Colloidal Silver usage for cats' health in some occasions?

There is a lot for and against using Colloidal Silver on a web.

Does anyone know whether it is beneficial to heal old deep wounds on a cat?

Perhaps daubing it onto the wound or spraying it onto that wound?

Thank you so much Carolina!

At last I hear that someone has positive information about this and I'm encouraged by what you said.

Our vets said that CS can be used, but they never used it themselves on animals and I was hesitant to experiment.  I only want a sure thing.

I'm in the process of getting Colloidal Silver now.

Hope it'll help my May.

Her wound is really large and deep.  It was left open after drain taken out.

She had two operations by now and major infection (lots of pus) is over, but I wish the hole on her leg would start healing.

We are at Vets almost every day for treatments for over a month.

Hope that CS will help it heal.

PS: your website is beautiful.

Thank you very much Carolina and Violet.

This is true that we are still going to vets everyday by now.  May got hurt and had her first operation on 28-11-2011.  So, it's more than a month now.

I would not use anything on my cats without vets' approval.

With antibiotics it is very tricky.  She's been on four types of antibiotics by now but these antibiotics are the ones that are commonly used on cats by our vets without drastic damage to kidneys, liver and other organs.  I mentioned about taking culture of the pus to find the right antibiotic to start with, but they told me that they had a cat earlier this year and they did just that and the antibiotic to kill that bacteria was very strong and wound eventually had healed after infection, but the cat died at the end from kidneys failure.  We decided to go carefully about drugs and it is expected that wound takes time to heal.  I also give her sometimes probiotic yogurt.

Vets also said that the infection May has is the worst kind that you get from scavenger dogs' mouths and it's very stubborn infection; and nowadays not only humans, but even animals have developed resistance to antibiotics.  They will not close the hole in her leg, or cover it up.  They resumed flushing the wound with antiseptics.

Of course I can't use CS for flushing of inside the wound vets said, but daub it all around on the outside carefully not to over-use it.

I'm not yet using CS, but in the process of trying to get it locally.  

This is the first time I hear that CS is effective only against some of the bacteria.  And therefore I'm worried.  I read on a web that it actually kills all or great majority of bacteria types and it can not affect organs and if used not for very long - it has no side-effects and does not affect immune system.  But once again that's it is good to hear from people with experience using it.

Although May's immunity is good, but with all this troubles I believe her body is a lot weaker now.

I just want that wound to heal quicker, so that she can go off drugs all together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violet 

I urge you to have a test done for bacteria in the wound now. At this point your vet actually needs to check for anaerobic bacteria deep in the wound.

 

You also need to consider nutritional deficiencies that make wound healing very difficult. Depending on kitty's present diet you may have to upgrade the diet and even use a nuitritional supplement rich in the nutrients that help with wound healing.

 

Has kitty been tested for elevated blood glucose? Also something that interferes with wound healing.

 

What about infectious diseases such as FeLV and FIV? Has kitty been tested/retested for those very recently?

 

Normally antibiotics don't cause organ failure. It takes very high doses and prolonged use for something like that to happen (from certain antibiotics). But this is totally preventable.

Some antibiotics should only be used for seven days. But that's long enough for effective treatment. Any more can be an overdose causing health problems. So it's extremely important to read up very thoroughly on any antibiotic before even the first dose is administered. Getting information and advice from a pharmacist can also be very helpful, in fact life-saving, preventing misuse of a medication.

 

And a question. Is kitty allowed to lick the wound?  Do you ever see her doing that? 

(Licking a wound can also prevent healing.)

 

Thank you very much Violet for your kind reply.

No, May was not tested for FeLV and FIV (there is no-where to test in a country we live).

There is a University where they try this and that, but I will NEVER take May there, because they use animals to teach students and use them to experiment with different things not necessarily keeping cat's best interests in mind.  Even our vets say this.  In that university they don't just do things and let you go - they keep your cat in there for some time.

But by May's general health vets feel that she would not be positive for those sicknesses.  They see my cats on regular bases and May is the oldest - 3 years and 3 month (others are just about three years).

May is vaccinated on regular bases as my all other cats.

All our medications only supplied by vets, there is nothing can be purchased from pharmacies without prescription anyways.

Normally May is not a licker.  She does not lick the wound, but she does occasionally lick at the back of the wounded leg, where she now developed a huge 'hot spot' along the whole back of the leg where some stitches were before and where the end of drain was - I think you are right on about it.  We apply the special ointment which is safe if cat licks it, and at least the skin is not wet anymore.

