Sick cat

Babypaws

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I have a 10 month old kitten who has stopped being his lovable, playful self about 1 1/2 weeks ago.
But then last week he wasn’t interested in eating, after several attempts to keep pushing the dish to him he finally ate (not as much as he use to) I took him to the vet on Frida. She said during her exam he looked okay. At first I thought there was something wrong with his teeth but they were fine. I asked her to do blood work to set my mind at ease.
The results were fine except for one, “reticulocytl” which was high. She suggested since when he was de wormed when he was young he wasn’t de wormed for round worms. So she suggested giving him a dose of “Profender”. I gave the doze to him on Saturday. On Sunday, Monday and today I’ve had to take him out of the litter box several times. He goes in and lays down. I have several other indoor cats with several litter boxes in the house so it’s difficult to monitor his bathroom behavior. Before the vet visit when he would pee I saw he would pee very little and would go often. At the vet’s she did tell me he has a small bladder so I didn’t think too much about his behavior. But I’ve been trying to keep a closer eye on him and he goes in the litter box but doesn’t do anything.
This morning after he ate very little he did pee but again it was very little.
He’s been keeping by himself. im wondering if he has a bad reaction to the Profender....I’m so worried about him and will call the vet this morning but in the meantime has anyone had any similar experience?
 

Maurey

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The results were fine except for one, “reticulocytl” which was high. She suggested since when he was de wormed when he was young he wasn’t de wormed for round worms
Do you mean reticulocytes? Reticulocytes are immature RBCs, and are associated with anaemia -- specifically responsive anaemia. Was your cat's RBC count on the lower end of normal?

Before the vet visit when he would pee I saw he would pee very little and would go often. At the vet’s she did tell me he has a small bladder so I didn’t think too much about his behavior. But I’ve been trying to keep a closer eye on him and he goes in the litter box but doesn’t do anything.
This morning after he ate very little he did pee but again it was very little.
I'd go back to the vet, ideally a different one in a completely different practice. Bring his bloodwork, and request a urinalysis. Sounds like he could have an infection or some other urinary issue. Does he seem to be in pain when he goes to the litterbox? Has he had any accidents? It's seems off to me that your vet wasn't concerned with his lack of urination. Kittens may have small bladders, but they shouldn't dribble urine, or regularly go to the box without being able to pee.
 
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Babypaws

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Do you mean reticulocytes? Reticulocytes are immature RBCs, and are associated with anaemia -- specifically responsive anaemia. Was your cat's RBC count on the lower end of normal?


I'd go back to the vet, ideally a different one in a completely different practice. Bring his bloodwork, and request a urinalysis. Sounds like he could have an infection or some other urinary issue. Does he seem to be in pain when he goes to the litterbox? Has he had any accidents? It's seems off to me that your vet wasn't concerned with his lack of urination. Kittens may have small bladders, but they shouldn't dribble urine, or regularly go to the box without being able to pee.
His blood work showed the RBC within the average range. The only thing that was out of range (being high) was the Reticulocyte...lab work said average range is 3-50 K/uL. His was 146
When she called me to tell me the results of the lab she said he wasn’t anemic.
As far as the little amount of pee, I hadn’t mentioned it to her since at the appointment she said after examining him, he has a small bladder. So I figured that was why he pees a little at a time. I have never seen him showing any pain when he goes.
No, he hasn’t had any accidents. He’s only been going in the litter box and laying there since he received the Profender de-wormer. I know he wasn’t acting like himself before the vet saw him, that’s why I made an appointment. But
since the Profender thats when he’s eating less and laying in litter box. I’ve been watching him close today and he has peed twice (small amount).
 

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I have a 10 month old kitten who has stopped being his lovable, playful self about 1 1/2 weeks ago.
But then last week he wasn’t interested in eating, after several attempts to keep pushing the dish to him he finally ate (not as much as he use to) I took him to the vet on Frida. She said during her exam he looked okay. At first I thought there was something wrong with his teeth but they were fine. I asked her to do blood work to set my mind at ease.
The results were fine except for one, “reticulocytl” which was high. She suggested since when he was de wormed when he was young he wasn’t de wormed for round worms. So she suggested giving him a dose of “Profender”. I gave the doze to him on Saturday. On Sunday, Monday and today I’ve had to take him out of the litter box several times. He goes in and lays down. I have several other indoor cats with several litter boxes in the house so it’s difficult to monitor his bathroom behavior. Before the vet visit when he would pee I saw he would pee very little and would go often. At the vet’s she did tell me he has a small bladder so I didn’t think too much about his behavior. But I’ve been trying to keep a closer eye on him and he goes in the litter box but doesn’t do anything.
This morning after he ate very little he did pee but again it was very little.
He’s been keeping by himself. im wondering if he has a bad reaction to the Profender....I’m so worried about him and will call the vet this morning but in the meantime has anyone had any similar experience?
My cat had similar peeing issue, and bladder stones was the first thing they assumed he has, so I would get that checked out with sonography, also check for UTI.
 

