my cat ate a bird and is now quite sick

[riley1]

If you can afford Rad Cat, yes, it's an excellent food. No problems with using canned sometimes if you want, though.

Really like your links!

 

[zoneout]

 
Wellness is considered one of the better wet foods....I'm using it now since 2007. I use the grain-free "Complete Health" type (no fish varieties) and I add in some freshly lightly-cooked shredded turkey and its broth + some pure canned pumpkin.

I like the idea about the shredded turkey.  What do you use? ground turkey or parts?

 

[zoneout]

 
I would keep giving him the food he is used to; avoiding a stomach upset by changing foods.  And White Shadow is right; miralax is the best thing for constipation and it does not have to be put into his mouth.  Hairball treatment works for older cats but should not be used in kittens.  Not sure about the  pumpkin - we always give it for lose stools.  I am so glad you got to see a vet and there is nothing in the lungs!

I would be leery of using miralax on a long-term basis or any osmotic for that matter as it draws water from the cats other organs.   I would be vigilant for dehydration issues.

 

[riley1]

 
I would be leery of using miralax on a long-term basis or any osmotic for that matter as it draws water from the cats other organs.   I would be vigilant for dehydration issues.

Thank you!  I did not know this. I'm assuming  it is OK for a few days?

 

[moosedog]

Kitty seems like he has to blow his nose.  when he leans over to eat it gets worse.   I'm also pretty sure he knows I was the cause of this and he is avoiding me and giving me the stinkeye when he sees me.  I'm going to put some books under his dish so he doesn't have to lean over as much.

 

[moosedog]

He just sneezed out some blood. I called the vet and she said to come get some anti-inflammatory and that if it keeps bleeding then he might need a specialist. 

He is acting like he wants to eat some food and so I put some down and he smelled it and looked back up at me.  I tried a little tuna and he smelled it and looked back up at me.  It looks like he wants to eat until he smells the food. 

 

[moosedog]

the vet said it almost has to be related to the medicine that got up his nasal passage and it is not anything more serious but that should watch him.   He did not eat anything. 

 

[white shadow]

Quote:

 
He just sneezed out some blood. I called the vet and she said to come get some anti-inflammatory ......

Moosedog -

BEFORE YOU GIVE THE NEW DRUG.......IF IT'S a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug........a "NSAID"  (some human ones are Advil, aspirin, but there are animal NSAIDs like "Metacam" and "Onsior")....please understand that these drugs should NOT be given simultaneously with Convenia

.

The following references come from The National Office of Animal Health in the UK (much like the US FDA) which licenses veterinary drugs in the UK:

 Concurrent use of other substances that have a high degree of protein binding (e.g....non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)) may compete with cefovecin [Convenia] binding and thus may cause adverse effects.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Pfi...n_for_injection_for_dogs_and_cats/-43050.html

 Other...antibiotics...with high protein binding may compete for binding and thus lead to toxic effects.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Boe...Ds-mg_ml_Oral_Suspension_for_Cats/-40680.html

And, again, from the same source about Onsior:

Concurrent use of other active substances that have a high degree of protein binding may compete with robenacoxib for binding and thus lead to toxic effects

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Nov..._40_mg_flavoured_tablets_for_dogs/-50767.html  

We've seen this exact scenario - Convenia + NSAID - play out here on the CatSite.......with fatal results. I've 'seen' it on another popular cat forum.

Whether it's an honest medical mistake, or Veterinarians not double-checking for contraindications before prescribing, or Veterinarians whose pharmacological knowledge mostly comes from drug company sales reps.........who knows?

I won't allow any NSAID for my cats. The problem with them is that cats have not evolved with the enzymes needed to process them - the result is some degree of kidney damage. Also know this: those two animal drugs are NOT licensed for the type of issue she is using them for......she's using them "off label" (I bet she won't tell you that and give you the ability to make an informed choice about using them, either). The only anti-inflammatory I would ever consider using with my cats would be a steroid.

 

[moosedog]

thank you,  I called the vet back and told them I was going to hold off on the anti-inflammatory.   Mu just some food and begged for more so I gave him more.  I raised his dish up so he doesn't have to lean over. 

 

[moosedog]

I was wondering about getting a kitty harness and taking him for a walk.  They recommend steam and exercise.  He will not like the harness but I think he'll accept it if he gets to go out.  How else is he going to get exercise? 

 

[peaches08]

Just toss a toy or use a wand toy.  Harness training would probably be better when he isn't sick.

 
I was wondering about getting a kitty harness and taking him for a walk.  They recommend steam and exercise.  He will not like the harness but I think he'll accept it if he gets to go out.  How else is he going to get exercise? 

 

[white shadow]

 

[riley1]

I would not take him out on a harness for two reasons.  One he is still sick and would need training for this.  Two, I started taking my cat out 6 years ago and have regretted it for 5 1/2.  They don't want to walk with you down the street, they want to hide out in the neighbors bushes for hours. No matter how long they are out or how many days in a row it is never enough!  For me this goes on from April thru mid November and makes my life hell.  Cats can be very persistent in getting their needs met, as we all know.