Any collar including Elizabethian collar sends her mad and she can hurt herself.  We tried.  Also what slows down the healing process perhaps that it is not possible to keep her inside only.  I started off in doing so, and in couple of days, as sick as she was - she was throwing herself against window glass and we fear she can be hurt more, and worse of all - if she is restricted in any way - she stops eating.

Outside she behaves most carefully (outside meaning in a yard.  Our yard a fully walled by two meter walls, which of course is not a barrier for cats, but May does not go over now naturally with a leg like that - she can't).  She is of feral origin as all other cats in where we live, and this is unfortunate thing with them - they will not stay inside only.  I have discussed this with vets, and they said that all in all stressing a cat will also slow down the healing or worse.  At least if I don't restrict May's freedom - she stays in the house mostly anyways.  So you are right about us having many disadvantages in healing.  

That's why I'm just looking for anything else possible to help her heal.

Feeding...  There is not much choice in commercial cat food in Zimbabwe.  But we get imported whiskers and purina friskies and lesser 'kitty cat' brand. (I get wet satchets with gravy whenever I can find them).  I chose the kitten formula for her, but she doesn't eat much of it, if any.

My cats were raised on a raw diet, and May eats at the moment raw beef of the freshest and best quality we go around and buy.

I'm not force-feeding her now.  At least she eats well for about 4 days and is happier.

But to start with - it was a nightmare.  You are right, she became almost skin and bones and therefore weak.

I used to force-feed her from syringes with baby food and thick chicken broth/jelly.  She would not throw up food, but any supplements or pills she would go and vomit after it was put into her mouth.  We bought special supplements with vitamins and minerals suggested by vets, but now can't give it to her.

Her favourite used to be raw chicken meat (from drumsticks) - I'd cut them up for cats, but now she favors beef stroganoff raw meat (not spiced nor salted of course) or beef fillets cut up.

You are also right about a bacteria test, and I'll bring it up tomorrow morning when we go to vets to just test it anyways.

My husband just got in touch with people selling colloidal silver and the lady offered to come over today to explain all about this product and to see the wound.  So kind of her.

But when I get it today - I will NOT apply it, but will take it with me to vets tomorrow morning and tell them all about what lady will say and see what and how vets will use it.  And then I will do exactly as vets will say.

Thank you so much for caring and answering my question in detail.   You sound very knowledgeable.  Are you are a vet or technician?

Nadia and May.

Thank you Violet and Carolina.

I printed and am taking the article from your link to the vets and will ask them to test for bacteria.

Unfortunately I can't buy anything on line, because our credit cards are banned (country is sanctioned).

Blood-work they can do, but testing blood will not be for everything.  I'm not sure what they can test for.

It's more or less what a human blood can be tested for here, because they test in the same labs.

Thank you once again very much for your help.

I will let you know the outcome with Colloidal Silver and what the lady and vets say about it and how it goes.

This is May on 7-11-11 - three weeks before injury.

Just came from vets.

Not good news.

Her temperature was once again high: 39.7

May got her antibiotic and shot of dexamethason.

Vet scraped some of the dead tissue from her wound and flushed it.

To my question about taking bacterial culture from the wound - he said that I could go to the lab of course, but he doesn't really trust the results anyway, they proved wrong on many occasions.  Perhaps that's why the other kitty died last year - they can't do the job with equipment available.  In here we don't have equipment or even some of the basic stuff for many things.  Our medicine is very laid back even for humans.  I know of many stories when some people died even in hospitals from very stupid things here.

Vet said that he wants to see Colloidal Silver and he heard from some others that it's very good.  Unfortunately I didn't get it yesterday, but lady promised to bring it today in the afternoon.

Our best hopes are now lie with it.

So, our vets don't deny complementary medicine - anything that can help is good.

I just hope that CS will kill all the bacteria that May has.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carolina 


Do you have any other vet you can go to?
I am curious why a vet would give a shot of steroids, suppressing her immune-system even further when the kitty is trying to fight such a huge infection... especially such a potent steroid. Did he say what the steroid was for?
Also - you don't need fancy lab equipment to run a culture - a sample of the pus/ diseased tissue is simply put in a petri-dish in optimum medium and temperature so the bacteria multiply - then simple tests are run. Vet offices or labs will do that - this is not fancy stuff - this is very very basic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacterial_culture
At this point I would urge you to seek another vet for your girl if at all possible - I do not understand why this vet is giving you such a hard time.....
If not possible, yes, I would definitely take her to the lab.....
Make sure the CS is 500ppm

Oh, I contacted some vets available on a phone already and all I got was that they have to start treatments all over and that it's best for me to speak to my vets.

