Kitten digestive problems...still. Graphic!

[Deleted]

You all remember Phyos, my new kitten from the first thread.  He was a feral, came to us at less than 6 weeks, and had terrible diarrhea (I didn't know how to spell that before.  Now I do...). Vet dewormed him, gave him shots, checked virals, did stool sample, all good.  Gave him liquid meds for the poops.  Seemed to get better when we changed food to Blue grain-free kitten food, but it never really completely resolved. 

So here we are now. I had stopped the vet meds, but since he never really had "normal" poops, tried giving it to him again, and that made it worse. Have been giving him pumpkin puree with Blue grain-free canned food and plain cooked chicken breast for the last 3 days, no improvement. He has about 25 bowel movements a day - we have to constantly clean the litter box and the house REEKS. We made sure he had no change in food at all for more than 2 weeks - that was the Blue kitten food. No improvement.

What is going on with my kitten?  He acts like he is STARVING all the time, will try to steal food. I figure he probably IS hungry as everything goes through him so fast. The vet just wants to give him more of the same meds that don't work. He seems happy, but his little booty is sore from all the pooping. Poor baby!

Any advice?  I don't have a bunch of money to keep taking him to the vet. 

Laurie

[kritter]

Did the vet check for Coccidia? When you mention the reeking house, that is the first thing that came to my mind. The horrible smell makes me thing it is something other than just a reaction to the food.

What meds is she giving him?

Some cats do not tolerate the best food for them. I have my kitten fosters on Purina One kitten chow. Not the best in the world but I have never had a kitten react badly to it.

It may be time to consult another vet. Was the stool sample tested in the vet's office or sent out to a lab?

[val2525]

I'd get a second opinion, especially if your vet is not a cat-only practice. I've been totally blown away in two cities, in the difference in vet knowledge between all-pet practice vets and cat only vets.

The cat only vet won hands down, both times.

[kritter]

We have Dr. Norsworthy here who has written a bunch of articles for Cat Fancy magazine and is a cat only vet. He has solved many an issue that one of my regular vets didn't handle.

I would definitely go for a second opinion at another vet since this one just keeps prescribing the same meds that are doing nothing to solve the problem.

[val2525]

FWIW, Laurie, the cat-only vets have managed to solve the issues with the first visit, every time. If I've had to go back, it was for a follow-up at their request and neither vet practice (Tampa & ABQ) charged me for the follow-up office visit.

[Deleted]

Thanks all!

There are no cat-only vets around here. I think I will take him to Aggie's vet - I've always been happy with him, though he is very expensive. He stays and talks to you, and the new vet doesn't.

Phyos would have gone to him to begin with, but he was on vacation when we got Phyos, and since he was sick I didn't think I should wait for Aggie's vet. Then we signed up for the new vet's kitten program, which was much cheaper than Aggie's vet....

Sigh. I have to say that today Phyos has only pooped once...and it's 1:00. Maybe that pumpkin is kicking in...

[kritter]

What medicine does the vet have the kitten taking?

[Deleted]

I've been through the coccidia thing - shouldn't there be blood, Kritter? And my vet said it can only be spotted in the sample every six weeks or so. It never caused diarrhoea in my cats, just blood. I freaked, of course.

(((Phyos))) I wish I had a non-vet solution for you, mykidzmom.

[kritter]

Not necessarily blood in stool for Coccidia but the smell is a dead giveaway. I have always seen Coccidia present severe diarrhea in kittens.

I guess it would depend on how serious the infection was as to whether it could be seen in the microscopic sample observed. The vet techs at the shelter were good at finding it because it is so common here especially with rescue kittens. If there was any doubt after the stool exam, I always started them on Ponazuril anyway just because the smell was a dead giveaway.

I think regular vets are not as adapt at diagnosing common issues with stray kittens because they do not see the symptoms as often in their practice. Ponazuril is the go to drug for Coccidia in the shelter/rescue community because it is fast acting but it is rarely used in regular vet practices because it is expensive, has a shelf life after combined, and vets don't have the call for it in their regular patients.

There is a whole different world between rescue animals and animals seen regularly in a vet practice.

[Deleted]

I don't know what they gave him - it's orange and a mix of two meds. Doesn't have to be refrigerated, and isn't a dewormer. The wormer they gave was a three part dose. I think it is worms, because I did notice that the day or so after administering the meds for that he was, better, then the diarrhea would start again. No blood in the stool. Just reeks.

Maybe he needs another round of worming. He goes in this week, so I'll ask, and I'll bring in another stool sample (eeewwwww). They sent it out to a lab last time, and said he had no parasites, so I'm a little confused. That first sample was from him completely untreated - first vet visit. Can they not always see worms in a sample?

Thanks all, - Laurie

[Deleted]

Poor kitty.
Might also ask the vet to test for Giardia too, sometimes it takes a couple of days worth of poop samples to be tested before it shows up.

[Deleted]

How is Phyos?