Constipation in cats - how to identify and cope with the problem

Such a delicate problem as constipation is common in cats.
And if it is problematic to control regular bowel movements in an animal walking on the street, then in domestic ponytails it is enough to pay attention to the regularity of cleaning the cat's litter box. In addition to obvious problems with stool, there are situations when it is necessary to empty the animal’s intestines for medical reasons, for example, before performing a colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine using an endoscope).

Whatever the reason for the procedure, it is important that it is prescribed by a veterinarian . Self-treatment of an animal for constipation is unacceptable, since problems with stool can be caused by serious disorders in the digestive organs. And an accurate diagnosis will be made after examining and examining the cat.

This delicate problem is often solved with the help of Vaseline oil. Let's figure out how to properly give Vaseline oil to a cat.

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Description of Vaseline oil and how it works

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Vaseline oil is safe for cats if given according to directions. You should study the issue of such assistance to your pet more carefully so that the treatment brings only positive results.

We are talking about a completely safe product that has neither color nor taste. It doesn't even smell. As a rule, its absorption leads to the fact that it leaves the body unchanged.

The Latin name of the product sounds like Oleum vaseline, which literally translates as vaseline oil. Chemically, it is a derivative of kerosene, which is obtained by purifying hydrocarbons after its production. Of course, the raw materials are filtered most carefully, freed from all impurities and become clear as water.

For cats, this is a surefire remedy for constipation. Its action is based on lubricating all parts of the intestines, covering them with a thin film, at the same time it helps to strengthen motility.

Using oil allows you to naturally remove hard feces without causing pain to your pet. The oil film will prevent feces from getting stuck or injuring the intestines, and toxins and fluid loss from food lumps are blocked.

The drug will not penetrate into the blood, and there is no allergy to it either. But hairballs will also more easily move towards the exit of the digestive tract.

The mild laxative effect quickly brings the pet's stool back to normal, calming both the sufferer and his owner.

You should not use the remedy for constipation often, as it can cause addiction and a decrease in intestinal tone.

When should it be used?

In veterinary practice, purified petroleum jelly is widely used for constipation in cats. This is a product of natural origin, it comes to pharmacies in the form of an oily solution obtained during the production of paraffin. The pharmaceutical product has no aroma, it is transparent and tasteless. To be sure that an enema with the product will definitely work, the cat owner needs to know what symptoms are typical for constipation. It can be diagnosed by the following signs:

• The animal does not go to the tray for more than 2 days and refuses to eat.
• Moves little.
• There is vomiting, unpleasant odor from the mouth and a bloated abdomen.

If such symptoms occur, veterinarians recommend giving your cat Vaseline oil. If assistance is not provided in a timely manner, the cat may experience poisoning of the body, and sometimes intestinal rupture. If you do not give medicine against constipation, the functioning of internal organs will deteriorate and the load on the heart, kidneys and liver will increase.

The main causes of constipation are:

Among the reasons that cause constipation in cats is poor nutrition and, as a result, obesity.

• stressful situations;
• incorrectly composed diet;
• lack of fluid;
• accumulation of hair in the intestines;
• foreign body in the stomach;
• infectious diseases;
• helminthiases;
• metabolic disease;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• urolithiasis disease;
• old age;
• pregnancy.

If your cat is constipated, you need to give her Vaseline oil or give her an enema. When the drug enters the body, it envelops the walls of the gastrointestinal tract with a thin film. Vaseline thins stool, which is easy to pass. The film covering the mucosa protects the tract from products formed during decay. The product is not absorbed and does not allow toxic elements to be absorbed.

Instructions for using Vaseline oil

You definitely need to know how to use Vaseline oil, especially if your cat periodically experiences constipation. Of course, if this happens often, then it is not the symptom that needs to be treated, but the cause, and with this issue they go to the veterinarian. In the meantime, we will find out how to relieve constipation in a cat.

How much Vaseline oil to give a cat?

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For an adult animal, a single dose of 5-10 ml is required, orally. If there is a need to repeat the procedure, it is important to maintain a pause of 5 hours.

A cat should not be given more than 20 ml of oil per day.

Sometimes it is allowed to give a cat a microenema.

If you administer a smaller amount of the drug, you will not achieve results, and if you overdo it, the cat will have even more problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

How to give a cat Vaseline oil

Oral administration allows the use of only a pure natural medical product, which will be administered with a syringe without a needle.

The action plan is as follows:

• the oil must be drawn into a syringe;
• the cat should be placed on your lap either sideways or backwards and held firmly with your hand;
• the tip of the syringe is directed into the mouth from the side, between the teeth and cheek. It is best to place the syringe as close to the root of the tongue as possible;
• The pet's head needs to be raised and the oil slowly introduced. It is important to check whether the fluffy swallowed the entire portion.

If you rush into administration, the animal may choke, then next time it will be even more problematic to get the cat to swallow the medicine.

