The Good And The Bad of Miralax

[catloverfromwayback]

Yes, one of my late cats was put on subQ in her old age and it was just too stressful all round. I don’t mind giving a monthly B12 shot to my other cat, that’s no big deal (at least if she doesn’t shoot off under the bed, lol) but having to do drips, no.

 

[tamsynstead]

I updated vet on cat in that he ate yesterday but then ran in and out of litterbox an hour later and I gave him little bit of Miralax. He told me (again) to bring him in for IV and then he would show me how to do subQ. I told him NO subQ. Two of my dogs were on it and both died shortly after anyway and I was not about to put cat through that. I told him better a few days a month on IV in his hospital better if need be. He told me he understood my position and to keep an eye on his water intake (he drinks a LOT) but I understand not as effective as IV. I have a friend in the UK whose friend goes into hospital three times a week for that 0.o Cat apparently has Urema (end stage) too. I won't let him suffer. If he stops eating and shows signs of suffering it will be time to say goodbye. Anyone else with me on subQ? It won't sway me but curious.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I updated vet on cat in that he ate yesterday but then ran in and out of litterbox an hour later and I gave him little bit of Miralax. He told me (again) to bring him in for IV and then he would show me how to do subQ. I told him NO subQ. Two of my dogs were on it and both died shortly after anyway and I was not about to put cat through that. I told him better a few days a month on IV in his hospital better if need be. He told me he understood my position and to keep an eye on his water intake (he drinks a LOT) but I understand not as effective as IV. I have a friend in the UK whose friend goes into hospital three times a week for that 0.o Cat apparently has Urema (end stage) too. I won't let him suffer. If he stops eating and shows signs of suffering it will be time to say goodbye. Anyone else with me on subQ? It won't sway me but curious.

Yes, I’m with you on that. I wouldn’t put my current two through it, especially as they already have medical conditions (Phoebe mild IBD, Daisy megacolon) and if they developed severe kidney disease on top of that, well …

 

[tamsynstead]

Yes, one of my late cats was put on subQ in her old age and it was just too stressful all round. I don’t mind giving a monthly B12 shot to my other cat, that’s no big deal (at least if she doesn’t shoot off under the bed, lol) but having to do drips, no.

Cat refuses to eat today, vet's day off so back off for IV tomorrow. I don't understand this Methycobalamin treating constipation though, I give him a tab every morning, I've taken it for years and never felt it acting as a laxative 0.o

 

[tamsynstead]

His eating or not eating isn't based on the miralax, that's only to help with constipation.

I apologize if you said above, but are you talking to your vet about this? Does he need B12? An appetite stimulant?

If he's constipated he won't eat. I think maybe he figures if it doesn't come out of one end, it'll come out of the other. I tae methycobalamin (B12) and it doesn't stimulate my appetite nor acts as a laxative. I don't understand where this is coming from. I've seen it in other places too 0.o

 

[Furballsmom]

It has nothing to do with you or what B12 does or doesn't do for you. I'm not sure why you think this.

It's because B12 can help your cat. Are you talking to your vet? If not, please please consider doing so. Your cat needs serious formal help to get better.

 

[tamsynstead]

It has nothing to do with you or what B12 does or doesn't do for you. I'm not sure why you think this.

It's because B12 can help your cat. Are you talking to your vet? If not, please please consider doing so. Your cat needs serious formal help to get better.

 

[tamsynstead]

[/QUOTE] It has nothing to do with you or what B12 does or doesn't do for you.

If it doesn't act as a laxative for me then how for the cat? In any case it doesn't act as a laxative for the cat, which is why I have to us Miralax. And of course I talk (every day) with my vet, I don't rely on cat forums for medical advice. Just comparisons. I'm not an idiot.

 

[white shadow]

Hi again, T tamsynstead !

First, about how B-12 and the other B-vitamins assist in preventing constipation......they're essential for gut health and for the maintenance of all the associated nerves and their connections. Here's a short read about all that: FelineConstipation.org - Prevention - Vitamins & Minerals

Felineconstipation.org is a reliable, trustworthy, science-based and plain-language website (like felinecrf.org). After you read about B-12, scroll to the top of that page for much more information on preventing constipation. The entire site is a treasure trove of information about how a cat's gut works.

And, on that note, a word on your Vet's comments suggesting that Miralax will dehydrate the cat ("draw water" away, thereby causing the need for fluid therapy)......that's a somewhat common belief, but not well thought out, and ultimately it's not the case at all.

