* Long Post * But Need Advice Please

[carlieebug]

As you can probably tell from my other threads, I’ve been having some issues with my boy. But here’s the background:

-2 year old male, fixed.
-Acting perfectly normal with good appetite and high energy
-Was on a dry food only diet (Purina ONE)
-Took him to the vet for blood work and decal since he’s had diarrhea, no parasites but blood work showed elevated HGB, HCT, and Sodium. Not really high but a little high. And also .4 lbs of weight loss.
-vet recommended he had dehydration from the diarrhea but not sure where the diarrhea was coming from since he’s totally healthy otherwise. So then said maybe Giardia and gave me Metronidazole twice a day for a week.
-I looked up the bad stories on that med so I decided to change up some stuff and wait it out
-I bought some wet food (pure balance) and gave him some yesterday and today with his probiotic mixed in (Pet Ultimates) and he was hesitant to eat it but then gobbled it up. Also ate most of his dry food last night as well.
-he has had solid stools the past two days but this morning he had diarrhea again but he’s normal otherwise and has been running around my house like a crazy kitty lol

So with all that said, does anyone have experience with a situation like this?
Is adding the wet food making his diarrhea come back briefly? I don’t think it’s Giardia at all but who knows. I need advice.

 

[denice]

I would ask the vet about a fecal PCR test which will find parasites that the float test done in the vet's office won't find. If it is something like Giardia you will know for sure and it will be worth giving the medicine for it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I agree with denice , get the fecal PCR test done to confirm or deny the existence of any kind of bacteria/parasites. If everything comes out normal, no need for any meds, and then you might have to start pursuing food allergies/issues.

Adding wet food in and of itself is not likely to cause diarrhea, unless there is some ingredient in the food that is not agreeing with him. If there is food he has eaten in the past that was not giving him diarrhea, you might want to go back to that food - and then, check the ingredients in it against the foods he has been eating during his bouts of diarrhea, just to see if you can determine what ingredient might be contributing to the loose stools.

 

[di and bob]

Any time you introduce something new into a diet it can cause diarrhea from the change. If it doesn't improve in a couple of days, something doesn't agree with him and it should be stopped. Keep pushing waterand make sure to introduce only one kind of food at a time.

 

[stephanietx]

We deal with this periodically with one of my cats whenever we introduce a new food. Usually, canned food doesn't cause diarrhea, but changing dry food abruptly can cause it. Having said that, other things can cause diarrhea, such as stress.

It could be that your kitty has developed a sensitive tummy. You could ask the vet for a sample of sensitive tummy food to see if that clears up the problem.

 

[LTS3]

It could be that your kitty has developed a sensitive tummy. You could ask the vet for a sample of sensitive tummy food to see if that clears up the problem.

Or possible intolerance to something in the food. Chicken and fillers are some that can cause an upset tummy. Try a novel protein LID type food. Stick with the food for at least 13 weeks or so to see if that helps.

You could also try a different probiotic, maybe one with a higher CFU or more bacteria strains. You can use a Human probiotic instead of a pet specific one. Here is info:

Prebiotics & Probiotics for Cats: Healing Inflammation and gut dysbiosis
Probiotics Search - Human Grade and CFUs
Which Probiotic Works Best For Cats?

S. boulardii can be helpful for diarrhea. The first link above has info on using that and suggested brands and dosages.

 

[inkysmom]

Pureed pumpkin that is sold in pet stores helps helps diarrhea for cats and dogs. The brand authority sells it.