Serious Problem!!!!!! Please Help! (About Hartz)

[kittymommy3]

I know, I know, NEVER use Hartz, believe me I know and I never have. What happened was I was staying over at my mothers house a few days ago and realized I forgot to pick up a flea treatment for my babies and asked my husband to run out and pick some up and apply it that night. He did so and everything was normal until the next day when I got home and noticed clear, very thick (like Karo Syrup) substance in and around the litterbox. Having owned cats that had this happen before I looked them over, everything seemed fine, they were all purring and affectionate and normal. I figured one might be constipated or picked up worms so I made an appointment with the vet. None were constipated, none had worms. So she thought it might be a little "kitty stomach bug" and gave them some probiotics and said to switch their food temporarily to a bland, chicken diet. I did so but the problem quickly got worse and they began to vomit and my vet was telling to "let it run its course". I began going through every single thing we had done over the past few weeks and then I remembered the flea treatment. I asked my husband if he had picked up any Advantage that day and he said no, that they were out so he grabbed the next thing that said flea and tick treatment. I nearly dove for the trash bin and began digging through it and was horrified when I discovered a Hartz packet. I immediately called the vet and told her and once again she said to let things run their course if they were not having tremors or seizures. This was unacceptable to me and now I'm stuck. We are a military family and our vet is the only one around that will take in animals short notice, the other two vets nearby that I called said that the soonest they would see them was Nov 2nd and Nov 29th respectively!!! 

My babies still seem relatively normal though aside from the diarrhea and vomiting but I am concerned about dehydration. They drink and eat normally but their bowels are so liquidy and often that I'm scared they might not get better and Nova (who so far is the only one with the puking problem) throws up what is essentially solid, undigested food within an hour of eating. Has anyone ever heard of this reaction to Hartz? Ideas on how I can control it and stave it off until I can get them into a vet or get care for it? 

 

[sparkling]

KittyMommy3, I'm so sorry to hear that your babies are sick. How often your cats throw up? Did your first vet run any tests?

 

[ldg]

I'm not familiar with this type of reaction, it IS possible it's a coincidence, but ... that seems unlikely.

Just in case, I would put them on a bland diet (boiled chicken with the broth - or chicken baby food, Beechnut if you can find it. Gerber's has corn starch in it). I would emphasize the broth.

I would also consider using a syringe (if you don't have a feeding syringe that can handle liquid, any pharmacy should have one for babies) to get children's unflavored pedialyte into them. If this is a toxicity reaction to the flea treatment, what you want to do is keep flushing their systems with as much fluid as possible.

I don't know if you want to talk to the vet again - let the vet know you are uncomfortable with the decision to "let it take its course" and you want to be more proactive. You can administer sub-q fluids at home: the vet should be able to provide all the supplies and guidance on the amount. We can help with how to do it if you want that option.

You may want to consider giving them some milk thistle to protect their livers: http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/milk-thistle-a-wonder-herb/ Are they adults or kittens? That will affect the dose, of course.

And you might want to ask the vet about an anti-emetic medication for the kitty that can't keep anything down - though I would consider giving that cat's system a rest with a 12 or 24 hour fast (though if fluids stay down, I would give pedialyte).

Vibes for you and your kitties.

 

[kittymommy3]

I'm not familiar with this type of reaction, it IS possible it's a coincidence, but ... that seems unlikely.

Just in case, I would put them on a bland diet (boiled chicken with the broth - or chicken baby food, Beechnut if you can find it. Gerber's has corn starch in it). I would emphasize the broth.

I would also consider using a syringe (if you don't have a feeding syringe that can handle liquid, any pharmacy should have one for babies) to get children's unflavored pedialyte into them. If this is a toxicity reaction to the flea treatment, what you want to do is keep flushing their systems with as much fluid as possible.

I don't know if you want to talk to the vet again - let the vet know you are uncomfortable with the decision to "let it take its course" and you want to be more proactive. You can administer sub-q fluids at home: the vet should be able to provide all the supplies and guidance on the amount. We can help with how to do it if you want that option.

You may want to consider giving them some milk thistle to protect their livers: http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/milk-thistle-a-wonder-herb/ Are they adults or kittens? That will affect the dose, of course.

And you might want to ask the vet about an anti-emetic medication for the kitty that can't keep anything down - though I would consider giving that cat's system a rest with a 12 or 24 hour fast (though if fluids stay down, I would give pedialyte).

Vibes for you and your kitties.

Thank you so much for the advice!! I did call the vet again asking for advice or any ideas on how to help and she once again said don't worry, let it go. I actually have pedilyte in the house as I have a 3 month old son so I already put them down a bowl of it when I first read your response. One is 1 1/2 and the other two are just shy of 6 months and they took well to the chicken when I started it after the vet suggested it, they love "people food" (not that they get any of course except right now) They have been doing well enough with liquids and the younger ones keep the food down but our oldest has always had a vomiting problem and this has just made it much much worse but so far no chicken has been thrown up. Thank you again for the advice and the vibes!