxatone.. I found the nutri cal did a better job till the vet gave me other goop..lol.. Pumpkin I hear is very good.. I use the goop with some oil///

I've used Laxatone and others of the same type. I don't know about getting an existing hairball to pass. I've just used it as a preventative and none of my cats has ever had a hairball. But from what I've read, you may not necessarily notice it. As I understand, it might come out looking pretty much like a regular turd and you would have to look close to see the hair in it.

Thanks so much for your help/advice. Much appreciated. Kitty-Pooh has had some normal bowel movements and seems to be almost back to his usual self. Guess the Laxatone worked...he seems to get perkier with each bowel movement! LOL! I think I will also get some pumpkin for possible future use. Kitty-Pooh and I thank you.


charkitty

The best thing to do with the pumpkin once you open it is to freeze it in an ice-cube tray. That way, you don't end up dumping a lot of moldy pumpkin--you can just defrost the amount you need.

My vet gave me Laxitone when Rosie was a bunged up kitten and it worked well on her.

But make sure it's rubbed well into the front paws because i made the big mistake of just dabbing it all over her paws, then when she shook them there were brown splashes of it all over the walls