Maurey

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His blood work showed the RBC within the average range. The only thing that was out of range (being high) was the Reticulocyte...lab work said average range is 3-50 K/uL. His was 146
When she called me to tell me the results of the lab she said he wasn’t anemic.
As far as the little amount of pee, I hadn’t mentioned it to her since at the appointment she said after examining him, he has a small bladder. So I figured that was why he pees a little at a time. I have never seen him showing any pain when he goes.
No, he hasn’t had any accidents. He’s only been going in the litter box and laying there since he received the Profender de-wormer. I know he wasn’t acting like himself before the vet saw him, that’s why I made an appointment. But
since the Profender thats when he’s eating less and laying in litter box. I’ve been watching him close today and he has peed twice (small amount).
If that's the only thing out of range, I'd suggest getting a second opinion, personally, since he is acting unusual and profender isn't improving the situation (sorry if I missed it, but how many days has it been since the dose?). High retic count can be an indicator of pre-anaemia, or can also be associated with inflammation. Here is a short article on the topic. While you're there, I do suggest asking about a full urinalysis, as well, just to be safe.

Edit: Just to confirm, did the blood panel include PCV and haemoglobin?

My best guess is that your vet thinks that your cat has roundworms because they can cause intestinal bleeding, which can lead to some bloodloss and a heightened retic count.

Oh! Also. When he's laying in the litterbox, does he seem depressed/low energy? Some cats will just like to lay in their boxes when they're clean. My cat has a very large, and a medium sized box. She decided to start showing her preference one day, and started to use the smaller box to lie in on occasion (presumably something about scents), and only used the large box to toilet.
 
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Babypaws

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Update....I took him back to the vet yesterday..I explained what was going on and that he seemed worse. I dropped him off and they told me he might have to be there for the day or until they could collect enough urine to do a urinalysis.
I felt so bad because I know he’d be scared not knowing what was happening.
But thank goodness they called me about an hour later and said they were able to get enough for the test (will get results today). They asked if I wanted them to give him a pain reliever, I said yes. since he hadn’t been drinking much they also gave him fluids. Sent him home with antibiotic too. When I brought him home he slept for a few hours and was groggy when he woke up, which I knew was because of the pain killer. But a few hours later I noticed his from leg suddenly was swollen. I brought him back to vet to be checked, it was due to the fluids.
This morning he’s like a different cat...he ate and is acting like his usual self. He’ll be on antibiotics for awhile and I’ll get the urinalysis report today. I need to get him to pee and move his bowels now. I feel so much better.....when they’re sick they tug at your heart strings....
 

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I'm so happy to hear he's doing better! Here's hoping the meds keep helping, and everything cleans up soon! :>
 
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Babypaws

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Thank you...He’s feeling oats today......one happy cat. I’m going to be watching him closely again today to see how much water, food he gets. And watch his litter
box visits
 
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Babypaws

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Update and advice needed for my sick cat. On Thursday everything was looking up, he was acting more like himself. He was given Clavamox to take twice a day.
But in the meantime when he was at the vet she said he had fleas. I had an idea he did because I saw him scratching (this was before he got sick) so I a flea treatment already. I had asked the vet if it would be okay to give it while he was the antibioti, she said yes. But I waited til yesterday (Saturday) to give it.
I gave it around 9 a.m. and in the afternoon I saw a change in his behavior. He wasn’t interested in eating, only nibbled a bit and started going to lay in the litter box again.
I couldn’t get him to eat anything at the normal nighttime feeding. So I was hoping by this morning he would really be hungry but he wasn’t. He kept backing away from food dish. I gave him some chicken baby food and he some. But again he went to liter box to lay down. Ever since he’s been sick his tail continuously wages as if he’s annoyed.
he wasn’t doing that for a few days when he was starting to feel like himself again. i offered him some more chicken breast around 2 and he ate some.
I’m thinking there was a reaction with the flea treatment (Advantage) and the Clavamox. I didn’t know what I should do, give the med or skip it today. I ended up not giving it to see if things might improve. Has anyone experienced anything like this? i don’t know what to do.....I don’t even see him drinking or peeing now....
 

