Soft Stool/metronidazole

[mycatpaulie]

Hi everyone, my cat has been having a problem with soft stools so yesterday my vet prescribed a medication called metronidazole she said it's an anti inflammatory medication. Has anyone ever heard or used this before, I'm worried because she doesn't have diarrhea just soft stools that aren't formed. She wants her to take it twice a day for five days. Thanks for your help!

 

[strange_wings]

Anti inflammatory? Are you sure you have the right med? Metronidazole is an antibiotic and antiparasitic, commonly used for stool related issues.

It's also extremely bitter tasting. If you have pills you either need to use pill pockets (not sure if they'd be enough to cover that taste) or put them inside of a gel capsule and give as you would any other pill.

What tests were done to see what was causing your cat's stool issues? What are you feeding?

 

[marsch21]

Metro is commonly prescribed for Diarrhea caused by Giardia. 2 x day for 5 days is a short round. It should help.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks for your help. I thought she said she was going to give us 15mg but the bottle says 62.5??? I just left a message on her machine to make sure it's the right med, we haven't given him any yet. We changed her food to Wellness (dry) on 8/21. It seemed like her stools were improving but then one was held together by a piece of hair that's why they have been soft again. Besides a urine sample she didn't do any test, do you think should should have?

 

[carolina]

Metro is an antibiotic, but it does have gastrointestinal anti-inflammatory properties. It is usually prescribed once a day for 8-10 days (8 for diarrhea, 10 days for giardia). The dosage sounds correct - it is usually prescribed in 125mg a day for a regular 10-12lb cat; since your dosage is divided in two, that sounds about right.
Since it is an extremely bitter in taste medicine, you are better off with pills that you can wrap in pill pockets and pill the cat with it (do not feed as treat, but rather wrap the pill with a little bit of pill pocket and put it in the back of the kitty's throat to swallow).
It is a fantastic medicine for colitis, it works really well. Make sure to give him some probiotics once you finish it.

 

[jennyr]

Metro is extremely effective against intestinal parasites. My Wellington (and his RB brother Napoleon) were prescribed it when I first took them in for giardia and coccidia. It took two courses but it got rid of the parasites that were causing soft stools and diarrhea

 

[kylew]

Originally Posted by Carolina

Make sure to give him some probiotics once you finish it.

In addition to the probiotics, ask the vet about giving Pepcid as well. Metro is very good at knocking out parasites, but it can do a number on stomachs. And everyone that mentioned nasty tasting was right. I was lucky enough to find a pharmacy that compounded it into a beef flavored liquid.

 

[mycatpaulie]

that you everyone for all of your help. I am so confused on what to do. Paulie was giving this medication because of soft stools but I think the reason he is having soft stools is because last with he had a bm that had a piece of human hair in it. What if there is still a piece of hair stuck and this medicine bounds him up even more. He also had a darker color to his urine but tested negative for any infection. Now he is under the bed and doesn't want to come out. I am so worried!!!

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by MyCatPaulie

that you everyone for all of your help. I am so confused on what to do. Paulie was giving this medication because of soft stools but I think the reason he is having soft stools is because last with he had a bm that had a piece of human hair in it. What if there is still a piece of hair stuck and this medicine bounds him up even more. He also had a darker color to his urine but tested negative for any infection. Now he is under the bed and doesn't want to come out. I am so worried!!!

Continue giving the medicine... He is probably under the bed because he doesn't feel good. This is typical cat behavior.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thank you all so much for your help

. I actually didn't start the medication yet because for the last two days his stools have looked better. Is this medication ok if her stools get soft again or is this more for actual diarrhea? The vet said he needs to drink more water does anyone know how I can do that? Right now he is on a food trial so it's just dry food because wet food didn't agree with him and I tired pouring water on his food but he wouldn't eat it, any suggestions on different bowls, right now we have two ceramic ones, I saw those running water ones but I'm worried about it being plugged in because sometimes he crews on cords. Thanks again for your help!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ducman69]

You can squirt water into the side of the mouth with a syringe (never the back of the throat) if you need to force it, but to just regularly encourage them to drink I would invest in a pair of Drinkwell Platinum pet fountains. The stream of water really attracts them to it, but on the downside it is dishwasher safe but requires unclicking everything for cleaning which will be needed about once a week and can monopolize your dish-washer space (otherwise it will develop a slimy film over time).