"Concerns are often expressed about cats with chronic constipation, such as cats with kidney disease, that use of an osmotic laxative will dehydrate the cat because these products draw water to the bowel or hold it in the stool. If producing a normal stool puts a cat at risk of dehydration, more is wrong than constipation and sometimes what is wrong is the human reasoning. Dehydration is not a recommended treatment for constipation! The amount of water needed to normalize the stool in response to an osmotic laxative is the same amount of water by any other method including diet and dietary fiber. This does not mean that these osmotic laxatives should not be treated with respect, of course they should be used conservatively and appropriately. But producing a normal stool by use of an osmotic laxative should not dehydrate a cat."​

That quote is from the last section on the page I gave you above, under "Osmotic Laxatives".

The Miralax is retaining water in the intestine/stool.....rather than 'allowing' that water to be excreted as urine....and the water is keeping the stool soft.

Now, if you read that section on osmotic laxatives, you'll see that these are drugs that 'work' by adjusting the dose until you get the desired effect.....increasing the dose will result in softer stool. If you're using 1/8tsp and the result is a few "small stools", you may need to (slowly/gradually) increase the dosage.......but first, describe those stools: were they hard/dry pellets? What did they look like?


I have read extensively about kidney insufficiency in cats and I've participated for several years in the online community supported by the 'Tanya' site - I have never encountered any suggestion that Miralax had worsened any cat's kidney function. We always need to be careful that we're not equating correlation and causation. Cool, clear, science-based logical thinking will keep our cats healthy as possible and us, sane. (Oh, yes, wild cats' kidneys can and do degrade as well.)

 

[tamsynstead]

Hi again, T tamsynstead !

First, about how B-12 and the other B-vitamins assist in preventing constipation......they're essential for gut health and for the maintenance of all the associated nerves and their connections. Here's a short read about all that: FelineConstipation.org - Prevention - Vitamins & Minerals

Felineconstipation.org is a reliable, trustworthy, science-based and plain-language website (like felinecrf.org). After you read about B-12, scroll to the top of that page for much more information on preventing constipation. The entire site is a treasure trove of information about how a cat's gut works.

And, on that note, a word on your Vet's comments suggesting that Miralax will dehydrate the cat ("draw water" away, thereby causing the need for fluid therapy)......that's a somewhat common belief, but not well thought out, and ultimately it's not the case at all.

"Concerns are often expressed about cats with chronic constipation, such as cats with kidney disease, that use of an osmotic laxative will dehydrate the cat because these products draw water to the bowel or hold it in the stool. If producing a normal stool puts a cat at risk of dehydration, more is wrong than constipation and sometimes what is wrong is the human reasoning. Dehydration is not a recommended treatment for constipation! The amount of water needed to normalize the stool in response to an osmotic laxative is the same amount of water by any other method including diet and dietary fiber. This does not mean that these osmotic laxatives should not be treated with respect, of course they should be used conservatively and appropriately. But producing a normal stool by use of an osmotic laxative should not dehydrate a cat."​

That quote is from the last section on the page I gave you above, under "Osmotic Laxatives".

The Miralax is retaining water in the intestine/stool.....rather than 'allowing' that water to be excreted as urine....and the water is keeping the stool soft.

Now, if you read that section on osmotic laxatives, you'll see that these are drugs that 'work' by adjusting the dose until you get the desired effect.....increasing the dose will result in softer stool. If you're using 1/8tsp and the result is a few "small stools", you may need to (slowly/gradually) increase the dosage.......but first, describe those stools: were they hard/dry pellets? What did they look like?


I have read extensively about kidney insufficiency in cats and I've participated for several years in the online community supported by the 'Tanya' site - I have never encountered any suggestion that Miralax had worsened any cat's kidney function. We always need to be careful that we're not equating correlation and causation. Cool, clear, science-based logical thinking will keep our cats healthy as possible and us, sane. (Oh, yes, wild cats' kidneys can and do degrade as well.)

