Is It Really Ibd?

[darcifinn]

My vet thinks my 11 month old kitten has IBD. I am not convinced it started with loose stool when we went out of town and the stool did not clear up quickly. He threw up hairballs twice in two months. He has not lost any weight as a matter of fact he gained some, he is playful as a kitten should be. We did get his stool to firm up by giving him benefiber and we have taken him off chicken. I am thinking if it’s anything it is Giardia because his brother had it. Can anyone who’s cat has been diagnosed officially let me know if this sounds like IBD to you? I’m hesitant to start him on the metronidazole when he seems to be doing well.

Thank you!

 

[silkenpaw]

Kind of young for IBD. I would be doubtful as well.

Metronidazole is an antibiotic used to treat many intestinal parasites and it also has direct anti-diarrhea activity. It would treat giardia (unless you have the increasingly common resistant strain). I wouldn’t start him on it, either, unless there is a positive stool test.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Kind of young for IBD. I would be doubtful as well.

Metronidazole is an antibiotic used to treat many intestinal parasites and it also has direct anti-diarrhea activity. It would treat giardia (unless you have the increasingly common resistant strain). I wouldn’t start him on it, either, unless there is a positive stool test.

silkenpaw - Absolutely agree.

darcifinn - If your veterinarian has diagnosed IBD without even doing a fecal float to rule out Giardiasis, you just might need to seek another opinion.
.

 

[darcifinn]

silkenpaw - Absolutely agree.

darcifinn - If your veterinarian has diagnosed IBD without even doing a fecal float to rule out Giardiasis, you just might need to seek another opinion.
.

 

[darcifinn]

Yeah, I was wondering. I know his brother took a couple tests to be positive. I think she figured treat whatever it was with metronidazole. I have really like this vet so far. It has taken me a long time to find a vet I like. I am bothered because I don’t trust I have given food intolerance enough time to be determined.

 

[Daisy6]

Because metronidazole is a drug that comes with side effects, it is important to be sure whatever his problem is can be cleared up with it - and I don't mean just the symptoms here - before getting a prescription. If all you do is treat the symptoms the vet can't figure out what is causing them because they can be many things. It is always better to have a diagnosis that makes sense than just force pills down a cat's throat hoping it works.

 

[KarenKat]

My kitty Trin has IBD. He was having chronic diarrhea so we took him to a vet. She checked his urine and did a fecal float and did a blood test. Only abnormality was elevated liver enzymes from the blood test. She recommended an ultrasound. We did an ultrasound (which I was normal) and they did two more specialized blood tests for EPI (negative) and for his B12 (which was low).

At this point the diagnosis could be small cell lymphoma or IBD and the only way to tell would be a biopsy. We chose to treat with B12, which immediately fixed the diarrhea and the vet said that lymphoma would not have reacted like that to the B12. We switched to a rabbit protein to do an elimination test and we are giving monthly B-12.

If your kitty did not have any tests done to confirm a diagnosis, I would definitely bring that up to the vet or maybe see a specialist. Unless more tests were done, it sounds like too many assumptions are being made.

 

[darcifinn]

Thanks Karen. I appreciate you sharing your exp. He did have a blood test and it said on the lower end of normal for B12 which we just started subq and slightly elevated folate. Ugh i should have mentioned that. She did not do a fecal float. Also he has had no other symptoms but loose stool which seems to have resolved. That is why I am questioning IBD.

 

[darcifinn]

Ooo one more question, do you think my vet will be insulted if I want a second opinion?

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Ooo one more question, do you think my vet will be insulted if I want a second opinion?

darcifinn - If the second opinion confirms his or her initial diagnosis, then he or she looks great. If it doesn't, then all your current vet will know is your new vet's name and address, when the office sends your kitty's medical records on to them.
.

 

[Tilly206]

Our kitten has had a lot of diarrhoea recently, after a gradual change to a new food!
Here in England, we have been having a major heatwave and we werent sure if her bad tummy was caused by the new food, the heat or parasites. Had a fecal analysis done, which came back clear. She was also placed on a pro/pre biotic called Pro-Bind.

After over a week, it wasnt improving much but my vet said it can take 7 days or so for the gut to relax and toilet to return to normal but as long as she is eating, drinking and playing, not to worry.

The next steps my vet has recommended are allergy testing/food allergy testing. If that doesn’t resolve things, she recommends maybe switching to a hypo-allergenic food (although thats not something they like to rush into with kittens). We have changed her back to her original food after a couple of weeks with a gastro settling diet and have seen an improvement already.

My other cat was diagnosed with IBD (she was about 15 at the time) and a year later diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (so things may be a bit diff but that was diagnosed later).
Her symptoms were bright red blood and mucus in small amounts of diarrhoea, straining to go to the toilet with no success and she lost some weight. She had a problem with furballs. Her treatment was her special gastro diet (which she had to be on long term) and something called Katalax to help break down her fur balls. After some time on her special diet, she no longer required the fur ball treatment.

Hope some of that info will help you. But personally, as some others have said.. id be keen to get all tests before diagnosing anything. Hope your kitten is OK, it is stressful isnt it

 

[darcifinn]

Hi - yes it is stressful! I decided to be frank with the receptionist at the vets office where I actually really do like the vet and I think I’ve said that already. I told them I don’t intend to change practices I just feel like I need a second opinion before Administering such a heavy dose and I did find a doctor that specializes only in cats close by. I had Jackson’s records sent over and I am going to see her on Thursday. I really don’t intend to change practices, but hopefully the new vet will be a bit more thorough. I appreciate everybody taking the time to weigh in until the story I will check back in on Friday and let you know what I find out.

 

[silkenpaw]

A good vet would be glad of a second opinion. If your vet gets upset about it, I would wonder about him.