Krista's Care

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daftcat75

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Krista’s biome report came the other week. She has low diversity and a high proportion of one single strain (or family?), Akkermansia. I haven’t found any good info on what this means to her and her health. But it’s likely that her report was terribly skewed by a month of antibiotics. Let’s see if I can get the full course of Kitty Biome Restore in her and then re-test in a month.
 

daftcat75

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I have. But even with my old dusty biochem degree, my eyes glaze trying to make sense of that article and what it means for Krista.

What I wonder is whether it’s a component of the human probiotic I’ve been giving her (aka an unnatural imbalance of my own making.). So I’m hoping she responds well to the FMT and doesn’t require daily probiotic supplementation once we’ve completed a Restore product and retested her.
 

FeebysOwner

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But even with my old dusty biochem degree, my eyes glaze trying to make sense of that article and what it means for Krista...What I wonder is whether it’s a component of the human probiotic I’ve been giving her (aka an unnatural imbalance of my own making.). So I’m hoping she responds well to the FMT and doesn’t require daily probiotic supplementation once we’ve completed a Restore product and retested her.
Oversimplifying the information, I thought it might be behind some of Krista's weight-gaining issues. The key is to try to find out what meds she has been on that could have proliferated the over-production of this bacterium. Oddly enough, if that were true, would it mean that she has benefited from what is suggested to be anti-inflammatory properties?
I guess the next step would be to research to see if you can find anything that would suggest FMT would restore normal balance regarding Akkermansia. If some of the meds she was on produced this bacterium in over-abundance, would balance be restored once the meds are no longer administered, and if so, would adding another item like FMT even be needed?
 

daftcat75

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I just watched her try to climb the steps to the media bench and stumble off of them.

I told her vet that my first priority is to get her off daily steroids use. I don’t like seeing her weakened like this.
 

daftcat75

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Oversimplifying the information, I thought it might be behind some of Krista's weight-gaining issues. The key is to try to find out what meds she has been on that could have proliferated the over-production of this bacterium. Oddly enough, if that were true, would it mean that she has benefited from what is suggested to be anti-inflammatory properties?
I guess the next step would be to research to see if you can find anything that would suggest FMT would restore normal balance regarding Akkermansia. If some of the meds she was on produced this bacterium in over-abundance, would balance be restored once the meds are no longer administered, and if so, would adding another item like FMT even be needed?
I don’t know that my vet knows the answer to that question. I think that’s a specialist question.

I’ll contact the Animal Biome team since this is their jam and see what they say.

I do think FMT is better than flying blind with human probiotics. And I’ve already purchased the FMT pills and tests.
 

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Just my personal opinion, which pretty much means nothing, but she has been on way too much stuff - each overlapping the other - that it will be hard to trace back what all could be attributing to her issues. I wish it were possible to get back to the 'basics' with her, but I am sure you are hoping the FMT is a start in that direction.
 

daftcat75

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:gaah:
I have been waiting all morning for the vet to call. And then she just did and I missed it! I must have put the phone back on silent. 😔

The voicemail says her white blood count is high and she has a bladder infection. Did not mention anything about diabetes concerns. Also did not mention whether I could change her steroid dose or schedule. It’s an after hours call so I can’t clarify with her until Monday. So it sounds like she wants to put Krista on an antibiotic for the bladder infection and recheck her blood and urine in two weeks. Did not provide any guidance on her weight loss/failure to regain. 🤦🏼‍♂️😔
 

daftcat75

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Just my personal opinion, which pretty much means nothing, but she has been on way too much stuff - each overlapping the other - that it will be hard to trace back what all could be attributing to her issues. I wish it were possible to get back to the 'basics' with her, but I am sure you are hoping the FMT is a start in that direction.
I am giving the FMT in the spirit of, “might help, probably won’t hurt.”

I’m not expecting the FMT itself to solve her larger issues.

And anyway, if she has to go back on an antibiotic for her bladder infection, I’d better put the FMT away until she’s off the antibiotics again.
 

daftcat75

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I am trying* to read more on bladder infections in cats and I'm not satisfied with what I'm reading. (*Trying because many of the articles are written by food manufacturers with their urinary care foods to sell.) The symptoms still very much overlap with diabetes. And I'm not seeing any of the pain reactions in Krista. No crying when urinating. No blood in the box. No overgrooming of her urethra. No frequent attempts to pass only a small amount. No inappropriate peeing locations. She is still peeing in a box even if she doesn't squat as low as she needs to. I see that she pees frequently and easily a large dilute amount. It doesn't have the concentrated and strong odor of ammonia that I'm told is a hallmark of UTI/bladder infections.

