TF Parasite - Test was Negative.. what the heck?!

kady05

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Well, I can't update my original post title (have no idea why). Since I know a few of you wanted me to update you when I got Ozzy's test results back, I figured I'd post this. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, see my previous posts


Vet called last Tuesday and said the test came back negative. I was super busy when they called, so I didn't get a chance to talk to them about anything, other than that the results were negative for the TF parasite. Have had some family stuff since then, so haven't had a chance to call yet. I'm planning on calling Monday and saying 'Ok, what's next?' because Ozzy's stools were BAD over the weekend.

Now, my boyfriend was taking care of the cats (we had to go out of town), and Ozzy is rather skittish (definitely not a typical Ragdoll), so I'm wondering if he was just super stressed and that's why they were so bad. However, even before we left, they were starting to get bad again. This is just ridiculous, and so frustrating!

His breeder suggested a round of Clavamox & Albon, to see if they help. Not sure what they vets suggestion is, as I haven't called yet. My parents (Ozzy is their cat) have asked me if we should just treat him as if he does have the TF parasite, and see what happens. I guess if we went that route, and it worked, we would treat Brody as well. His breeder just thinks that it seems highly unlikely that they'd both have IBD or food allergies. Stranger things have happened though, so who knows.

What does everyone think?
 

mschauer

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When Coco's tests for parasites (including T.foetus) came back negative I started considering for of the other possibles such as those suggested in your other thread.
 
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kady05

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Well, we've kind of ruled out IBD, since the Prednisone did nothing to help Ozzy, and after a few days of improving, Brody was back to loose again as well. Since they're already on a limited ingredient diet (Rabbit & Green Pea), we've eliminated certain food issues as well.

I did try the Eagle Pack probiotic, and Ozzy didn't want to eat his food with it in there. So, I'll try that again, and just put a tiny bit on his food.

I forgot to mention that I did start adding small amounts of Purina One Sensitive Stomach food into their food a couple weeks ago. I haven't noticed any changes, good or bad, which is why I'm not thinking it isn't a food related issue.

I feel like I have tried pretty much everything, that's why I'm so frustrated. And I agree with my breeder, it would be rather odd if both cats, which came from different lines, and different catteries (Brody is from a friend of hers that's in MI), both have IBD or food allergies. I could see one having it, but ending up with 2 cats that both have food allergies/IBD/etc.? Who knows.
 

mschauer

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What foods are you now feeding (including if wet or dry)?

What did you mix the Eagle Pack with (including if wet or dry)?
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by mschauer

What foods are you now feeding (including if wet or dry)?

What did you mix the Eagle Pack with (including if wet or dry)?


with pro biotic and digestive supplements you may have to try several before success
 
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kady05

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Both Ozzy & Brody eat the Royal Canin Limited Ingredient Rabbit & Green Pea, dry. That is mixed with the Purina One Sensitive Stomach now (has been for approx. 2-3wks.). It's about a 70/30 mix (70 being the RC food).
No wet food at all. It's always seemed to make their symptoms worse.

The Eagle Pack supplement was mixed in before I added the Purina One in. I tried it for maybe a week; Brody ate it fine, but Ozzy turned his nose up when it was added to the food. I took them off of it before testing for the TF parasite because everyone suggested to take them off all meds/supplements before the test was run.
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by kady05

Both Ozzy & Brody eat the Royal Canin Limited Ingredient Rabbit & Green Pea, dry. That is mixed with the Purina One Sensitive Stomach now (has been for approx. 2-3wks.). It's about a 70/30 mix (70 being the RC food).
No wet food at all. It's always seemed to make their symptoms worse.

The Eagle Pack supplement was mixed in before I added the Purina One in. I tried it for maybe a week; Brody ate it fine, but Ozzy turned his nose up when it was added to the food. I took them off of it before testing for the TF parasite because everyone suggested to take them off all meds/supplements before the test was run.
Did the EP seem to help Brody any? Is there something Ozzie thinks is tasty that you can mix it with? When I first started giving it to Coco I mixed it with an equal portion of brewers yeast and added some water to make a thin gruel. She loved it! I feed her all wet now so I just mix it in that. Also, the Dr. Goodpet brand has a supplement that is tasteless but it only has digestive enzymes, no prebiotics or probiotics.

