Clavamox question

[jenl]

So, I believe my kitty Miss might have a bladder infection of some sort. Her clumps have shrunk in the litter box until a few times they were the size of a quarter in the past day or so. She didn't seem ill, but I wanted to take her to the vet because she needed looked at.

After vet visit today with urinalysis being done and sent out to be analyzed and cultured, he believes it is a bladder infection, so the vet prescribed Clavamox. We decided to research to see if there would be a better option since Miss is IBD, but he seemed to think Clavamox was the best option after looking a few things up. He mentioned a kind of shot, but if it wasn't the right antibiotic, he didn't want her to be given something that lasted two weeks injected.

I know people have had trouble with diarrhea and vomiting on Clavamox, so I asked for an anti-nausea agent for her, because I don't want her going off of her food.

If she gets diarrhea we *will* look into another option. He also prescribed half a pill of Cerenia once a day. He mentioned famotodine, which she has taken before, but I wasn't sure it would be strong enough to offset the Clavamox, which is why I asked for Cerenia.

She got her pills at 2, and she is eating and drinking when I bring the bowls to her, but she is SLEEPY. She hasn't really gotten up at all since taking the medicine. I know the vet trip can make her stressed and sleepy, but I wondered if this was a side effect of Clavamox?

However, I am totally stressed with her being on meds. I really don't like it at all, but until he gets a culture back on Monday, he wants to make sure it's not bacterial. He said the method of treatment may change once those results are in.

Any insight?

Thanks,

Jen

 

[carolina]

Jen,
I would HIGHLY recommend you waiting for that culture.
My Bugsy has IBD too and a dose of Clavamox for an UTI resulted in 14 MONTHS of violent diarrhea, thousands of dollars, many, many vet trips, emergency trips, sooooooooooo many diets, treatments, I can't even start telling you. His IBD went completely out of control. When I was days away from an exploratory surgery and put him on Raw as I was hopeless, it stopped. But that's an entire other story.....
I will never give Bugsy Clavamox again, I do not give him oral antibiotics anymore, and I only give him antibiotics if absolutely necessary - if an infection has been confirmed. If no infection, no antibiotics. The great majority of times UTIs are due to inflammation. In other cases, to crystals - in none of these instances bacteria is involved therefore antibiotics are useless..... However they break havoc in an IBD kitty's system.

My 2-cents only..... I would wait for the culture, and when it comes back, get the specific antibiotic for that infection. But I would NOT use Clavamox - it has WAY too much impact in the digestive system.

 

[jenl]

I gave her one dose. What do I do for her in the meantime if I wait?

 

[jenl]

Especially since her culture isn't due back until Monday. Urinalysis results are tomorrow. ugh!! He thought it might be bacterial as she' has had some soft poops, and I've had to clean her. He said it can work the same way it does for humans, when bacteria from stool enter where they pee

 

[carolina]

I gave her one dose. What do I do for her in the meantime if I wait?

If she is peeing..... I would. Call your vet to ask him if it is ok to wait until monday. Do you have pain medication? I would get pain medication from the vet - that relaxes her and makes her pee more. That will put you in the safe side if that is an inflammation issue.
Make sure she is on a wet diet only.
Keep a CLOSE eye on her - if she gets worst, take her in immediately.

 

[ldg]

Did you get pain meds for her? Our vet prescribes buprenorphine. It's given every 12 hours. If none was administered, and they sent you home with none, I'd call tomorrow to ask about picking some up. :nod:

I'm so sorry for your girl....

FYI, you might want to read through the Holisticat page on FLUTD. Given it's safe to administer, perhaps a local health food store carries D-mannose? :dk: For while you wait.... http://holisticat.com/flutd.html

!!!!

