Civvie w/IBD

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Squalliesmom

Squalliesmom

Member Since 2015
My civvie Candy has IBD and has been going through another flare-up that we are having a tough time getting under control. I have heard so many good things about using slippery elm bark for IBD - I think I've read that some folks here have used it. Can anybody give me first-hand information about it, including what products you use and how you administer it? Thanks!

Lucy
 
Hi Lucy,

Lots of information about SEB on Tanya's Site (including preparation and dosage info) can be found here.

I've only used it occasionally for Saoirse to date. She really likes the taste of it. The one thing I do know is that it's generally recommended to leave a few hours gap between giving meds and SEB to avoid any problems with absorption of the meds.


Mogs
.
 
Thanks, Mogs! Did it have any effect on Saoirse's BG? I can't always police the bowls at feeding time, so I have to make sure it won't have a negative impact on Squallie if he's feeling larcenous, lol!
 
Thank you for the info, Mogs. Did you brew the "tea" or did you sprinkle the powder on her food? Were you using one of the ones made for pets or just the regular capsules from the pharmacy? Sorry to keep asking questions but I'm totally unfamiliar with SEB!

Thanks,

Lucy
 
Hi Lucy,

Happy New Year! Sorry poor Candy is having a flare up. Here's probably way too much information about how I dealt with Marshmallow's IBD.

I got the capsules from Whole Foods ($10). Then I'd split open a capsule, mix half the contents with a teaspoon of warm water, and stir until it thickened. If it turns into a thick paste, add more water. Then I'd spoon it into a syringe and give it to Marshmallow that way. She was fine with the taste. She wouldn't eat wet food, otherwise I might have mixed it into food.

I've also read what Mogs said, that you want to give it an hour or two away from meds so it doesn't interfere with the absorption. I also read somewhere that you don't want to give it at the same time as food since it might inhibit the absorption of nutrients, but I've also read about people mixing it into food so there seem to be conflicting ideas on mixing it with food.

It didn't raise her BG at all. It also has a little fiber in it, which is good for IBD kitties since they often have diarrhea or constipation. Here is a site you might not have seen that discuss SEB. IBD Kitties (and their Facebook page) are strong proponents of SEB and that's where I learned about it.
http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

Are you giving her digestive enzymes or probiotics on a regular basis? Marshmallow benefited from the enzymes as soon as I started giving them to her. Her fur got softer and more glossy within two days of me giving them to her. I was going to start her on probiotics but then she crossed the bridge. Here are the enzymes I got for her (recommended on the IBD Facebook page):
http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Essent...ment/dp/B0002ADJYM/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
I bought these on chewy.com for about $10 and gave Marsh 1/8 tsp twice a day. You can mix them into the food and I think they must be tasteless. I mixed it into Marsh's pumpkin and syringed it.

About digestive enzymes: These help kitty digest the food so they use more of the nutrients in the food. Start small, and work up to the recommended daily dose on the bottle (best if divided into however many meals you feed and added to the food at each meal time). You will want to make sure none of the ingredients bother her, so start with digestive enzymes and after kitty is up to the full dose and tolerating it well, then maybe add probiotics. You will know if kitty is tolerating it if there is no vomiting, no mucous in the stool, or anything else that indicates it’s upsetting kitty’s system. If she tolerates and does well on those -- and you should know inside of two weeks -- you should see smaller stool, slightly harder, but not constipated. Less volume of stool means she’s using more of the nutrients in it.

For more info on probiotics and IBD kitties: http://www.ibdkitties.net/Probiotics.html
I bought Renew Life Life Ultimate Flora (15 billion CFU), and was going to give her 1/2 capsule, twice daily. It has lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. Marshmallow alternated between constipation and diarrhea, which indicates a tug-of-war between issues in the intestines and issues in the colon, so theoretically that combo would have helped her.

That's probably WAY too much info. Feel free to tag me if you have IBD questions since I did a ton of research on it and tried a variety of things on Marshmallow. :) Good luck!

Shane
 
@granadilla -

Hi Shane,

I've read your signature and my heart sank. I am so very sad for you ... :( I am sorry I wasn't here to offer you some small bit of comfort at the time.

((((Shane & Spirit Marshmallow))))


Mogs
.
 
Thanks so much, Mogs. It was painful but it was her time to go. She was so sick in August and when I found a better vet and learned just how sick she was (apparently she also had lung disease and early CKD in addition to IBD and possible lymphoma), it made sense. She let me know when it was time. Please give Saoirse some scritches from me.
 
Aw, Shane ... I am so, so sorry. :( You must miss her so. (Crying over here - such a shock.)

Marshmallow may have had her health problems, but she was blessed to have such a loving and caring Person.

I will be sure to give Saoirse your scritches.

,
 
Thanks, Shane! And no, not too much info at all, the more I learn and know the better to deal with this!

I don't think Candy will let me syringe anything after our experiences with Metronidazole. What a nightmare! She is on the enzymes you recommended (actually, I think we got them from you, lol) and the label says it contains probiotics, as well. She also gets a teaspoon of pumpkin 2x daily. If I stop the pumpkin it's immediate diarrhea, won't even come close to stopping till she's back on the pumpkin. She's not on any meds, per se, at this time, just the above.

I just can't bear the idea of putting her back on the Metronidazole, she hates it SO much and it's so stressful for her when three of us have to wrestle a tiny little kitty just to get a sip of medicine in her!
 
