Slippery Elm Bark

Hippyhart · 01-15-2005, 02:28 PM

Just picked some of this up at the local Herb Shop for mama kitty's chronic diarrhea. We've used it almost two days now, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how quickly we can expect to see results. So far, she still has diarrhea. I'm just worried because she's had it ever since she came to live with me the first week of December. The kittens' stools seem okay, and both mom and kittens have all received a dewormer from the vet. She's had a fecal exam with no sign of parasites, but the vet put her on Metrodiazonale (r whatever you call it) dewormer just in case. No results...

Anyone have any other suggestions if this doesn't work? We've tried plain yogurt, Pedialyte, cottage cheese, rice, gradually changing her food since I thought it was the Friskies she was eating before I brought her in, and now I'm tempted to just start feeding her boiled chicken. The Herb Shop owner suggested I try flower essences if the Slippery Elm doesn't work in case her diarrhea is stress related. I'm willing to try anything just so her tummy isn't messed up all the time!

coaster · 01-15-2005, 02:39 PM

I used it on Rocket for a week. This was after one week on Hills Science Diet "Sensitive Stomach" food. At the end of that time, his stool was back to normal. Since then it continues to be normal, and I attribute it to his new diet. He now eats Natural Balance/Max Cat/Eagle Pack canned (in rotation), and a mix of Felidae/NutriSource/Hills dry. He also gets a dollop of plain yogurt once a day.

Hippyhart · 01-15-2005, 03:15 PM

Tim, I've seen you post quite a bit about this -- do you think the sensitive stomach food works? I haven't tried that yet. She has been eating Natural Balance dry for about a month now and Authority kitten or Nutro Max kitten food for the past three weeks. Before that, I had her on the Nutro Pouch, which I thought the preservatives were messing her up -- she was the stinkiest cat alive during that time. Her gas and explosive diarrhea has been better since we took her off that, but the diarrhea has not subsided. I'm about to take her off wet food all together, but she wasn't peeing for the first few weeks after I brought her in, so the wet food has helped her in the respect.

I've looked almost everywhere for other foods in my area, and the best I can find is what's at Petco or Petsmart. So, Wellness, Felidae, Innova, California Natural are all out unless I order them online. I'll stick with the Slippery Elm for now to see how that works, but I just wanted some other ideas in case nothing happens.

coaster · 01-15-2005, 03:56 PM

Katie - Natural Balance is a very good food. Authority is what (I think) triggered Rocket's second bout of G-I upset (this was before Hill's). The Hill's isn't very good nutrionally speaking, but it's easy on the G-I tract.

Hippyhart · 01-15-2005, 04:32 PM

So what wet food -- if any -- would you recommend for sensitive stomachs? I bought the authority because the ingredients weren't too bad, and I've basically been trying out a different brand a week until I find out what works for her. I bought the Slippery Elm on a whim just to see if it was effective without figuring out what the problem was in her diet. I just hate to take her wet food away since she loves it and looks forward to it.

coaster · 01-15-2005, 05:26 PM

well, in my own experience, it's not the wet food that causes the problems, it's the dry, but others report exactly the opposite, so I'm afraid you're going to have to experiment. IMHO, the better quality the food, the less likely to cause problems. someone else here reported the Authority wet food was pretty good, my bad experience was with their dry. I'm going to stick with the rotation mentioned above. it seems to be working pretty well so far.

Superkitties · 01-15-2005, 09:03 PM

I didn't see psyllium husk mentioned, so I'll suggest that, for quicker results than the slippery elm. The beauty of it is that it works to firm up stool in diarrhea cases, or bulk/soften it up for constipated cases. So basically it evens the stool up. Just needs a pinch for a few days (do NOT overadd, otherwise other problems).

There's some older threads on it:

Food change-diarrhea?
Constipation and Metamucil

Hippyhart · 01-16-2005, 01:33 AM

Ok, it looks like they carry psyllium powder at GNC, so I will check that out tomorrow. Hopefully we can clear this problem up with one of these products -- I just hate not being able to pinpoint the problem. She acts healthy otherwise, it's just this diarrhea that's been really puzzling.

kana · 01-16-2005, 04:28 PM

Here is my diarrhea success story!

