Update on Lily and Zoe-going to vet

[stacydc83]

I figure I'll just start a new thread on this. I rode to the vet, and of course they couldn't give me any advice on the diarrhea, since they don't know the cause. Soo. 3 PM I'm bringing both girls in. Urgh. I hate going to the vet, they hate it, its so hard to get them in carriers. And they cry the whole 30 minutes to get there. Thankfully, Zoe is still covered by her plan, so that will cover a fecal exam. I had just canceled her wellness plan because I never use it because Zoe is so healthy, hah. But it doesn't run out till i think next week, so thats a good thing.
I'm almost relieved Lily has diarrhea too, because I was afraid something was really wrong with Zoe, like poison or some type of something horrible. but if both cats have it, that pretty much narrows it down to some type of virus or parasite, right?? Because besides the diarrhea, they are acting perfectly normal. Eating and drinking like champs, Zoe is running around playing.
So yeah, wish us luck and this won't cost an arm and a leg to treat. I think after we are back I will run to a pet store and buy about 3 boxes of cat litter and scrub out the boxes really well tonight.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't know if I mentioned it to you in a previous post or not, but most vets will take a fecal sample for testing without actually having to see the cat. You can collect it - litter and all - bag it and then take it to the vet. If you can't get there right away, you can refrigerate it for a few hours until you can. Just check with your vet to make sure they will take it. Ask whether or not you need to do basic testing, or if the vet thinks a full fecal PCR should be done - which tests for more than just basic bacteria and parasites - it looks for several types of fungus and bacteria, as well as parasites. This approach would at least get this much testing done - with a possible solution - and avoid a vet trip for them right now, anyway.

 

[stacydc83]

hmm I didn't even think about that. Just the vet had said "they have to see them" to figure out what it is. I would of just brought just Zoe, but the front desk lady said they wouldn't give me anything for Lily without seeing her. I hope they don't insist on a fecal test for Lily, I don't have that much money to put out. Because I'm assuming, whatever they find with Zoe, its the same virus/parasite with Lily. Obviously they caught the same thing, right? There is a squirt of poo from Zoe in the box, maybe I'll bag that up, but Lily hasn't gone in the last few hours (maybe the diarrhea is calming down with her?)

 

[FeebysOwner]

You can bag it, but it sounds like your vet won't do anything with it unless the cat is there too. I am quite surprised by that, but then again it might be a 'canned' response coming from the desk lady, and if you could talk to the vet you might get a different reaction. Maybe you can ask to speak directly with the vet for a brief moment - mine always calls me when he is in between patients/surgeries if I ask to talk to him.

The odds are whatever one has in terms of bacteria/fungus/parasites the other one has as well since both are having diarrhea. Maybe it is because of Lily's age that the vet would want to see her (I forget how old she is, but thought she was older) before administering meds, but that is only a guess in trying to understand the logic. It's not like they both haven't been in to see the vet for a long time, right?

 

[stacydc83]

Yeah, they were in, back in September, for physical exams, and when the vet was so obsessed with Lily's weight she didn't even address the constipation issues. Same vet will be seeing them this afternoon. I better not be lectured on her weight again, she has lost over a lb since September. It's not a huge weight loss, but its better than nothing. I am so nervous, the appointment is in an hour. Got the carriers out, gonna start getting them going in about 15 minutes. We are bringing more supplies this time, lots of towels and lysol wipes in case there are accidents on the way there. I just sure hope they identity this quickly so they can feel better. (even though they are acting like its not bothering them) I will update when we are home again and everyone is settled! And eventually I'll update Lily's personal thread on her weight loss and tummy issues!

 

[FeralHearts]

*fingers crossed* Good luck to you all!

 

[stacydc83]

Wow, what a long day. We got home around 5, we dropped kitties off, and I had to run back to the area where the vet is, to go to a compounding pharmacy, we got metronidazole. Lily took it like a champ, went to hide behind the bed, Zoe....not like a champ, we got it in her mouth but looks like she puked up/foamed up some under the couch where she is currently sitting.
They did fecals on both girls. No signs of parasites, so I guess that's good? But what is causing the diarrhea? So now they have this med for 8 days to clear up the diarrhea.
Zoe still has a heart murmur! I was told when she was a kitten it was gone, by the time she was spayed it had gone away. And why did the SAME vet not detect it just in September?? She's also lost a lb since September, which is not good, since she's on the thin side.
Lily has lost only half a pound, which i guess is better than nothing. And of course the vet said about her constipation: She is constipated because she is obese... Really. thats your only answer. Urgh. So I guess we got what we needed, but I feel like im treating this constipation all on my own with no help.
then she was insistent on it had to be something they had eaten, how I'd switched their food. I ALWAYS switch their food, I'm always trying new wet foods, and this has never happened. I've switched up even their hard food on a dime, and no bad effects, so why would ONE brand of Tiki cat Tuna Oceanfish and pumpkin cause this much problems?
I just want them to feel better, they are very pissed at me, and skiddish of me Lily fought like HELL to get her in the carrier today, it took 3 people to get her in the carrier, she was screaming and fighting growling. Zoe actually went in smoothly because I caught her off guard while she was sleeping, and wrapped her in a towel and threw her in. Urgh I hope they feel better soon and this mess stops. my stress is through the roof tonight and i have a splitting headache. I was gonna go to Petco tonight and pick up tons of cat litter and deeply clean the litters but I will do that tomorrow.

