Slippery Elm Bark

[yola]

Quick question; I'm thinking of getting SEB for Balie as his diarrhoea is not clearing up at all - despite the vet giving him some paste on Saturday that's supposed to 'bind' the innards.

However, I'm reluctant to give up on the food (Royal Canin Digetive Comfort) I've put him on as his vomitting is almost zero now and he's put on 0.3KG in 3 weeks; both of which are excellent. Vet's only other suggestion is a change of food as she doesn't think he should have the paste for more than 10 days.

So - I remember Slippery Elm Bark being mentioned here and was wondering where to get it as the only sites I can find are ones where it is sold for human consumption, and what dosage to give. Also, how long can it be used for?

[angieh]

Hi Yola - IMO Slippery Elm will be just the thing for Balie. This is a link to the place that I bought mine from for Merlin.

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/793944_Bio_Health_Slippery_Elm_60_capsules.html

I used to open up the capsule and boil the contents in about a cup full of water. It goes slightly pink and a bit viscous. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. I used to use a syringe to feed it to Merlin.

Elaine put me on to SEB for Merlin - I am sure she can post links for further info.

[Mags]

Yola, you can find more info and stockists of Slippery Elm Bark here (http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm#SEB1)

I hope you can find something to help Balie.:(

[yola]

Thank you both for the links. The more I read about this the more determined I am to try this as I want to get to the bottom (pardon pun) of my little fella's trouble :)

[PoshPuss]

I hope it all works out Yola and Balie is relieved of the discomfort. Good thing we have such knowledgable ladies on here :D

[Elaine]

Hi Yola, what has the vet siad the cause of his vommiting and diarrhoea is? Do they have any idea? Is he vommiting food or bile?
I swear by it as many of you know, even had G on it for a while and currently a client is using it for her dogs digestive upset and so far so good.
Some cats will take it when directly sprinkled onto their food but some wont. As Angie has already said, I used to make a sort of syrup for Winston. I'd empty 5 capsules into a cup of water, bring to the boil and simmer until it goes syrupy. It should keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. I used to syringe 1 to 2 mls into the corner of Winstons mouth once or twice daily.
I bought mine at Holland and Barratt but be careful to get SEB with no cake fillers or cloves etc in it. If he gets any other meds at all, then give the SEB atleast an hour or two before or after meds to avoid the possible interference of it hampering the absorption of any other meds.
Hope that helps and hope you have success with it.;)

[dandysmom]

I hope that will help Bailie, good luck.

[yola]

Thanks for that input Elaine. Balie has been vomitting intermittently for as long as I can remember. It kind of really took off earlier in the summer with as much as 2 or 3 upchucks in a day/night, mainly of regurgitated food - partially or not at all digested and occasional furball mixed in. Diet at this point was RC persian 30 with RC Oral thrown is as all cats had been suffering with tartar. Balie never seemed full with this food and came downstairs in the evening and devoured a pouch of either Whiskas or RC wet.

There was absolutely no diarrhoea at all (apart from one isolated bout) until I changed to the Digestive Comfort which has almost completely stopped the vomitting and seeking of extra food. However the runs have started as the vomitting has tailed off.

He's also put on much weight with the new food and seems generally much less jumpy and on edge and far more content.

The vet didn't really seem to have much idea as to the original cause of the increase in vomitting or weight loss - he was tested for absolutely everything - a 2 month course of antibiotics seemed to kick-start a gradual weight gain, but the vomitting continued until I changed the food a couple of weeks ago.

I really want to continue with the Digestive Comfort as it really seems to suit him. The diarrhoea seems to cause him no discomfort or distress - he just poos when he normally does except it's loose. He's not constantly on the litter tray as if he had a tummy upset . . . I would like to see if the SEB taken alongside the Digestive Comfort does the trick.

I will buy some tomorrow, whether online (bit worried due to postal delays) or in the healthfood shop and take it from there.