Since you are feeding dry, you could try Eukanuba or Iams hairball. They are high in fiber and others have found that can help with loose stools. I'm not sure what I think about feeding a high fiber food long term but at this point it would be helpful to just find something that works.

Also, I would feed only one food to keep things simple. I'd go with the RC since it is limited ingredient.
 
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kady05

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Originally Posted by mschauer

Did the EP seem to help Brody any? Is there something Ozzie thinks is tasty that you can mix it with? When I first started giving it to Coco I mixed it with an equal portion of brewers yeast and added some water to make a thin gruel. She loved it! I feed her all wet now so I just mix it in that. Also, the Dr. Goodpet brand has a supplement that is tasteless but it only has digestive enzymes, no prebiotics or probiotics.

Since you are feeding dry, you could try Eukanuba or Iams hairball. They are high in fiber and others have found that can help with loose stools. I'm not sure what I think about feeding a high fiber food long term but at this point it would be helpful to just find something that works.

Also, I would feed only one food to keep things simple. I'd go with the RC since it is limited ingredient.
I don't think it helped him much, but he's in (and has been) a 'good phase' right now. I'm going to add some to their food tommorrow and see if Ozzy will like it better this time.
Their breeder did suggest trying a hairball formula food as well, so maybe that'll be my next route. The only reason I wanted to try the Purina One was because I wanted to see if they *really* needed to be on the RC food.. it's $35 for 6lbs., and the Ragdolls are BIG eaters. So, I wanted to see if I could get them off of the RC onto something less expensive, that may also help firm them up. Obviously the RC isn't working for Ozzy; either that or he has something else going on that no food change will help.

We'll see what the vet says tomorrow!
 

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Unless you have a negative biopsy you can't rule out the IBD unfortunately. Sometimes prednisolone doesn't help at lower or short term dosing. Also, newer studies are questioning the cats ability to convert prednisone to the active form of prednisolone, so if you gave the standard prednisone it may not have been affective.

Right now my kitty has been on 10mg of Prenisolone for 12 days and still no improvement, he will stay on 10mg a day until improvement starts. He has confirmed IBD by biopsy. ( actually has triaditis). Some kitties can never be off the steroids.

Have you had an ultrasound done to look for thickened intestines? That will give a good presumptive DX of IBD. Might be less expensive than and EGD with biopsy.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by kady05

So, I wanted to see if I could get them off of the RC onto something less expensive, that may also help firm them up. Obviously the RC isn't working for Ozzy; either that or he has something else going on that no food change will help.
don't know if it's any less expensive, but Natural Balance also makes a limited ingredient food.
 
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kady05

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Originally Posted by kittymonsters

Unless you have a negative biopsy you can't rule out the IBD unfortunately. Sometimes prednisolone doesn't help at lower or short term dosing. Also, newer studies are questioning the cats ability to convert prednisone to the active form of prednisolone, so if you gave the standard prednisone it may not have been affective.

Right now my kitty has been on 10mg of Prenisolone for 12 days and still no improvement, he will stay on 10mg a day until improvement starts. He has confirmed IBD by biopsy. ( actually has triaditis). Some kitties can never be off the steroids.

Have you had an ultrasound done to look for thickened intestines? That will give a good presumptive DX of IBD. Might be less expensive than and EGD with biopsy.
Yeah, I know that, vet just said if the Prednisone did nothing, we could basically rule IBD out. He did say the only way to confirm it was a biopsy/ultrasound though. We chose to go the less invasive route first.

I think Ozzy is better this morning, which could mean that his 'issues' are stress related. As I said, he's extremely skittish, and our house has been a mess lately between Christmas, and my parents leaving for days/weeks at a time. So maybe this could all be from stress? Or at least some of it.. I'm not sure.

Regarding the Natural Balance food, I've tried that (the Duck & Green Pea), made everything worse.
 

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Kady - I have to be quick but here are a few things to consider:

1. Negative TF tests aren't always completely accurate so it could be a false negative. You could try the ronidazole just be very careful with it and make sure they are weighed before to get the right dosage.

2. Peas give my Maggie instant diarrhea so you might want to look at changing their food completely and then decide if it's a food problem or not.

