Doses - SALINE / HYPEROSMOTIC LAXATIVES, MAGNESIUM SALTS, SODIUM PHOSPHATE SALTS, PEG 3350 PRODUCTS

Dogs:

Magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia) as a cathartic:
a) 5 - 10 ml (Davis 1985a)
b) 1 - 20 ml PO (Rossoff 1974)
Sodium sulfate:
a) 1 gram/kg PO (Grauer and Hjelle 1988b)
b) 5 - 25 grams PO (Davis 1985a)
Magnesium sulfate:
a) 5 - 25 grams PO (Davis 1985a)
b) 2 - 60 grams PO (Rossoff 1974)
Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Solution:
a) 22 - 33 mls/kg PO by stomach tube before lower GI exam (Plumb 1988)

Cats:

Magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia) as a cathartic:
a) 2 - 6 ml (Davis 1985a)
b) 1 - 5 ml PO (Rossoff 1974)
Sodium sulfate:
a) 2 - 5 grams PO (Davis 1985a)
Magnesium sulfate:
a) 2 - 5 grams PO (Davis 1985a), (Rossoff 1974)

Cattle:

Magnesium sulfate (as a cathartic):
a) 0.5 - 1 kg/500 kg orally (Whitlock 1986b)
b) 1 - 2 gm/kg PO (Howard 1986)
Magnesium oxide:
a) 0.5 - 1 kg/500 kg orally (Whitlock 1986b)
Sodium Sulfate:
a) 1 - 3 gm/kg PO (Howard 1986)

Horses:

Magnesium sulfate (epsom salt):
a) 0.2 gm/kg diluted in 4 L of warm water administered via nasogastric tube. Administeronly to well hydrated animals (ideally in conjunction with IV fluid therapy). Do not treatlonger than 3 days or there is an increased risk of enteritis or magnesium toxicityoccurring. (Clark and Becht 1987)
b) To reduce absorption of toxicants and GI transit time: 500 gm (as a 20% solution) PO.
If mineral oil has been used initially, give saline cathartic 30-45 minutes after mineraloil. (Oehme 1987)

Swine:

Magnesium sulfate (as a cathartic):
a) 1 - 2 gm/kg PO (Howard 1986)

Birds:

Magnesium sulfate:
a) To act as a cathartic and reduce lead absorption: 0.5 -1.0 gm/kg PO as a 5% solution indrinking water (McDonald 1986)
Monitoring Parameters -

1) Fluid and electrolyte status in susceptible patients or if using high doses or chronically.

2) Clinical efficacy
Client Information - Do not give dosages greater than, or for periods of time longer than recommended by veterinarian. Contact veterinarian if patient begins vomiting.
Dosage Forms/Preparations/FDA Approval Status/Withholding Times - Saline catharticproducts have apparently not been formally approved for use in domestic animals. They areavailable without prescription (OTC). PEG 3350 products are available only by prescription and areapproved for use in humans.
Veterinary-Approved Products: None located

Human-Approved Products:

Saline Laxatives (not an inclusive list):
Magnesium Citrate (Citrate of Magnesia): powder and oral solution
Magnesium Hydroxide: powder, suspension (Milk of Magnesia)
Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt): crystals, powder
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic or Monobasic: powder
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic 900 mg/5ml with Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic 2.4 gm/5ml oralsolution
Fleet® Phospho®-Soda (Fleet)
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic 60 mg/ml with Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic 160 mg/ml rectalsolution
Fleet® Enema (Fleet), Fleet® Pediatric Enema (Fleet)
Hyperosmotic Laxatives (not an inclusive list):
Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Solution
OCL® Solution (Abbott) per 100 ml: 146 mg Sodium Chloride, 168 mg Sodium Bicarbonate, 1.29 grams Sodium Sulfate Decahydrate, 75 mg potassium chloride, 6 grams PEG-3350and 30 ml Polysorbate-80
CoLyte® (R&C) Packets to make 2 liters of solution: 2.92 gm Sodium Chloride, 3.36 gm
Sodium Bicarbonate, 11.36 gm Sodium Sulfate, 1.49 gm potassium chloride, 120 gm
PEG-3350 (Also available in 1 gallon and 6 liter sizes)
GoLYTELY® (Braintree Labs) contains per 4800 ml container: 5.86 gm Sodium Chloride, 6.74 gm Sodium Bicarbonate, 22.74 gm Sodium Sulfate, 2.97 gm potassium chloride, 236 gm PEG-3350