Blood in Stool

rinadaventry

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For *weeks* now, Alcott has had a little bit of blood in his stool. I took him to the vet, they ran a stool sample, and found nothing. He doesn't have worms-- got treated for both types months ago. WHAT could this be? I'm getting concerned because while it used to be blood just on the outside of the stool, he is now actually *dripping* a little bit of blood when he goes.
I'm very concerned, but also can't spend a lot of cash on repeated vet visits if they're just going to tell me nothing's wrong. Any ideas?
 

jane_vernon

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Is the stool very hard?? Because he could be constipated and it is ripping his anus whilst pushing the stool out.

And if this is still happening, I would go to another vet, because your cat should definately NOT have blood in his stool!
 
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rinadaventry

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It's not hard at all actually. In fact, other than the blood, there's nothing odd about it.
I think I may call another vet and try to get an appointment for this Wednesday....I'm so, so scared that I'll find out something expensive needs to be done!
 

jane_vernon

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Hmmm...Its very strange.

I would definately get another vets opinion.

The vet you first went to should be doing more to find out what the problem is. A stool sample test will not show things like a torn bowel. It only shows up things like worms and parasites.
 
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rinadaventry

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It certainly looks like blood, because it's very different from the actual stool. I'm also feeding him Nutro Indoor formula so unless he's consistently getting into something red to eat....
 

girlsetsfiyah

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Hmm, one of our guys had the same problem. about once a month he would get terribly bloody diarehha (sp?), soft and hard poops with blood in them or just blood comming out in general. He ended up having an "infection". He was given some pills for it. They weren't more than $15. But about 3 months later he ended up getting so badly constipated and in pain that we had to take him for an emergency enema (not good). The enema plus the emergency vet visit cost us over $180. We found out that it was all due to hairballs not being digested, and the infection because the hair on his bum and penis was long, so he couldn't clean it properly. So basically, we switched vets, because all she would have had to have done was give us some tonic-lax (cat laxitive which he eats daily), trim up his rear-end, and suggest a high-fiber food. but instead took a quick 2 second look at his bum and throw some pills our way (btw, the pills never cleared up the infection, the emergency vet gave us a salve to put on it daily until it cleared.)
so in conclusion, make sure you take him to a good vet and have them check him out further. It may not be parasites, but just simple hairball blockage like we had. It will give you a better piece of mind to give him some laxitive (if that's whats needed) then have it all ball up until he's hissing and screaming in pain in the living room and ending up at the emergency vet at 2 am in the morning like we did. Please make sure they feel his tummy properly for constipation, our former vet never did.

I hope this helps! And I hope he feels better!
 
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rinadaventry

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Hey...the hairball thing sounds about right. He has horrible coughing fits (again, the vet said it was probably nothing). They sound like he's having an asthma attack or trying to get a hairball up or something. I hope it's that, and that it's as inexpensive as you said!
 

girlsetsfiyah

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Yeah, the Tonic-Lax is only about $5 a tube, just put a teaspoon amount on his paw and he'll lick it off (if he's a clean freak, lol. It's the only way I can get mine to take it). and a good brand of high-fiber or hairball control food. but don't take my word for it, try going to a different vet just to make sure that's what it is, or if it's something else. I just pity any cat who has to go through an emergency room kitty-enema like mine did!

Good luck and I hope you find a helpful vet!
 
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rinadaventry

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Originally Posted by jane_vernon

That vet is an idiot!!!

Sounds like a hairball - I would go to another vet ASAP before it gets much worse.
I'll take him Wed. There are two vets there-- the one that did my kitty's neuter was great. She called the day after to check on him, even. But the second time I went in, I had someone different, and I didn't get a good vibe from her, especially after she said nothing was wrong....
 

girlsetsfiyah

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If you trust the first vet you saw, you can always try to call and request her! How nice of her to check up on your kitty!
 

nebula11

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Originally Posted by jane_vernon

That vet is an idiot!!!
I second this.....


I hope you figure out whats wrong w/ your kitty...and that its nothing too serious...or at least easiliy treatable.....

Please keep us updated
 

aussie_dog

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It could also be an allergy to something in the food. How long have you been feeding Nutro? One of my kitties always gets soft poop with a little bit of blood in it when she gets anything with beef in it.
 
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rinadaventry

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Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog

It could also be an allergy to something in the food. How long have you been feeding Nutro? One of my kitties always gets soft poop with a little bit of blood in it when she gets anything with beef in it.
Actually, I've *always* fed him nutro....Maybe I should try switching to a nutro with different ingredients for a few days?
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by RinaDaventry

Indoor adult.
if you changed to indoor from regular I would guess soy isnt okay for kitty
 
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rinadaventry

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Any idea on how long it would take to notice a change? I planned on taking him to the vet tommorrow, but I'd rather skip the 40 dollar office fee if I'd be able to tell fairly quickly if it was the indoor. I don't want to wait too long though.

How do you know it could be the soy?
 
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rinadaventry

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I found this on vetinfo.com. The case this man describes is *exactly* like Alcott.

Bloody stools

Q: Dear Dr. Mike,

My four year old DLH, Jetty, for several years now, has periodically had
bloody stools. The blood is very dark and appears as a small, mucous-like
glob at the tail end of her stools. I'd say this appears about once a
week, or so. Her stools tend to be a bit on the soft side as a rule. She
eats only Iams regular kibble for adult cats ... virtually every time I
have tried her on other brands of kibble (introduced gradually), either
premium or market variety, she develops totally loose, runny stools.

Jetty is completely healthy in every way. I took her to the vet a few
years ago, and they prescribed some antibiotics, which were a waste. I
sort of just take this condition for granted, but I want to make sure
there's something I shouldn't be doing. Thanks!

DONN


A: Donn-

A lot of cats have stools similar to the ones you are seeing. In a cat that
isn't losing weight, doesn't have periodic bouts of diarrhea and isn't
vomiting more than once or twice a week my inclination is to do nothing for
these, once I am pretty sure they don't have intestinal parasites. Checking
a couple of stool samples should be sufficient to rule that out.

It sometimes helps to add a small amount of fiber to the diet if you want
to try something, though. About 1/4th tsp. of Metamucil once or twice a day
or 2 TBS of canned pumpkin per day is enough fiber to help with conditions
that are fiber responsive. Most cats tolerate both of these fiber sources
pretty well. If you can find canned pumpkin with cinnamon in it a lot of
cats seem to like that. I would only do this if it is easy to do -- if your
cat likes the fiber or at least tolerates it well. If the fiber causes any
of the problems that switching foods have caused then obviously it isn't a
good idea.

One of my cats does this. She is a picky eater, so I don't do anything. She
is 13 years old and I can't remember any really long stretch where her
stools have been completely normal but she is otherwise doing well and it
doesn't seem to affect her health or lifestyle.

Mike Richards, DVM
 
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