Constipation desperation

[u/jewelforest]

Hi everyone, my female Manx is 12 year old and the past year has been a constant battle trying to get her to go poop. It seems like she's been on every medicine and laxative possible, right now she's been getting Solensia injections every couple of months and I give her one mL of Lactulose, half a mL of Gabapentin for pain, and half a pill of Cisapride, all twice a day. She's also on the Hills gastrointestinal biome prescription wet food.

I give her Pet Honesty senior joint support treats every day, along with Cosequin treats. I've cut them out before to see those could've been contributing to her constipation but noticed no difference. Otherwise she's only on wet food and seems to get enough hydration each day. I add water to every plate of wet food she gets. She also goes to PT a few times a month for her bad hips. She's had multiple enemas which seem to have minor impact.

I've been to three different vets and each seem to not really realize the extend of her problems. Her constipation is so chronic, there needs to be a new word for it.

I'm lucky if she goes once every three days beyond like three pebbles worth. Of course her personality remains the same, she doesn't give any indication she's suffering. But I'm just living in a constant state of stress and fear that the end will be coming soon.

If anyone has any advice, I am desperate for some.

[u/Violet-Flowersss]

try pumpkin! great natural, affordable, and easy remedy bc cats (typically) enjoy it. pumpkin has a lot of fiber which helps constipation. i give my girl about two heaping tablespoons a day, but she doesn’t have severe constipation, so you could try more. if your cat doesn’t like straight pumpkin (from a can- actual pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling!) they make pumpkin treats and pumpkin powder you could put on her regular food

[u/Hate4Breakfast → u/Violet-Flowersss]

I use pumpkin for my dog to help her loose stools, and for my manx to help her firm them up! It’s really such a great addition to an animals diet

[u/CatPurrsonNo1]

I have been giving my girl (generic) MiraLAX mixed in with one of those cat treats that comes in a little squeeze tube (like Churu) for over two years now, and it’s been amazing. She doesn’t even seem to notice the meds, she’s just super excited to get her daily treat!

A couple of times when she seemed to be getting blocked again, I gave her the same concoction with a little lactulose added, and she cleared right up.

Just hoping I haven’t jinxed us by “bragging”!!

[u/bennyandthelunatones]

I give my 16 yo manx girl also on solesia Restoralax on her wet food twice a day. Talk to your vet about how much cause it might differ by weight but she gets about 1/2 tsp each meal. It doesn't have a flavour so she isn't fussed.

My girl also had a bad bout of constipation earlier this year and it was because her L5 & L6 fused together and she was in a lot of pain which made it hard for her to go and we had no idea. She is now on two pain meds twice a day, and along with the restoralax, no more constipation problems! (She's on buprenorphine and pregabalin for the osteoarthritis, disk fusion, and now also pancreatitis, so it's all for pain management).

Feel free to DM if you have questions!

[u/WoodenCitron3485]

Restoralax/miralax. My manx gets it in her food once a day and a extra churu treat mixed with it if she goes more than 1.5 days without pooping. Without it she would not poop at all.

[u/DeliBananaPants]

Also I would double check the Solensia dose with your vet. Both of my senior cats just started on it, including our Manx, and they get an injection once a month.

[u/el_zilcha]

My boy had megacolon. It was bad enough that his colon had to be removed.

He adjusted well, pooped easily, and live another 6 years after that.

[u/YourGirlMomo87]

My Manx boy needed 2 mL of Lactulose twice a day. If he didn't poop for 2 days, I bumped up to 3 mL until he pooped. I found purchasing the 16oz bottles from Chewy was more cost effective than getting it straight from the vet. I also mixed water with his wet food (2x a day) to try and keep him hydrated.

SubQ fluids help, too, but some cats are harder to administer to than others.

[u/headoftheasylum]

You can use miralax and lactulose at the same time. You can also add fish oil to the food or an oral cat laxative from a tube. Try mixing it in with the wet food and water.

[u/gemini_710]

My Manx is 12 years old and he’s been using MiraLAX for years to soften his stools. Without it he gets really constipated and struggles to poo on his own. One time I was on vacation with him and had forgotten his MiraLAX. I heard him howling from another room and went to check on him and he was laying on his side straining to poop, then he got up and dragged his little butt across the floor. I think he was in pain. After that happened I never forgot the MiraLAX again.

We also only feed wet food (Royal Canin 11+ pate) that is mixed with water to make a soup, and we put the MiraLAX in every meal. He also takes Cosequin every day in a squeeze treat and he gets Solensia every month for arthritis. His stools are usually soft but not diarrhea consistency.

[u/reallyjustsam]

Ask for fluids, maybe? Also stop going to multiple vets. Pick one. Bring a daily record of what's been going on and how often she gets stuck up.

What are you feeding, exactly? My girl is now on all wet with access to dry if she wants and occasional miralax, but we had a decade of miralax and lactulose and last minute e vet visits with giant poop stuck halfway out of her. It makes their weight fluctuate like crazy, too.

Our old vet practice, whenever a new doc would see her for an urgent appt, I would have to fight them to decline an X-ray because they "couldn't feel the poop" (because it was in the colon) -- you just gotta be very firm on what you need and why.