Starr's A Very Sick Little Boy

Hi, as some of you know Starr's been having a lot of diarrhea lately. I knew that something was wrong with him but I just thought that it was due to food allergies. I brought him to the vet today intending to have an allergy test done on him. The vet said that allergy tests can be very inconclusive so it would be better to do an ultrasound on him. I agreed and I had to leave him for a while because the vet was booked solid and would have to do it later in the day.

I just got back from the vet and Starr has a kidney infection in both kidney's and the walls of his colon are also thick so he may have colitus.:( He's now on amoxicillin liquid 1ml 2 times a day and metronidazole tabs 250mg which are cut into 1/4 tablets and given 2 times a day. I should see some improvement within 5 days. If I don't I need to call them.

After he's off of the meds, I have to give him some yogurt that has the active cultures in it to help put back the good bacteria into his intestinal tract. If he's still having problems then he'll probably also need to change his diet. The vet just wants to do one thing at a time so we know what's working. I sure hope that the meds will work and that he won't also need a diet change. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.

Poor guy! Glad that he is on meds and hope he will soon improve! Sending lots of healing energy and another candle lit.

Poor little Starr! We will certainly be sending lots of healthy vibes Starr's way. I hope you manage to get his problems sorted out.

Poor Handsome Boy Starr! I hope you start to feel better on your medication and that you get through all the fuss which probably seems annoying to you. Your meowmie is doing her best to help you, I am praying for you Starr, and no doubt Nakita is watching over you know from the Rainbow Bridge with all the others from here, Kasha, Moose, Shemp and all the rest who have left us.
Get well soon Starr!

Baby boy, I hope you are feeling better soon!

My Oscar loves his plain no-fat yogurt, and I hope you lap it up too!

Hugs and scritchies to you, sweet Starr! :)

Poor Starr. :( Some guys just get all the bad luck, and Starr has had more than his fair share. Hope he feels better SOON.

OH, poor Starr! I hope that the meds will cure the kidney infection, and that the yogurt will make his poor tummy and all feel better. It's so hard when they are so small and vulnerable and all we want to do is make everything alright.

My thoughts are prayers are with you.... Hugs to you and to dear Starr boy.

We Are Saying Prayers For Starr, That That Dear Little Meezer Will Be Well Soon, And Be Back To His Healthy Happy Self.
Shemp And Moose Angels Are There To Comfort Thier Little Friend.

Poor Starr, he's been through so much. I'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers. I really hope the meds work quickly and our sweet little guy feels better soon, once and for all.

Healing hugs and scritchies for Starr.

Oh gosh, poor Starr! :( Hopefully the meds will help clear this problem up. Healing prayers on the way.

**hugs**

Poor little Starr! That's not fun, diarrhea and a kidney infection and possible colitus. I hope the meds are making him well and he will be back to normal soon.

Prayers and healing energies being sent,

Pat

Poor Starr! Prayers on the way for a speedy recovery. Get well soon, little guy!

Oh my, Tracey! I came on looking for an uppydate because I knew Starr had an appointment today, but I never expected anything like this! I'm sure you didn't either. :(

The good news is that you are a very diligent meowmy and instead of just letting the diarrhea go, you wanted to find out the cause and thus found the infection and inflammation. Poor little Starr - and poor you!

I sure hope the meds work and that's all it is so he doesn't need the change in diet also, but I agree with your vet about trying one thing at a time. My vet suggested the same with CJ because then you know what does work and what doesn't in order to narrow down the cause.

{{{hugs}}} to you and gentle smoochies to Starr.

Poor Baby Boy ~ He sure has been through a lot, hasn't he? (And you too). Many prayers for your blue-eyed baby boy.

Gosh Tracey, you have really had your hands full, lately. I will definitely keep Starr in my prayers (and you, too).

Logan

Thanks so much everyone.:) I know he must be feeling awful but just by looking at him he looks like a healthy cat. Cats sure can hide their illnesses and pain very well. I gave him his first dose of meds at 8pm and he sure didn't like it. I hope he'll learn to cooperate more in the future.

Oh Starr we are all praying for you here in Wisconsin..... You poor poor baby get well soon! Keep us all updated on his progress..Thanks

I'm so sorry to hear about Starr! :( That diarrhea is just the worst in kitties! The Metronidazole seems to be the best thing for it, I hope you don't have any trouble getting it in him! Hugs and gentle kisses to baby Starr!

Oh, poor Starr. And poor you. {{{hugs}}} and ~~~ healing vibes ~~~

How is your hand?

Gosh!
Poor lil guy!
I hope he feels better asap!

Poor little Starr boy! I hope you take your meds and feel better soon.
At least it sounds as if the meds can cure the infection? I am so sorry that Starr and you have to go through this again.

Poor widdle Starr. Hope you feel better soon. Sending prayers and heading vibes your way.

Poor little boy. Prayers & positive thoughts on the way.

Starr, please be a good patient and take your meds. I hope he feels better. Digestion problems are the pits.

Poor Starr, and poor you, hope you can get his meds down him easily. I will be sending good thoughts and prayers to the both of you.

Get well soon, Starr.

