NEED help--ghirrardia?!!?

imogen

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I have been an infrequent poster here--but always get good advice! And that's exactly what I need now.

I am an American living in Russia. I have two cats--one of whom I brought from the US. She (Beazy) is having some health problems. About three years ago, I went away for two weeks and she quit eating. She developed "fatty liver" condition. Long-time readers may remember the drama involved with Russian vets! Eventually, they gave me what I asked for and she recovered.

I was gone for three weeks this time (just adopted a little six-year-old girl!). When we came back I found that Beazy has been sick again. (I should just never go away...) I think that the person watching the cats gave them tap water. Our water here is horrible. It's very likely that she has ghirrardia now.

She is having chronic diarrhea. It's taken all the fur off of under her tail, so it must be pretty severe. The area is red and inflamed.

I've washed it with a gentle soap and water. (She didn't like that.) and put neosporin with pain relief on it. It looks better...but the underlying cause remains.

I did change her food from Royal Canin Light (yes, she's too heavy) to Iams lamb & chicken because both cats' coats were horrible--fur just coming out. I chose the Iams lamb and chicken b/c Beazy had eaten Iams lamb & rice successfully in the past. That wasn't an option here and now, so I got lamb & chicken. Her food was changed a month ago--slowly introducing the new food into the old in greater and greater proportions.

Should I change it back? Change to a Royal Canin food? Find a brand that is just lamb?

Any ideas about the intestinal issues? I do suspect it's ghirrardia. Vet care here is...lacking. They will just give her an iv with saline and vitamins. They don't believe ghirrardia is a problem (I've asked.) and won't treat it. But, it's not too hard to obtain antibiotics here. If anyone has experience with this and can tell me how they successfully treated it, I can give it a try.

Many thanks!!
Kate (and Beazy)
 
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imogen

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chris, that sounds great! i'm just not sure i can communicate that to the local pharmacy. i'll give it a try, though.

mr. blanche, the residents here will be quick to tell you that their water is clean. it's the PIPES that are corroded.
and, yes--it's scary. no one drinks the water here unless it's boiled. even then most ex-pats don't.
 

sharky

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going nova

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Giardia in the water supply? That's scary!
I once read somewhere that traveler's diarrhea is often due to giardiasis.

To the OP, I once had a kitten with giardia and my vet prescribed something called "Panacur." It came in powder form, and I am not clear on what the dosage was.
 

hissy

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can you get plain yogurt with active cultures there? or any type of probiotics at all?
 
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