After 3-4 hours in the absence of stool, you can give about 5 more ml, and after an hour the same amount.

You should not give your cat Vaseline oil more than 5 times a day!

At the end of all procedures, the result is assessed. If the cat still hasn’t gone to the toilet “in a big way”, it needs to be shown to the veterinarian and the sooner the better.

If you need to make a microenema, especially if the constipation is prolonged, you will need a syringe from the pharmacy. It is filled with 5-10 ml of the product (the larger the cat, the larger the dose; accordingly, small cats can be offered 5 ml). The oil is taken either pure or diluted with water in a 1 to 1 ratio.

The product is heated to 36° C. The syringe is lubricated with any lubricant. After this, the tip is carefully and slowly inserted into the rectum, no more than 2 cm.

After completing the procedures, defecation should begin within 10 minutes. If there is no expected positive result, you need to repeat the steps, but not earlier than after 3 hours.

It happens that the cat could not go to the toilet even after the second such microenema. This is the case when they are immediately sent to a veterinary hospital; surgery is probably required.

It will be better if an assistant helps with the procedure.

Kittens are also treated similarly to adults, but the dosage of the medication will be different. Children need to administer the drug orally, once. The dose is calculated according to weight: 1 ml per 1 kg of kitten weight.

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After administering the medicine, the small pet is observed for 14-16 hours. During this time, he must go to the toilet on his own. If this does not happen, go to the vet.

For the treatment and prevention of constipation, veterinarians recommend:

• Pay attention to food . If your pet has a predisposition to the disease, then you should use dry food marked i/d, designed specifically for cats with digestive problems and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Give more liquid . Make sure there is always water in the bowl. If your pet refuses to drink, read our material with an analysis of the reasons.
• It is undesirable to use a mixed type of food (industrial feed and food from the table), especially since most cats do not digest lactose.
• When treating constipation, it is advisable to replace dry food with wet food .
• Add fiber , which is found in plant-based foods. There is a special commercial cat food with high fiber content, Royal Canin Fiber Response, which is used to treat constipation.
• Regular massages of your pet's tummy.
• Use gentle laxatives : lactusan, duphalac, prelax, sodium sulfate. Medicines must be prescribed by a veterinarian.

If it is not possible to use one of the above methods using petroleum jelly, you can mix olive oil into your food in moderation.
It smells delicious, and animals willingly lick it off. The decision to take olive oil should also be discussed with your veterinarian. Up

Contraindications

It would be better if, before trying Vaseline oil for constipation on your beloved cat, you go for a consultation with a specialist. There are a number of contraindications. You can use the medicine only if:

• there are no inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
• no high temperature with a febrile state;
• the cat does not expect offspring and does not feed them;
• there is no history of peritoneal surgery;
• no volvulus or chronic constipation;
• no intestinal bleeding;
• There has been no recent deworming.

If an individual intolerance to the drug has been identified, then they look for another way to help the cat with constipation.

Methods of giving medicine to a cat

It is better to apply Vaseline oil to the root of the tongue using a syringe with the needle previously removed; it is more convenient to do this together. You need to sit the kitten on your lap, pull the skin so that it tilts its head to the side. It is best to give the drug to the kitten in the morning, so that the animal has not yet eaten, otherwise it may vomit after administration of the drug.

There is no need to administer the drug to a lying animal, otherwise it may enter the respiratory tract; a sharp injection of the drug can lead to the same undesirable effect.

If your kitten has severe constipation, you can give him an enema. To do this, you need to take the smallest enema at the pharmacy and inject just a little medicine. The desired effect with such an introduction of the product will be achieved even with a small amount of petroleum jelly.

Side effects

If the dosage is strictly followed, there will be no side effects. There are rare cases when the oil spontaneously flows out along with the release of feces from the intestines.

Hypovitaminosis of a number of vitamins also rarely develops, especially fat-soluble A, D, E, K. The consequence of this will be slow growth, rickets, impaired reproduction, and poor blood clotting. Nodules can form in the intestines, which can lead to malignant tumors.

Reviews of Vaseline oil

Katerina, Russia, Yalta Crimea

:. We were very lucky with the doctor, and he, knowing our Favorite, prescribed Vaseline oil for us. Everything is as the doctor said: the product helps, there are no side effects, the cat feels relieved, and we have peace of mind.

Alina, Russia, Kursk

: Our old cat has serious health problems. The treatment prescribed by the veterinarian eliminated some difficulties, but other problems appeared - severe constipation. The situation was really getting serious as our cat had not gone to the toilet for about eight days. Vaseline oil solved the problem in one day, there was no such trouble again.

mariya, Russia, Chelyabinsk

: Our cat is fat and lazy. Restriction of physical activity causes periodic constipation. In such cases it helps

Vaseline oil from the Tula pharmaceutical factory. Treatment is fast and operative.