Diarrhea And Going Out Of The Box (related To Antibiotics)

aliciaclarkpgh

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Ghostie came to us with what was likely a bad flare up of Feline Herpes and a secondary Chlamydia infection. After letting it run its course for awhile, my other two cats caught it. Now, the vet has ordered that everyone get antibiotics (Doxycycline) for four weeks and antivirals (Famciclovir) for two. We're just finishing the second week mark.

As far as the URIs, everyone is going MUCH MUCH better. But the newest issue is that Ghostie has started getting diarrhea, presumably from the doxy wiping out the good bacteria in his gut. We give him the meds twice daily on a full stomach (doxy mixed with wet food). Then, mid day, he gets a tablespoon of baby food with Forti Flora. Still, he's going up to four times a day, usually in the bathroom. I'm bleaching and cleaning as soon as possible. Scooping the upstairs box twice a day (we have four other boxes downstairs as well).

Other than keeping the box clean and giving the Fort-Flora, what else should I be considering? Any additional medications? Any changes to our litter regiment? We have two full weeks of this left, and I'm sick of constantly cleaning and disinfecting the cow patty areas.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! Bless you for working with your baby!!
I'm not sure about this, but I've read several times that as a probiotic fortiflora isn't all that great.
Would your vet consider something like Tummyworks?
What litter are you using? I guess I'm wondering if you could use box liners for the boxes that he's using, puppy pee training pads, something where it would be easier for you to dispose of...
 
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aliciaclarkpgh

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He first started going in the bathtub. No big deal- easy to clean. Now he's expanded his territory, going in the corner of the bathroom, and corners to other upstairs bedrooms. The litter box is cleaned morning and night. Just regular Fresh Step (although, I just ordered some Cat Attract version from Chewy). I also ordered from Pro-Pectalin to see if that would at least help slow things down to give the probiotics a chance to work.

Fortunately (knock on wood), he's still peeing in the boxes. Just leaving the diarrhea poop outside.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi, I'm sorry, I logged out last night just before you posted again.
I was thinking, is there any way you can contain him to a smaller area so that you aren't having to do double and triple cleanup duty?
 

jinxybean

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Poor Ghostie! I agree with Furballsmom Furballsmom that a better probiotic will help with his diarrhea. Fortiflora is a basic single-strain probiotic and not as powerful as Tummyworks or Vetriscience Vetri-Mega Probiotics. Dose your kitties with probiotics at an off-schedule time from when you administer the antibiotics to reduce interference between the two.

My Jinxy would poo out of the pan when her diarrhea flares up, my guess is to keep the pan clean. (Cats have their own logic...lol) If she's feeling soft-ish, she'll bank it off the edge of the pan and pooping in the dining room is reserved for when she's really uncomfortable.
 
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