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks for everyones help. I started the medication today, is there any side effects I should look out for?

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by MyCatPaulie

Thanks for everyones help. I started the medication today, is there any side effects I should look out for?

All my cats had metro, none of them ever had side effects. It is really a great medicine. Just give him a good probiotic when he is done, as you should with any antibiotic. You should see him getting better really fast now.
If giving 2x a day is too hard on you and your kitty, know that this medicine CAN be given 1x a day - talk to your vet about that.

For my latest cat it was 125mg 1x/day (10lbs)

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks so much Carolina! My vet said that he might not have a bowel movement for a few days, did this happen to your cats? I really hope this helps Paulie, the vet said if his stools continue to be soft we'll have to switch her food but he's eaiting wellness now and it seems to be helping her allergies so I hope we don't have to do that. Thanks again!!!

 

[mycatpaulie]

Carolina, Paulie had a bm this mroning that was still soft, I know you said this medacine works fats do you remember when you started to see an improvment in your cats? Thanks again for your help!!!!

And Ducman69, thanks for the suggestion on the water bowl I am loking into one of those!

 

[strange_wings]

It should have some effect by now. But it's possible that your cat doesn't have a parasite or bacterial issue. If that's the case, and it's the food you feed, the only solution is to find a food that doesn't cause diarrhea or soft stools.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks strange_wings for your help! It's so hard to know what to feed him, he has some kind of allergy and we're thinking it's both a food and inhaled one. I was so happy because so far he hasn't had any breakouts since starting this wellness food a month ago but now he has soft stools. I read that some natural food like wellness can be too rich for cats but the Z/D he was on in summer was giving him soft stools as well. When he was eating Nutro he didn't have soft stools but that's a low grade brand. Is there any supplement I can give him for soft stools and that way he could stay on this higher quality food? Do you think a dermatologist could help us find a good food for him since it probably has to deal with a food allergy? He's not itching bad now but last fall is the first fall I had him and he started itching really bad when our furnace was turned on so maybe I could wait until he's itching bad and then take him to the dermatologist, I think they would be able to help more than my regular vet. Thanks again for everyone help!

.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by MyCatPaulie

When he was eating Nutro he didn't have soft stools but that's a low grade brand.

I can't remember, did you mention if he itched on Nutro? Nutro isn't a low grade brand, it's around mid quality (decent quality ingredients and no dyes are used). Most people are just annoyed because Mars bought it and changed the formula and now a lot of cats can't eat it so the brand gets a lot of flack. However if a cat can eat it and does well on it, that's what is most important.

I think a lot of people come on here and get caught up by those saying they must use the highest quality most expensive food they can find. It's not always best for the cats.

There's people on here, who usually keep quiet, but have cats that do great on cat chow.

For now you could use some probiotics to help control the soft stool, but it's not a long term solution. And you can give it while he's on the metro, it's just that the metro will clear it out with all the other bacteria.

I suggest you do work with a vet with this. And if itching is the worst symptom, with a dermatologist specialist. It'll probably take some trial and error, but I hope you can find a food that works. The first step is finding out what doesn't.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks so much for that info!!!

I'm glad to hear Nutro isn't as bad as some people say, we started feeding him that because that is what they were feeing him at the SPCA. When we got him last July he ate dry Nutro for five months until his itching started that November but two things happened in November our furnace was turned on and we started incorporating Nutro canned food into his diet. That is why we're thinking he also has an inhaled allergy that flares up when our windows can't be open or if her allergy just built up over time. Thanks so much again for your help!

 

[strange_wings]

If you really do think it's partially environmental do what is done for those with indoor allergies and asthma. Use an air filter (or multiple ones), keep the home clean and be careful what products you use within the home, change filters on everything (forced air, vacuum cleaner, air filters, etc) frequently. It certainly can't hurt to keep one's home as clean as possible if it turns out that it doesn't help.