The powder can be dissolved in your cat’s drinking water, or a wet food meal. Miralax is sold as a water soluble powder, either in a tub, or single dose (for humans!) sachets. This is because it is easy to administer, and almost completely flavorless. These days, Miralax is one of the most commonly recommended laxatives for cats. Your cat might also have been prescribed the active ingredient in Miralax under its generic name PEG 3350, before it was available over the counter. But none of them should be used without a vet’s say-so.įor a long time, Lactulose has probably been the best known laxative used for cats. Several prescription and over the counter laxatives are considered safe for cats. And very occasionally it may involve surgery to empty or remove the affected section of bowel.
This might involve laxatives, an enema or a new diet. Then they will recommend a course of treatment which solves the underlying problem if possible, and shifts the existing blockage. Your cat’s vet is best placed to determine why they are constipated. unwillingness to use their litter box because it is dirty, being shared by another cat, etc.
Still further, less common causes of cat constipation include: These cats need the obstruction to be removed in order to achieve normal bowel movements again. The next most common cause of constipation is a tumor or healed injury ‘blocking the exit’, so to speak. For these felines, constipation is a symptom of an underlying structural problem. Because of this, the muscles in the bowel wall don’t work properly. Megacolon is a progressive disorder where the bowel is too large. Some research suggests that most cats (around two thirds) who experience constipation had pre-existing megacolon. Should further information from the Philadelphia study surface, I would definitely want to take that into consideration.The best treatment for cat constipation depends upon why they’re suffering in the first place. Given the available information, if my children had problems with constipation that couldn’t be relieved with diet modifications, I would feel comfortable giving MiraLax to them. A current study in Philadelphia is intended to better address this question by assessing if small amounts of the substance or bi-products are present in the child’s blood. Is MiraLax absorbed into the bloodstream?īased on the available information, there is no reason to believe that MiraLax is absorbed into the bloodstream. Are probiotics an option for treating constipation?Ī few small studies looked at the use of certain probiotics for constipation, but nothing I can find on a large scale study or a firm suggestion of which bacterial strains and dosage should be included.Ħ. Kids should be transitioned to a high-fiber diet and weaned off MiraLax as soon as possible.ĥ. Is there tolerance or dependence on MiraLax over time?Īccording to the available information about MiraLax, there should be no reason to believe that a tolerance to MiraLax could develop. Each has its own side effect profile so I would recommend discussing with your pediatrician.Ĥ. Some work like MiraLax and are osmotic (draw fluids into the bowels) but others are stimulating (they cause the intestines to contract). There are other medication alternatives to MiraLax. Of course, diet and fluid intake are the primary means of treatment and should be for all children. What are the treatment alternatives for MiraLax? One common cause of constipation is ingestions of more than 32 ounces of cow’s milk.ģ. Children should also be encouraged to drink 32-64 ounces of water per day. Some examples would be high-fiber cereal (more than 5 grams per serving), fruits (pears, strawberries, apple with skin, dried fruits) and vegetables (beans, sweet potato, lentils). What are the diet modifications for treating constipation?įoods that are high in fiber should be offered to children who are experiencing constipation. Quite a few studies have looked at short-term use of MiraLax for bowel regimens for colonoscopy, which showed MiraLax to be safe and effective (and much more tolerable than more “aggressive” regimens).Ģ. Is short term use of MiraLax for a colonoscopy OK? Now for some constipation and Miralax AMA responses:ġ. If you missed the first story, please check it out here. Our previous story on MiraLax received quite a bit of attention from our readers.
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