kittenmittens84

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Update and advice needed for my sick cat. On Thursday everything was looking up, he was acting more like himself. He was given Clavamox to take twice a day.
But in the meantime when he was at the vet she said he had fleas. I had an idea he did because I saw him scratching (this was before he got sick) so I a flea treatment already. I had asked the vet if it would be okay to give it while he was the antibioti, she said yes. But I waited til yesterday (Saturday) to give it.
I gave it around 9 a.m. and in the afternoon I saw a change in his behavior. He wasn’t interested in eating, only nibbled a bit and started going to lay in the litter box again.
I couldn’t get him to eat anything at the normal nighttime feeding. So I was hoping by this morning he would really be hungry but he wasn’t. He kept backing away from food dish. I gave him some chicken baby food and he some. But again he went to liter box to lay down. Ever since he’s been sick his tail continuously wages as if he’s annoyed.
he wasn’t doing that for a few days when he was starting to feel like himself again. i offered him some more chicken breast around 2 and he ate some.
I’m thinking there was a reaction with the flea treatment (Advantage) and the Clavamox. I didn’t know what I should do, give the med or skip it today. I ended up not giving it to see if things might improve. Has anyone experienced anything like this? i don’t know what to do.....I don’t even see him drinking or peeing now....
Backing away from the food dish and sounds like nausea or stomach upset, which also happens to be the most common side effect of clavamox. Antibiotics are often hard on the stomach. How many days has he been on the clavamox and have you been giving it on a full stomach?

Also, did they do cultures from his urine or just do an exam and prescribe abx based on the exam? If they prescribed the meds before doing the culture it’s possible that whatever bacteria is causing the infection isn’t responding to clavamox, and he felt better for a bit after his vet visit because they gave him fluids and pain medication.

as far as the advantage, if he was allergic to it or it was irritating to him I’d think you’d see things like scratching, over grooming, drooling, or throwing up. It could be the smell bothering him too (assuming it’s the drops you used), my cat hates the smell of flea medications and always acts pissed that he has to walk around smelling like that and can’t get it off. In any case, you can call the vet and see what they say.
 
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Babypaws

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Thank you for your response. He was on the antibiotic for 3 full days. I would give it to him a little while after he ate (he wasn’t eating as much as he use to)
He had been given the Advantage flea treatment a few months ago and never had any reaction. I was concerned it somehow interacted with the antibiotic because unless it was a coincidence. I fed him on Saturday morning (7 a.m.) and then gave the antibiotic about 1/2 hour later. Then at 9:30 a.m. I gave the Advantage (for small cat). Early afternoon he seemed to go backwards in his behavior. Started laying in litter boxes again, didn’t want to be bothered, wouldn’t eat.
so I didn’t give him the antibiotic at all yesterday (Sunday). I wanted to see if his behavior would improve. Last night at the evening feeding I couldn’t get to his his regular food. But was able for him to eat about 1/2 small jar of chicken baby food.
This morning again I couldn’t get him to eat regular food, so I gave him the baby food. He ate about 1/2 jar, I mixed in a few pieces of dry food. I’ve seen him pee a couple of times but it’s still very little.
The vet was able to get enough urine for a urinalysis to be done. (looking to see if he has UTI). The results were his WBC were high (urine) and she said he doesn’t have a UTI but there is a bacteria and that’s why she put him on the antibiotic.
Today I am so confused on what to do....I don’t know if I should start him back on the antibiotic or not. I know when I call the vet she’ll want to see him....so far it’s cost me roughly $500...
She did prescribe the Clavamox before she got the results back from the urinalysis.
he was at the vet on Wednesday and that’s when she was able to get enough urine to send out for the urinalysis and in the meantime she had gave him the first dose of the antibiotic which was supposed to be given every 12 hours. They had given it to him around 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning and I knew I wouldn’t be able to be up to give it to him late at night
So I decided to start him off on Thursday morning on my own schedule. End it was Thursday that I noticed he felt a lot better and he was starting to eat and act almost like himself again, it wasn’t until Saturday after the flea treatment that he went backwards.
 
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