Diarrhea

[Brigitte Cowell]

Unflavored metamucil is psyllium husk... as to why you might add it is that some consider it a good replication of dry grass seeds that might be in a field mouse's innards for example. Sometimes fiber can be useful with diarrhea and with individual cats.

Florastor as a probiotic seems to be getting a lot of anecdotal approval by pet owners, I've not used it yet. I also recommend Proviable especially in cases of bad diarrhea as it comes in a paste form that has kaolin and pectin that can soothe the digestive tract and help manage the diarrhea while the probiotics help repopulate the gut to become healthier. Recently this has aided a rescue cat we have in foster care who arrived with watery stools while we are waiting for the compounded tritrich meds to arrive..

 

[DumaLove]

I agree with Brigitte on the probiotics. You can use Florastor (or other brands of S.Boulardii ) and something Acidophilus based like Proviable in conjunction with one another. They are different types of probiotic but work well together in cases of diarrhea.

 

[Patti]

Just to add my comments to the above...

I'm not sure why Dr Lisa Pierson would frown on using psyllium unless she thinks it masks an infection. I just buy the generic unflavored psyllium from Walmart - I don't think brand matters, but get it unflavored - it has worked wonders for a couple of my cats that have had a bit of IBS.

I imagine you would know if you had a diarrhea PCR run because it usually costs a couple hundred dollars - however, it is well worth the expense to identify an infection and therefore be able to treat it effectively. Lest you fret, I find it also well worth it to rule out an infection so that I can concentrate on things such as diet, IBS, etc.

I would also try to avoid kibble if at all possible - much healthier to stick to canned, or better yet raw.

I have used a few different types of probiotics and currently use Bene-bac Plus, which I have found to be quite helpful, particularly in my dog who has had chronic intermittent diarrhea since puppyhood.

 

[John Popp]

I'm not sure why Dr Lisa Pierson would frown on using psyllium unless she thinks it masks an infection.

I just read through her site and there was a long list of other items and remedies to consider before using psyllium for constipation. Recalling my conversation with Dr Pierson and having read her site, I guess it could have been construed as "why do you think your cat is constipated?" And then going on to 30% bone removal as well as noting behavior around the litter box. I didn't see psyllium mentioned for diarrhea.

 

[Rafiki]

I have used the psyllium powder primarily for runny stools, not constipation.

 

[Patti]

I have used the psyllium powder primarily for runny stools, not constipation.

This is what I use it for as well

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I've used psyllium for constipation also, with a kitten that seemed to not be moving stool along. It was under a specialist vet's direction of course... and because the kitten was refusing additives like pumpkin.

 

[Rafiki]

I only used it once for medicine-induced constipation. My cats wont eat pumpkin.

 

[John Popp]

Hmmmm, I just read some more at catinfo.org and there are a couple interrelated variables, so no elastic one size fits all pants and answers. Water content of stools, bulk, diameter, bone content of food, frequency of elimination.....

 

[Danger Kitty]

Hey guys. A little update. I took away all food a couple nights ago and tried the chicken with rice the next morning. He wouldn't go anywhere near it. I sprinkled on some fortiflora for taste and still nothing. I gave up on that for the time being because I had to drive 2.5 hours to my sisters house for the day to try to help with things in her new place. She had a house fire a couple weeks ago and barely got out with her 13 year old daughter. They lost everything.
On the recommendation of Rafiki I got the petultimates probiotic and an all natural psyllium husk that I have been putting on their food yesterday and today. He did have another very runny stool last night.
My plan going forward is to bring him back in and ask for a pcr done. Unfortunately the vet I used to see has left the office to start his own and I'm planning on switching to there. My other savannah started showing signs of being sick right after I brought him home and this was the vet I worked with through that. It was 8 weeks of quarentine, 3 antibiotics for 3 or 4 weeks and an fip scare. The new woman seems to be blowing off the diarrhea.

Would it be beneficial to have blood work done again?


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