Miralax correct dose?

As I was sitting here reading, typing and debating on taking Johnny to the vet because he has had no substantial poop, he pooped. The biggest one in awhile and a lot softer. He sat in the litter pan for awhile and seems to keep coming back, but he pooped and peed, thanks to the Miralax which I started putting in his food yesterday.

As suggested I will call the vet about a renal screening. He just had a full blood work up about a month ago and they did not mention anything but I will call and check that they did this test. If not I will request it. He is 15 1/2 so this is a definite possibility. He also has some dandruff that I read could be dehydration or beginning renal failure, so I will definitely check it out. I put lots of extra water in his canned low or no carb food.

Dose on Miralax? 1/8 teaspoon twice a day is what I read here and used. Maybe a little more than 1/8 each time. Did I read it correctly? It worked but the poop is still on the hard side.

Thanks,
gailandjohnnycake,NY

 

Wanted to mention that if you should let your vet know you are using Miralax. If your cat is dehyrdrated, as you suspect, you should be adding water to his food.

I don't know the technical terms, but Miralax works by drawing water into the intestine and by doing so it draws water away from other organs. When I gave it Henry (GA) on a daily basis I always added a Tablespoon or two extra to his raw food at each feeding to make up for the differenence of water he'd be losing. If your vet mentions Lactulose, Miralax works the same way but I do prefer it to that as Miralax is odorless and tasteless.

 

Hi Gail,

Miralax is one of those supplements that you can give more or less as is needed, dose-wise, however it is not a laxative so you should give it regularly as it can only work when it's in his digestive tract. It works by bringing moisture into the colon, so if the poop becomes more firm use more. If it becomes too loose, use less. 1/8tsp BID is a good starting off point, but if you think he needs more, you can always increase it. Some people use 1/4tsp BID and some people with constipation-prone kitties use even more than that.

You said his poop was soft last night, and then you said it was still hard.. so I am a bit confused as to what the most recent poop was, but I am very glad to hear it worked.

 

Sorry if I said it wrong when I said poop was softer. It hasn't been soft for years. I meant softer than the hard rocks it has been. Before he was diagnosed with diabetes I gave him pumpkin and laxatone, neither of which I can give him now. I do add lots of water to his wet food to make it almost like soup. Luckily he "drinks" it. He does not drink any other water. He used to drink from the sink before insulin but now he does not indicate he wants to get up there at all. He has fresh water, changed 2 or 3 times a day in a bowl. Before insulin he drank from the bowl as well as the sink.

I think the Miralax has done the trick for now and will increase it a little to get the poop a little softer so he doesn't have to strain so much. Will still get him checked out just in case.

 

Sorry if I said it wrong when I said poop was softer. It hasn't been soft for years. I meant softer than the hard rocks it has been. Before he was diagnosed with diabetes I gave him pumpkin and laxatone, neither of which I can give him now. I do add lots of water to his wet food to make it almost like soup. Luckily he "drinks" it. He does not drink any other water. He used to drink from the sink before insulin but now he does not indicate he wants to get up there at all. He has fresh water, changed 2 or 3 times a day in a bowl. Before insulin he drank from the bowl as well as the sink.

I think the Miralax has done the trick for now and will increase it a little to get the poop a little softer so he doesn't have to strain so much. Will still get him checked out just in case.

 

I wouldn't give more than 1/8 tsp twice a day until you've given the normal dose a while to work. Too much Miralax can cause cramping and diarrhea-like effect (just had my own abdominal surgery so I'm speaking from personal experience). Lucy got it twice a day for several weeks and then we had to cut back to once a day cause the twice a day routine worked a little too well if you know what I mean.

 

Sounds like a good plan, and I am glad you have found something to help him. I'd be interested to hear what the vet has to say

 

Buster has been on 1/8 tsp Miralax BID for a few months. I wouldn't call his poop soft, but he isn't straining and he goes daily. I add 1/2 can of water to each feeding and he usually eats it all so I am assuming he is getting enough water. He drinks some water from the bowl, not much. He is another one who likes his FF soupy, and drinks most of the liquid before going back for the solid stuff. As long as it's working!

 

Adding fluids really helped my little constipated guy. I add water to the food also, but when I want to give him more than that, I fill a bowl with warm water, draw it up into a medicine syringe, and slowly squirt in onto his outer upper front gums above his fang tooth. For some reason, he doesn't choke this way. You don't want it going down the wrong way.

 

Crash is 17 lbs and gets 1/8 tsp BID of Miralax in his main meals. I also mix in a heaping tsp of pumpkin and about two + tsp of water with the food. The pumpkin will not affect BG levels. I thought it did at first, but he's been OTJ for 7 months now, and still good numbers. Make sure he's getting plenty of water in with the food and miralax. You might go back to some pumpkin also - fills them up, low calorie and a natural food.