Kitten vomit and diarrhea hospitalized

[Livialuna]

Hello everyone,

last Monday my 3.5 months old cat vomited and had diarrhea, called the vet and said to just check him and call next day if there were no improvement.

Next day same thing: vomited in the morning and loose stool. I’ve taken him to the vet that did a stool test that came back positive for giardia. We gave him panacur for 4 days with the diarrhea getting worse. I’ve called in again Thursday and the vet said it was just the course of the disease.

Yesterday we took him to a new vet for a second opinion. Another stool sample was taken, it came back negative. Giardia wasn’t re-tested. Vet gave a supplement to harden the stools, two more days or panacur and put him on RC gastro. She said that until the cat is eating and playful not to worry and to call her if things get worse.

In the evening he was fine, having his food and playing. This morning he was having really watery stools and vomiting, he ate very little, but was still playful.
I called the vet and she suggested to hospitalize him for today and run a blood test. She said that probably isn’t giardia or not only giardia.

I’m worried out of my mind. Someone had similar experiences with kittens?

I really hope he doesn’t die.
Sorry for my English, it’s not my first language.
Taisia

 

[StefanZ]

Two overall tips: 1. Having watery diarrheas he needs more salts. Easiest is to give some pedialyte. Best flavorless for human babies. 2. If you can get raw goats milk, try. It may even help...

3. Your english is more than good enough.

 

[Livialuna]

Hi Stefan Z,

Thank you for your kind reply.

the cat at the moment is with the vet. They are going to keep him for today to administer fluids and run more tests.
He was alert when I left him and I believe it’s more a precaution but we still don’t know the cause

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So up until today he was still eating pretty well? If so, that is a good sign. He should be in good hands at the Veterinary Hospital, and fluids will help, as will the new testing they will do to try to find an answer to what is wrong. No reason to think he will die from this. Believe it or not, diarrhea in kittens is quite common. Since he did test positive for giardia once, it's possible he does still have it. Sometimes the test can come back a false negative (or positive), and oftentimes one or two treatments aren't enough . Plus, unless you are diligent about cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, the cat can get reinfected with it.

Here is an article all about giardia: Giardia And Giardiasis In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

 

[stephanietx]

The sudden change to the RC Gastro may be the cause of the latest round of diarrhea, especially if it was dry food and not canned food.

 

[Livialuna]

So up until today he was still eating pretty well? If so, that is a good sign. He should be in good hands at the Veterinary Hospital, and fluids will help, as will the new testing they will do to try to find an answer to what is wrong. No reason to think he will die from this. Believe it or not, diarrhea in kittens is quite common. Since he did test positive for giardia once, it's possible he does still have it. Sometimes the test can come back a false negative (or positive), and oftentimes one or two treatments aren't enough . Plus, unless you are diligent about cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, the cat can get reinfected with it.

Here is an article all about giardia: Giardia And Giardiasis In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

thank you for your reassuring words and the article that I will read!
Until today he was eating like a pig, he would eat anything in sight, including the older cat food.
We are quite thorough with cleaning. We wipe his bum and paws every time and clean the floors, unfortunately I have hardwood floors that can’t be bleached but we use alcohol. We scoop all the clumps and the surrounding litter every times he goes. And we bleach the litter boxes every other day. But maybe it’s not enough. I haven’t slept a full night in a week, every time we hear him digging we run in the bathrooms.

 

[Livialuna]

The sudden change to the RC Gastro may be the cause of the latest round of diarrhea, especially if it was dry food and not canned food.

Thank you!
It was the can and the kibble. And I saw him eating both yesterday.
The day before he ate his food and the other cat foods. They eat the same thing only his is kitten formula.
We feed Almo nature for wet and ND farmina for dry. They are Italian brands I don’t know if they are available in other countries. They should be good quality.

 

[stephanietx]

How is he doing today at the vet? I hope they figure out what's going on with him.

 

[Livialuna]

I also have heard back from the vet. The cat hasn’t had more vomit or diarrhea they gave him fluids and meds for nausea. They say is positive that he responded. He is still not eating regularly. He licks food from the finger if offered insistently. The vet thinks is a combination from new environment and the fact that he is unwell.
They also run an hemochrome blood sample that is good.

 

[stephanietx]

I'm glad his bloodwork is good. Are they going to keep him another night or will he come home?

 

[Livialuna]

I'm glad his bloodwork is good. Are they going to keep him another night or will he come home?

I don’t know yet. I took him in this morning and he is going to stay the night. Tomorrow lunch time they are going to tell me based on the night and others test results.
I hope to pick him up tomorrow if it’s safe. The other cat is looking for him and meowing

 

[Livialuna]

Hello everyone,

got the kitty back at home. They called at noon saying there wasn’t reason to keep him there. He ate this morning and didn’t throw up or pooped since yesterday morning (they gave him meds for both nausea and intestinal transit
At home he ate a decent amount of gastro and is playing like nothing had happened.

The approach now is wait and see. With the first decent poop they will do another panel to rule out common parasites.

I have to give royal gastro, carobin (a supplement) and prebiotics.

the other cat was so happy to see him that locked his forehead while he was eating.

I’ll keep you posted

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Sounds like pretty good news. Hopefully it was just a bump in the road.

 

[stephanietx]

Fantastic news! I'm glad he's well enough to come home and that he was welcomed by the other kitties in your home.

 

[Furballsmom]

I’ll keep you posted