Apollo's Been Having the Diarrhea POOP IS FINALLY FIRM FOR NOW! :)

[Anikaca77]

Ever since I brought Apollo into our place he's had runny poo. At first I just thought it was from him eating kitten can food and just be a tiny kitten.

Well we wormed him probably about 5 times and that still didn't help. We sent his poo away to a lab to be analyzed and here is what he tested positive for:

C. Perfringens Enterotoxin & Feline Corona Virus

Here is a thread I posted about Apollo.

http://www.petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=156825

My vet is supposed to be calling me back some time today and I just worry about him. He's heathly otherwise, active, playing like a mad kitten.

The vet put Apollo on amoxicillin and metronidazole. He started that on 11/19/09 and he will finish his last does tonight.

We started Apollo on Hills Prescription Diet W/D Forumla, he loves it. We started his new dry food on 11/20/09.

Melissa

[kb2yjx]

I wish I had a microbiology book handy!!! But, since he is on an antibiotic, have you been giving Apollo some acidiphilus(sp) to keep the " good " bugs in his gut happy?? That might help with the loose bm's....Good luck....He is a very cute orangeman!! I think Ralph Timothy would be his good buddy!!!

[Catty1]

http://www.answers.com/topic/food-poisoning


Food-poisoning bacteria that produce toxin in the gastrointestinal tract following their ingestion include Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, enterotoxigenic E. coli, and V. cholerae. Bacillus cereus and C. perfringens are spore-forming bacteria that often survive cooking and grow to large numbers in improperly refrigerated foods. Following ingestion, their cells release enterotoxins in the intestinal tract. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is a leading cause of travelers' diarrhea.

Enterotoxin: n. A toxin produced by bacteria that is specific for intestinal cells and causes the vomiting and diarrhea associated with food poisoning.


http://www.cat-health-guide.org/feline-corona-virus.html

Feline coronavirus (FoCV) is a virus that causes mild symptoms in most cats. In rare instances (1%) it can lead to a condition called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Prayers for wee Apollo! :-)

[Anikaca77]

Just heard back from the vets. They want to start him on a hypo-allergenic food and they want to run a blood test for : Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (Maldigestion Disorder) in Cats

That is going to cost $120.

We just got done fixing him and they did a blood test then but that was just to check his levels before going under and so that whole procedure came to ~$200 just for the fixing and blood check.

Now another $120.

I already owe my vet so much money and my husband is off work at the moment because he injured his foot and we are not sure if he tore something. I'm just stressing a bit. We've already spent about $700 on Apollo so far.

Melissa

[Anikaca77]

The vet asked my husband yesterday if Apollo's poop seemed greasie, I said no originally but I wasn't certain. Well last night Apollo pooped again and my husband and I were able to look at it and my husband said it seems very greasie to him and I agreed.

I called the vets this morning and the vet said that if his stool is greasy then we need to get that blood test done and it could mean he could have Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency which would mean that Lifelong treatment woud be required.

I'm so stressed right now. His appt. is at 6 p.m. tonight to get blood drawn.

Please say a pray for him.

Melissa

[Queen of Poop]

Prayers for sweet Apollo.

[TommyCat]

Prayers and hugs for Apollo. I hope soon you can get a diagnosis and start treatment. Sounds like you have a good Vet.

[kb2yjx]

I had a cat with EPI, and once Molly got on the enzynmes, things improved greatly!!!! We would mix the enzymes in baby food and give them to her before she had her meal. If you read about EPI, the cat is literally starving to death!!! Molly improved and she was about 15 at the time....prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I hope that this new test will help diagnose what's been causing Apollo's diarrhea. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way. Please take care.

[Pinot's Mom]

Prayers and hugs from MD for poor little Apollo! :(

[Anikaca77]

We took Apollo to the vets yesterday and we saw our regular vet (there are 2 vets now at the practice and we talked with the newer vet the other night who recommended the blood test) and she said she doesn't feel Apollo has the Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (Maldigestion Disorder) because he looks to healthy and he's been gaining weight, etc.

