My cat has diarrhea on antibiotics. Should I give her Benefiber?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Miralax and Benefiber are quite different from each other. I would not use Miralax if she is having diarrhea as you no longer need a laxative. Benefiber would be my recommendation to help bulk up the stool since she is experiencing diarrhea now. Glandex is fine to continue long term as it is a good source of fiber. You can also use Vetasyl capsules for cats (protein in capsule form). If using Benefiber, I would use ~1/2 tsp added to the food. You can also use Laxatone to help keep stools soft and help prevent constipation. I hope this helps!

I would actually recommend starting with a vet visit to check for intestinal parasites at his age. And then explore different food options or pursue other testing as the vet recommends, because there is almost certainly an underlying issue (although that doesn't mean it's something serious or dangerous. Probiotics, a short course of antibiotics, a hypoallergenic diet can all help with diarrhea in cats. If you can't get to the vet and want to try fiber, you can mix in unflavored metamucil with his food (aiming for about 2 tsp) once a day to see if that helps, but it's probably going to be a waste of money (both for the metamucil and the wasted food if he won't eat it). Good luck!

I would recommend seeing the vet. At this point even if the diarrhea was initially related to the antibiotics Jasper may now have a disruption of his normal intestinal flora that requires additional treatment. It's also possible that the diarrhea is unrelated to the antibiotics and instead is due to intestinal parasites or a food sensitivity. If you wait until he stops eating or loses weight he may require more intensive treatment so I'd recommend making an appointment to see your veterinarian this week.

Fortiflora is a probiotic that aims to maintain the "good" gut bacteria that is part of the normal intestinal flora. The "good" bacteria can be killed during antibiotic therapy, which can result in diarrhea. The Fortiflora website makes claims about supporting overall immune health, but to my knowledge, maintaining an appropriate bacterial balance in the gut is the main objective. All of that said, Fortiflora can absolutely be helpful during antibiotic therapy, but be sure to put it on Duck's food between his doses of medication rather than simultaneously to allow for maximum efficacy. I hope that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I want Mittens to get checked out but it's not an emergency. The fact that he is eating and acting normally is huge and a very good thing. It could be that his GI tract has just been very upset by the antibiotics. While you gather the money for a recheck appointment, try a probiotic like Purina FortiFlora (use as directed on the box). You can also add a fiber supplement like Benefiber powder (tasteless- 1 tsp with each meal). Stay on the GI diet given by your vet as this is likely also helpful. If this seems to fix the problem, great! If not, get into the vet as soon as you are able to get other medications for the diarrhea. Best of luck to you and Mittens!

Hello. If the diarrhea is slowing down, then it may just resolve on its own. It sounds like your cat received the long acting antibiotic called Covenia, & the most common side effect is diarrhea. I would start Ella on a probiotic such as Proviable or FortiFlora, both available at major pet retailers like Petco. I am less inclined to think this is IBD because IBD diarrhea is often accompanied by vomiting, too. I would be careful about using this drug in Ella again, but give things some time to see if the diarrhea quits with the addition of a probiotic. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Since you are in day 1 of the antibiotics I think it would be fair to give it a bit more time to see if Musika gets better. You can try to entice his appetite with things like tuna, tuna water and chicken. If his appetite does not improve by tomorrow, let your veterinarian know as anorexia can be detrimental to a cat's health. Good luck and have a great day!