Yellow Dock

[brandypup]

My friends cat has per-somthing-sis. It's were the muscles are not strong enough to push out a bowl movement basicly. Laxitives are not the answer since it just gives the runs.

So we were looking in Herbs For Pets book and found Yellow Dock Root. Ca be used as a tiniture (SP), tea or powdered root.

We checked the tinitures in the stores but they are expensive (more then she has right now) so we bought 2 oz of the root.

We seeped maybe a 1/4-1/2 t-spoon root in hot water. Let it cooled, strained it thru a coffee filter and filled a dropper bottle.

there was no actual instructions for dosing with a tea and we dont know how much to give. She only gave one drop right now. I told her I would see if noofies or someone knows.

[Connie]

I'm hoping Noofies comes along as I don't really know as much about herbs as other alternative ways. I do know that they can be VERY potent and you don't want to make a mistake with them.

I'm going to see if I can find which homeopathic remedy I remember my teacher telling us is for when "the bm is shy and doesn't want to come out"..... that's how it was explained to me. And homeopathic remedies are very inexpensive, and besides "they can do no harm"..... if it's not the right remedy for the body, it will do nothing... it won't make the animal sick or worse off.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to move mountains around here to get to my homeopathy books. I was moving them a few weeks ago, and set some down on a pile of other things, which a few days later was toppled over by the earthquake. So now the books are under a heap, behind an even bigger heap behind the file cabinets.

But I was able to find Anita' Frazier's "The New Natural Cat"...... she doesn't use herbs or laxitives for any kind of constipation, but prefers to use psyllium husks, especially when finely ground. They are an efficient stool conditioner and mucoid. They help the stool to slip out easily and are not habit-forming.

ps: you might try emailing noofies

[e-mail]

[brandypup]

Thanks Connie.... I will hold out a bit and see if she answers also.

Also I see that my post edited my t-spoon word. Intresting.

would the psyllium husk work in stimulating the muscels that move the stool? It's called Lack of Peristalsis.

Dont hurt yourself getting the books! I didn't relize you got caught in the quakes. Oh my... are you adn the critters OK?

[Noofies]

The instructions I have to make a tea is to pour 1 pint of hot water over 1 oz. of the herb. The dose for humans is "a wineglassful". That would translate into about half an ounce - 1 tablespoon - for a cat. How does it taste? If it's not horrible, you could try adding it to canned food.

I would also add some fiber to bulk up the stool a little; that, too, can stimulate peristalsis. (Peristalsis is the wave-like motion of the intestines which move the stool along.) I'm not a fan of psyllium husk, it's rather harsh. I'd try something softer - canned pumpkin, soaked unprocessed bran, beet pulp if you can find it in small quantities (it's sold in huge bags at feed and ag stores).

The risk of long-term use of yellow dock is calcium depletion. I think I'd make some eggshell powder and add a pinch of that to the cat's food every day.

[brandypup]

Thank you Noofies! She feels better knowing more about dosages now.

She also said that her vet advised against adding more fiber. She said when she gave pumpkin it didn't help. But I gave her the info in any case.

She did ask how it should be stored and for how long it can be stored for in tea form. I have the dark bottles and dropper bottels. So we are storing the un-used root in the glass jar in a door and the tea she has made in a dark dropper bottle in her room. Does it need to be refridgerated at all? How long can it store for?

I think I still have the eggshell recipe. Just take empty eggs and bake at 350 degrees for I think 10 minutes? Ground and store in fridge... that was off the top of my head.. is that right?

[Noofies]

I'd store the tea in the 'fridge. Eggshell powder - yeah, that sounds about right.

[brandypup]

WOOHOO, thanks again Nooifes! Have a nice weekend.