 

[MissClouseau]

I ALWAYS switch their food, I'm always trying new wet foods, and this has never happened. I've switched up even their hard food on a dime, and no bad effects, so why would ONE brand of Tiki cat Tuna Oceanfish and pumpkin cause this much problems?

I know I said it already in the previous thread but maybe they didn't store it at the store or during transportation correctly and it went bad. Or maybe something about the production went wrong this time. Like it doesn't even have to be food intolerance/something in the ingredients, or changing food alone, but something was wrong with this particular can(s).

 

[FeebysOwner]

From reading all the posts on this site that I have, Metro is a go to med for diarrhea (and, or infection) and apparently it does taste bad. But, I suppose it is also very potent and so that is why it is used for all kinds of digestive tract issues. You had it compounded - how? Seems weird that both would have diarrhea from a food change, unless there was something wrong with that food (as MissClouseau suggested).

Feeby's antibiotic (Orbax - for a UTI) is in liquid form and the last time I tried to give it to her via oral syringe she hacked/foamed at the mouth and spit it out. I placed her dosage in a bowl with just enough canned tuna or chicken water to make sure I could tell she was getting it all - she lapped it up with no problem. And, then I would follow up with a piece of the tuna or chicken as a treat afterward.

Also, Feeby has been overweight for years and she has never once had a bout with constipation (knock on wood). You might also want to follow up with the vet about why last September there was no heart murmur recognized in Zoe but now there is - maybe she will have an explanation for that. If not, along with everything else, I think it might be time to look for another vet. You can get all their records copied and give to a new vet in order to avoid/reduce redundant testing/costs.

 

[stacydc83]

Also, Feeby has been overweight for years and she has never once had a bout with constipation

YES- I remember you telling me this before, and it was literally ringing in my ears when the vet said "she's constipated because she's fat", I thought of you when she said this. Her weight shouldn't be what is causing it. It's just maddening. She's really not that obese. I don't know if she's ever seen a large breed cat before, but rag dolls are BIG cats. Females can be 15 lbs and not be over weight. She's a little over 17 lbs, so yes she does need to lose a little weight, but not a lot. And yes she does need to be more active. Lily is taller, wider, and thicker than a lot of cats. I will figure out this constipation, with or without veterinary help. This is why I love this site
And back to Zoe. I've used the same Banfield vet since Zoe was a kitten, different Dr.'s, but all the paperwork should be there. It should say in her kitten part, that there was a heart murmur. We were aware of it three years ago, and then told it was gone by the time she was about 5 months old, and never was brought up again, until yesterday, she said it was front sternal. But didn't you thoroughly check her heart just 3 months ago? Urgh, so many questions. My thought is maybe it re emerged with her being so stressed, and maybe from being sick too. They were concerned over her weight loss too, which I am too, but also consider we've been trying to get Lily to lose weight, and back in late September, remember for a short time I tried "diet" cat food, that Zoe loved soo much, maybe that made her lose weight. And she's always been such a "busy" girl, she doesn't take time to eat sometimes. I think she'll gain it back now that we've been back on regular dry food, and getting wet food twice a day instead of once a day. And maybe feed Zoe a little extra for extra calories. And get Lily MOVING, going to try more games with her.
It's almost dosing time, I already feel guilty because they look so peaceful Lily is in her cube, Zoe is on her perch, and I'm about to really piss them off
And I just wanted to say Thank you guys, and I love you guys, its so reassuring to have people get me, and understand things from my perspective

 

[stacydc83]

Night 4 of medicine. It went down easier tonight, yaye. I dumped and scrubbed the cat litters. Washed them out with dawn and bleach. used some type of paint spatula to scrape poop droplets on the floor, wiped down the wall where it some how got there. That was fun. Hopefully whatever virus this was its good and gone now.
Zoe gets so defensive and mad over the medicine, she hides for like an hour, Lily takes it and just gets up.
I also cleaned out a nice log today, I'm guessing it was Lily because it was too big to come out of Zoe, that really made my day, I haven't seen something like that in weeks, Lily was just giving balls for several days, then the stomach virus hit.
Petco is annoying me right now. they are completely out of stock of Soulistic's Tuna & Duck, which they both eat really well. They said they would have it yesterday, I went there today and still nothing. They had one of their associates out at another store and called them to bring about 10 for me, they didn't, and said to call tomorrow to see if they got their shipment of it in. we need this food. They fortunately like BFF's Tuna & Duck, but Zoe will lick the plate clean with Soulistic. I looked online and petco's shipping is pretty pricey but if my local Petco stops carrying it I'll do it.