Cat With Coccidia!!!

[ioana]

My cat started having diarrhea last week, I first thought it was food related but after 2-3 days I called my vet and talked to him about it. I went and got him a sample of poop and he said my cat has some bacteria in his stomach, he then gave me some antibiotics. I tried to give that to my cat but he didn't take it so Monday I called again and he gave me some liquid antibiotic called ALBON to treat COCCIDIA.
I gave him 2 dose already and I don't see much of a difference, he still has diarrhea, although he doesn't do it as often.
I am shocked that he has this, I don't know where he could have gotten it, he is indoor only. He doesn't have any other symptoms, he eats and drinks like normal, he has plenty of energy.
Has anyone deal with this problem? I want to make him feel better, I don't know what to do. I'm so worried about him, I don't know if the antibiotic should have worked by now.

 

[Espalia]

I'm so sorry you're going through this, it is really tough to deal with a cat having diarrhea.
My kittens have been having diarrhea/soft stools for many weeks now and I too was given albon to treat them. The vet who prescribed it said that it does treat coccidea, but it also treats diarrhea in general. I have been giving it to my kittens for 10 days and have noticed that their stool has firmed up, but it's not 100% normal. I'm going back to the vet today, so I can let you know what they say.

When you say he "doesn't do it as often" do you mean he is having fewer bowel movements? That is a good sign - the diarrhea could be clearing up. It can definitely take a few days to clear out, even while it's being treated.

I would give it a few more days to clear up - did your vet instruct you to give him the albon for multiple days in a row or something like that? If he is eating and drinking normally and has good energy levels I wouldn't be too worried. Did you happen to feed him something different than his usual food? That can also cause diarrhea that takes a week or so to clear up.

If he is still having diarrhea in a few days I would give your vet another call and have them test for other causes of the diarrhea. A bacterial infection isn't necessarily caused by cats going outside. Bacteria can just grow on wet food that has been left out for too long, or even just in a water dish that hasn't been cleaned for awhile - especially is it's plastic. Make sure you feed him out of metal or ceramic bowls and don't leave wet food out for too long.

He is handsome by the way.

 

[david68]

The first litter of rescue cats I brought home had coccidia, so I had to treat a mother and four kittens for it. It doesn't respond instantly to the medication. My vet said that it was most commonly spread via bird feces, but a cat can also get it by killing and eating an infected mouse. Bird feces can include contaminated raw chicken, so if you had a contaminated food wrapper that the cat licked, that could do it.

Coccidia is actually a broad class of organisms that includes toxoplasma and cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium can occasionally get into public water supplies.

Don't get too stressed out. Most healthy animals can actually clear coccidia on their own, over time. The medications speed up the process.

 

[ioana]

I'm so sorry you're going through this, it is really tough to deal with a cat having diarrhea.
My kittens have been have diarrhea/soft stools for many weeks now and I too was given albon to treat them. The vet who prescribed it said that it does treat coccidea, but it also treats diarrhea in general. I have been giving it to my kittens for 10 days and have noticed that their stool has firmed up, but it's not 100% normal. I'm going back to the vet today, so I can let you know what they say.

When you say he "doesn't do it as often" do you mean he is having fewer bowel movements? That is a good sign - the diarrhea could be clearing up. It can definitely take a few days to clear out, even while it's being treated.

I would give it a few more days to clear up - did your vet instruct you to give him the albon for multiple days in a row or something like that? If he is eating and drinking normally and has good energy levels I wouldn't be too worried. Did you happen to feed him something different than his usual food? That can also cause diarrhea that takes a week or so to clear up.

If he is still having diarrhea in a few days I would give your vet another call and have them test for other causes of the diarrhea. A bacterial infection isn't necessarily caused by cats going outside. Bacteria can just grow on wet food that has been left out for too long, or even just in a water dish that hasn't been cleaned for awhile - especially is it's plastic. Make sure you feed him out of metal or ceramic bowls and don't leave wet food out for too long.

He is handsome by the way.

Thank you so much for you replay.
So before I started with the antibiotics he was going to the bathroom at least 4 times a night and it was very liquid and last night he went 2 times, at 1 and at 6 am and I noticed that it's not as liquid but I noticed he has a bit of gas when he poops..thats why I say he is going less. I am giving him same wet food at the usual, he is very picky so sometimes he eats, sometimes he doesn't. But I did change his dry food after he started having diarrhea, I introduced it step by step to him and I don't give a lot to him...I switched from duck to rabbit, I read that rabbit is a bit easier to digest.
Also, he has a glass water bowl that I clean every morning and maybe he did eat some old wet food, he usually leaves it on the table and sometimes, if I'm not home it stays there for 1 hour or 2.
Is the antibiotic harsh on stomach? I try to feed him before I give it to him but sometimes he doesn't want food, I just don't want him to throw it up.
My vet gave me 5 doses, for 5 days...4ml each dose.
I just don't want his stomach to hurt, and I don't know if it does or not.
I hope you kitties get better soon, let me know what the vet said and if he will prescribe more antibiotics.