I totally understand. My GA Cinnamon used to require a team of people to get a pill into her. And sometimes I'd still find it half chewed up behind the couch! I know how hard it can be to medicate our kitties. You could try mix the SEB into her food. It does have a taste but it's pretty mild and some cats seem to like it. Adding additional probiotics might help with the diarrhea as well. Good luck. It's so hard when our kitties aren't doing well. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Can you pill Candy at all, Lucy? If yes, then perhaps you might ask your vet about whether Stomorgyl 2 is available in the States. It contains metronidazole and another antibiotic. Our vet prescribed it for Saoirse instead of Flagyl because apparently it doesn't taste as bad as the Flagyl.


Mogs
.
 
granadilla said:
I totally understand. My GA Cinnamon used to require a team of people to get a pill into her. And sometimes I'd still find it half chewed up behind the couch! I know how hard it can be to medicate our kitties. You could try mix the SEB into her food. It does have a taste but it's pretty mild and some cats seem to like it. Adding additional probiotics might help with the diarrhea as well. Good luck. It's so hard when our kitties aren't doing well. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
Click to expand...

Thanks. She's picky about food but there doesn't really seem to be any rhyme or reason to her passing fancies, so there's a good chance she'll eat the SEB mixed with her food (if she will eat the food in the first place!).

Critter Mom said:
Can you pill Candy at all, Lucy? If yes, then perhaps you might ask your vet about whether Stomorgyl 2 is available in the States. It contains metronidazole and another antibiotic. Our vet prescribed it for Saoirse instead of Flagyl because apparently it doesn't taste as bad as the Flagyl.


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Honestly, Mogs, I don't know, I've never tried. Like a typical Bengal, she doesn't like to be picked up or restrained, and she'll fight like a little warrior if she thinks it's warranted. But I will ask my vet about it, thanks!
 
Squalliesmom said:
She's picky about food but there doesn't really seem to be any rhyme or reason to her passing fancies,
Click to expand...
That's standard for an IBD kitty. When their stomachs are bothering them, they sometimes don't want to eat something that they ate (and liked) the previous day. I rotated a couple of foods for Marshmallow for that reason. "Today you want YA? Great. ...And now you want duck? Okay. ...And now you want chicken? Got it.":rolleyes:
 
Sorry to butt into this conversation but I am having the exact issue with my Murphy. He hasn't been formally dx with IBD but goes for ultrasound next week - but he certainly has all the symptoms. I'm having massive food problems with him - develops food aversions almost every day (today stopped eating Evo) He has never been able to tolerate wet foods to any degree - I know every one says that doesn't make any sense, but this far predates his diabetes dx.
I've used slippery elm with him - made it into thick paste as described above and syringed into his mouth - first 5 times or so he didn't mind it, but after that he freaked out - spit up, ran away - it was ugly. So I've backed off a little. His problem is nausea - I've been using Zolfran and cerenia - both seem to work well ,and knock on wood, the appetite stimulant still works. I did read a post of IBDkitties that a cat got constipated from too much of it (SEB)- apparently it is pure fiber. So be aware of that - especially if you give with pumpkin. It also helps if kitty vomits the white foam with a very empty stomach - I always tried to give it about 2.5 hrs before a meal to coat his empty stomach. I still have so much to learn with how to handle DM, pancreatitis, IBD - yikes!!
 
Hi Carol,

Carol & Murphy said:
I did read a post of IBDkitties that a cat got constipated from too much of it (SEB)- apparently it is pure fiber.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting this. Saoirse has been having major problems with constipation and I started adding some pumpkin to her food. Things got better - back to pooping once every 24 hours or so - but then she went too long without a poop again. Your post has given me a possible solution to our problem. I think maybe I need to reduce the amount of pumpkin, Thank you for the inspiration. :bighug:

I give Saoirse generic ondansetron for nausea. I normally get the Bristol Laboratories version and she has done well on that for over a year but before Christmas the pharmacy dispensed a different generic (Cipla). It really constipated her. Thankfully our vets gave me another written Rx (they can't get the generic) and I was able to secure a supply of the BL ondansetron, and thankfully that improved things a bit. Now if I can just get the amount of pumpkin right ... <le sigh>. now. At least her stools aren't like bullets now.


Mogs
.
 
Carol & Murphy said:
Sorry to butt into this conversation but I am having the exact issue with my Murphy. He hasn't been formally dx with IBD but goes for ultrasound next week - but he certainly has all the symptoms. I'm having massive food problems with him - develops food aversions almost every day (today stopped eating Evo) He has never been able to tolerate wet foods to any degree - I know every one says that doesn't make any sense, but this far predates his diabetes dx.
I've used slippery elm with him - made it into thick paste as described above and syringed into his mouth - first 5 times or so he didn't mind it, but after that he freaked out - spit up, ran away - it was ugly. So I've backed off a little. His problem is nausea - I've been using Zolfran and cerenia - both seem to work well ,and knock on wood, the appetite stimulant still works. I did read a post of IBDkitties that a cat got constipated from too much of it (SEB)- apparently it is pure fiber. So be aware of that - especially if you give with pumpkin. It also helps if kitty vomits the white foam with a very empty stomach - I always tried to give it about 2.5 hrs before a meal to coat his empty stomach. I still have so much to learn with how to handle DM, pancreatitis, IBD - yikes!!
Click to expand...

Please DO butt in, anytime!Information shared is always good with me!

Thank you for the heads-up regarding SEB and constipation. Fortunately for Candy, vomiting and nausea has not -so far- been an issue. New food aversions every day sure does sound familiar, tho'!
 
granadilla said:
That's standard for an IBD kitty. When their stomachs are bothering them, they sometimes don't want to eat something that they ate (and liked) the previous day. I rotated a couple of foods for Marshmallow for that reason. "Today you want YA? Great. ...And now you want duck? Okay. ...And now you want chicken? Got it.":rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Yep, that's my girl. And every time I have to give her a different food we have another flare-up!
 
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