I've just read your link. My vet, lovely as he is, is absolutely insistent on this 'it drains water from the intestines' line, however, he says the same about psyllium husk. Cat had hearty appetite just yesterday, this morning I found a few soft stools and one almost formed, albeit blackish, which I put down to the iron. And cat looking very poorly, albeit still active. Never mind, I get that with Spinach or Guinness. I use Methy too for neuropathy in my shoulder following an accident some years ago. I've also read that many meat eaters are deficient in it due to soil depletion (the cow is merely the middle man). Two of my three dogs had to go through all this and something doesn't feel right about having to drag the poor cat to the hospital for a few days on IV every month. I won't give subQ, my dogs had that and died shortly after anyway and my cat would freak out, no matter how much CBD oil I gave him. I trust my vet but I've had a lot of bad experiences here with what they THINK they know. So, it seems cat may just be having an off day? It's extremely hot here right now (just before monsoon season) and even I can't eat anything until the blistering sun goes down, so I'll see how it goes this evening. Thank you so very much for your post and link. I was thinking Miralax magic dust, I gave him a tiny bit this morning (usually only tiny bit in evening, vet has me so scared)nothing else works and I'd been persuaded water therapy only way to go. Hopefully it isn't. PS cat just entered kitchen area which is his way of saying 'feed me', so gave him some fresh wet Canin Renal Loaf of which he ate a little but will hopefully eat more when the sun goes down. Happy days!

 

[tamsynstead]

Hi again, T tamsynstead !

First, about how B-12 and the other B-vitamins assist in preventing constipation......they're essential for gut health and for the maintenance of all the associated nerves and their connections. Here's a short read about all that: FelineConstipation.org - Prevention - Vitamins & Minerals

Felineconstipation.org is a reliable, trustworthy, science-based and plain-language website (like felinecrf.org). After you read about B-12, scroll to the top of that page for much more information on preventing constipation. The entire site is a treasure trove of information about how a cat's gut works.

And, on that note, a word on your Vet's comments suggesting that Miralax will dehydrate the cat ("draw water" away, thereby causing the need for fluid therapy)......that's a somewhat common belief, but not well thought out, and ultimately it's not the case at all.

"Concerns are often expressed about cats with chronic constipation, such as cats with kidney disease, that use of an osmotic laxative will dehydrate the cat because these products draw water to the bowel or hold it in the stool. If producing a normal stool puts a cat at risk of dehydration, more is wrong than constipation and sometimes what is wrong is the human reasoning. Dehydration is not a recommended treatment for constipation! The amount of water needed to normalize the stool in response to an osmotic laxative is the same amount of water by any other method including diet and dietary fiber. This does not mean that these osmotic laxatives should not be treated with respect, of course they should be used conservatively and appropriately. But producing a normal stool by use of an osmotic laxative should not dehydrate a cat."​

That quote is from the last section on the page I gave you above, under "Osmotic Laxatives".

The Miralax is retaining water in the intestine/stool.....rather than 'allowing' that water to be excreted as urine....and the water is keeping the stool soft.

Now, if you read that section on osmotic laxatives, you'll see that these are drugs that 'work' by adjusting the dose until you get the desired effect.....increasing the dose will result in softer stool. If you're using 1/8tsp and the result is a few "small stools", you may need to (slowly/gradually) increase the dosage.......but first, describe those stools: were they hard/dry pellets? What did they look like?


I have read extensively about kidney insufficiency in cats and I've participated for several years in the online community supported by the 'Tanya' site - I have never encountered any suggestion that Miralax had worsened any cat's kidney function. We always need to be careful that we're not equating correlation and causation. Cool, clear, science-based logical thinking will keep our cats healthy as possible and us, sane. (Oh, yes, wild cats' kidneys can and do degrade as well.)

Me again on Miralax. I missed your question 'what did they (the stools) look like'. Since he's been switched to Royal Canin Loaf his stools are always soft and not well formed, which is to be expected eating only that pap. My problem (again) is that he didn't pass a stool this morning and I'm torn between giving him yet more Miralax tonight (difficult as I must mix it and then syringe it into his mouth. he somehow knows it's in his wet food)), or if no stool in the morning, take him back to the vet, which I want to avoid at all costs. He'll just put him in a box on IV for a week. Last time they were sending me videos every day with 'he eating and urine and no poo' every other day until they gave up and told me he'd be more comfortable at home, and that he's eating now anyway.
I'm wondering if it could be something else? His heart, lungs and liver all checked out fine. The vet told me at my last visit he wasn't constipated, then how come rare stool either at the clinic or at home? Any online advice keeps saying 'consult your vet', yes but the ONLY remedy he comes up with is IV. I gave him as much Miralax as I could syringe up midday (not easy when it's only 8th tsp in water,) but still no stool. He's eating small amounts twice per day. Should I I give him more? I see from the Constipation Site the amount could be increased, or wait and see his box tomorrow? I have no idea what else it could be but he has suffered bouts of constipation in the past, or could it be something else? Thank you so much for any advice, I'm a nervous wreck, as are all cat owners/slaves. Vets here are very hit and miss (Thailand). So there's that.