Hi all,
Not new to the forum; but I am having issues with my new guy, Geoffrey.
Brief background. Adopted on Nov 5.. He began with soft stools mid Dec.. now it is full blown diarrhea, 3 times a day. First stool sample was neg.. Now waiting for PCR, Fecal float.
Geoffrey is a very very frightened cat; spending all his time under my bed. I honestly think he was kept in a closet or bathroom--perhaps because of the diarrhea. Any sound, sudden movement, any movement and he is freaked out. Even people opening and closing their doors, and people walking down the apartment building hall, freaks him out.
If I pick him up, he freaks out.. scratches and runs under bed, not to come out..
I have been slowly gaining his confidence, mostly with play, using Feliway diffusers and Jackson Galaxy herbal spray mists. Geoffrey cannot be held. He is so frightened. Was not like this when I saw him in the shelter.
He is also most comfortable when the sun is NOT out.. later in the day.. And each time I go to the bathroom, he is right there with me.. runs from under the bed to be with me, in the bathroom.. so strange.
Taking him to Regular Vet. Because of the Christmas holiday; when his diarrhea began, I was up a creek with vets... I did manage to get him on Royal Canin Rabbit food--wet, and a human grade probiotic, Renew Life 15 billion..just putting a few grains in his food. He was eating it.
When the Vet returned from Christmas, we added the RC Rabbit Dry. All was well with his eating..
The diarrhea increased in frequency this week. Up to 2 times a day. Vet insisted on using Proviable Forte-- the Forte because it has more pre and probiotics and she has had good results with it. I questioned because I am accustomed to using the plain Proviable DC.
This did not help.. Increased diarrhea, now, 3 times a day.
Vet prescribed Metronidazole, (Flagyl) for the diarrhea.
Problem is: How the heck am I going to get it into him? It is a pill.. Vet insisted that I was NOT to pill him.. That would put him over the edge with trust. He would completely withdraw.
She said to mix it with his food.. I did not think that was a good idea because Flagyl is so nasty tasting.
I tried it once, yesterday. It took hours for him to eat the small amount of food. Today he is refusing it.. the rabbit..
Geoffrey is starving. He did not eat any food during the night.. had diarrhea, woke me up, to tell me his box was full..
We played as soon as I got up.. then I tried feeding him the mixture.. nope.. refused it...
I waited a couple of hours. He is starving.. going after any scent of food.. even the chocolate truffles in the candy dish.. He is constantly crying, walking all around me.. all over the kitchen. I just caught him trying to climb a wall--shadow? or is he crazy from hunger?
This is what I have tried--wasting pills:
* Wrapped in a pill pocket: both chicken and tuna
* wrapped in a bacon flavored mask
*wrapped in cheese
* coated with butter
* mixed with yogurt
* crushed and mixed with beef flavored baby food
I am at a loss. What do I do? He is starving.. do I wait this out? I feel horrible.
I am trying to keep my anxiety in check, but it is not helping..
Also I went to bed at 11pm and he woke me up at 4 am... to tell me his box was full..
When he is insistent, there is no way of ignoring him. I have been trying since I got him.
I am now thinking that he has had diarrhea at his prior home.. and most likely has a food allergy or IBD even.. My thoughts are that he was kept in the bathroom, because of the diarrhea.. so he would not soil the rest of the apartment. And he is 'wise' to all these hidden pilling techniques, because he had been through it before.
Afraid of being held, because it results in pilling/medicating....
I am so frustrated. I do not know what to do.. My angel Artie, was a dream to medicate.. He was a bit tuff at first.. but I was able to handle him.. I am afraid of shattering Geoffrey's mind by trying to scruff or wrap him in a towel.
Any ideas??
I really cannot believe I am going through this ~~ again.. two cats in a row..
Kind of hoping it is a parasite.. or not.. I am just beside myself.
How can this happen twice in a row?? This cat was healthy in the shelter, at the foster.. I had the president of the society and the adoption person check him, also... I am a volunteer with the shelter.
Any ideas??
I do have a can of sardines.. I think they are water packed.. do I try that? or tuna? and waste a couple more pills??
Help?