 

[ioana]

The first litter of rescue cats I brought home had coccidia, so I had to treat a mother and four kittens for it. It doesn't respond instantly to the medication. My vet said that it was most commonly spread via bird feces, but a cat can also get it by killing and eating an infected mouse. Bird feces can include contaminated raw chicken, so if you had a contaminated food wrapper that the cat licked, that could do it.

Coccidia is actually a broad class of organisms that includes toxoplasma and cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium can occasionally get into public water supplies.

Don't get too stressed out. Most healthy animals can actually clear coccidia on their own, over time. The medications speed up the process.

Thank you so much for your replay. I am worried, as any mother would be but you guys are making me feel better.
I will finish his treatment and hopefully he will make a full recovery from it.
He does go outside our balcony sometimes, he will be there for a couple of minutes and get back in so maybe he stepped in some bird poop, but he never killed a mouse
Thank you again for the support, it really helps.

 

[Espalia]

Thank you so much for you replay.
So before I started with the antibiotics he was going to the bathroom at least 4 times a night and it was very liquid and last night he went 2 times, at 1 and at 6 am and I noticed that it's not as liquid but I noticed he has a bit of gas when he poops..thats why I say he is going less. I am giving him same wet food at the usual, he is very picky so sometimes he eats, sometimes he doesn't. But I did change his dry food after he started having diarrhea, I introduced it step by step to him and I don't give a lot to him...I switched from duck to rabbit, I read that rabbit is a bit easier to digest.
Also, he has a glass water bowl that I clean every morning and maybe he did eat some old wet food, he usually leaves it on the table and sometimes, if I'm not home it stays there for 1 hour or 2.
Is the antibiotic harsh on stomach? I try to feed him before I give it to him but sometimes he doesn't want food, I just don't want him to throw it up.
My vet gave me 5 doses, for 5 days...4ml each dose.
I just don't want his stomach to hurt, and I don't know if it does or not.
I hope you kitties get better soon, let me know what the vet said and if he will prescribe more antibiotics.

I think it's a good sign that he is going less frequently, it means his food is staying in his intestines longer and he will absorb more water. The change in food, even if gradual, could be contributing to the ongoing diarrhea as well. I think it's fine that you changed it, but could be part of the reason it isn't clearing up as quickly as you might expect.

I don't think you necessarily need to give the antibiotic with food unless it specifically says to do so on the bottle. This reminded me that the antibiotic could have killed some of his "good bacteria" along with the bad, so that would also be contributing to diarrhea. You could try giving him a probiotic to help repopulate his gut with good bacteria.

If he's acting normal and still has an appetite I doubt that his stomach is hurting too much. I hope he feels better soon though!

Thanks! I will definitely let you know what the vet says this afternoon.

 

[kashmir64]

Coccidia is a protozoa parasite and is species specific. But, as said above, he could have gotten it from bird poop. Or, you could have brought it in on your shoes. Albon works by inhibiting the reproductive cycle of the organism and takes at least 5 days to start working. Albon does NOT KILL it. You can always, and I highly suggest, giving him probiotics.
Sanitation is key. Ammonia is the only thing that kills it. A 10% solution is what is recommended. Just remember to never spray around your cat and make sure it is dry and well ventilated before allowing your cat near the sprayed area. Also, clean the litter box often. I do suggest to dump, spray and wash the box every day. The protozoa can live in the environment for some time so sanitation of anywhere the cat has been is crucial. Wash all his bedding in HOT water with a mild detergent.
Good luck in clearing it up soon. Keep us updated.

Important note: In case you already don't know this - NEVER mix ammonia and bleach. It creates mustard gas and will kill you.

 

[ioana]

I think it's a good sign that he is going less frequently, it means his food is staying in his intestines longer and he will absorb more water. The change in food, even if gradual, could be contributing to the ongoing diarrhea as well. I think it's fine that you changed it, but could be part of the reason it isn't clearing up as quickly as you might expect.

I don't think you necessarily need to give the antibiotic with food unless it specifically says to do so on the bottle. This reminded me that the antibiotic could have killed some of his "good bacteria" along with the bad, so that would also be contributing to diarrhea. You could try giving him a probiotic to help repopulate his gut with good bacteria.

If he's acting normal and still has an appetite I doubt that his stomach is hurting too much. I hope he feels better soon though!

Thanks! I will definitely let you know what the vet says this afternoon.