She said she would prefer to wait a month and then recheck him and see how things are going then.

She did give him this tube that I'm supposed to give him twice a day and that might help firm up his poo. The vet also said we should continue to feed him the W/D food for now and we can change that at a later date but she thinks he will outgrow this.

We mentioned it looked greasy and he has a lot of gas too when he's going poo and she said it could be a maldisgestion disorder but she doesn't really feel that's likely since he looks good and healthy.

So I guess we are going to wait a month and then take him back in but in the meantime I'll just keep an eye on his poo and we'll see what happens.

I know kittens can grow out of this and I know that's what she's hoping for and I'm glad she's not just wanting to waste our money and stuff but at the same time I'm a little worried about him because he always seems so hungry. He knows the other food is out in the kitchen but he really begs for the W/D food which is good that he likes it.

So this is where it stands for now and I guess we'll just wait and see what happens.

Thanks for the prays,
Melissa

[katladyd]

When my Ming was a kitten, he did that. He had the runniest poo and gas, also! He outgrew it in about a month or two. I took him to the vet for a checkup and they said, like your vet, that he was very healthy because he played and was gaining wait. I would just wait a month before I started to worry. Still, I will send prayers up for Apollo, it can't hurt!:)

[3Catcondo]

Sending positive vibes to you and Apollo. Please give him some loving from my orange beauty Willow. :love:

[Anikaca77]

When my Ming was a kitten, he did that. He had the runniest poo and gas, also! He outgrew it in about a month or two. I took him to the vet for a checkup and they said, like your vet, that he was very healthy because he played and was gaining wait. I would just wait a month before I started to worry. Still, I will send prayers up for Apollo, it can't hurt!:)

Thanks! It's just we've had him since Aug. 09 and he had the runs then and still is having the runs. I'm giving him the meds they gave him that's supposed to bulk him up but that's just not helping it seems, but I'll give it some time yet.

Thanks,
Melissa

[Anikaca77]

The other thing I wanted to mention was Apollo seems to sleep a lot. I know cats sleep a lot but he really really sleeps, I know he plays hard but he sleeps a bit too much we think.

Just need someone to tell me their kitten has acted like this and it's ok. I'm just worried about him.

Melissa

[katladyd]

I would just keep an eye on him unless he takes a turn for the worse. If your vet says wait a month, they are not thinking anything dire is happening. In my experience, most kittens play hard and sleep hard. I'm hoping that is it. Like I said before, my vet looked at Ming and said some kittens develop diarrhea as a result of being introduced to new food or their systems adjusting to a new home. I hope that is what it is with Apollo. Sending that beautiful orange boy some kisses: Mwaah! Mwaah!

[Anikaca77]

I just placed a call into the vets because Apollo just went to the bathroom and there was a little bit of blood in his stool.

Please say a pray for him.

Melissa

[Moesha]

I hope that you get some comfort from the vet call. Aroara got her name because she could be going a million miles a minute and then fall deep asleep in an instant. She was named after the Disney princess Sleeping Beauty. Her real name is Aurora. I changed the spelling because she is a cat and cats ROAR. ;)

I'm afraid that you are going to worry with every thing Apollo does until you get that other test done. I know your finances are extremely tight right now, but is there really anything else that can be done without that test? Maybe you should just tell them to go ahead and do that so you can have some peace of mind. Hope Apollo feels better soon.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that he's still not doing well.:( Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[Medusa]

I concur w/Moesha on this one. You'll have no peace of mind until you get that test done. Finances are tight, I know, but perhaps your vet will allow credit to go along w/what you already owe. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Anikaca77]

Sadly the vet didn't return my call last night. I called again this morning and they said they will the other vet return my call because they are booked today but they will see what she has to say. Originally she is the one that suggested that we do that test and then the last time we took Apollo in the other vet said just to see if we can wait it out and gave him that med to take twice a day which I think has made his poo more liquid than helping him.