Willie

Poor Starr....! He is in my prayers from now on!!

http://users.pandora.be/bernardgabri...cat_in_bed.gif Get better soon, STARR!!

Tracey, you really have had a time of it lately. I hope you see a huge improvement in Starr this week.

Oh Tracey, I'm so sorry to hear about Starr's problems. I do hope the medicine will take care of it - and you are able to get it in him. Try to do it when he's relaxed.

Sending lots of healing vibes and gentle scritchies to Starr.

((((hugs))))

Thanks again for all of your prayers and well wishes. Starr actually seems to be feeling a bit better or I'm just imagining it. It took me about 10 minutes to try to get both of his meds into him. Even though I wrapped him up in a towel like a burrito he was still a pistol and was kicking and trying to bite.:eek: The pill became mush and he started foaming at the mouth because of the bitter taste so I don't know how much he got into him. The other med is pink liquid which he again barely swallowed and it dripped all down his chin. I just hope that I was able to get enough of it in him.

My hand has already healed and I'm now off of the antibiotics but the bad memory is still there so I'm trying to be very cautious around Starr. It's hard for me to get him to open up his mouth. I even tried blowing on his nose to get him to open up but no luck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks again.:)

For the pill - this is what I do with most of my cats. They all love shrimp, so I cut a half inch piece, put a small hole through the middle, and push 1/4 of the pill inside. Put these in the food dish - gone in a flash.

I don't know how many whole pills Starr gets in a day. Charley had to have 2 total recently, so I gave him just 2 pieces of shrimp with pill in middle at a time. I wanted to make sure he actually consumed each piece. Takes a bit more fussing, but it did work.

If not shrimp, maybe chicken?

Liquids can be messy, but even if it drips a bit about the mouth, he will lick it off eventually.

I don't know what it would do to a cat, but I've got colitus, and IBS, and it's a life of hell.

I certainly hope Starr feels better.

Hey Starr, you need to cooperate with your poor Mom who is really trying to help you get better!!! Take your meds like a good kitty!!! Hope Starr feels better very soon!

You may have already tried this but in case you haven't my vet gave me some treats that you put their medicine into them and they are heavily scented and they don't even know that you have placed their medicine into it. My older cats just love them.


http://thesiamesestore.com/default.php?cPath=30_45

They are called Pill Pouches...... Here is a website and your vet might carry them. I hear you Paris NEVER shows aggression until we have to pill her or give her liquid meds....... Like you said she is a pistol!!! Good Luck I completely understand the battle that you have to go through every single time you try to pill them.

The first times I had to give Fister pills, it was impossible. I also cut it up and put inside a shrimp - the first one went down, but he could still taste it and wouldn't eat the rest. I also crushed them and put in his food, but the result was no better.

Eventually, I learned that while he was sitting relaxed in the window, I could sneak up from behind and lean over him, as I had got used to when cuddling, and then, putting my arms along each side of him, I managed to get his mouth open with one hand and drop the pill in with the other. Now, doing it this way, you have to make sure his mouth is closed until he swallows! To help this, you stroke his throat gently a few times. He may fight a bit, but if you keep him locked in the position, there's not much he can do. ;)

OK, I must admit, a few times Fister has managed to spit the pill out, but I kept putting it in and succeeded at last. :D

Good luck!!

Hope Starr will feel better soon!

I'm afraid it takes two people to pill Tigris. I have not the slightest idea how I could manage all by myself. I messed with him two weeks ago- just in playing - and had my thumb slit two inches long :(

Good luck with Starr.

Wow! I've been lucky with most of the cats I had to pill. Thankfully my skittish ones haven't been sick so I haven't had to pill them. My foster, Mac (now at the bridge) had to have thyroid meds twice a day. He literally came and sat on my lap and waited for his pill. He was a perfect gentleman.

I have discovered the "joys" of pill pockets. You can get these at your local PetSmart and they are a life saver. I have to pill Oliver 3 times a day so my medical bills would be quite high if it weren't for these things :D

Dear Starr, I hope the meds help and you start to feel better. But the meds wont' work unless you TAKE them!

Tracy, I use a pill syringe / dispenser for some of my cats (not all of them let me use it). Here is the web site for the one I have.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products.../Itemdy00.aspx


They also have the pill pockets, which some other PT'ers have recommended; I haven't tried those yet.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/shopay00.aspx

With Vita, I have to keep changing methods, as she gets used to one and then foils any attempt for it to work! She has the fastest tongue east of the Mississipii! And she can hold a pill in her cheek for half an hour then spit it out, ptouey! I find them . . . eventually. :rolleyes:

Good luck with Starr, hope for both of you that Starr gets well fast.

Thanks everyone.:) I'm already using the pill syringe or else I wouldn't have any fingers left. I still have to give him his meds again at 8pm tonight. I sure hope that things go better this time.:) I've heard about pill pockets but I've never used them and I think that my vet does carry them.

I feel your medicating pain, Tracey! Bobo needs medicine right now and he is one of the worst I have ever had to medicate! First thing, I have to get all of his claws clipped!!!! I'll need help just to do that!

Good luck with Starr, I hope the little guy gets all better SOON! ;)