We don't have many good vets around here.  Our vets themselves went for a second opinion and discussed it with vets they know.  But everybody knows them, because they are the main surgery in here and everyone else branches out from them.

Even such as this - they don't even have a computer for records in surgery.  That might explain just a bit how under-developed everything for animals here.

I can't argue with them, I myself don't know better and have to rely on them.

If the culture is so easy to do - then perhaps the people working at the lab are incompetent to do so many mistakes?  We don't have many educated and dedicated people.

I've seen on a web so many of the surgeries in first world countries and what they have and what they do.  It is perhaps so difficult to understand that some things are not the same some other place in a world, even if these things are so simple?  It is very difficult for myself to understand.

Okay, I've written down 500ppm on my notes to ask that lady when she comes.  Thank  you Carolina!

But what this 500ppm means?

Also one of my friends suggested getting lactoferrin for her which is apparently is readily available in US even in cat treats (we don't have ANY treats for cats around here), but we don't have it nor we have a substitute for it.  Just some vitamins and tonics for children which of course are given by mouth, but May vomits them away.  Couldn't trick her mixing it with her food either.

This kind of steroid drug - I read a lot of terrible stuff about it on a web, and I brought to vets printouts of it, and they say, yes, they know, but in limited amounts and not for long in their practice it works for cats as a miracle.  Well, it made May eat well, it brings down her temperature.  She is happier.  But of course we would not be able to continue with this drug for long.
 

It just seems to me sometimes that in Zimbabwe no-one cares for animals (well, very bitter remark on my behalf).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carolina 


500ppm means 500 parts per million - that is how the concentration of the colloidal silver is measured, basically - any less and it will not work.
Yes, steroids WILL make them eat - BUT will suppress their immune-system, preventing her from fighting this infection...... which at this point..... is kind of counter productive IMHO.....
You are in Zimbabwe, right?
Do you have RAW Organic Honey in there? I imagine you do?

Never looked for honey as such, but will do now.

I know that they don't make organic foods here, but perhaps they sell straight honey without treating it - I hope they do.  I will find out.

How would it help May?

She will not eat tuna from cans.  She doesn't eat ANY cooked foods for humans, hardly eats commercial foods for cats.

I tired every food suggested by vets, but she at the moment only eats fresh beef cut-up (non-fat and best quality).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carolina 

To make her eat - do people have aquariums in there? Silly questions - but you know those flakes you give to the fish as food? Fish flakes? Like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_flakes Do you think you can find it in there? You can put that on the top of her food - works really well - I use for my finicky cat and he loves it
What about tuna - not for a long time, but will she eat tuna?
Raw meat? Cooked chicken?

Fish flakes?  I will find this out too.  Perhaps I can get it here.  Is this suppose to make them eat?

Just phoned my husband who is out, and he is getting the fish flakes.

I thank you so much Carolina for such a great support and advice!

Just replaced my avatar.  I put May's pictures everywhere in my life.

Sorry if this was a bit confusing change.

Just because you are so great to help me with your experience and advice - I'm posting pictures for you.

Here is my hubby with May whilst she is having a compress on her wound of a gauze saturated with tee-tree oil (just a bit) and aloe vera that grows in our garden (treatment approved by our vets)

Oh, well, fish flakes didn't work. All my cats turned their nose on it, even dogs did.

I guess they are not the same as sold where you are.

But... Anything worth trying...

I'll do anything for my baby May, even if I don't eat myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violet 

Ambermay, just very quickly because I have to run, warning about tea tree oil and some other essential oils. These are toxic to cats.   Please do NOT use tea tree oil. 

 

Detailed info in this article

 

TEA TREE OIL - TOXIC TO CATS

 

http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

Thank you Violet.

Our vets said the same if she licks it and we are not doing it anymore.  In-fact we are doing nothing at the moment, just waiting for Colloidal Silver to arrive.

And then it only will be used after vets approve tomorrow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carolina 


Awwwwww What a sweet sweet picture
And what a beautiful little girl you have
So, how is she doing today? Did the CS arrive?

I was holding back to let  you all know the outcome after I came back from vets.

