6-month-old kitten ONLY 2.6 lbs!

[finnlacey]

I do think you should go to the holistic vet also. This is just more added medication but I still would like to know the reason why he's on two antibiotics together.

 

[charlie91]

Charlie seemed to do fine with the antibiotics today, however we spread the two out throughout the day.  Maybe I'll tell the vet to hold off on those anti-nausea medications and see if spreading the antibiotics out throughout the day does the trick.

As soon as we can scrounge up the funds for the holistic vet, we'll at least go and receive their advice.  Their initial visit is rather steep and they don't accept CareCredit..

 

[charlie91]

photo.JPG

• charlie91
• Feb 6, 2013

Also Kelly noticed some bumps on Charlie today.  I decided to take a peep for myself, and this is what I've found.  I've looked into it based on my description, but just to be sure: is this Charlie's nipple?  Or does it appear to be something we should be concerned about?

 

[catapault]

Sure looks like a nipple to me. Generally there's a total of 8, or 4 on each side. Check for more, both in a line with this little pink bump and also another set in a line on the opposite side of his tummy.

 

[minka]

Yup, also looks like a nipple to me.

 

[ldg]

Glad you've got a med schedule that's working for him!

Bummer the holistic vet doesn't take care credit. I know this many meds is hard on his little system, but hopefully once the course of meds is done, all of this will be over and done with, and Charlie can get to being the little happy hellfire he should be!

 

[charlie91]

I've waited the two weeks with Charlie's medications to update.  By the end of week 1 Charlie's stool was looking completely normal.  Nice color and shape.  However, it was a downhill slope from there.  His stool was normal for a 2-3 day period and went back downhill.  Charlie ended his two weeks yesterday and today his stool is completely liquidy again... He's not dripping though.  I was told by another vet that he may need to be on those meds longer to completely kill the bacteria?  He's scheduled to go in tomorrow, so we'll see what the vet has to say.

 

[finnlacey]

Yes sometimes it can take months to get rid of that bad bacteria. Let us know what the vet says tomorrow. 

 

[charlie91]

Okay, so the vet wants to stop with (I think it was Clindamyacin) and put him strictly on Amoxi, and increase the doseage to 1mL (twice a day).  He definitely needs whatever is going to continue fighting the bacteria.

HOWEVER, today we've noticed anal bleeding from Charlie! We have no clue what the cause is, but we called the vet back and they said to call if it continues to bleed.  I noticed blood in his stool when I got home tonight as well.  His butt looks red and bloody, it doesn't seep, but I've also been wiping him up with a wet rag to try and clear it up.  Kelly mentioned them sticking a thermometer up his bum today to check his temperature.  With his already irritated bum, could this have caused the bleeding?  I'm really not sure what to do at all other than keep watch and if it gets worse to take him in?

I also forgot to add: that on the brighter side of things Charlie is now up to 4.3 lbs!

 

[finnlacey]

How is Charlie today? Is he still bleeding?

 

[charlie91]

Charlie is at the vet as we speak. His butt looked alright this morning. A little dry blood, but as soon as he pooped there was blood all over his bum again... so he's definitely not done bleeding.

 

[finnlacey]

oh no!!! Please keep us posted as to what the vet says. Poor little Charlie. 

 

[charlie91]

Okay so the vet seems to think that the anal bleeding, after further testing, according to the "best guess" is that his anus was irritated when they did the fecal pull... Why they didn't just request us to bring in a sample?  I'm not sure... I would think the vet would be able to come to a pre-determined assumption that after having diarrhea for over two months, doing a fecal pull would yield poor results...  They've given him an ointment and claim that he appears to be doing well while he's there currently.

We're picking him up in an hour.  Do you think we should be charged for this visit?  Since ultimately their poor decision-making caused the anal bleeding?

 

[charlie91]

Okay, so Charlie was doing better this morning.  However, now that we've given him his 1mL dose of Amoxi he is bleeding a lot...  Kelly and I were just discussing possibly cutting his dose in half?  He doesn't bleed this much before we give him the Amoxi.  We're not really sure what to do, other than to ask the vet for some of the ointment they were using to keep applying?  It seemed to help for a little while.

 

[ldg]

OMG poor baby boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would call the vet, ask about stopping ALL antibiotics for a few days to let him heal up. At this point, I'm really not convinced it was their process of getting the fecal sample from him. But IMO, the little kiddo needs a rest. When will they have the fecal results back?

 

[charlie91]

The fecal results came back with results of some bacteria still present in his stool.  That's when they prescribed the Amoxi at a 1mL doseage for another two weeks.  He's never had bloody poo or a bloody bum so this is all new.  Should we give him a 3 day rest period or would you suggest less?

 

[finnlacey]

Don't do anything without calling the vet first and asking for another antibiotic. 

 

[ldg]

I expect they prescribed the amoxi because it's the best antibiotic for what was found (what was in the stool sample?). I just think he needs a little break to heal up - but I wouldn't do it without asking first.

 

[finnlacey]

Amoxi though causes diarrhea A LOT. And if his poor behind is already bloody, I'm thinking they need to look at other possibilities. Is Charlie still getting probiotics?

 

[ldg]

Good point. I've never had a kitty that needed to be on antibiotics for any extended period of time. In fact, despite all the health problems we've had to manage over the years, few required antibiotics, so I have very limited experience with them and their side effects.