03/21 Willow AMPS 95/ +3 77/ +4 85/ +7.5 86/PMPS 106 / +3 110/ +4 88.. POOP!! :)

Edited to add: I stopped miralax and egg yolk while she had diarrhea, but stayed on pumpkin and SEB; now she's back on miralax and also d-mannose, and pumpkin and SEB and yolk.

Hi everyone, Willow is doing awesome! Her appetite is great, hungry and eating like a horse, she's relaxed, alert, bright. Hopping up on our bed in the day and, now, through the night, which she hasn't done in *forever*. Peeing well. Sleeping well. Only problem...she hasn't pooped since Monday morning.

Very brief history....had been on Clavaseptin for a very bad UTI, which helped the UTI but made her largely inappetant and, eventually she vomited and had bad diarrhea on Friday the 15th. Gave a night break from antibiotic and switched her to Baytril once daily in am. By that afternoon her poop was formed, and perfect by/on Sunday! Problem is Sunday night I started her on D-Mannose 1 tsp hourly for 4 hours, just after the last dose she developed diarrhea, which continued all night, ending with a small bit Monday morning at 10:45.

And that was it. Nothing that day, or night, or all day and night Tuesday. Yesterday she started going to the litter and *trying* to poop, but nothing. She did this periodically through the day (go to litter, strain, maybe urinate, maybe lie down a brief moment, then either try again or leave). Sometimes she'd lick her nose a bit (nausea)immediately after pushing. But no hiding, or constant trying, or anything like that. Even the straining wasn't dramatic, just a hard push. And she only tried twice an hour in the morning, every 2 hours in the afternoon, every 3 hours in the evening, and only visited the litter twice last night for good pees ... she doesn't have a strong urge to go, and isn't in any discomfort that I can see, and hasn't even gone to try yet this morning and we've all been up 1 1/2 hrs.

What to do??? If I didn't monitor poops, I seriously wouldn't know anything was wrong. Should I just wait and see if it passes, unless she becomes obviously uncomfortable? I did a quick exam last night and she didn't seem painful on belly palpation, just pissy (and all I could feel was fat, she's on a diet) and I didn't feel any hard/impacted stool at the end of her rectum or 1/4" in (didn't go deeper).

Oh, she also earned a reduction yesterday!

Thanks for reading my novella. Any and all advice very much appreciated, as usual. Thank you all so much, with love, Nikki

PS: hope you all had a great night, and wishing you and your kitties a lovely day of safe surfing

AMPS 5.3 (95)
1.05 U Lantus
+3 4.3 (77)
+4 4.7 (85)
+7.5 4.8 (86)
PMPS 5.9 (106)
1.05 U Lantus
+3 6.1 (110) ... 1/2 hr after passing a little poop!
+4 4.9 (88)

 

I'm glad Willow is eating for you. Have you tried mixing plain pumpkin in her food? That can help with diarrhea and constipation. Sending prayers.

 

Thanks, yes she gets pumpkin and some other supplements; I edited my post to make that clear thanks I did stop some during her diarrhea episode though, which didn't help I'm sure. With love, Nikki

 

Hi Nikki. Is Willow on a raw diet?

 

Hi, no she's on 100% canned, FF and currently switching to weruva, with loads of water added to each meal, multiple small meals through the day (13 with snacks). With love, Nikki

 

Oh, ok. Cats will not poop as often on raw. Bronx has constipation issues and I found Lactulose works better than Miralax, but a script is needed.

 

Hi, no prescription needed in canada i think . Normally she maintains ok, it's just she's really been thrown off by the antibiotics/d-mannose diarrhea. I'm wondering if I should give her a microlax enema and, if it doesn't work, bring her to the vet? Reluctant because she *seems* fine, but I *know* she has poop backed up. Sigh. Thanks, with love, Nikki

 

That's great you know how to do an enema. What is the longest she went before this between poops?

 

never lol. I'm a retired AHT (animal health technologist). She has pretty slow motility, but usually a day or two she'll at least put out some thin logs or buttons, something, between days. Overnight and a day has probably been the longest with literally no output, but it might have been longer my husband says.

 

Sometimes they say if you can get them to move and get some excersize will help in addition to what you are giving her. I have tried playing with a toy on string making kitty run back and forth for a few minutes. Not sure she is up for that, but getting them moving is good. I am not sure if it was the excersize last time my kitty went 3-4 days, or it was the Miralax or both. I also try lightly massaging her tummy, which has seemed to help, but depending on how uncomfortable they are, may not like that.

 

If you think she has poop backed up, enema should help clear it up, specially that you're familiar with giving it! What I do just for maintaining Zoé going, is massaging energically her lower belly regularly, plus giving her what you give Willow! You're right, we don't need a prescription for Lactulose in Canada!