My vet did give him a probiotic but he would not eat it, I think it's the texture of it, but he throws up after it and makes some faces, like it's the worse thing he ever ate. It's there a probiotic I can buy that taste better?

 

[ioana]

Coccidia is a protozoa parasite and is species specific. But, as said above, he could have gotten it from bird poop. Or, you could have brought it in on your shoes. Albon works by inhibiting the reproductive cycle of the organism and takes at least 5 days to start working. Albon does NOT KILL it. You can always, and I highly suggest, giving him probiotics.
Sanitation is key. Ammonia is the only thing that kills it. A 10% solution is what is recommended. Just remember to never spray around your cat and make sure it is dry and well ventilated before allowing your cat near the sprayed area. Also, clean the litter box often. I do suggest to dump, spray and wash the box every day. The protozoa can live in the environment for some time so sanitation of anywhere the cat has been is crucial. Wash all his bedding in HOT water with a mild detergent.
Good luck in clearing it up soon. Keep us updated.

Important note: In case you already don't know this - NEVER mix ammonia and bleach. It creates mustard gas and will kill you.

Omg thank you, I will start doing that right now. Do I find ammonia at the store?

 

[kashmir64]

Omg thank you, I will start doing that right now. Do I find ammonia at the store?

You can find it almost anywhere. Your local dollar store should have it.
Remember, only 10% solution (1 part ammonia to 10 parts water) and do not spray it around your cat. Make sure the area is well ventilated.

 

[Espalia]

My vet gave me a probiotic called fortiflora by Purina (you can get it on Amazon) and told me to feed my kittens only Hill’s w/d wet food (Hills is never my first choice for food, but I guess this is a special formula with lots of fiber) until their stool firms up. She said she wanted to try to treat the diarrhea without any more meds. I’m not sure if this helps you, but you could try either the probiotic or the food or both. She expects the diarrhea to be better in a week on the food and the probiotic.

 

[ioana]

UPDATE
My cat is way better, his diarreah stopped, he is now pooping once a day or maybe every other day. His poop is not 100% solid but it's almost there. I will finish the antibiotics today and I tried to give him as much probiotic as I could.
Next week, I will call my vet and do another poop test to make sure it's clean.
Thank you everyone that helped me, you guys made me feel better when I was really worried. Again, thank you.

 

[kashmir64]

UPDATE
My cat is way better, his diarreah stopped, he is now pooping once a day or maybe every other day. His poop is not 100% solid but it's almost there. I will finish the antibiotics today and I tried to give him as much probiotic as I could.
Next week, I will call my vet and do another poop test to make sure it's clean.
Thank you everyone that helped me, you guys made me feel better when I was really worried. Again, thank you.

 

[ioana]

You guys, this morning I noticed that my cats poop was a bit soft again and right now he just went again and diarrhea is back
I need to call my vet in the morning. I'm so upset.

 

[kashmir64]

Is the poop yellow and smelly like it was with Coccidia? Have you changed anything in his diet? Could he have gotten into anything?

 

[ioana]

Is the poop yellow and smelly like it was with Coccidia? Have you changed anything in his diet? Could he have gotten into anything?

Hi poop isn't yellow and it doesn't smell any different...my vet said he is treating him for coccidia. Yes, I did change his dry food from duck to rabbit, since I read rabbit is easie6to digest. Also, gotten into anything? I don't understand what that means.!!!

 

[Espalia]

ioana if you just changed his food that is likely the culprit. Did you mix in the rabbit food slowly or just change it all at once? Please give us the time table for the food change and we can suggest what you can do to hopefully stop the diarrhea right away (like did you just change the food last night, or two days ago...)?

"Gotten into anything" just means - is it possible he ate something he wasn't supposed to? Like human food or something like that.

 

[ioana]

ioana if you just changed his food that is likely the culprit. Did you mix in the rabbit food slowly or just change it all at once? Please give us the time table for the food change and we can suggest what you can do to hopefully stop the diarrhea right away (like did you just change the food last night, or two days ago...)?

"Gotten into anything" just means - is it possible he ate something he wasn't supposed to? Like human food or something like that.

I changed his food last week, before he started the antibiotics because I thought his diarrhea might be food related. I did give it to him very slowly.
He doesn't really eat human food unless it's a bit of butter or honey but he didn't ate any of it. Sometimes he also chews on salty cookies but again, didn't have any of that.
I also read coccidia sometimes takes more then one treatment to totally be gone, but I don't know. I'll have to talk to his vet.

 

[Espalia]

Ah, okay. If it was that long ago then it's probably not food-related and likely a relapse of the coccidia. Hopefully the vet will have some answers for you :/.

 

[ioana]

He did an uti infection