Kitten diarrhea - what to look out for?

[ares]

Well hey guys,

Ares, as of last night, started having diarrhea. It's not explosive, just very very runny and a little slimy. At first I thought it was from the new kitten we had brought home, but they had only been in contact for 12 hours, so i'm not sure if that enough time for him to catch something and have this mess. That, and the kitten had normal hard poops. (new kitten is back at shelter and not in the house due to very watery eyes. Ares has not shown any signs of watery eyes.)

He's also been stepping in his own mess with the same back foot the last two times it happened. Only once has he rubbed his but on the floor( left a nice poo mark on my rug.) I panicked a little and cleaned him up so I could check his glands, and they seemed fine - so I don't think it's that. He was also wormed and re-tested a few weeks ago with everything negative. (kitten we brought home was also negative.)

Right now, I think this may be due to him taking a few bites of my marinated steak when I was busy in the kitchen - but I didn't think it would last in his system this long. I've been giving him chicken only baby food, some raw goats milk to get more fluids in him (not much of a water drinker) and plain chicken and rice to settle his stomach.

What are some things I should look out for? How long can diarrhea last before I really have to start getting worried and call the vet? He's only had it two times that I've seen so far, but as he's never had it before, it's getting me all nervous.

c6o5sSR - Imgur.jpg

• ares
• Jun 27, 2013

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Giving him plain chicken and rice is good to stop it, and I would probably mix some probiotics in with it to make sure he has some good bacteria getting in there to work on whatever is causing the problem.  But with a kitten, I sure wouldn't let it go on very long without having a Vet check it out.  Plus I would check on the other kitten to make sure he isn't showing any of the same symptoms, just in case.

 

[ares]

Just got back from a new vet - been looking in my area to find one I like, so this was my first time going to this one. After taking his temp, it turns out he has a slight fever - which then makes it an emergency visit (what?!) so the now $38 vet fee is $70. she then tells me that she's going to give me a probiotic and Purina EN - for a total of $90. (this was with a $25 off coupon I had!!) so she didn't really tell me anything, then scolded me for not feeding him kibble and ever giving him raw. I'm stunned to say the least.

I'll see if the probiotics start to work (as well as giving him a little kibble to firm his poo up.) but if not, I'l be trying to find another vet...

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Oh dear...sounds like a rip off to me (I mean charging you for an emergency visit when you are already there in the office and suddenly they say it's emergency????  what the heck

.  I would think an emergency would mean someone else got bumped or had to wait because a crisis just walked thru the door WITHOUT an appointment, or maybe with an appointment but already a KNOWN emergency.  Sorry I'll get off my soapbox now 

What did they give you for the probiotic...Fortiflora?  I'm betting that's it.  Fortiflora probably will help with the diarrhea, but it's not really a good probiotic for the long run.

So what was her diagnosis...a sensitive stomach?  Do cats run a fever from a sensitive stomach? 

Anyway, at least now you must feel better knowing he's been looked at and you don't have to worry since the weekend is upon us (well,you anyway

..hasn't quite started in my state yet)

for a quick recovery

 

[ares]

Oh dear...sounds like a rip off to me (I mean charging you for an emergency visit when you are already there in the office and suddenly they say it's emergency????  what the heck

.  I would think an emergency would mean someone else got bumped or had to wait because a crisis just walked thru the door WITHOUT an appointment, or maybe with an appointment but already a KNOWN emergency.  Sorry I'll get off my soapbox now 

What did they give you for the probiotic...Fortiflora?  I'm betting that's it.  Fortiflora probably will help with the diarrhea, but it's not really a good probiotic for the long run.

So what was her diagnosis...a sensitive stomach?  Do cats run a fever from a sensitive stomach? 

Anyway, at least now you must feel better knowing he's been looked at and you don't have to worry since the weekend is upon us (well,you anyway

..hasn't quite started in my state yet)

for a quick recovery

I guess I'm more at ease, but I still have no idea whats wrong with my poor cat or whats causing the issue. He had a fecal done almost 3 weeks ago and I was told everything was clean but Coccidia, which he got Albon for, and then was better. He didn't even have liquid stools when he had cocs, so I'm not sure it's that. I'll keep him on the pro-biotic for now, not sure about the cat food though. First ingredient is a damn by product! Tried giving him some and he stuck his little pink nose up - so I basically paid $90 for a women to stick a thermometer up my cats bum and give me pro-biotics (along with a fun scolding about not feeding him correctly, and giving me attitude when I mentioned how expensive the vet bill was.)

"well, pets are expensive. Don't have one if you can't afford it."

Well, hopefully he'll be good by tuesday, if not, It's back to the vets (not this one - so I have to look for another in my area.)

If anyone lives in RI and knows a vet you like, I'm all ears!

No, I didn't spend the last month living at a vets office taking care of my cats URI and spending well over $300.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Sadly, prescription diets all have what we think of as icky ingredients.  But some of them actually do have some usefulness.  Just not sure if this is one of those times. it's usually helpful to have a diagnosis before prescribing something like this, I would think.  If he doesn't eat it, can you return it.  At our Vet's office, I think you can return it if it's still 2/3s full.  Hopefully that's the case. 

So, are you going to continue with the chicken and rice for a couple of day?  Was the probiotic Fortiflora?

 

[ldg]

Wow, I'm SO sorry for that horrible vet experience. And is that vet nuts? He's running a fever - so why blame the diet? He's obviously fighting something.

Hopefully this will clear up quickly. :cross:

But yes, I'd be searching for a new vet! Sometimes the reviews on yelp are helpful. And it can't hurt to search for a holistic vet at http://www.ahvma.org. Most of them are holistic vets because they really care about animals and total health. :heart2:

 

[ares]

Sadly, prescription diets all have what we think of as icky ingredients.  But some of them actually do have some usefulness.  Just not sure if this is one of those times. it's usually helpful to have a diagnosis before prescribing something like this, I would think.  If he doesn't eat it, can you return it.  At our Vet's office, I think you can return it if it's still 2/3s full.  Hopefully that's the case. 

So, are you going to continue with the chicken and rice for a couple of day?  Was the probiotic Fortiflora?

If I could get him to touch the food, I'd give it to him (it's canned.) but sadly, he wouldn't have it. The probiotic is Fortiflora, and they told me to use it all (30 packets, 30 days.) But she has no idea what the issue is, and just thinks he's sick. We'll see, I guess. If he's still bad on Monday I'll bring him to a holistic vet I found (already took monday off work just in case.)

Wow, I'm SO sorry for that horrible vet experience.

And is that vet nuts? He's running a fever - so why blame the diet? He's obviously fighting something.

Hopefully this will clear up quickly.

But yes, I'd be searching for a new vet! Sometimes the reviews on yelp are helpful. And it can't hurt to search for a holistic vet at http://www.ahvma.org. Most of them are holistic vets because they really care about animals and total health.

I found a Holistic vet in my area, so if this persists over the weekend, I'll bring him in to her. He hasn't pooped since this morning though, and he has been eating (stopped eating the rice and chicken, so I caved and let him eat Halo grain free food - his favorite. He had to eat something.) also gave him a hand full of kibble, which he never refuses. I'm hoping this large space in between poops means it's trying to become normal again.

I'll keep you guys updated.

 

[ldg]

Yep, not running to the litter box frequently is a good sign! :cross:

 

[ares]

Good news! He had a poop with form to it last night. Its not solid, but not liquid. So I'm putting this in the win column!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yay!