Metronidazole?

[carlieebug]

so I took my baby in for a routine blood work and he had elevated red blood cells and sodium and also lost about half a pound. So the vet gave me a course of metronidazole and I’m reading absolute horror stories and I’m riddled with anxiety about it. Any advice?

 

[She's a witch]

did the vet tell you what he thought the underlying cause is? Metronidazole is mainly antiprotozoal drug (eg. used commonly against giardia GI parasites) so does he suspect any infection? If not, I would call him and discuss it, let him know you're worried about this drug's side effects, and possibly ask if whatever he suspects can be confirmed diagnostically before giving medications.

The results you mentioned may simply be the effect of dehydration, does your cat eat dry food only? Did your vet mentioned that possibility to you?

My cat had nasty side effects after metronidazole so personally I'd use it again only if the diagnosis was confirmed 100% and if there was no other way to treat the disease, but on the other hand, it is a very common medication and most cats are totally fine after using it.

 

[carlieebug]

Yes he is on a dry food only diet and I’m seriously thinking about adding some wet food daily for him. He said he suspects Giardia or however you spell it but I mean his only symptom that I see is occasional diarrhea. He is still energetic and eating and fine. I don’t want to give him this medicine if I can fix the dehydration naturally. I ran a fecal last week and it had no parasites at all. I’m taking another one in tomorrow to be safe but still. I’m also going to add a really good probiotic into his food.

 

[stephanietx]

I would suggest that you switch to a mainly wet food diet. Is he having really stinky poops? That's usually a good indicator of giardia.

 

[neely]

Perhaps this TCS Article on Giardia will be helpful for you:
Giardia And Giardiasis In Cats

Here is a thread that discusses using Metronidazole for treating Giardia:
Giardia And Metronidazole

Best of luck, please keep us posted on your kitty's progress.

 

[carlieebug]

I would suggest that you switch to a mainly wet food diet. Is he having really stinky poops? That's usually a good indicator of giardia.

It just smells like poop. Nothing I can’t stomach.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Yes he is on a dry food only diet and I’m seriously thinking about adding some wet food daily for him. He said he suspects Giardia or however you spell it but I mean his only symptom that I see is occasional diarrhea. He is still energetic and eating and fine. I don’t want to give him this medicine if I can fix the dehydration naturally. I ran a fecal last week and it had no parasites at all. I’m taking another one in tomorrow to be safe but still. I’m also going to add a really good probiotic into his food.

I would try the wet food, add some water if he'll accept it.
The probiotic is a great idea
Our little tribe wears a big kick me sign, if there's going to be a drug reaction or an accident or some weird disease, it'll hit them before anyone else but we've used metronidazole with no problems.
(As a comparison, we've had in the past 20 years or so reactions to food, flea prevention, tick prevention, vaccines, de-wormers, supplements, herbs, and a dog had a bad reaction to some dog shampoo We've seen some reactions.)
Watch him for any possible reactions, but don't freak out just yet. It's a good drug and if it's giardia, it should knock it out

 

[carlieebug]

I would try the wet food, add some water if he'll accept it.
The probiotic is a great idea
Our little tribe wears a big kick me sign, if there's going to be a drug reaction or an accident or some weird disease, it'll hit them before anyone else but we've used metronidazole with no problems.
(As a comparison, we've had in the past 20 years or so reactions to food, flea prevention, tick prevention, vaccines, de-wormers, supplements, herbs, and a dog had a bad reaction to some dog shampoo We've seen some reactions.)
Watch him for any possible reactions, but don't freak out just yet. It's a good drug and if it's giardia, it should knock it out

I think I will try wet food and the probiotic and then monitor his poop. I have a big move Saturday so I don’t want to give him this and then move him in a brand new place.
Also his poop was solid when he got back from vet? I’m so confused

 

[1 bruce 1]

I think I will try wet food and the probiotic and then monitor his poop. I have a big move Saturday so I don’t want to give him this and then move him in a brand new place.
Also his poop was solid when he got back from vet? I’m so confused

If you're moving Saturday, I assume you've been packing and and moving things in boxes out of the house and the place is a little chaotic and the feeling in the air is just "different"?
Keep in mind I'm not a vet or anything like it but I wonder if just some of the stress from the move is messing with his GI system, weirder things have happened.
In any case, I'd keep doing what you're doing and see how things are one you're all settled into your new place.
(Also, happy New Home to you! )

 

[carlieebug]

If you're moving Saturday, I assume you've been packing and and moving things in boxes out of the house and the place is a little chaotic and the feeling in the air is just "different"?
Keep in mind I'm not a vet or anything like it but I wonder if just some of the stress from the move is messing with his GI system, weirder things have happened.
In any case, I'd keep doing what you're doing and see how things are one you're all settled into your new place.
(Also, happy New Home to you! )

The diarrhea has been happening since my grandma (who I live with now) got a new puppy. And she’s super hyper and always bugging my cat. I do think that the dog stresses my cat out a little bit. So no more puppy after I move. Just me, my dog (who doesn’t bug my cat), and Marble. Plus my cat was super stressed and flustered at the vet before the tests so that could be an explanation for the HGB being a little high I’ve been told.

 

[1 bruce 1]

The diarrhea has been happening since my grandma (who I live with now) got a new puppy. And she’s super hyper and always bugging my cat. I do think that the dog stresses my cat out a little bit. So no more puppy after I move. Just me, my dog (who doesn’t bug my cat), and Marble. Plus my cat was super stressed and flustered at the vet before the tests so that could be an explanation for the HGB being a little high I’ve been told.

That makes sense!
It will be interesting to see how she does once she's settled into a routine in her new place in a calmer environment.
We had a cat that, once elderly, couldn't clean himself well so he'd get a quick bath a few times a month, and every time he got a bath he'd have some diarrhea for a day or so (kind of defeated the purpose ) just from the bath, the stress was enough to kind of make things loosen up if you know what I mean.

 

[carlieebug]

That makes sense!
It will be interesting to see how she does once she's settled into a routine in her new place in a calmer environment.
We had a cat that, once elderly, couldn't clean himself well so he'd get a quick bath a few times a month, and every time he got a bath he'd have some diarrhea for a day or so (kind of defeated the purpose ) just from the bath, the stress was enough to kind of make things loosen up if you know what I mean.

I know exactly what you mean. Stress has a big impact on kitties systems. I’m hoping this move doesn’t super stress him. cause that’ll make the diarrhea stick around. Oh how I wish they could just talk to us and tell us what’s going on