And I'm so disappointed that the one concern I really had, large enough to highlight it in an email to her this morning, wanting to get her off daily steroids, and she didn't mention it on the voicemail. I'm not even sure she's in the office on Monday. I'll pick up a prescription but I will likely have to wait for an after-hours call from her to discuss her results and my concerns. So frustrated and disappointed.
 

tarasgirl06

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I gave Krista her first poop pill—fecal microbiota transplant from healthy cats. (Kitty Biome.) It’s a tiny gelatin capsule. I just stuck it directly in her food. She’s toothless. The chances that she’d open it are low. And if she did, I’ve seen her eat her own poop. We’ll give this at least 24 hours before I give another to see how it treats her.
daftcat75 daftcat75 . You're smart. I know this. So surely you will know that Krista is a CAT. Not a (dog). :crackup::eek2:
Seriously, though, I hope you can get an informative and satisfactory response from the vet.

And you may already have perused these. But maybe not, so I'm sharing them:
CBD Archives – Cannanine
and there's a guide you can apply for, too. That might help.
 
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FeebysOwner

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I am trying* to read more on bladder infections in cats and I'm not satisfied with what I'm reading. (*Trying because many of the articles are written by food manufacturers with their urinary care foods to sell.) The symptoms still very much overlap with diabetes. And I'm not seeing any of the pain reactions in Krista. No crying when urinating. No blood in the box. No overgrooming of her urethra. No frequent attempts to pass only a small amount. No inappropriate peeing locations. She is still peeing in a box even if she doesn't squat as low as she needs to. I see that she pees frequently and easily a large dilute amount. It doesn't have the concentrated and strong odor of ammonia that I'm told is a hallmark of UTI/bladder infections.

And I'm so disappointed that the one concern I really had, large enough to highlight it in an email to her this morning, wanting to get her off daily steroids, and she didn't mention it on the voicemail. I'm not even sure she's in the office on Monday. I'll pick up a prescription but I will likely have to wait for an after-hours call from her to discuss her results and my concerns. So frustrated and disappointed.
Feeby never exuded any of the 'typical' UTI symptoms either. Her sole 'identifier' was basically just peeing over the top of the litter box, which she pees high anyway. But, her last bouts of UTIs ended up being related to e-coli. So, with Krista's BM bacteria 'stuff', could she have a UTI from that? After urine cultures with Feeby, the vet decided the best antibiotic for her was Orbax. Despite her past urinary issues, there was no blood or sediment in her urine, just e-coli.
 

daftcat75

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daftcat75 daftcat75 . You're smart. I know this. So surely you will know that Krista is a CAT. Not a (dog). :crackup::eek2:
Seriously, though, I hope you can get an informative and satisfactory response from the vet.

And you may already have perused these. But maybe not, so I'm sharing them:
CBD Archives – Cannanine
and there's a guide you can apply for, too. That might help.
I like that they list the amount of CBD in one drop of oil. Because that's the most likely dose I'll get into her food. Much more than that and she'll either reject or we'll have poop problems.
 

MissClouseau

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The voicemail says her white blood count is high and she has a bladder infection.
I am trying* to read more on bladder infections in cats and I'm not satisfied with what I'm reading.
The symptoms still very much overlap with diabetes.
Did they not check for diabetes in the test?
 

daftcat75

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Did they not check for diabetes in the test?
I’m sure they did. That’s what I talked to her about before I brought her down. I just think she didn’t think to say the one thing I wanted to hear: your cat with diabetes-like symptoms does not in fact have diabetes.
 

daftcat75

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It’s a shame I have to put a hold on the poop pills. Her first FMT poops were even better than her normal offerings.

I’m upset that I missed my vet’s call. I don’t even know what prescription she’s getting. I hope it’s something small that I can mix with her food. Because if I have to pill her, it’s not going to happen. Maybe I can use the marbofloxacin from her ear if she won’t take what they give me. At least that she’ll eat a quarter pill powdered up in her food.

And I need to speak with the vet about her pred dose. I think she needs to go back to 5 mg but alternate days.

She’s so tough. She deserves strong relief and a day off. 😻👍
 

daftcat75

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Poor girl. She peed the pillows in bed. I know she’d only do that because of the infection.

Her eating has also slowed. That could be infection or smaller pred dose. Should pick up when I get her back to 5 mg doses. Now when I say her eating has slowed, she’s maybe eating 6 to 8 oz instead of the normal 12 I plate for her. 🤦🏼‍♂️🙀

But it’s still alarming. Because does she have any weight left to lose?! 😿
 
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