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t ... t=diarrhea

01-15-2005, 02:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hippyhart Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Posts: 2,175	Slippery Elm Bark Just picked some of this up at the local Herb Shop for mama kitty's chronic diarrhea. We've used it almost two days now, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how quickly we can expect to see results. So far, she still has diarrhea. I'm just worried because she's had it ever since she came to live with me the first week of December. The kittens' stools seem okay, and both mom and kittens have all received a dewormer from the vet. She's had a fecal exam with no sign of parasites, but the vet put her on Metrodiazonale (r whatever you call it) dewormer just in case. No results... Anyone have any other suggestions if this doesn't work? We've tried plain yogurt, Pedialyte, cottage cheese, rice, gradually changing her food since I thought it was the Friskies she was eating before I brought her in, and now I'm tempted to just start feeding her boiled chicken. The Herb Shop owner suggested I try flower essences if the Slippery Elm doesn't work in case her diarrhea is stress related. I'm willing to try anything just so her tummy isn't messed up all the time! __________________ Katie & "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow" -- Mark Twain

01-15-2005, 03:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Hippyhart Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Posts: 2,175	Tim, I've seen you post quite a bit about this -- do you think the sensitive stomach food works? I haven't tried that yet. She has been eating Natural Balance dry for about a month now and Authority kitten or Nutro Max kitten food for the past three weeks. Before that, I had her on the Nutro Pouch, which I thought the preservatives were messing her up -- she was the stinkiest cat alive during that time. Her gas and explosive diarrhea has been better since we took her off that, but the diarrhea has not subsided. I'm about to take her off wet food all together, but she wasn't peeing for the first few weeks after I brought her in, so the wet food has helped her in the respect. I've looked almost everywhere for other foods in my area, and the best I can find is what's at Petco or Petsmart. So, Wellness, Felidae, Innova, California Natural are all out unless I order them online. I'll stick with the Slippery Elm for now to see how that works, but I just wanted some other ideas in case nothing happens. __________________ Katie & "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow" -- Mark Twain

01-15-2005, 04:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Hippyhart Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Posts: 2,175	So what wet food -- if any -- would you recommend for sensitive stomachs? I bought the authority because the ingredients weren't too bad, and I've basically been trying out a different brand a week until I find out what works for her. I bought the Slippery Elm on a whim just to see if it was effective without figuring out what the problem was in her diet. I just hate to take her wet food away since she loves it and looks forward to it. __________________ Katie & "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow" -- Mark Twain

01-15-2005, 09:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
Superkitties Cat Addict Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,464	I didn't see psyllium husk mentioned, so I'll suggest that, for quicker results than the slippery elm. The beauty of it is that it works to firm up stool in diarrhea cases, or bulk/soften it up for constipated cases. So basically it evens the stool up. Just needs a pinch for a few days (do NOT overadd, otherwise other problems). There's some older threads on it: Food change-diarrhea? Constipation and Metamucil __________________

01-16-2005, 01:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
Hippyhart Cat Addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Posts: 2,175	Ok, it looks like they carry psyllium powder at GNC, so I will check that out tomorrow. Hopefully we can clear this problem up with one of these products -- I just hate not being able to pinpoint the problem. She acts healthy otherwise, it's just this diarrhea that's been really puzzling. __________________ Katie & "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow" -- Mark Twain

01-15-2005, 02:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	I used it on Rocket for a week. This was after one week on Hills Science Diet "Sensitive Stomach" food. At the end of that time, his stool was back to normal. Since then it continues to be normal, and I attribute it to his new diet. He now eats Natural Balance/Max Cat/Eagle Pack canned (in rotation), and a mix of Felidae/NutriSource/Hills dry. He also gets a dollop of plain yogurt once a day.

01-15-2005, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	Katie - Natural Balance is a very good food. Authority is what (I think) triggered Rocket's second bout of G-I upset (this was before Hill's). The Hill's isn't very good nutrionally speaking, but it's easy on the G-I tract.

01-15-2005, 05:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	well, in my own experience, it's not the wet food that causes the problems, it's the dry, but others report exactly the opposite, so I'm afraid you're going to have to experiment. IMHO, the better quality the food, the less likely to cause problems. someone else here reported the Authority wet food was pretty good, my bad experience was with their dry. I'm going to stick with the rotation mentioned above. it seems to be working pretty well so far.

01-16-2005, 04:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
kana Tom Cat Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 540	Here is my diarrhea success story! http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t ... t=diarrhea

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