Oscar's Colitis update

[katteh]

As I've posted before, Oscar was diagnosed with a bit of Colitis on Saturday (although it's been going on for a fair bit longer than that), the vet prescribed panacur for worms and we gave him the doses for that and he hasn't improved at all as of yet. We also made the mistake of gradually changing their food at this point, which I now regret but feel changing it back would be detrimental. Last night he had some diarriah but I think that was more due to the change of food rather than the colitis as it was liquidy as opposed to mucusy. It had a little pool of mucusy blood on the top though and was obviously uncomfortable for him.

So basically, I'm not happy to wait until Saturday to take him back (the vet said to go back in a week if it hadn't cleared), so I've booked him in for tonight after work to get some medication.

Fingers crossed for my little boy please.

On a side note, he is still very playful and seems happy in himself, eating, purring etc.

 

[katteh]

Just got back from the vets.

He's lost a tiny bit of weight (20grams ish) since last Saturday, so the vet has given him a shot of general antibiotic, some liquid antibiotics for us to give him, some promax probiotics to give him and we he's got to stay on a chicken and rice diet. If they don't see an improvement within a couple of days he's got to go back. Poor little thing.

I much prefer this vet to the one we saw before though, he was very informative.

 

[taterbug]

Poor Oscar! Get better soon sweetie!

 

[katz4life]

We hope Oscar is going to be okay!

Update us all on how hes doing & if the Colitis is cleared up

 

[katteh]

Well he only went for a poop about 3 hours ago for the first time in a fairly long while (hadn't been for one since we had got back from the vets), it was weird though, no blood (hoorah), but there was a thick blob of mucus next to it, so I'm unsure of whether this is or a good or bad thing. Anyone have any ideas?

We're waiting until he goes again before our verdict on whether he goes back to the vets sooner or later. Fingers crossed the next is better please!

 

[essayons89]

Colitis is no fun at all (I have ulcerative colitis).

Poor Oscar, I hope he gets well soon. Mucus or slime in/associated with the stool can be a common symptom of colitis. Many ISBs have similar symptoms

Here is a site with some info about colitis:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_colitis.html

What antibiotics did the vet prescribe?

This is something that can take a while to get under control.

 

[katteh]

The vet prescribed flagyl syrup. He's been on it since Thursday evening now.

The vet we saw on Saturday morning suggested that he could actually have an intolerance to chicken, which would actually make sense.. We started feeding them on the 70% meat chicken natures menu and his diarroah got a lot worse, and then on the chicken and rice diet he had diarroah too, makes me wonder. His brother had the same reaction to the chicken food too.
Either way, they've asked us to switch him onto white fish now, instead of chicken. They also said that we had to starve him for 12 hours, then give him a small meal and then starve for another 12 hours, and then feed more gradually. He wolfed down his food after that, and promptly threw it back up!! He pretty much turned his nose up at the fish, so we took a deep breath and fed him some james wellbeloved ocean fish and rice (a fairly bland food) dry biscuits and a small amount of whiskas, as we were stumped as to what to feed him, as he couldn't eat chicken, and was refusing the fish, although very obviously hungry.

But, he went to the loo last night, and no blood and no mucus!! It was slightly mustardy in colour, with some darker bits, and it was not completely runny, a little bit soft, but bits of it were quite formed. I think it may be the best he's done so far! (my obsession with his poop is getting out of control!!)

The vets want to see him tonight too so we're taking him back for a check up. Fingers crossed for him please.

 

[emmylou]

Flagyl, though it is often hard to administer (awful taste), is usually the best drug for colitis, and has few side effects. In the case of my cat, taking a low dose of Flagyl for a month or two allowed his colon to heal enough that I was afterwards able to control the condition with just added fiber in his diet.

It's also the go-to drug for brief colitis incidents. Good that your cat is showing some signs of improvement.

If they really do think it's an allergy, I can recommend Natural Balance Venison & Pea Allergy food (both wet and dry). My cat was on it for two months to rule out an allergy and he both liked the taste and seemed to tolerate it well. Often eight weeks on an exclusively allergenic diet (no exceptions, no treats) is the best way to determine if your cats have a food allergy.

 

[katteh]

Well, we saw yet *another* vet last night (they wanted us to go in to do a check up), and he wants us to keep seeing him as he wasn't impressed with the fact we've seen 4 different vets!! The good news is.. he's put on 200g!!!

He hadn't been putting on weight which was worrying the vet. And we had our first normal poop last night too!!! I'm so pleased, it's such a relief, he must be feeling so much better now.

We're still feeding him on chicken and rice (this vet dismissed the chicken allergy theory - as he said in 14 years / 40 patients a day, he'd neve seen a chicken allergy.

We're just to keep an eye on him now, and hopefully things will clear up on their own. (we have a few days left of flagyl for him too) The vet said he had a bit of an inflammed intestine still, but it could have been much better - he just can't tell as he's not seen him before. So, good news overall I think!!

 

[jean44]

It's good to hear that Oscar is doing better and gaining weight.

Here are some healthy vibes that the progress continues.

I hope you can continue to see the same vet. It has to be difficult seeing a different vet each time- none of them really have the full story and there is no follow through.

 

[kittykittysick]

Im currently going through the whole colitis thing with my kitten, as by instructions from Dr. Pitcairn or whoever's book, had been given oil to help coat, and now my cat has CRAZY diarrhea... well, my vet gave my kitten Tylocine, which cleared up his poo quite nicely, still soft though, but formed. once i took him off of it however, he got the diarrhea back. i went to the vet again, got more tylocine, but this time my vet gave me FortiFlora probiotics.... and trust me, in the past week, Terrence's poop has been dark brown (not the mustardy orangy brown color from before), no mucus, though a bit strong smelling. it was tootsie roll! YAY FOR TERRENCE! he is on ringworm medication so right now he is getting his Tylocine every day, since it is one of the side effects, but once off the rignworm medicine, he is strictly on probiotics, and im sure they will help alot.

dont worry, there is help out there for colitis! and anyone im sure who has had a cat with this problem has definitly had a strange obsession with their cats poop! (i get up at 6am to check on my cats poop when i hear him in the box, i follow him into his box to see if he poops etc etc )

i hope all gets better for you!