a question near (but NOT dear) to my heart ...

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Posted by iZ's mom on July 04, 2002 at 13:41:31:

In Reply to: questions about impaction (long)... posted by shanna on July 03, 2002 at 22:51:16:

1st of all i *gotta* say that if you aren't asking the vet these questions (as well us), then you *Should*!! and Keep Asking until it's explained so *you* understand it ... *grin*

ok ...

depending on *what* laxative he gave you for your ig ... there are some that not only "encourage" the bowels to move (thereby moving poop and hopefully anything else) but ALSO work to *soften* the poop ...
(ok, i just confused MYSELF ... lemme try again)

do you know the name of the laxative???
i'm guessing it's prob'ly Lactulose brands: Cephulac, Chronulac, Constulose, Duphalac, Enulose ... it looks (+ tastes!) like syrup ...

the digestive system "draws moisture" from solid waste as the waste (poop!) is moving thru the system ...
diarrhea happens when the waste goes thru too fast ...
constipation is when poop gets "held in" too long ~ the body keeps drawing more + more moisture from it and that results in it (poop) becoming harder, drier, more dense, etc ... as well as more difficult to pass ... and then of course, it creates a "dam" effect, and "stuff" will start to pile up behind it ...
(i know WAAAAAY too much about poop!)

ok ... NOW ...
there are tons of *different* kinds of "laxatives" .....
some just "encourage" the bowel muscles to move the solid waste along ...
some (Lactulose) also work to put more moisture back INTO the solid waste so that it's NOT so rock hard and dense ... *that* makes it easier to actually poop out, it will soften up to where it can conform the the size of the "poop tubes" that it's s'posed to go thru ...
(is this making sense?)

soooo ...
the point here is ... :)
when the ig *does* poop, if it was "just" a build up of hard poop (for WHATEVER reason!) it will not necessarily be obvious when the "mass" comes out ... it *can* look like normal poop even tho a few days ago it was hard lumps in the ig's side ...

since she's not eating as much but *IS* pooping as much, i would guess that whatever was seen on the xray *IS* coming out ok on it's own ... especially if she's just eating a fairly "liquid" diet (as opposed to "solid" food like salads) ... mushy baby food is easier/quicker to digest than greens ...
(+ i've got ALL my fingers and toes crossed for you that this is true in your ig's case!!!)

x-rays *can* be tricky to "read" ...
while there was obviously some sort of "mass" in her tummy, that does NOT rule out the very real possibility that it was "just" some fairly solidly packed food and/or poop!

everything you've "said" really sounds like *yes* this *IS* good news! i am THE MOST obsessive worrier on this forum ~ REALLY i am!! ask any of the "old timers" around here ... if there's any left but me ...?!
the fact that she *IS* eating and the even BETTER fact that she's not only pooping, but she's pooping ALOT, *AND* add to all that the fact that you can no longer feel any hardness in her tummy ~ hmmmm ... sounds like *Happy*Dance* time to me ... :)

thinkin' nice poopy thoughts for you! call her doc tomorrow + check with him!!!

best wishes!!!
Bon. (+ iZ, my guardian dragonbaby)

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Re: a question near (but NOT dear) to my heart ... Tmom 07/04/02 (1)
- :) .... nahhh, more like a curse ... LOL ... thank you!!!!! ....... nm ooey gooey hugs from iZ's mom 07/04/02 (0)

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: 1st of all i *gotta* say that if you aren't asking the vet these questions (as well us), then you *Should*!! and Keep Asking until it's explained so *you* understand it ... *grin* : ok ... : depending on *what* laxative he gave you for your ig ... there are some that not only "encourage" the bowels to move (thereby moving poop and hopefully anything else) but ALSO work to *soften* the poop ... : (ok, i just confused MYSELF ... lemme try again) : do you know the name of the laxative??? : i'm guessing it's prob'ly <a href="http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/topic100589608">Lactulose brands: Cephulac, Chronulac, Constulose, Duphalac, Enulose</a> ... it looks (+ tastes!) like syrup ... : the digestive system "draws moisture" from solid waste as the waste (poop!) is moving thru the system ... : diarrhea happens when the waste goes thru too fast ... : constipation is when poop gets "held in" too long ~ the body keeps drawing more + more moisture from it and that results in it (poop) becoming harder, drier, more dense, etc ... as well as more difficult to pass ... and then of course, it creates a "dam" effect, and "stuff" will start to pile up behind it ... : (i know WAAAAAY too much about poop!) : ok ... NOW ... : there are tons of *different* kinds of "laxatives" ..... : some just "encourage" the bowel muscles to move the solid waste along ... : some (Lactulose) also work to put more moisture back INTO the solid waste so that it's NOT so rock hard and dense ... *that* makes it easier to actually poop out, it will soften up to where it can conform the the size of the "poop tubes" that it's s'posed to go thru ... : (is this making sense?) : soooo ... : the point here is ... :) : when the ig *does* poop, if it was "just" a build up of hard poop (for WHATEVER reason!) it will not necessarily be obvious when the "mass" comes out ... it *can* look like normal poop even tho a few days ago it was hard lumps in the ig's side ... : since she's not eating as much but *IS* pooping as much, i would guess that whatever was seen on the xray *IS* coming out ok on it's own ... especially if she's just eating a fairly "liquid" diet (as opposed to "solid" food like salads) ... mushy baby food is easier/quicker to digest than greens ... : (+ i've got ALL my fingers and toes crossed for you that this is true in your ig's case!!!) : x-rays *can* be tricky to "read" ... : while there was obviously some sort of "mass" in her tummy, that does NOT rule out the very real possibility that it was "just" some fairly solidly packed food and/or poop! : everything you've "said" really sounds like *yes* this *IS* good news! i am THE MOST obsessive worrier on this forum ~ REALLY i am!! ask any of the "old timers" around here ... if there's any left but me ...?! : the fact that she *IS* eating and the even BETTER fact that she's not only pooping, but she's pooping ALOT, *AND* add to all that the fact that you can no longer feel any hardness in her tummy ~ hmmmm ... sounds like *Happy*Dance* time to me ... <big><big>:)</big></big> : thinkin' nice poopy thoughts for you! call her doc tomorrow + check with him!!! : best wishes!!! : Bon. (+ iZ, my guardian dragonbaby) : :

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