 

Thanks for replying She has neuropathy front legs, so not too active yet (also on zobaline). Rubbing her tummy is a good way to lose my hands, and that's on a good day lol. With love, Nikki

 

Thanks for confirming that Willow would *not* allow belly rubs on a good day, much less now lol. You people with cuddly cats are lucky!! With love, Nikki

 

The AB could cause diarrhea as I'm sure you know. Are you giving probiotic? Olive has no motility either. Pumpkin, miralax, yolk stopped helping. She would go 5-6 days of no poop but when she did it was normal. I just started lactulose, to begin I am giving every other day only 2ml. So far it's working. Had to get it from Canada as her vet won't script it (thinks there is sugar in it). Next week at her vet visit I will let her know otherwise and see if we can get cisipride to help.

 

I gave our civvie, Allen, lactulose. The recommended dosage for him was 3 ml a day; I found that I had to give 2 1.5ml dosages instead....if I gave 3 ml at once it made him uncomfortable and gave him gas I was buying it from my vet for quite a while then found out it is much, much cheaper at a pharmacy....I'm in Ontario and can buy it without a script.

 

Hi, probiotic is on order. I'm glad lactulose is working, I know that may be coming. Please let me know if cisapride seems to help too! Thanks, with love, Nikki

 

Thanks so much. How much does Boomer weigh? With love, Nikki

 

I hope her doctor will script it. She seems to be perplexed where Olive is concerned but she is the only doctor who will script the cabergoline so I'm stuck with her. That's why I had to get lactulose from Canada. She wouldn't script it.

 

Aw, sorry to hear about neuropathy, poor kitty can’t catch a break. You need both hands for testing and shots...

 

One of our members kitty Zener (GA) used to get regularly backed. He had cerebellar hyperplasia. His vet, who also did acupuncture, would massage him to get him going. His bean Liz videoed it. Here it is. The part along the spine was what I did for Neko as part of her regular acupressure.

Have you checked out https://felineconstipation.org/

 

Hi, I'll check out the video, thanks. Yes, I'm too familiar with felineconstipation.org lol. Great site. Willow is so fussy about where she can be touched
With love, Nikki

 

AAARgh. We gave Willow a microlax enema around 12:50, she got 4 of the 5 cc because that's when she bit Wayne (he tries, but she is difficult to restrain.) I wasn't sure if it was inserted quite as far as it should be, but it didn't leak out so seemed fine. Absolutely no reaction for the first 20-30 min (when you should apparently see an effect). Around an hour later she went to the litter and tried to poop ... nothing. And tried again around 10 minutes later, and again nothing. Not a dribble.

So now we have an appointment at the vet for 4 (in just under 2 hours) and I feel like we stressed her for nothing. This sucks so bad. I just want her to feel better, and she finds the vet so very stressful if she has to be handled at all.

Anyway, thank you all for your help and support! Will update later. (would love a great big poop before the vet, but have doubts lol) With love, Nikki

 

It was Allen that was given the lactulose and he was....around 11 or 12 lbs at the time. Just make sure you get it at a pharmacy....we got ours at our metro pharmacy and it was only $3 or $4 for over a months supply....the vet was charging us about $25.

 

Sending vetty vines!

 

Yes, we just got a week's supply at 1 mL twice daily for $25. I knew there'd be a significant mark up (I was in the car when hubby paid), but that's gouging, and why I could never go back to working at a vet. They also charged over $50 for SQ fluids, too small an amount to feel. After saying she wasn't dehydrated (which is why I didn't give her any this morning!!!) but it was a "top up" of fluids. Plus the recheck fee.

The sad thing is, it's totally a confidence thing. I have fluids at home, and could easily have started her on lactulose from the pharmacy, but wanted someone who "knew" to double check that she didn't feel constipated or impacted (and don't get me wrong, I'm *glad* I know now). So the vet bill was over $160 for a bit of reassurance, basically. Sigh.

Hopefully, the lactulose will work soon. Thanks so much to everyone for the advice and positive wishes! With love, Nikki

 

I don't blame you in the slightest for wanting the vet to check her! I would have done it too! In the next week, check at your local pharmacy for the lactulose. $50 for fluids??? That's robbery! My vet charged....hmmm I think it was about $20 but I could not find anywhere else to buy it; our local pharmacies didn't sell it.

 

Maybe you've seen this web site but in case you didn't https://felineconstipation.org/whatgoeswrong.html

 

@Carol in Chicago has a lot of experience with constipation and home enemas, etc. Hope she will stop by with her thoughts too...

 

Success!!!! After many visits to the LB for tries in a short time period, Willow finally passed a button! Hoping the way has been cleared for easier passing of more poop tonight Thanks so much, everyone! With love, Nikki

 

It’s the little things, hopefully you will have more surprises tomorrow

 

YAY for poop! Be prepared.....there could be diarrhea lurking on the other side of that "button" poop!

 

He'll start feeling better; very glad!