My cat is constipated with a broken pelvis. How much lactulose?

I'm sorry to hear about all of Co's recent struggles. He has certainly been through a lot! Lactulose would be my first suggestion as well. There is a fairly wide dosing range. So it might be some trial and error to get the stool soft enough to pass, but not to cause him diarrhea. Encourage him to drink as much water as possible (fountain water dishes, letting him drink out of a running faucet, changing the water more frequently). Extra moisture will keep him hydrated and soften the stool as well. You can also add canned food to his diet for the same reasons. Fracturing his pelvis would be a last resort, so hopefully you are on the right track and he will be more comfortable soon!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, you can give lactulose orally. If he is a medium-sized cat, he can likely get 2 mL by mouth twice daily until his stools are softer. If he does not defecate for longer than 48 hours, he should be seen by a veterinarian right away. Constipation can progress to obstipation, meaning a cat is completely unable to pass the feces. This can lead to rupture of the colon and/or irreversible problems with the colon. I hope this is helpful.

While lactulose is a type of sugar, it will not make your cat overweight and it will also not damage your cat's teeth. Your kitty actually should lose some weight which will help with the constipation as well. If lactulose is working resolving the constipation then I would keep using it. Also make sure her water bowl is at least 5 feet away from the food bowl as cats do not like to drink water near their food.

Hello, and thanks for your question. The specific flavor of lactulose shouldn't matter, but I'd make sure to give it according to your vet's recommendations. Constipation is a bit unusual in a young cat like Aspen (I'm seeing she is just over a year in your profile), so I would not recommend giving it unless your vet instructed you to do so. Hope this helps!

Hello, and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. For now, I wouldn't stress about knowing exactly which medication has helped Kiki - in truth, it's probably been a combination of all the different interventions. Cats who are prone to constipation often need constant adjustments in their management, so for now, if she's doing well, continue the miralax as your vet advised and touch base with them if her stools become hard or less frequent again. Sometimes cats may need to be on both meds for a time, or even switch foods entirely to a diet formulated for cats with constipation issues. So, there's probably not one "right" medication for her, and a therapy that worked this time might still need to be adjusted in the future. I have found the Royal Canin GI Fiber Response food to help immensely - you could ask your vet if that's an appropriate option if Kiki continues having bouts of constipation. Hope this helps!

Most cats will not have a formed stool while on Miralax or any other stool softener. If the stools are quite loose, decrease the amount and/or frequency of Miralax. You are correct in saying that lactulose is a sugar; however, it WILL NOT cause diabetes. Mammals are not able to break the lactulose molecule down and it is not readily absorbed in the GI tract. It stays in the GI tract, which helps draw water into the GI tract---this is how it has a stool softening effect. Regarding your question for "is there still a medical issue," it sounds like the constipation is resolved, however, there could be an underlying motility issue in the colon that will require continued need for Miralax or other ongoing treatment. Another concern in older cats is kidney disease; we occasionally find that constipated cats have chronic kidney disease. I hope that answers your question!! If not, feel free to request a consultation where we can exchange information back and forth. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It sounds like Jo Jo has megacolon given that he has been manually cleaned out three times. If this is the case, please do not give Jo Jo any Miralax since it is contraindicated in animals with this condition. The best treatment for constipation is to feed an appropriate diet and to encourage activity. You can absolutely dilute the pumpkin puree in water and syringe feed or you may want to try a low residue producing diet. Lactulose and possibly glycerin suppositories are appropriate medical treatments. You may also want to speak with your veterinarian about medications such as cisapride that stimulate colonic motility.