no solid deposits in litter box since I cleaned it yesterday afternoon

matts mom

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He's on Ommoxocillan, and had the runs until a few days ago, when it slowly started to solidify. Yesterday what I cleaned was less than normal, but about normal for solidity. He's peeing a lot, and on wet food with water added.

Change in his diet when his bowels changed was the intoduction of Pill Pockets

He's got 4 days left on his meds.

I also noticed pimples on his face, and he's rubbing/washing them a lot so I think they itch....hives?

Vet's closed till monday

Top question........What do I do to help along his bowels? should I give him some yoghurt to replace lost good bacteria?
 

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I think a little plain yogurt may be good to help build his good bacteria up. You can also try a little bit of plain canned pumpkin (not the baking kind). It's really good for both constipation and diarrhea and may help level him out a bit. Though, just one day without a bowel movement is not too concerning as it could just be his body straightening itself back out. Two or more and it's time to worry. 

I'm assuming the acne/hives are from the medication. Did the vet say anything about them as a side effect? A little bit on his chin is nothing too concerning but I would be somewhat worried if he was having an allergic reaction that is going to get more severe. Does your vet have an after hours number you can call? Or, is there an ER vet nearby? You may just want to call them and give a brief synopsis and see what they have to say. He may benefit from something like Benadryl but you only want to administer it under the direct supervision of a vet. It can be highly toxic if not done exactly right! 

Vibes that he gets to feeling better soon!
 
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matts mom

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unfortunately, our financial situation has forced us to the cheapest vet we could find...and though he is really nice and not pushy, he's not very informative either. I wasn't told anything about side effects, just given the meds and told to come back if he wasn't better in 10 days. I found out a little online, but here is much more helpful. Matt's regular vet is also closed on Sundays, so that's unfortunate. There IS an emergency vet around the corner if it comes down to it though.

I never thought I'd be HAPPY to see my cat poop lol but at least I know now he's not constipated. and it's not terribly solid, either, which I think is good?

I'm keeping an eye on those sores/hives......wondered about dabbing them with a saline solution? Would this be advisable to help them heal, or harmful? and if good, what's the salt-water ratio?

I'm going to put his claw caps on too, so he doesn't hurt himself scratching
 

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0.9% is normal saline, but I'm sure a cool washcloth would be fine. I don't know if this is an allergic response or not, but it seems awfully coincidental.

I don't know if he's constipated, but plain yogurt might help. Just give it at a different time than the medication.
 

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Yeah it's hard to know if it's just a rash/acne as a side effect of the medication or if it is hives and that he is starting to have an allergic reaction which is only going to get worse as the meds build up in his system. My guess is that it's the former and if he was severely allergic he would have started reacting after the first dose, but there is just no way (that I know of) to know for sure. 

That's good there is an ER vet nearby just in case, and I would just keep a super close eye on him. If he starts swelling up, looks like he is having a hard time breathing, or becomes lethargic then I wouldn't hesitate to take him (and I know you and that you would do whatever was necessary). Otherwise, just keep trying to manage his symptoms as best you can (the nail caps and saline compress are both good ideas) and get him in as soon as you can on on day for a recheck. 
 
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matts mom

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Yeah it's hard to know if it's just a rash/acne as a side effect of the medication or if it is hives and that he is starting to have an allergic reaction which is only going to get worse as the meds build up in his system. My guess is that it's the former and if he was severely allergic he would have started reacting after the first dose, but there is just no way (that I know of) to know for sure. 

That's good there is an ER vet nearby just in case, and I would just keep a super close eye on him. If he starts swelling up, looks like he is having a hard time breathing, or becomes lethargic then I wouldn't hesitate to take him (and I know you and that you would do whatever was necessary). Otherwise, just keep trying to manage his symptoms as best you can (the nail caps and saline compress are both good ideas) and get him in as soon as you can on on day for a recheck. 
I noticed it first a few days ago, as a couple of lumps on his lips, and what looked like an itchy ear. then a couple of small cuts from itching, the ear area. He's got a new one on his left ear. It looks like a pimple, again-only without a head.  

I checked his mouth, and there's nothing inside inside his mouth, and no lesions on his tongue, which I read would require an immediate trip to the vet( allergic response to the med) 

It reminds me of when the baby was on this med years ago, and the other child came running into my room yelling "mommyMommy, the baby's got POLKADOTS!"

On the plus side, his appetite's good.he won't stop asking for more food.....gluttony is his sin of choice lol
 

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Yeah I agree that overall it sounds like he should be fine (and I'm impressed you were able to check inside his mouth). Good job on the extra research too- sounds like you know exactly what to look for and when to intervene if necessary. His strong appetite (for once) is also a good sign. Hopefully no more Polkadots show up and he will be just fine! (that's just too cute!)

As always you are on the ball- just listen to the gut of yours as it always seems to be on point! 

Keep us posted! 
 
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matts mom

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Tomorrow's his last day on the meds, and the polkadots seem to be getting a bit better :) He's not itching his ears as much, either. I used mineral oil on baby q-tips to wash them out yesterday and they were a bit dirty, so maybe that's what itched him? 

I think I might buy him some special treats for morning times, because we've got our own little routine now when he comes to get his pill pockets...and the kitten's not involved.

I think It might be good to hold onto that, with the kitten gaining more and more freedom now that he's adjusting into the house.
 

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You could always give him an antihistamine to see if that helps reduce the itching and redness.  For an older kitty and adults, you can give up to 1/2 of a regular Claritin (loratadine) once daily.  If he's a younger kitten (I can't remember his age), you can give 1/4 of a Claritin once daily.  I add a few teaspoons of water to wet food, drop the pill in, crush with the back of the spoon, and mix in. 
 

eb24

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Tomorrow's his last day on the meds, and the polkadots seem to be getting a bit better :) He's not itching his ears as much, either. I used mineral oil on baby q-tips to wash them out yesterday and they were a bit dirty, so maybe that's what itched him? 

I think I might buy him some special treats for morning times, because we've got our own little routine now when he comes to get his pill pockets...and the kitten's not involved.

I think It might be good to hold onto that, with the kitten gaining more and more freedom now that he's adjusting into the house.
Glad to hear he's looking better! 

I absolutely would keep up a morning treat routine with him that the kitten is not involved in. When I brought in Diego I quickly realized how important it was to keep things that were special to just Ella and I to keep her jealousy down. Part of a successful integration (and therefore life) is making sure both understand that neither takes away from the other. If Matt still has special things with you it will help tremendously with that and he will know everyday that he will get "his" time. 

It's also good to keep him in that mode in case you need to medicate again. Believe me, there are hundreds that are super jealous of your ability to just give him a pill pocket and not have to do the awful wrestling act! Keep it going by whatever means necessary! 
 
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