it's always something...

saya

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So the girls (piper and paige) have been pretty much non-stop medicine and vet visits since I got them.

One of the issues is loose stool. They've had it since before I adopted them. It was an issue the rescue was working on... They've been to the vet, had a stool sample looked at (negative for protozoa, tritrich or worms or anything for that matter) been on round after round of antibiotics and tons of Lysine in addition to their other meds, blah blah...

yesterday Piper went potty on the floor! and then again this morning! and then today Paige did too! BOTH girls had bloody and mucusy stools today.


I've spoken to the vet about this numerous times, but so far I have only noticed mucus, no blood.
We are treating both the girls with a broad spectrum anti-amoeba med. I had to order it from an outside pharmacy though and it won't be here for maybe a week.

I'm calling the vet again tomorrow, but anyone have an experience like this? Do you think it could be Coccidia and that's why it wasn't caught in the stool sample? Gah!!
I'm so frustrated and feel so sorry for these poor babies, they just can't get a break...
 

glitch

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Little Moocha had something along those lines, but more severe and unfortunatly he didn't make it! His last stool sample before he passed said it was coccidia and the vet told me that coccidia can cause that but doesn't always show up right away! I dont know, I kind of thought he was nuts when he told me that!

Sending major, MAJOR for a quick recovery!
 
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saya

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from what I've read the eggs of coccidia are much smaller than those of other worms and very difficult to see, which is why they're missed so often. The test is $80 every time though. The vet said you may have to test 5 or more times before you ever find anything, if there is indeed anything to find at all.

She recommended we treat anyway, she said it wouldn't be harmful if they didn't have an amoba... I just worry about them, but of course they don't worry... they play and make noise regardless
 

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Do you still feed them a raw diet? If so, is it exclusively raw?

Did they have loose stools before getting anti-biotics?
 

jennywhite686

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My kitten had coccidia when we adopted her, and she quickly gave it to our resident cat

The treatment is very easy to administer, very cheap to get, and our vet put both cats on a 3 week course. 5 weeks in, our kitten STILL had problems, so she went on another 2 week course. The eggs are hard to find, in the middle of her 3 week and 2 week courses, she was tested negative. However she must have had it because after the 2nd course everything cleared up. Its highly highly contagious - our resident cat caught it even though they were separated. So it would make sense both your kitties have it.
The most distinguishing feature of coccidia is the smell. I know all cat poop smells ghastly, but coccidia poop is SO foul. It really is!! Maybe if you've noticed a change in smell it might help convince your vet to treat them even with negative samples. I was also given a plastic syringe to administer a few mls of water to them per day above what they were drinking naturally. Also, I bleached their bowls, litter box, beds...
I hope your kittens do just have coccidia, its disgusting and a pain to get rid of once you have it in the house - but its cheap to treat and leaves no lasting problems
 

jen

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I cringe at the thought of non stop medication. If it were me and all the tests were coming back negative I would quit all the medications and see what happens. Of course monitor the cats, make sure they keep eating regularly and drinking, take temps if that was an issue, etc. I am very much against prescription medication for people and it is starting to pour over onto animals too. So much medication is just going to mess up their systems IMO. Overmedicating is not good. This is very much IMO, I don't know what to tell except I hope you figure things out and good luck!
 
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saya

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Originally Posted by mschauer

Do you still feed them a raw diet? If so, is it exclusively raw?

Did they have loose stools before getting anti-biotics?
no, I've pretty much stopped the raw because It's really hard to give them clavamox in something that doesn't really have a smell. I plan on starting them back on it tomorrow actually, now that we're done with the bubble gum flavored medicine.

yes, they had loose stools long before I brought them to live with me, I'm not sure for how long.


I cringe at the thought of non stop medication. If it were me and all the tests were coming back negative I would quit all the medications and see what happens. Of course monitor the cats, make sure they keep eating regularly and drinking, take temps if that was an issue, etc. I am very much against prescription medication for people and it is starting to pour over onto animals too. So much medication is just going to mess up their systems IMO. Overmedicating is not good. This is very much IMO, I don't know what to tell except I hope you figure things out and good luck!
I agree with you. I actually finished out their clavamox but I stopped all the other medicine and bumped up their Lysine instead. Everything but the diarrhea cleared up. I just got their Ronidazole today, a ten day course. This is a last ditch effort, if this doesn't work I'm just going to focus on their diet.

I am a little concerned though, I'll be calling the vet tomorrow. The dosage is 100mg and it says to give it twice a day.
everything I've read on this drug gives a recommended dosage of 35-50mg up to twice a day...

neurological side effects have been reported with higher dosages.
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by saya

no, I've pretty much stopped the raw because It's really hard to give them clavamox in something that doesn't really have a smell. I plan on starting them back on it tomorrow actually, now that we're done with the bubble gum flavored medicine.

yes, they had loose stools long before I brought them to live with me, I'm not sure for how long.
Did they have loose stools even when eating raw?

I asked about the antibiotics because they can cause loose stools. A probiotic like Bene Bac can restore the gut flora that the antibiotics knocked out of whack. Even if they had loose stools before starting them, they could have made it worst.

Let us know how it goes...
 

rang_27

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Here's my 2 cents
take it for what it's worth; my personal experience. When Levi & Jordan were kittens they had problems. Jordan had some loose stool. Levi had horrible liquid diarreha. They had several tests, I gave them several differnt dewormers & anti paricitic medicines. Nothing worked, finally I agreed to buy perscription dry food. It was low residue. Sure enough they both did great on the low residue food. I was feeding grain free wellness. Their little tummys could not handle the food. I don't know about the raw diet, but is it possible that it is too rich?

Recently Jordan had gassy nasty liquid diarreha, the vet & I thought it was due to his health issues or due to a new food. He was put on Flagyl despite a clean fecal. He got better, but then about 2 weeks later, Isaac came down with the same thing, then Maggie. They both went on the Flagyl, then Levi got it. So I just medicated all 4. This weekend I scrubbed & bleached litter boxes & floors around the litter boxes. So now that they are all better, I'm hoping it doesn't come back. I bring this up for 2 reasons. First have they been on Flagyl / Metronitizole? Second have they had differnt types of fecal tests? For example have they had a special test for Giardia? I do not know what the differnt names of the tests are, but I know that there is more than one fecal test. If there are other tests they can try they may find something.
 
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saya

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Originally Posted by mschauer

Did they have loose stools even when eating raw?
no actually, they didn't. After a week on the raw diet their stools were perfect. I had to start giving them clavamox for a URI they developed (turned out is was actually a herpes flare up) and they wouldn't take it in their raw food. My girls are monsters to med so I always try to take the lowest stress way possible.

First have they been on Flagyl / Metronitizole? Second have they had differnt types of fecal tests? For example have they had a special test for Giardia? I do not know what the differnt names of the tests are, but I know that there is more than one fecal test. If there are other tests they can try they may find something
They just started their Ronidazole last night. They have been tested for giardia, coccidia, tri trich and other amoeba infections. Tests came back negative but we (the vet and I) decided to treat anyway because we both think it was a false negative based on their symptoms.

I also picked up some Benebac for them today...
 
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