Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Desley (booktigger) on December 21, 2010, 17:55:16 PM
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Just read this on another forum, and thought I would share, as I know we have a few cats with this condition
http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-psyllium-husk.html
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Quote:
Psyllium has also been used for irritable bowel syndrome (a stress-related disorder with alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation). Because it will produce easy bowel movements with a loose stool, Psyllium is used by patients with anal fissures (cracks in the skin near the anus) and hemorrhoids and is often recommended following anal or rectal surgery, during pregnancy and as a secondary treatment in certain types of diarrhea.
Psyllium soaks up a significant amount of water in the digestive tract, thereby making stool firmer and, under these circumstances, slower to pass. Psyllium also has the additional advantages over other sources of fiber of reducing flatulence and bloating. It may be recommended by a physician to help soften stool and reduce the pain associated with hemorrhoids.
Think I will try getting some for Buster.
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Sorry to add a note a negativity :hug: but please be cautious reading nutrition articles which do not reference scientific literature nor felines specifically. I believe psyllium is suitable for cats - Mark will know for sure - but that article contains a number of 'red flags' for me as regards accuracy. Both soluble and insoluble fibre binds important nutritients so IMO should not be added to a human or feline diet without regard for the 'bigger picture'.
HTH. :hug:
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I don't know about fibre binding nutrients but I know psyllium is good for bulking and can help both constipation and diarrhea - Some cat foods have psyllium added. I'm not sure about the cat dose but with humans they always tell you to drink a certain amount of fluid - quite a lot I think it is something like 250ml per gram - not so easy to do with cats. It is also contraindicated for certain conditions, such as if there is any kind of blockage, megacolon etc.
Although it can be good, it isn't a wonder treatment and doesn't guarantee effective peristalsis (I know from personal experience as I take psyllium with smooth muscle relaxants in every day)
It is a good thing to try (at the safe dose) IMO and safer/gentler than laxatives etc which can cause all kinds of problems. I know lactulose is recommended for cats but I tried it and thought it was awful - I had terrible cramps with it.
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Quite a few homemade recipes for cats include psyllium. I add it to my homemade mix sometimes.
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If anyone is having trouble sleeping try Chapter 4: Fibre of 'Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism' by Gropper, Smith and Groff, pages 115 to 117. The 2009 edition is available on Google Books, I don't actually expect you all to have bookshelves as nerdy as mine! ;)
Hope this works:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rXSO9YLr72YC&lpg=PA115&ots=0zKba2nswx&dq=fibre%20binding%20nutrients&pg=PA115#v=onepage&q&f=false
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I posted on CC as well and got quite a lot of negativity. Molly has Lactulose and she doesn't seem to have any issues with cramps, but if she has too much she gets very loose. Buster is fine atm (unless he pinches too many biscuits), so I think I will speak to the vet about it at his next checkup.
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Regarding Lactulose, I once asked my vet for some for Schui as I know a lot of cats have it and Schui was always a bit constipated but she said no, he could have something else if he really needed to but not that, - I don't know why though?
As it happened he didn't need it and I never got anything.
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It was a while ago but the blurb on lactulose says it produces gas that causes cramping and bloating. Gut cramping is impossible to see but can be anything from uncomfortable to very painful for the sufferer and I really am speaking from personal experience.
Also, I'm not sure Psyllium would be good for IBD - if the bowel is inflamed, any pressure iwill casue pain - therefore bulked poo would be painful? - a stool softener would be less painful surely?