This is my first time dealing with something like this in all of my years of having cats (I've only had to do de-worming treatments). I've heard this can happen to kittens, and I have a theory of how my little guy got it (stray mother, negative tests, possibly?) Regardless, he got his diagnosis today! Please keep in mind I live in Japan, and the vets here aren't fluent in English, and my Japanese in minimal. I can do everyday conversation, but these are medical terms and such.
A bit of background: he didn't start showing signs until about 2 days after I got him. He got treated for worms & parasites and sent on his way at the first vet. His stool was loose and I had to bathe him twice (which he hated) because he made a mess of himself. Then I had to clean down my floors on one occasion. I took him to the first vet who did the standard tests and said he didn't have a parasite but he wanted to treat him just in case, so I agreed since I know that those things happen. But then I started to consider a food-allergy or just stress from moving. He just came home last weekend. I switched him to a bland diet of boiled chicken after a short fast where he only drank water. It helped for a day, but then the symptoms came back, this time the stool was yellow and loose but not full-blown diarrhea. I slowly incorporated his food back since I didn't want him losing nutrients, but as of this morning there was zero improvement.
Last night he missed the litter box as he tried to make it in and also went a little on himself while I was holding him- not much, but enough that I was concerned with where this was heading (he was promptly cleaned both times). I was so worried that I rushed him to the vet this morning since tomorrow is a national holiday and everywhere will be closed. I didn't want to wait and see if things got better since I'd exhausted other options- diet, stress reducing, and the parasite medicine.
I took him to the vet who happened to speak English! Aside from his bowels, he's had no symptoms such as vomiting or being lethargic, and there was even no muscus-film like stuff so I didn't consider coccidia in the realm of possibilities. This doctor asked me where I got him and I told him. He seemed worried- I waited for a long time before he came back informing me it was coccidia. Prognosis is good, but I've heard it's hard to treat- or rather, a long treatment.
I honestly have no idea what medicine they put him on as it's all in kanji & I can only read about 100 characters. He took one pill today and he's supposed to take another in two weeks. He also has a liquid medicine to take today and tomorrow, and the vet wants to see him again next weekend. I've read about coccidia medicine, and most treatments seem to be a daily medication? Does anyone have an idea of what the doctor might have prescribed?
Also, does anyone know what I should expect in the next few days? I'm a student, and two days a week I'm out of the house a good 7 hours for classes (I do have a roommate who does check on him while I'm gone, he's quarantined from her cat in my room and has been since he came home aside from introductions- they're friends now but we don't let them be together unsupervised or share litter. Now I've quarantined him off with me in my room until he's healthy). I'm worried about him. This is the first cat I've raised really by myself (my other cats I raised with the help of my parents). And I've never dealt with something that seems this serious before.
Sorry for the long post and big backstory. I'm a concerned first-time mama.
A bit of background: he didn't start showing signs until about 2 days after I got him. He got treated for worms & parasites and sent on his way at the first vet. His stool was loose and I had to bathe him twice (which he hated) because he made a mess of himself. Then I had to clean down my floors on one occasion. I took him to the first vet who did the standard tests and said he didn't have a parasite but he wanted to treat him just in case, so I agreed since I know that those things happen. But then I started to consider a food-allergy or just stress from moving. He just came home last weekend. I switched him to a bland diet of boiled chicken after a short fast where he only drank water. It helped for a day, but then the symptoms came back, this time the stool was yellow and loose but not full-blown diarrhea. I slowly incorporated his food back since I didn't want him losing nutrients, but as of this morning there was zero improvement.
Last night he missed the litter box as he tried to make it in and also went a little on himself while I was holding him- not much, but enough that I was concerned with where this was heading (he was promptly cleaned both times). I was so worried that I rushed him to the vet this morning since tomorrow is a national holiday and everywhere will be closed. I didn't want to wait and see if things got better since I'd exhausted other options- diet, stress reducing, and the parasite medicine.
I took him to the vet who happened to speak English! Aside from his bowels, he's had no symptoms such as vomiting or being lethargic, and there was even no muscus-film like stuff so I didn't consider coccidia in the realm of possibilities. This doctor asked me where I got him and I told him. He seemed worried- I waited for a long time before he came back informing me it was coccidia. Prognosis is good, but I've heard it's hard to treat- or rather, a long treatment.
I honestly have no idea what medicine they put him on as it's all in kanji & I can only read about 100 characters. He took one pill today and he's supposed to take another in two weeks. He also has a liquid medicine to take today and tomorrow, and the vet wants to see him again next weekend. I've read about coccidia medicine, and most treatments seem to be a daily medication? Does anyone have an idea of what the doctor might have prescribed?
Also, does anyone know what I should expect in the next few days? I'm a student, and two days a week I'm out of the house a good 7 hours for classes (I do have a roommate who does check on him while I'm gone, he's quarantined from her cat in my room and has been since he came home aside from introductions- they're friends now but we don't let them be together unsupervised or share litter. Now I've quarantined him off with me in my room until he's healthy). I'm worried about him. This is the first cat I've raised really by myself (my other cats I raised with the help of my parents). And I've never dealt with something that seems this serious before.
Sorry for the long post and big backstory. I'm a concerned first-time mama.