 

[carolina]

Especially since her culture isn't due back until Monday. Urinalysis results are tomorrow. ugh!! He thought it might be bacterial as she' has had some soft poops, and I've had to clean her. He said it can work the same way it does for humans, when bacteria from stool enter where they pee

Hum.................. Sorry...... But I don't take that for explaining a bacterial uti. I cleaned Bugsy for YEARS as an obese cat with IBD - never gave him a bacterial UTI

 

[jenl]

I can't give her all wet food. She is a dry addict. We are working on giving her more wet every day but I have to have her eat something. I am not sure I am comfortable waiting until Monday if it *is* bacterial. What other antibiotic would you suggest instead? She hasn't peed since 2 pm, since she is sleeping. I'm hoping she will have a big pee.
 

 

[carolina]

I can't give her all wet food. She is a dry addict. We are working on giving her more wet every day but I have to have her eat something. I am not sure I am comfortable waiting until Monday if it *is* bacterial. What other antibiotic would you suggest instead? She hasn't peed since 2 pm, since she is sleeping. I'm hoping she will have a big pee.

 

Orally, for Bugsy? I give none. All his antibiotics are injections. And like I said - I leaned the hard way..... I give antibiotics as a last resort. Don't get me wrong - if he HAS an infection, he takes antibiotics - injections, the correct antibiotic for that infection. Since I started doing that he has had no issues. My lesson was Clavamox.

 

[jenl]

So besides a wet diet and pain medication, what do they do for inflammation?
 

 

[carolina]

I can't give her all wet food. She is a dry addict. We are working on giving her more wet every day but I have to have her eat something. I am not sure I am comfortable waiting until Monday if it *is* bacterial. What other antibiotic would you suggest instead? She hasn't peed since 2 pm, since she is sleeping. I'm hoping she will have a big pee.

 

That's the other thing..... If she had an UTI, she would be jumping in and out of the box trying to pee......
Is there a possibility she is just dehydrated? :dk:

 

[jenl]

how often would she be jumping? She tried to pee three times in an hour last night. Peed a tiny amount each time. But it's not like she is running to the litter box 25 times a day.

 

[carolina]

how often would she be jumping? She tried to pee three times in an hour last night. Peed a tiny amount each time. But it's not like she is running to the litter box 25 times a day.

Yeah, last night's event would worried me for sure..... But then today she seems to be better.....
Has she had UTIs before?

 

[jenl]

Never had them.

She peed a few times or tried to when we got back from the vet, and got a decent clump, and then a tiny weeny clump, but after the Clavamox, she stopped. She has been sleeping since 2. I've brought her water and food which she's eaten, but she won't get UP to eat them. She is just happy sleeping on the bed.
 

 

[carolina]

Never had them.

She peed a few times or tried to when we got back from the vet, and got a decent clump, and then a tiny weeny clump, but after the Clavamox, she stopped. She has been sleeping since 2. I've brought her water and food which she's eaten, but she won't get UP to eat them. She is just happy sleeping on the bed.

 

It is not the Clavamox making an effect. Antibiotics don't work this fast. Antibiotics take 24 hours to start slowing down bacteria, another 24 to start killing them. Then they really start making and effect. Only in about 48-72 hours you'd see the true effects of Clavamox.

Did the vet give her ANYTHING else? Pain medicine, anti-inflamatory, anything at all?

 

[jenl]

Cerenia is the only other thing? The anti-nausea med.
 

 

[jenl]

Unless she is this worn out from going to the vet, and the urinalysis. She is usually tired after, but I don't remember her sleeping *this* much. I am super hyperfocused on my baby right now.

 

[jenl]

I have read other people asking online if clavamox made their animal sleepy, which is why I wondered if it was a side effect.

 

[carolina]

The most common side effects seen in dogs and cats administered CERENIA are pain/vocalization (injectable), depression/lethargy, anorexia, anaphylaxis, ataxia, convulsions, and hypersalivation, and vomiting.
https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/pahweb/us/en/products/pages/cerenia_home.aspx

 

[jenl]

Yeah, I saw that. Oh, I feel like I do everything wrong with this kitty :-(