Kitty Treated For Bloody Stool By Vet... It Has Come Back Please Read

[brooklynbradley]

I adopted my kitten Frankie from a local shelter in September. Everything was normal and fine until about December, when he started having looser stools that were extremely smelly (sorry but I feel this is an important detail because the odor of it was beyond normal) and eventually it became complete diarrhea for a few days and then just extremely loose mixture with diarrhea and it was a very light brown. All of which had bright red blood in it. He also threw up a few times during this but nothing that struck me as unordinary because sometimes cats just throw up here and there.. it was only once or twice. But the diarrhea and blood was constant everytime he used the bathroom. His behavior never changed however he was still himself and still eating and drinking (same diet this whole time is also an important point he only eats his kitten food he doesn’t eat treats or human food or anything) well i took him to the vet obviously because this was very concerning. They tested his stool and examined him and determined what he had is called “clostridium” or bacterial colitis. she said it’s just like an infection that caused his intestinal tract to be irritated and that caused the diarrhea. so i bought all of the medicine she suggested and it cost me 160$... i am a college student without a job so this was a very big purchase she gave antibiotics for him to take and probiotic to mix with his food. we treated him with this and he seemed to be getting better immediately.. his stool began forming and eventually was just like normal no more blood and was formed and dark brown. so he used up all the antibiotics and everything has been fine. now just about two days ago i woke up to a very loud noise it was frankie retching and he threw up a very large amount. and now the stools are becoming loser and lighter and there is blood again. and enough that it was on his fur around his butt and is getting on things I know this isn’t a vet site and i should take him to see the vet and that it is my responsibility as his owner but at this time i literally do not have the money to take him to the vet like at all whatsoever... Could this be something else? could it be stress? i should mention frankie is my ESA who lives with me at college and my roommates all just returned from break so maybe all the people stressed him but he is so familiar with them and loves them so i don’t understand if that could cause bleeding.. if anyone has had this happen or has any ideas at all please help me.

 

[margd]

Infections by Clostridium perfringens can be hard to control so it's not unusual for diarrhea and vomiting to reoccur after a course of antibiotic treatment has ended. Yes, it's possible that it's something else, but given that your vet tested the stool and got a positive result and given that it's behaving like C. perfringens infections, it's more likely that the original diagnosis is the correct one. Stress does make these infections worse, so it's possible that the return of your roommates did trigger a flare-up of symptoms but either way, the infection needs to be treated.

I can completely understand the financial issue, having lacked funds myself when one of my cats needed treatment. Fortunately, I had a vet who would allow me to pay on time, or to write a post-dated check. Would your vet agree to this? Another option is to use CareCredit which allows you time to pay before charging interest. You may not need to do any of those things, however. If you explain your situation to your vet, she may agree just to give you a refill on the antibiotic without involving additional office visits or tests. What antibiotic was Frankie taking? If it was amoxicillin, many pharmacies charge very little for this, as low as $4.00.

About the probiotic - what did your vet prescribe? Look for cheaper prices elsewhere - it is almost always more expensive to buy any medication or probiotic from the vet.

For some more information on C. perfringens, check out this article. It's a short general introduction to the problem but also mentions the importance of a high-fiber diet in cats prone to infections. This is a quote from the article:

"High fiber diets reduce the number of Clostridial bacteria, while acidifying the inner intestine, which will reduce the growth of intestinal bacteria. An antibiotic medication may not be necessary, but chronic cases of Clostridium perfringens in cats may be prescribed antibiotic therapy".

Your vet may have already mentioned this, but if not, be sure to ask her what she recommends if you call back for a refill.

And finally, you might find this recent thread of interest: Antibiotic Resistant Clostridium Perf In Kittens Although it's written specifically about kittens with Clostridium infections resistant to Metronidazole, there is a lot of good information about treating these infections in general.

Good luck! Please let us know how Frankie does.

EDIT: These articles contain information about low/no cost vet care.

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

When You Can't Afford A Veterinarian

 

[Mamanyt1953]

margd has given you all of the information I had, and more, so I will just add to please let us know how your kitten is doing!