Bathroom Behavior

[violet]

Maybe you've already seen it, but anyway, some info on Ondansetron
http://www.petplace.com/drug-library...ran/page1.aspx

This is concerning, since you were not trying to deal with this kind of vomiting

Uses include:
As an antiemetic for treatment of severe vomiting resulting from cancer therapy or poisoning
Treatment of sleep-apnea in bulldogs
Treatment of pruritus occurring secondary to spinal or epidural opioids

I'm worried and very concerned.

 

[a&as mommy]

Should I not give it to him then?

I don't know what to do. I am just doing what the vet said to do. She felt him during the exam and said she did not feel anything abnormal, she did feel poop in his body and said that he did not seem to be in any pain or have any problems with her pushing around on him.

She said the xray looked okay and there was nothing that would cause concern at the moment showing up [and if things did not change she would re-xray].

I am not sure what else to do. I tried keeping him in the bathroom [the one with all their stuff in it] but it was terrible. He clawed at the door the entire time and meowed and finally I had to let him out because he was keeping my parents up.

I've been checking the bathroom everytime I think someone has went back there or if I see him go and so far he's only peed that I've seen. There were a couple of pieces of poop 2 times today but I'm pretty sure it was from the other cat because Andy wasn't back there around that time.

I am at my wits end. I have no clue what to do.

 

[violet]

I'm extremely worried about this because there was no vomiting to start with, no vomiting to treat. And for the kind of vomiting you described, this particular medication......

As an antiemetic for treatment of severe vomiting resulting from cancer therapy or poisoning

Please, please, think about things and find another vet.

 

[a&as mommy]

There is no other vet. The two that have seen him are the only two within an hour from where we live. Should I just not give him that medication?

I don't know what to do. We've already spent a little over $300 for his UTI visit and treatment and this now.

 

[violet]

When you say, the two that have seen him, is she one of the two?
And, what was the problem with the other vet?

As I said, and as you know yourself, there was no vomiting to treat. So, to get that medication.....this just scares me to death.

 

[a&as mommy]

The two vets work hand in hand and basically see each others patients all the time, do surgeries together etc etc. This one has dealt with one of my other pets before and she was the only one in today so she saw Andy this time instead of the doctor who saw him for his UTI. All she said was that she was going to give him a med for nausea and that he shouldn't vomit anymore. And of course she gave him fluids and then the Lactulose.

 

[violet]

Since no two vets in any practice (or anywhere) ever have the same identical approach, going to one instead of another can be a very good decision, the best thing for a pet. Also, there are times when the client has to speak up, insist on certain diagnostics and ask for or refuse certain medications. (For instance if certain medications worked well in the past but a different vet who is not familiar with a particular pet's history, suggests something else.)

Also, since the vet has to rely on us, what the client tells him or her about symptoms, etc, it is very important to be very clear, making sure the vet gets the most accurate description of the situation we can possibly give. And still, there can be misunderstanding or miscommunication. It happens.

I don't know which vet you feel more comfortable with. If you believe you have no choice but to work with this vet, you'll have to talk to her.

 

[otto]

Don't give the antibiotic or any other medication or food with the lactulose. The lactulose is a laxative, and will prevent the body from absorbing any medication or nutrients from food.

Lactulose should be given on an empty stomach at least an hour before any food or medication.

It is very sticky, so be sure to wash any spills off Andy's fur right away. My Ootay (rb 5/09) actually got her tongue stuck to her fur, right under her chin and came running to me for help with her mouth gaping open, stuck like that. Thank goodness I was home.

I find it very strange that the vet did not think a urinalysis was necessary. The antibiotic may have cleared up a bacterial infection, but without a urinalysis there is no way to know if Andy has crystals in his urine.

Before prescribing special food, a vet should know WHAT KIND of crystals are being treated. and if there are NO crystals, then special food is not necessary.

I also would not use the anti nausea drug since he is not vomiting. This vet seems to have trouble listening to what you are saying. I'm sorry you do not have more choice of vet, but since you don't I'm glad at least you have help here.

