Constipation Again

My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

I noticed him going in and out of the litterbox straining the other
day and then right after that, he threw up all over the place. Poor
baby. Right then, I rushed him to the vet. They did an exam, took
another blood panel, and did xrays of the abdomen. The xrays showed
clearly constipation. Not a megacolon yet, but he was very backed
up. They gave him an enema and that seemed to be very productive.

He's now on Lactulose (stool softener) and another med that I don't
know the spelling of, but it sounds like "syspro" and it's supposed to
help him contract and push. They suspect he's like this because he
eats dry food (TD for his teeth -- he has really bad teeth genetically
which I'm always on top of), and his older. I've been messing up the
age, confusing it with another cat I had that passed away several
years ago, but it turns out he's 12.

I'm to keep him on Lactulose for four weeks and the syspro for only
one week. He's doing great right now. Very happy and I can tell he's
feeling better. While he was at the vet I had his teeth cleaned
because it had been almost a year. So he's been through the gamit.

What a trouper, though. He's the easiest cat in the WORLD to give
meds to. He just sits there. I don't even have to hold him. Such a
sweet boy. I hope he's going to be okay. Lord knows I'm doing all I
can.

Thanks for listening. Sometimes it helps getting it all down on
"paper".

"LauraM" wrote in message
...
My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

I noticed him going in and out of the litterbox straining the other
day and then right after that, he threw up all over the place. Poor
baby. Right then, I rushed him to the vet. They did an exam, took
another blood panel, and did xrays of the abdomen. The xrays showed
clearly constipation. Not a megacolon yet, but he was very backed
up. They gave him an enema and that seemed to be very productive.

He's now on Lactulose (stool softener) and another med that I don't
know the spelling of, but it sounds like "syspro" and it's supposed to
help him contract and push. They suspect he's like this because he
eats dry food (TD for his teeth -- he has really bad teeth genetically
which I'm always on top of), and his older. I've been messing up the
age, confusing it with another cat I had that passed away several
years ago, but it turns out he's 12.

I'm to keep him on Lactulose for four weeks and the syspro for only
one week. He's doing great right now. Very happy and I can tell he's
feeling better. While he was at the vet I had his teeth cleaned
because it had been almost a year. So he's been through the gamit.

What a trouper, though. He's the easiest cat in the WORLD to give
meds to. He just sits there. I don't even have to hold him. Such a
sweet boy. I hope he's going to be okay. Lord knows I'm doing all I
can.

Thanks for listening. Sometimes it helps getting it all down on
"paper".

After this round of treatment is complete...Do you give him hairball
treatment (such as Laxatone) on a regular basis? If not, that might help.
By "on a regular basis," I mean once or twice a week. If it were me, I
would also completely eliminate the dry food and use premium canned food
only. Wet food is much better for our furbabies. It is really a myth to
think that dry food helps our cats' teeth. Cats do not chew, as people do.
They will simply "crunch" that dry food and swallow it. An analogy I read
once was this: Would you eat pretzels and think that cleaned your teeth?

Good luck with Hobbes. I hope he's feeling a lot better now.

MaryL

On Dec 24, 3:45*am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote:
"LauraM" wrote in message

...





My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. *This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

I noticed him going in and out of the litterbox straining the other
day and then right after that, he threw up all over the place. *Poor
baby. *Right then, I rushed him to the vet. *They did an exam, took
another blood panel, and did xrays of the abdomen. *The xrays showed
clearly constipation. *Not a megacolon yet, but he was very backed
up. *They gave him an enema and that seemed to be very productive.

He's now on Lactulose (stool softener) and another med that I don't
know the spelling of, but it sounds like "syspro" and it's supposed to
help him contract and push. *They suspect he's like this because he
eats dry food (TD for his teeth -- he has really bad teeth genetically
which I'm always on top of), and his older. *I've been messing up the
age, confusing it with another cat I had that passed away several
years ago, but it turns out he's 12.

I'm to keep him on Lactulose for four weeks and the syspro for only
one week. *He's doing great right now. *Very happy and I can tell he's
feeling better. *While he was at the vet I had his teeth cleaned
because it had been almost a year. *So he's been through the gamit.

What a trouper, though. *He's the easiest cat in the WORLD to give
meds to. *He just sits there. *I don't even have to hold him. *Such a
sweet boy. *I hope he's going to be okay. *Lord knows I'm doing all I
can.

Thanks for listening. *Sometimes it helps getting it all down on
"paper".

After this round of treatment is complete...Do you give him hairball
treatment (such as Laxatone) on a regular basis? *If not, that might help.
By "on a regular basis," I mean once or twice a week. *If it were me, I
would also completely eliminate the dry food and use premium canned food
only. *Wet food is much better for our furbabies. *It is really a myth to
think that dry food helps our cats' teeth. *Cats do not chew, as people do.
They will simply "crunch" that dry food and swallow it. *An analogy I read
once was this: Would you eat pretzels and think that cleaned your teeth?

Good luck with Hobbes. *I hope he's feeling a lot better now.

MaryL- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks Mary -

I went through the wet food (Wellness) for awhile, but he still had
problems. The vet mentioned mixing pumpkin with his dry food and I'm
thinking I need to do this.

I'm also giving him Laxaire or Laxaid. Forgot the spelling at the
moment. I'm giving him a third of a finger each day to keep things
moving, as my vet likes to say.

He's my little angel kitty, and I'm worried that this is a chronic
problem that's going to get worse.

Suddenly, without warning, LauraM exclaimed (12/23/2008 1:27 PM):
My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.


Poor boy! Glad he's feeling better now! My kitty, also 12, also
suffers from constipation - she rarely throws up hairballs so all that
fur goes out the other end.