Geoffrey:
Not new to the forum; but I am having issues with my new guy, Geoffrey.
Brief background. Adopted on Nov 5.. He began with soft stools mid Dec.. now it is full blown diarrhea, 3 times a day. First stool sample was neg.. Now waiting for PCR, Fecal float.
Geoffrey is a very very frightened cat; spending all his time under my bed. I honestly think he was kept in a closet or bathroom--perhaps because of the diarrhea. Any sound, sudden movement, any movement and he is freaked out. Even people opening and closing their doors, and people walking down the apartment building hall, freaks him out.
If I pick him up, he freaks out.. scratches and runs under bed, not to come out..
I have been slowly gaining his confidence, mostly with play, using Feliway diffusers and Jackson Galaxy herbal spray mists. Geoffrey cannot be held. He is so frightened. Was not like this when I saw him in the shelter.
He is also most comfortable when the sun is NOT out.. later in the day.. And each time I go to the bathroom, he is right there with me.. runs from under the bed to be with me, in the bathroom.. so strange.
Taking him to Regular Vet. Because of the Christmas holiday; when his diarrhea began, I was up a creek with vets... I did manage to get him on Royal Canin Rabbit food--wet, and a human grade probiotic, Renew Life 15 billion..just putting a few grains in his food. He was eating it.
When the Vet returned from Christmas, we added the RC Rabbit Dry. All was well with his eating..
The diarrhea increased in frequency this week. Up to 2 times a day. Vet insisted on using Proviable Forte-- the Forte because it has more pre and probiotics and she has had good results with it. I questioned because I am accustomed to using the plain Proviable DC.
This did not help.. Increased diarrhea, now, 3 times a day.
Vet prescribed Metronidazole, (Flagyl) for the diarrhea.
Problem is: How the heck am I going to get it into him? It is a pill.. Vet insisted that I was NOT to pill him.. That would put him over the edge with trust. He would completely withdraw.
She said to mix it with his food.. I did not think that was a good idea because Flagyl is so nasty tasting.
I tried it once, yesterday. It took hours for him to eat the small amount of food. Today he is refusing it.. the rabbit..
Geoffrey is starving. He did not eat any food during the night.. had diarrhea, woke me up, to tell me his box was full..
We played as soon as I got up.. then I tried feeding him the mixture.. nope.. refused it...
I waited a couple of hours. He is starving.. going after any scent of food.. even the chocolate truffles in the candy dish.. He is constantly crying, walking all around me.. all over the kitchen. I just caught him trying to climb a wall--shadow? or is he crazy from hunger?
This is what I have tried--wasting pills:
* Wrapped in a pill pocket: both chicken and tuna
* wrapped in a bacon flavored mask
*wrapped in cheese
* coated with butter
* mixed with yogurt
* crushed and mixed with beef flavored baby food
I am at a loss. What do I do? He is starving.. do I wait this out? I feel horrible.
I am trying to keep my anxiety in check, but it is not helping..
Also I went to bed at 11pm and he woke me up at 4 am... to tell me his box was full..
When he is insistent, there is no way of ignoring him. I have been trying since I got him.
I am now thinking that he has had diarrhea at his prior home.. and most likely has a food allergy or IBD even.. My thoughts are that he was kept in the bathroom, because of the diarrhea.. so he would not soil the rest of the apartment. And he is 'wise' to all these hidden pilling techniques, because he had been through it before.
Afraid of being held, because it results in pilling/medicating....
I am so frustrated. I do not know what to do.. My angel Artie, was a dream to medicate.. He was a bit tuff at first.. but I was able to handle him.. I am afraid of shattering Geoffrey's mind by trying to scruff or wrap him in a towel.
Any ideas??
I really cannot believe I am going through this ~~ again.. two cats in a row..
Kind of hoping it is a parasite.. or not.. I am just beside myself.
How can this happen twice in a row?? This cat was healthy in the shelter, at the foster.. I had the president of the society and the adoption person check him, also... I am a volunteer with the shelter.
Any ideas??
I do have a can of sardines.. I think they are water packed.. do I try that? or tuna? and waste a couple more pills??
Help?
Geoffrey: