 |
|
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Astrologer's Notes:
Ask Carrin Martin,
Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Martin Lass,
Astrologer
Glenn Perry,
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Erin Sullivan,
Astrologer
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
The BUT Doctor
Healing America's Real Crack Problem One Person at a Time
by Eddie Conner
Awakening to the
Miracle of Ordinary Life by Dennis Lewis
Avant-Gardening:
Insights by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
Bodymind Integration: A Psychology of Potential
by Kevin Roberts
Breaking Free:
Anne Brewer
Choices: The Art of Conscious Creation:
by Teri Harris Saa
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
"Letters from Heaven:" Spiritual Guidance from
the Hebrew Alphabet
by Avigayil Landsman
Memos From The
First Tabugian
Art Rosengarten, Ph.D.
The Path of Wisdom and Love
Dr. John Demartini,
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Pearls of Wisdom:
with Care
Feng Shui:
Wind & Water:
Carole J. Hyder
In Practice:
How to Create a Successful Holistic Practice- from Start to Success
by Shaun Brown,
CMT, BA BeWell Publications
The Business of Tarot
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Pet Care:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Tarot:
Soulforest:
Tarot and Spirituality
Rachel Pollack,
Tarot Grand Master
Gateway to Tarot:
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master
Bonnie Cehovet's
Tarot Interviews
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Features:
Blessings & Messages
Crystals, Gemstones & Minerals by Kristi of MoonCave
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Other
Novel Moments
Your Views
Interviews:
Erin Sullivan,
Astrologer
Healing & Alternative
Health:
"The Ancient Way of Chinese Medicine"
by Kevin O'Neil
Flower Essences
by Donna Cunningham
Herbology:
Ron Norwood
Living in Harmony-Astrology, Yoga & Ayurveda:
Venkat & Christine Machiraju
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
Tai Chi & Qigong
by Bill Douglas
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Tools for Heartful Living
by Jackie Woods,
Healer & Spiritual Teacher,
Adawehi Institute
Conscious Breathing
for Health and Self Transformation
by Dennis Lewis
The Directory
The Book Nook
Archives:
Past Issues
General Information:
Synopsis of Contents
Editorial Submission
Information:
Articles
Columns
Editorial Opinions
"Your Views"
General Content
Event Calendars
Graphics & Photos
Editorial Deadlines
Advertising
Information &
Opportunities
About
The Meta Arts
Magazine
Department
Contacts:
Publishers
Editorial
Advertising Sales
Graphic Design
Promotion Dept.
Employment
Contact Us
Legal Notices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Healing & Alternative Health
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care:
Constipation in Geriatric Cats
by Kathleen M. Carson, D.V.M |
|
|
|
|
|
Jokes have been made about this condition, but it is no joke for an animal who has it. Though constipation can occur in younger cats and in dogs, the overwhelming number of patients seen with constipation are older cats. In this article I’ll talk about the typical patient, the geriatric cat.
Most constipated cats have their condition come on gradually over a number of weeks or months. It finally worsens to a point where their human family members become aware that something is wrong.
They either:
1.) note their feline friend often strains to defecate, acting uncomfortable and/or crying while doing so, or
2.) do not see any sign of discomfort or straining, but observe that their cat goes several days inbetween defecations. As the constipation progresses their cat’s appetite can slow, even stop. Weight loss can occur. Sometimes he/she starts vomiting. Untreated, constipation can lead to serious, even life- threatening problems. At the least, it noticeably decreases quality of life for the kitty.
By the time a cat’s human family members first are aware there’s a problem, often their kitty is badly constipated, full of a large volume of hard, dry stool which is trapped in the intestines. He/she usually needs an enema, or several enemas, to get rid of all the backed-up stool. Sometimes he/she has already crossed the line from simple constipation into a severe form of constipation called obstipation. An obstipated cat is overloaded with huge, rock-like stools. To help him/her, a procedure called de-obstipation is necessary, in which he/she has to be anesthetized to bethoroughly cleaned out.
What causes constipation in the older cat? Constipation can be caused by a variety of factors. The constipation of some geriatric cats is caused by only one factor; others have many. The most common contributing factors leading to constipation are: dehydration, poor muscle tone in the large intestine (called megacolon), and a lack of bulk to the stool.
Because constipation can come about for more than one reason, the treatment of constipation takes more than one form as well. Treatment has to be tailored to each individual constipated cat. There’s not just one treatment or medication which works for all. This is a crucial point; notunderstanding this fact can lead to ineffective treatment and a miserable, possibly very ill, cat.
In constipation’s early stages, a simple enema often does the trick, and it’s natural for a constipated cat’s human companion to breathe a sigh of relief and feel the problem is over. However, that enema just resolves that bout of constipation. Constipation is a progressive disease. As time goes on the situation worsens and becomes more complex. From the beginning, you and your veterinarian need to work closely together to discover the cause(s) of the constipation in your individual cat and to work out a treatment plan which is effective and which can evolve with time as the situation changes. If you’re lucky, the right combination of treatments will be found right away. If not, it may take several tries to find what treatment or treatments work best for your cat. Try not to get discouraged; if you persist, usually a solution can be found!
You can begin the process by observing some things about your cat. If dehydration is a factor in your cat’s constipation, your cat’s stools will be dry, hard, crumbly. If the dehydration is more advanced, you’ll also notice that his/her coat looks dull or dry, and his/her skin may be flaky. If the dehydration is severe, a fold of his/her skin will take several seconds to flatten out again after being picked up. If your cat’s stools are dry, hard, and crumbly, add extra water to his/her food and eliminate or dramatically reduce any dry foods/kibble in the diet. If these efforts are not enough to moisten the stools and ease the constipation, ask your veterinarian about putting your cat on subcutaneous (under the skin) injections of fluid at home. The subcutaneous fluids are definitely called for in the more advanced cases of dehydration.
There also are oral stool softeners your veterinarian can prescribe for the dry stools.
If your cat’s stools are very small, you may need to increase the fiber in his/her diet. There are multiple ways of doing this; you and your veterinarian may have to experiment with various methods to find the one(s) that work(s) best for you and your cat. One of the ways you can increase dietary fiber is to mix extra fiber into your cat’s food. Canned pumpkin, babyfood peas or squash, Miller’s bran, and/or metamucil are all substances which, when mixed with your cat’s food, increase the fiber. I find that 1-3 tsp of these fiber supplements per day mixed with the food work for the average 8-10 lb cat. You may need to start with a smaller amount and work up to the recommended amount if your cat doesn’t take well to changes in her/his diet. The daily amount may need to be adjusted up or down, depending on results. There also are diets which are readymade with extra fiber. Yourveterinarian can advise you as to whether one of these would be indicated for your cat.
Intestinal lubricants also can be useful in the early stages of constipation. Hairball products are usually the most commonly used lubricants, though oils such as olive oil mixed with the food can work well, too. I do not recommend giving mineral oil to constipated cats; most cats dislike the taste, and if they struggle when you’re giving it, they can inhale the mineral oil into their lungs, causing potentially fatal inhalation pneumonia.
Adding digestive enzymes and the “good” intestinal bacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, to your cat’s food can help with constipation. There also is a soothing herb called Slippery Elm Bark which paradoxically is good for both constipation and diarrhea.
Among alternative treatment methods for constipation, acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulae can be very effective. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, constipation is considered to be caused by a deficiency of Qi, or energy, to the Large Intestine, possible complicated by other factors, such as Kidney Yin deficiency and/or Liver Qi stagnation. There’s an excellent section on the treatment of constipation in a book on Chinese Medicine for dogs and cats called Four Paws, Five Directions by Cheryl Schwartz, D.V.M. (Celestial Arts Press, Berkeley, 1996). Seek out a veterinary acupuncturist to discuss these treatments for your cat. There are directories of veterinary acupuncturists on several websites, including: www.ivas.org, www.aava.org, www.ahvma.org and www.altvetmed.com.
If the constipation is severe or long-standing, your veterinarian will probably add a drug to the treatment regimen which increases the motility, or movement, in the intestinal tract. In a lot of constipated cats, this drug can be almost miraculous. Once it is started, this drug usually needs to be
given lifelong.
If your cat gets to the point where he/she has had multiple episodes of obstipation caused by a permanently enlarged and flabby large intestine (advanced megacolon) which no longer responds to more conservative treatments, surgery to remove the colon should be seriously considered.
This surgery, called a colonectomy, is not indicated in mild to moderate constipation. All surgeries are invasive and can have side effects, ranging from mild to severe. A colonectomy’s most common side effect is diarrhea, which usually lasts for only a few weeks, but is sometimes permanent. However, when other treatments are no longer working, then a colonectomy is probably the only option. Luckily, in most cases, the diarrhea is only temporary, and the surgery resolves the constipation for good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Kathleen Carson, DVM
Veterinarian & Author
|
 |
Dr. Carson received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California at Davis in 1968. She's been a small animal practitioner (dogs and cats ) for all the years since, except for a short stint at the San Diego Zoo when she first graduated.
She belongs to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
Since 1974 she's lived and practiced in the South Bay Area near Los Angeles. She started the area's first house call practice in 1976 and the first pet crisis/loss group in 1989. The human-animal bond is of special interest to her.
She started exploring complementary veterinary medicine in 1987. Her practice became 100% holistic in 1996. She utilizes acupuncture, herbs, supplements, Bach Flower Remedies, homeopathic remedies, nutrition and medications for her patients in her practice.
She's currently taking a leave of absence from her house call practice due to health reasons but continues to do phone consultations and to write.
E-mail:
Critterhlr@aol.com
website:
http://www.holistic
vetconsult.com
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory!
|
|
|
|
|