A bit less than a year ago I started adding Benefiber (yup, the human
fiber supplement, I use it too!) to her food, and that helps a whole
lot! Now instead of pooing every 4-5 days, she goes once a day or at
most once every other day, and they look a lot more normal as well.

I use something like an 8th of a teaspoon, once a day on her wet food.
I've successfully mixed it in dry too, though some does fall to the
bottom of the bowl. It's completely tasteless, so she doesn't even know
that it's there, but oh, what a difference it has made!

Of course, you know that wet food would help but I know he doesn't do
well on it. Maybe just a little a day, as a treat, and to get the fiber
in him?

Good luck!

Jodi

On Dec 24, 8:23*pm, jmc wrote:
Suddenly, without warning, LauraM exclaimed (12/23/2008 1:27 PM):

My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. *This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

Poor boy! *Glad he's feeling better now! *My kitty, also 12, also
suffers from constipation - she rarely throws up hairballs so all that
fur goes out the other end.

A bit less than a year ago I started adding Benefiber (yup, the human
fiber supplement, I use it too!) to her food, and that helps a whole
lot! *Now instead of pooing every 4-5 days, she goes once a day or at
most once every other day, and they look a lot more normal as well.

I use something like an 8th of a teaspoon, once a day on her wet food.
I've successfully mixed it in dry too, though some does fall to the
bottom of the bowl. *It's completely tasteless, so she doesn't even know
that it's there, but oh, what a difference it has made!

Of course, you know that wet food would help but I know he doesn't do
well on it. *Maybe just a little a day, as a treat, and to get the fiber
in him?

Good luck!

Jodi

Thanks for the info Jodi. I chuckled when you said you used Benefiber
too. I'm giving him that Laxaire, but now that I think about it,
I wouldn't want to take a laxative every day either. Tomorrow I'm
going to pick up some of that Benefiber. I still have the wellness
canned foods, so perhaps just a treat every day is a good idea, along
with his benefiber.

Thanks so much. This makes a lot of sense.

Merry Xmas!

My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. *This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

Once constipation occurs, it easily returns, as though the body has
accepted a new cycle. Good food, water, exercise, comfort and an
inviting litter box will defeat it.

Carol Wilson, Cat Artist
http://www.cafepress.com/carolwilsoncats
http://CarolWilsonCatArt.imagekind.com

On Dec 27, 11:14*am, cwcatartist wrote:
My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. *This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

Once constipation occurs, it easily returns, as though the body has
accepted a new cycle. Good food, water, exercise, comfort and an
inviting litter box will defeat it.

Carol Wilson, Cat Artisthttp://www.cafepress.com/carolwilsoncatshttp://CarolWilsonCatArt.imagekind.com

Well, he gets everything except exercise. He's an indoor boy, and I
do try to play with him a couple times a day, but...you know how it
goes. I heard rocking him helps to aid digestion, and I do that
anyway. He's doing really well since the last episode. Thank you for
your input!

On Dec 24, 9:58*am, LauraM wrote:
On Dec 24, 3:45*am, "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER
wrote:



"LauraM" wrote in message

....

My Hobbes had terrible constipation yet again. *This happened in
October when he ingested part of an artificial plant in the house.
Unfortunately, this time he didn't ingest anything, he's just plain
constipated.

I noticed him going in and out of the litterbox straining the other
day and then right after that, he threw up all over the place. *Poor
baby. *Right then, I rushed him to the vet. *They did an exam, took
another blood panel, and did xrays of the abdomen. *The xrays showed
clearly constipation. *Not a megacolon yet, but he was very backed
up. *They gave him an enema and that seemed to be very productive.

He's now on Lactulose (stool softener) and another med that I don't
know the spelling of, but it sounds like "syspro" and it's supposed to
help him contract and push. *They suspect he's like this because he
eats dry food (TD for his teeth -- he has really bad teeth genetically
which I'm always on top of), and his older. *I've been messing up the
age, confusing it with another cat I had that passed away several
years ago, but it turns out he's 12.

I'm to keep him on Lactulose for four weeks and the syspro for only
one week. *He's doing great right now. *Very happy and I can tell he's
feeling better. *While he was at the vet I had his teeth cleaned
because it had been almost a year. *So he's been through the gamit.

What a trouper, though. *He's the easiest cat in the WORLD to give
meds to. *He just sits there. *I don't even have to hold him. *Such a
sweet boy. *I hope he's going to be okay. *Lord knows I'm doing all I
can.

Thanks for listening. *Sometimes it helps getting it all down on
"paper".

After this round of treatment is complete...Do you give him hairball
treatment (such as Laxatone) on a regular basis? *If not, that might help.
By "on a regular basis," I mean once or twice a week. *If it were me, I
would also completely eliminate the dry food and use premium canned food
only. *Wet food is much better for our furbabies. *It is really a myth to
think that dry food helps our cats' teeth. *Cats do not chew, as people do.
They will simply "crunch" that dry food and swallow it. *An analogy I read
once was this: Would you eat pretzels and think that cleaned your teeth?

Good luck with Hobbes. *I hope he's feeling a lot better now.

MaryL- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks Mary -

I went through the wet food (Wellness) for awhile, but he still had
problems. *The vet mentioned mixing pumpkin with his dry food and I'm
thinking I need to do this.

I'm also giving him Laxaire or Laxaid. *Forgot the spelling at the
moment. *I'm giving him a third of a finger each day to keep things
moving, as my vet likes to say.

He's my little angel kitty, and I'm worried that this is a chronic
problem that's going to get worse.

I was going to suggest a diet of wet food (Wellness is a great food)
and pumpkin mixed in. You can also add extra water to the wet food for
even more moisture.