Cat Won't Eat or Drink After Convenia Injection

[Firejade1]

Since you were doing one full dose a day, and have already reduced it to 1/3, if you see no reduction in her eating, just continue the 1/3 dose tomorrow, and then try going to every other day and see what happens. It really is pretty much an experiment so to speak to see how things go.

If the reason for the lack of appetite has been resolved, then she should be fine with your reductions, and a week or so of weaning it down to none should work.

Thank you

 

[IndyJones]

I've only used the injection so can't really say about weaning them off. When I used appetite stimulants my cat was so sick she wouldn't eat anything, she passed away a week later.

 

[Firejade1]

I've only used the injection so can't really say about weaning them off. When I used appetite stimulants my cat was so sick she wouldn't eat anything, she passed away a week later.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Thank you for responding. It can be a tricky situation for sure. Sending comfort to you.

 

[Firejade1]

My kitty did eat some of her food this afternoon when fed, so she is eating with less appetite stimulant. I'll try giving the same, smaller amount tomorrow and go from there.

 

[Firejade1]

By the way, here's a picture of Jade.

 

[Firejade1]

I'm still weaning her off the stimulant and gave her less today. When she came home after not eating and drinking she drank an exorbitant amount of water. She is drinking less, but she's still drinking and peeing more than usual. Her kidney and urinalysis had normal numbers last week even when she was not well. The vet suggested checking her urine again, but taking her to the vet stresses her and they have to sedate her. Can the appetite stimulant cause her to drink more than usual and pee more? I also wonder if it can because the stimulant can cause dry mouth. Since she's fine otherwise, I'm going to wait until she's off the medicine and wait a couple of days to see if that helps, because she did cut back on her water from drinking lots and lots to just lots.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Can the appetite stimulant cause her to drink more than usual and pee more?

I am sure it varies by cat, but I have not noticed any increase in Feeby's water intake from Mirataz since she started taking it last November. She is a prolific water drinker to begin with and also has CKD, so perhaps she is/was taking in as much as she can as it is.

Probably a good idea to wait and see what happens once she is completely off the appetite stimulant. If she is now eating more dry than wet food, that can cause a cat to be thirstier as well.

There are litter kits with crystals that can replace 'regular' litter for the purpose of being able to syringe urine from the crystals since they don't absorb the pee. I did manage to use it with Feeby a few years back. But I am not sure that I just didn't get 'lucky' that time.

 

[Firejade1]

Hello. My kitty does seem to be saturating her litter box more still. She's drinking and eating normally, acting normally, except she's a bit dopey because she caught a little cold and is sneezing. I'm monitoring that too. Can Convenia make my cat temporarily drink and pee more in volume (she's not peeing more frequently than the amount of water she is drinking renders), but her litter box is getting saturated with pee more.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Never read/heard of excess urination as a side effect of Covenia, but that med should pretty much be out of her system by now if what she received was an injection - which has been about 2 1/2 weeks ago - yes? Even if it has stayed in her system longer than the 'normal' (which is entirely possible), the peeing issue would have shown up earlier on if connected to the Covenia, IMO.

I take it you have totally weaned her off the Mirataz? That being the case, you know that isn't the culprit. If the peeing slows down in the next few days, you might be able to chalk it off to the Covenia then. However, Covenia can have a side effect - although rare - of incoordination. So, if she doesn't normally act dopey with a cold, it could be the Covenia, which should also disappear once the meds are completely out of her system.

You probably should have her urine rechecked since the vet thought it was appropriate. Some vets like to test urine after the completion of an antibiotic to see if the UTI has been completely eradicated - it really is the preferred mode, but so many vets don't do the follow-up testing, probably because of the cost.

Is Jade sedated before a vet visit, or once she gets to the vet's office? If the latter, you might consider testing something like a very small amount of Gabapentin to be given in advance of a vet appt. It is really more of a calming agent when used in small doses, as opposed to full-on sedation.

 

[Firejade1]

Thank you for your response. She's been through a lot in the last couple of weeks. She's still eating and drinking. I'm going to get some test strips to test her urine, and my husband bought one of those kits with the vials where we can collect her urine for the vet. We'll try that in a few days if her habits don't change. Her kidney and other values were normal when they gave her the shot. Giving kitty any kind of medicine is a death match, so we'll see about taking her to the vet. I'll do it if I have to, but the other concern is vet bills. My kitty is number one, but we do have to consider bills too.