3. Eagle Pack is a flavored probiotic/enzyme and I would go with something more simple right now. You can buy human probiotics and they're tasteless so it shouldn't bother your cat to eat them in their wet food. The ones I'm using now with great success are:

Solary Multidophilus 12 and
Primadophilus Reuteri

These completely stopped Maggie's diarrhea. I'll try to write more later when I can. Good luck!
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by tamgirl99

3. Eagle Pack is a flavored probiotic/enzyme and I would go with something more simple right now. You can buy human probiotics and they're tasteless so it shouldn't bother your cat to eat them in their wet food. The ones I'm using now with great success are:

Solary Multidophilus 12 and
Primadophilus Reuteri
Be aware that these are probiotics only. The EP contains prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes. It could well be that probiotics only will help.
 

twokatz

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How frustrating! As Tamgirl said false negatives are fairly common, there are a lot of things that could cause this. The problem with the EP and many other supplements for cats, is the flavorings and additives. These cats are extremely sensitive so as you look for something that helps, keep it simple and add or change one thing at a time slowly. Otherwise you won't have any idea what worked or made it worse. Mine will not tolerate prebiotics or enzymes (or just about anything else good for them!) Good luck and hang in there. Keep us posted.
 
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kady05

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Didn't get a chance to call the vet yesterday, and they closed today because we're supposed to get snow at some point (my entire city seems to shut down if there's a CHANCE of snow
).

However, Brody & Ozzy's stool seemed 'ok' today. Not like my two other, 'normal' cats, but not tracked all over the laundry room/all over the litter box either
. It's so weird. They are due for a bag of food, and I'm trying to decide if I should stick with the Purina Sensitive Stomach, or go for one of the Hairball formulas that have been mentioned. Not sure I want to change the food again, since the Purina/Royal Canin mix doesn't seem to be upsetting them anymore than normal.

I did think the TF test could be a false negative. I have to take my dog into the vet this week anyway, so maybe I'll ask then what they think about treating them for it without a positive test result.

I'll try to Eagle Pack stuff again tonight to see if Ozzy will eat it.
Since these guys are being discussed so much, here are pictures of the 'culprits'
:

Brody: http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/41...500x500Q85.jpg

Ozzy:
http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/37...500x500Q85.jpg
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by kady05

Didn't get a chance to call the vet yesterday, and they closed today because we're supposed to get snow at some point (my entire city seems to shut down if there's a CHANCE of snow
).

However, Brody & Ozzy's stool seemed 'ok' today. Not like my two other, 'normal' cats, but not tracked all over the laundry room/all over the litter box either
. It's so weird. They are due for a bag of food, and I'm trying to decide if I should stick with the Purina Sensitive Stomach, or go for one of the Hairball formulas that have been mentioned. Not sure I want to change the food again, since the Purina/Royal Canin mix doesn't seem to be upsetting them anymore than normal.

I did think the TF test could be a false negative. I have to take my dog into the vet this week anyway, so maybe I'll ask then what they think about treating them for it without a positive test result.

I'll try to Eagle Pack stuff again tonight to see if Ozzy will eat it.
Since these guys are being discussed so much, here are pictures of the 'culprits'
:

Brody: http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/41...500x500Q85.jpg

Ozzy:
http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/37...500x500Q85.jpg
They're gorgeous!

I think it's weird that their stools are so much worst on one day over another with no cooresponding change in food. With Coco her stool was always at least pudding like. At worst it was watery.

It took me months to find a solution but I did find one. Don't give up!
 
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kady05

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Originally Posted by mschauer

They're gorgeous!

I think it's weird that their stools are so much worst on one day over another with no cooresponding change in food. With Coco her stool was always at least pudding like. At worst it was watery.

It took me months to find a solution but I did find one. Don't give up!
Thank you


Yes, it is really weird how their stools change. In fact, Brody just went, and it was totally normal! This is the first normal stool I've seen from him in a LONG time. Ozzy did too, and his was his normal 'cow pie' like consistancy. So weird.
I think I'm definitely going to stick with the Purina food for now.. while I don't really like the ingredients/quality of it, I have to put that aside for now if it works!
 
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kady05

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Originally Posted by laureen227

i died from their beauty!
They're lucky they're cute! As much ehem.. crap.. as I've put up with from them for a year
.
 
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