# Slippery Elm Bark Dose?



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

Hello
Does anyone know how i give slippery elm bark to a cat & what dose
My cat has been consitpated in the past and i am looking for a preventative more then a cure. I am currently giving 1ml lactulose every so often but have been reading more about the slippery elm.
I have purchased 370mg capsules from Holland & Barratt
Any ideas?


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Hi! I have used slippery elm in the past. However, I only know the powder and how to make either a syrup or how and how much to dissolve in water. It is great for any stomach issues, particularly those as a result of inflammation.

Does each capsule contain 370mg of slippery elm? What is the solution of slippery elm in the capsule?


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Just a thought though - you say that your cat is constipated and while slippery elm is great for constipation, what might be slightly easier is to get your hands on some psyllium husks. They need to be soaked in water for a few hours when they become a gelatine like mass but it works wonders for constipation.

What are you feeding your cat? Dry (very often the cause of constipation in cats), wet or raw?


----------



## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Cats Claw also works wonders for constipation. With the Slippery Elm I had the power and just a little in with a little boiled white fish as it has quite a distinct taste.


----------



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Are the capsules pure slippery elm or are there mixers added ( Holland and Barratt probably is not the best quality to be honest ) I normally work on the principle of a 10th of an adult dose, little and often being better than a huge dose in one go. Some cats will tolerate it added to food....I mash it into a tiny pat of unsalted butter and they lick it off the spoon....or for a stubborn cat you could smear this down their front leg so they lick it off.
Psyllium can be used...but if there is impaction in the bowel it can actually make matters worse rather than better.
Adding a few drops of salmon oil to food is another good idea...shiny coat and a happy bowel!


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

The one thing I would add is to say that i would not feed slippery elm with a main meal but about 1 hour or so beforehand. Slippery elm interferes with the absorption of nutrients (as well as medication), so is best given separately. 

But i echo what Paddypaws is saying - def less than human proportions and little and often. Did you have a look to see what it says in terms of concentration?

And yes, Paddypaws is also right pointing out that psyllium husks should not be fed if there is a blockage - but you are talking about constipation, right?

Could you also let us know what you are feeding your cat? Sometimes giving remedies to soothe constipation is looking at the wrong end of the problem (so to speak)


----------



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

Hello and thanks
I am feeding my cat applaws, almo nature, porta21, shiny cat boiled chicken, poached coley.
He also has half a can of gourmet (i knows its naff but its the only one that he eats fully) - i add 1ml lactuloste to that.
Strangely enough i think he has constipation now, he isnt a happy chappy and keeps licking himself.
I think that he is impacted which seems to be happening every 4 weeks or so.
He hasnt had dry food for sometime so dont think its that thats causing it.
I am looking at the balance of the foods at the moment and posted another post a few weeks ago.
He was so active and himself last night and now its heartbreaking to see him so glum, i really need to get to the bottom of this. He has been to the vets who werent very helpful and established nothing.
Thanks, Zoe


----------



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

The Holland & Barratt capsules are 370mg in each capsule.
Ingredients: Slippery Elm Powder, Capsule gel, anti caking agents (silicone dioxide), magnesium stearate, stearic acid).
It says to take one to two capsules with a meal up to three times daily (i assume adult dose)


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Hello Zoe, are you aware that most of the brands you are feeding are complementary - i.e. treat food? Applaws and almo nature as well as shiny cat do not contain anything but muscle meat and broth (and perhaps some rice). No offal, no minerals, no vitamins.

So, this food is ok to feed when you are also feeding dry because one assumes that all the vitamins and minerals your cat needs are contained in the dry. Since you are only feeding these brands, I think you may want to start feeding some different ones.

To give you an example - Applaws chicken contains an insane amount more phosphorus than calcium. Ideally the ratio should be 1.1:1 (calcium to phosphorus) to support bones, nervous system etc. Applaws doesn't even come close to this.

All these foods also contain very little fat. Shiny cat contains 0.3% fat; applaws and almo nature something like 1% and porta 0.5%. Ideally food should contain about 5%. Too little fat can be a reason for constipation.

It could also be that it is because these are all muscle meats - no liver, kidney, lung, etc. Cats need crap too! They cannot survive just on fillet meat.

So, try to find a complete food that is similar to the ones you feed and see how your cat goes on. Feline Fayre (black pouches) springs to mind as does Tesco finest or luxury. They still do not contain enough fat but at least all the minerals and vitamins are there. You could use goose fat to bump up the fat content.

Alternatively, check out a post on complete wet food here not long ago: http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-health-nutrition/102106-complete-meals.html. I had compiled a list of high meat foods that don't break the bank there.

But I strongly suggest that you change the food. And that way you should be able to get the constipation under control! Without lactulose.


----------



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

Thanks Hobbs, think im doing more harm than good trying to find more natural food.
Didnt think about the fat content, both my cats could do with a big more fat on them so will definately change what im giving them and add the goose fat too as an extra.
I search high and low for food that it 'good' for them and to be honest dont mind how much things cost but that no good if im doing it wrong.
The main problem is the fact that i spoil them and they only eat certain food now. Perhaps it isnt the dry food that is causing the constipation then but the lack of fat that they are getting? 
Sooty my lovely black cat is a picture of health but she loves all things fatty eg butter. But Dizzy (my sometimes constipated cat) (who could do with fattening up) is never interested in things 'bad' for him and walks off.
:confused1:


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

I do feel for you - the commercial cat food industry is a nightmare and full of pitfalls.

Sorry I cannot remember - do your cats eat pate?

And have you considered raw?


----------



## tibbythecat (May 4, 2010)

No neither like pate (unfortunately!)

Have considered a raw food diet, it would need to be a mixture as we go away quite a lot & cant see relatives wanting to do it as they will panic more than me until i get my head around it.
I did read somewhere that starting the raw diet can cause constipation. Do you know if this is true? I suppose will need to be a slow introduction like any other food.
Is there a supplement required with a raw diet?

Intially think will try feline fayre, grau, herrmans, bozita...they have tried them all but werent that keen. I need to perservere with them though. I might also try the ziwi peak as havent as yet.

Do you think that perhaps i could give him a little some dry (i am a non beliver in dry but my cat goes mad for it) perhaps applaws, Orijen, Acana)?


----------



## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Hi! Some cats suffer some constipation when they are switched over to a raw diet. It should be kept in mind though that cats who are fed a raw diet poop significantly less frequently and poop less volume than cats fed a commercial diet. I have a hunch that some of this "constipation" seen early on in switching to raw is actually owners getting used to a different poop cycle. It is only constipation if your cat has problems going to the toilet and is in discomfort- eg strains.

My cats poop perhaps once every two to three days.

Most raw feeders still feed a high quality commercial cat food at times to keep cats in the taste, so to speak. You will need to make sure that the raw you are feeding is balanced/complete; so it would be easiest to start of by getting commercially prepared minces (e.g darlings who use free-frange meat) while you get your head round raw and make your own recipes. 

In terms of the foods you list, you have different things going on. Feline Fayre (black pouches) are shredded meat. Grau is a dense pate. Herrmanns is a loose pate and Bozita is chunks in jelly/gravy! Ziwi peak is also a pate - unfortunately most high quality food is. 

You don't need to add fat to food that has a good fat quality (i.e. about 5%); that would be overkill. Once you have them on a diet that is balanced and complete their weight will follow.

Orijen, Acana, Applaws and Ziwi Peak are good dry foods.


----------