I must say that yesterday after a vet visit (May was doing so badly in the morning) - I took a risk and took an action yesterday afternoon in using CS before vets.

Lady said all there is about the product and I was so very excited.

She brought whole five liters and charged us only $25!!!  I said - you are undercharging.  Well, she said it's new in this country and complementary therapy and we just try to help.

I asked her all the questions and it is definitely the true stuff no less than 500ppm and pure 100% silver used.  She has a special generator for it and she knew all I talk about.

She also is able to make it in different strength.

We flushed the wound together and...  well, she asked me to keep her updated on this.

Not to repeat myself it's what I wrote to her just now after coming back from vets:

Copying my email to her which states all in detail:

"Dear Odette

I’m very excited.  We held it till now to write to you because I wanted to also tell you what vets will say.

Here is what happened with May so far:  (of course you will have expected such a positive outcome as it is).

Yesterday after we flushed her wound together, I flushed it for the second time about 2 hours later and later still I soaked a large piece of cotton wool to cover her whole leg and held it against it for about 5 minutes (as long as she would put up with me holding her).

The heat rush at the back of her leg was almost gone even after a second flush, even though she was licking it after treatment.

In the evening I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing May’s behaviour.  She became alive almost within hours as she wasn’t for a very long time during her sickness.  She is back to her normal self, and if one could see no wound – one would never guess that she was sick.

So the start was so positive – it exceeded all my expectations.

Night did not bring any negative changes in her and she still eats and acts very well.

In the morning around 6 to 7am I flushed her wound again with CS, after which I took her to vets at 8:00am.

Now I’m back from vets and writing.

Just to say that yesterday morning Dr. Park saw and scraped and flushed with betadine a lot of necrotic tissue and some pus from that ‘pocket’ in a wound.  He was very worried and the temperature was 39.7 and May was quite listless in the morning.

He gave May her daily antibiotic and also Dexamethasone she was getting every second day for temperature and to make her eat.

He promised to speak to Karyn and that they would make a plan together.

Today Karyn said that Dr. Park suggested to cut her up again and try to do something else for the tissue to start closing up quicker – they are planning to get some strong stuff (forgot the name of it).

But after seeing the wound – Karyn said she doesn’t want to do it as yet.  The temperature was 39.2 which is always a bit elevated when we go to vets (May is not fond of that place, nor riding in cars).

I told Karyn what we did yesterday and also I brought some CS in a small bottle to them (I have sterilised bottle with boiled water and let it dry naturally before de-canting some CS into it).  Karyn flushed May’s  wound with it again and was impressed that there was no pus and not much of anything bad in that wound.  Well, I flushed if of course before going but even from the night time there was hardly anything bad in a wound apart from a bit of dirt (unfortunately I can’t stop her rolling in it).

Karyn called dr. Park and he saw the wound and he could not believe that it’s the same wound he saw yesterday.

I left the balance of SC in that small bottle for them to try on small scratches or so and the printouts.  They were very interested and impressed with a product and decided even to take her off antibiotic and dexamethasone.  (That was the main reason I took her in this morning – I’m not game really to take her of medications on my own).  So, it was done to everybody’s satisfaction, most of all May’s.

We all agreed that she must be off drugs now and I must only do the regular flushes with Colloidal Silver and I don’t have to bring her in unless I’m really worried with something.

I’ll see what happens over the long weekend, for we are a bit worried for her temperature (which kept persistently high for over a month) without drugs.

But now they want to give her another break from drugs and we put our hopes on Colloidal Silver.

If this won’t work out – then they will follow Dr. Park’s suggestion and having rested from drugs – she will be better off if another operation will be needed.

Karen also said that it is a very good idea that CS you gave me is not the strongest, because it seems to work as it is, just as you said.

I now would like to ask you this:  The old black dog you saw (she is 14 and is not extremely healthy).  Nothing serious, but flies are just eating on her ears and we used any possible ointments for flies, and she is very smelly though we use furminator on her and bath her every week with ‘happy hound’ shampoo for dogs.  But would CS help in any way?  Perhaps to soak her ears with it or even wipe or wet her fur with it?  Or perhaps give it tiny bit by mouth?  If you think it is a good idea – I would need another 10 lts?

Well, all in all so far is so good, we will keep you updated and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for your kind help and God Bless.

Nadia and Peter.

PS:  Sorry if there are any grammar and spelling mistakes."