Sick Cat Has Recovered from Cytauxzoonosis

[ShereKhanDickon]

My yearling female has just recovered from a week-long bout of cytauxzoonosis. There were two other patients in the ward at the same time, but they did not make it. (I wonder if their owners decided against the expense.)

Anyway, I have this experience behind me if anyone has questions.

 

[fionasmom]

If you would like to include any information here, it might be helpful to members who come to TCS to search for this condition. Tick borne, very intensive and possibly expensive treatment, I know. It speaks well for you and your vet that they were able to save the cat.

 

[Furballsmom]

they did not make it.

Hi - from what I read, not very many cats do. Yours, as mentioned, is very fortunate

 

[ShereKhanDickon]

Her name is Little Dorrit, after the Charles Dickens title character.

Symptoms
Little Dorrit stopped eating. She stopped eating altogether. I tried everything.
She was lethargic. When I lifted her out of the bed she had made for herself, she would look around and return.
She never stopped drinking and using the litter.
Fever turned out to be 105F. For a cat, that is beyond a high fever.

First Veterinarian
I took Little Dorrit to a local clinic.
They took her temperature. No cat with that temperature is likely to eat.
The test for leukemia was negative.
They prescribed an antibiotic.
They admitted that a blood test was probably in order. It would need to be at a bigger clinic.

Second Veterinarian
Two days later we went for the second opinion.
These people drew blood and they knew what we were fighting.
She stayed in the hospital for one week.
She had an intravenous in her upper arm.
The treatment included atovaquone and azithromycin and I think that is text book.

Post
Little Dorrit lost a lot of weight. I feed her in snippets because she is never ravenous like before. Also, I fear it will come back up. She eats about five times per day.
I was determined to keep her inside, but she really, really wanted out. I set an alarm and check on her throughout the day.
Her mother and her sister don't seem to recognize her. Little Dorrit often sits alone.
I bring her in at night.
I think we are out of danger.
What a shame that two other cats in the hospital died! I'm so glad mine was the one that survived. I cannot help but wonder if the other two represented kids' precious pets. I'm sixty and I have other cats.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try taking a towel and gently wiping Dorrit, then the other two cats, back and forth so each cats' scent is transferred to the other.

Also, there might be something here, in the two articles and all the posts from members in the thread;

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[fionasmom]

Thank your for posting Little Dorrit's story. Here is to her making a complete recovery back to good health.

 

[ShereKhanDickon]

The hospital is now a week behind us. Little Dorrit is still underweight, but she is gaining. She is smaller than her mother, whereas once upon a time she was larger. Her back is no longer a sharp spine.