It's now been....4 days? since Andy had a bowel movement? and none since he ate the bit of dryer sheet. I know you must be so worried. All paws crossed for POOP today!

 

[a&as mommy]

The vet told me to keep giving him the Clavamox, so should I just not give it to him at the same time as his Lactulose?

I didn't give him anymore of the nausea medicine.

He had one big bowel movement the night after the dryer sheet incident.

I seperated the cats last night but he still didn't go.

I had a job interview this morning and my dad was supposed to be watching Andy but he wasn't watching closely. There was some mushy stool in the litterbox he usually uses.

Amos' stool is always consistent and it wasn't how his usually has been, it was mushy and loose. So I'm hoping it was Andy. I gave him another dose of the Lactulose earlier and I called the vet to update and she said it could very well have been him because the Lactulose would make his stool like that. She said to keep giving it to him and see if he goes/goes again.

 

[otto]

yes, finish the clavamox, just don't give it within an hour of the lactulose.

Congrats on the mushy poop! Since it's been quite a while since he went, I am sure there is much more to come! Depending on how much dryer sheet he ingested, you might even be able to see it.

 

[darlili]

Good luck on the job interview!!!

And, my boy won't go when I segregate him - he just waits and waits and when I open the door to give him water, etc., he zips out and to the 'other' litter pans. I decided the stress of isolation was worse than the cure of trying to get an segregated sample, so I'm just keeping a very watchful eye on things at my house too.

I'd say just keep the vet up to speed and keep up with your monitoring - and try not to worry, because Andy will pick that up. I bet the mushy stool might have been his. Is he still acting pretty perky?

 

[a&as mommy]

Yep he's still acting the same. He was up chasing and running around this morning and he's laying down now. Actually they all are. Haha. Must be naptime.

 

[violet]

Things are looking up! Sounds like Andy is feeling good, so hopefully everything will be back to normal now very soon.

 

[a&as mommy]

Today is Andy's last day of the Lactulose.

Last night both cats were hanging around in the hallway by the bathroom/litterbox Andy uses and Amos was sleeping on a perch in the hallway, and when I went to check a little later after Andy came in and laid down on the couch, there was more loose/mushy stool in the litterbox. There wasn't really anything in it except I did see a bit of like... hair [from licking himself]. I'm assuming that it was Andy that did this because when I caught Amos going in the middle of the day, it was normal stool and I don't think he would go loose stool-normal stool-loose stool all in one day etc.

Hopefully this lactulose will help and I'll 100% catch him today and then I can let the vet know tomorrow and go from there.

 

[violet]

A&As Mommy, how is Andy doing?

 

[a&as mommy]

Andy only went those last two times the last being around midnight Wednesday night/Thurs morning. He finished his Lactulose last night. He has been bahaving even more normally and eating more also. I found a piece of a dryer sheet in my brothers room [the part Andy got into was outside my brothers door] and it looked like it could have been part of the other piece, but still a small portion looked gone so it looks like he didn't ingest too much of it. I called the vet to update and they said to keep watching him and if he didn't go anymore over the weekend or he started acting differently to bring him back in but that things were looking better as of now.

 

[violet]

I'm wondering.....if you think back, was he going every day before all this happened?

 

[a&as mommy]

its hard to say because despite the fact that we have 2 litterboxes, the majority of the time they both use the same one and i didnt scoop after every trip to the bathroom, so i'm not 100% positive.

 

[violet]

Well......to get an idea, you might try something. Try to become familiar with the poop of each kitty because poop produced by different kitties never looks exactly the same. There is always a difference in color, size and consistency. If you become familiar with the differences you can easily tell whose poop you are seeing in the litter box. You can also tell a lot about their digestion, how regular they are, and what's normal for each kitty.

 

[a&as mommy]

I do know that Amos goes about once a day and the amount etc. because of checking so frequently this week. Andy's last dose of laxative was last night and early Thursday morning was the last time the mushy poop was there and he hasn't went since. Keeping an eye on him and stuff for the time being. How long should I give it before I contact the vet again?