 

[zoneout]

 

 
I would be leery of using miralax on a long-term basis or any osmotic for that matter as it draws water from the cats other organs.   I would be vigilant for dehydration issues.

 
Thank you!  I did not know this. I'm assuming  it is OK for a few days?

zoneout   and  Riley1.....check this:

Concerns are often expressed about cats with chronic constipation, such as cats with kidney disease, that use of an osmotic laxative will dehydrate the cat because these products draw water to the bowel or hold it in the stool. If producing a normal stool puts a cat at risk of dehydration, more is wrong than constipation and sometimes what is wrong is the human reasoning. Dehydration is not a recommended treatment for constipation! The amount of water needed to normalize the stool  in response to  an osmotic laxative is the same amount of water by any other method including diet and dietary fiber.  This does not mean that these osmotic laxatives should not be treated with respect, of course they should be used conservatively and appropriately. But producing a normal  stool by use of an osmotic laxative should not dehydrate a cat.

http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html#OsmoticLaxativesPrevent   (my emphases)

Long story short: no need to be concerned about MiraLAX long term use - and, there are cats with chronic constipation (there were two here!)

@WhiteShadow  I respectfully have to disagree with the characterization that `no need to be concerned about Miralax long term use`.   First this contradicts the quoted recommendation from www.felineconstipation.org to use osmotic laxatives `....conservatively and appropriately`.   Furthermore... from www.vetinfo.org:

Miralax draws water and fluids into the colon and relieve the stress felt in the bowels. This helps create steady bowel movements.
If your cat does not respond to the treatment after about a week, discontinue treatment and report this to your vet. The constipation could be a symptom of something more serious.

Finally, also from www.vetinfo.org:

Miralax for cats is fine for short-term use, but should not be used long term. Avoid high doses as this can cause diarrhea, which can then cause dehydration. If your cat has been diagnosed with Chronic Renal Insufficiency (CRS), do not give them Miralax or any other laxative at all. Talk with your vet about different treatment options for constipation. If you're uncertain of whether the Miralax is working and do not know your cats regular defecation schedule, contact your vet to find out what's normal for a health cat similar in size, age, health and breed. 
 

 

[zoneout]

 
I would not take him out on a harness for two reasons.  One he is still sick and would need training for this.  Two, I started taking my cat out 6 years ago and have regretted it for 5 1/2.  They don't want to walk with you down the street, they want to hide out in the neighbors bushes for hours. No matter how long they are out or how many days in a row it is never enough!  For me this goes on from April thru mid November and makes my life hell.  Cats can be very persistent in getting their needs met, as we all know.

Cats!!!!   I used to go for long walks outside with Max and he would gleefully pace along beside me the whole way .... about half mile back and forth.     Then my Nazi condo association made a leash law for cats.   So I tried getting a harness for Max - images of Max obediently pacing beside me in my mind.    Nothing doing.   All he does is run for the nearest bushes and gets the leash all tangled up.   

 

[moosedog]

Mustaffa likes to go for walks with me also, though I'm sure he will act exactly like zoneout's cat and only try to take that harness off if I put one on him. 

He is looking good last night and this morning.  He was sleeping on beds and was looking out the window as usual when I came home.  . 

A little bit of mucus came out his hose this morning while he was doing the stuffy/runny thing.  It seems like he'd do much better if he could just blow his nose.  It sounds likes he's snorting it back up his nose like when you don't have a kleenex.  Then I see him make a swallowing motion, so it looks as if swallowing the mucus instead of blowing it out.  Other than that he seems to doing better. 

 

[moosedog]

He just sneezed out some mucus from his nose and there was a little bit of blood mixed in.  It doesn't look serious and the vet said he might get another bloody nose, I'm just glad he's getting this stuff out his nose but you can tell there is more.... and he barely ate any food but I added some water to it and he sometimes doesn't like that.  I'm going to take him into a steamy bathroom and then try some food without adding water.  He's back to sitting in his favorite windows and even climbed up his scratching post and jumped over to get to the high up window. 

 

[moosedog]

He just sneezed a bunch of clear mucus onto my arm.  So the stuff is coming out when he sneezes.  No blood either.  He just sneezed a bunch of times.  I hope it all comes out. 

 

[riley1]

We have always had leash laws.  In the beginning I would let him run about with a leash and a second retractable.  At first he would stay close around and dragging all the leashes I thought he would continue.  One day I could not find him for 3 hours!  He came back without the leashes and harness.  I got a radio finder but it did not work very well.  Then I bought a GPS and let him out a few times alone but was just too worried about him to continue.  Now, I let him out alone during the days that I don't have anywhere to go but still worried.  Most of the time he has a harness and a very light leash on and I follow him around from a distance.  That way if he gets caught up I can free him.   I can not walk him as I would be too close to the neighbors windows.  Again, I would tell people not to start as this has become just too time consuming.

 

[moosedog]

Cats nose seems to be running constantly for the past few hours.  I'm pretty sure this is a good sign.  Sometimes it looks brown like blood is mixed in with it but mostly its clear.  And much less gurgling sounds from his nasal area.