I know kittens get the poo and have troubles but along with him sleeping a lot yesterday just didn't seem like him.

I know cats sleep a lot but he really really sleeps and it's been a while since we've had a baby in the house but the other cats we got when they were 6 months or so were just crazy for a while.

I'm hoping the vet will call before my lunch time and if not I'll call and give them my cell phone.

Thanks,
Melissa

[phesina]

Prayers and a candle (http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=9729486) for Apollo, that this diarrhea problem is soon cleared up!

[Anikaca77]

Thanks for candle.

Apollo was very sleepy yesterday, he did eat though so that's always a plus. He went to the bathroom last night and there was no blood in his stool so I'm very happy about that.

I contacted my old vet that I used to take Claudia and Ashley when I only had 3 cats and I could afford them :) and I told him about my little guy Apollo. I told him my husband wasn't working at the moment so we don't have a lot of extra cash and he told me to fax over the information on Apollo and he'd be glad to take a look at the results and give us his thoughts.

He also mentioned that most vets don't run a 13 panel test they only run a 6 panel test.

I don't know if my vet ever runs a 13 panel test or if it's more expensive but I think I would of liked to have been given the option if that was the case.

Anyway, I'll be getting's Apollo's blood test results today at 12 so after that I will fax over everything on Apollo to my old vet and see what he has to say.

Melissa

[Anikaca77]

Well last night Apollo went poo, he always does it when I'm home or around and his poo was firming up. It actually was coming out kinda formed! :)

I was so excited.

Then this morning I watched him and he was in the poo box and it was runny again. :(

I'm still worried about my little boy.

Keep the prays coming,
melissa

[Catty1]

That is great that your other vet is willing to look at the test reports. A second opinion never hurts.

HUGS and prayers for wee Apollo!:love:

[Anikaca77]

Thank you!

I'm waiting to hear from the other vet now so I'll update once I hear from them.

Melissa

[Pinot's Mom]

Quick check from work computer - any news? Prayers from here...let us know.:love:

[Anikaca77]

Sorry things at home have been pretty crazy and I forgot to update this thread.

Well great news Apollo's poo has finally firmed up!!! :) :D

I was so excited it actually started a day or so after I talked with the second vet. I've been keeping on eye on it but so far it's going great, I started him on the Hills Prescription Diet i/d food and I think it's working for him very well :)

I'm so glad. He goes back to the vets on Dec. 28th for a re-check and I wanted to get his bent paw looked at again because it looks like there is a nail trying to grow or something forming on his one pad on that bad foot. The other day I had to wash that foot because he got some dirty stuff from a litter box in between his toes and he can't clean that area properly because it's bent. The thing that's growing doesn't seem to be bothering him at all and I'm not sure if it's a calus or not. He only have 4 nails on that paw too not 5.

Here is what the second vet said though:


I just heard back the guy the from Mark K. and he said he would recommend
2 things

1 - Mark said he would put Apollo on a dose of Erythromycin

and see what happens

Next if that didn't work he would do a blood panel test that would cost $150.

but that will check all the proteins, CBC, white blood counts, all the things that matter to the digestive track.

He also said sometime Vitamin B shots might help him too.


Right now though there is no need to do a blood test or anything like that since everything seems to be under control for now :)

Thanks for asking,
melissa

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear that his new diet is working and hopefully he'll continue to make firm stools.:) I hope that his vet visit about his paw goes well. Good luck.:)

[Medusa]

Wow, Erythromycin, huh? I'm on that right now. It's really hard on the stomach so be prepared, Melissa. Don't give it to him on an empty stomach. I sure hope he stays well now. Let us know about the paw.

[Anikaca77]

Wow, Erythromycin, huh? I'm on that right now. It's really hard on the stomach so be prepared, Melissa. Don't give it to him on an empty stomach. I sure hope he stays well now. Let us know about the paw.

Well since Apollo's poo ended up firming before we even took him to this second vet we didn't put him on it. Those were just suggestions that's all :)