Beans Update

[doolittleky]

Lizzie,
That is the way it went with me. His diarrhea would get better and thyen come back. As I told you my vet suggested getting a culture done. She thinks he has IBD. Please let me know what you vet says about Beans. How are his ears doing?
Melissa

[Lizzie]

Beans checked out fine at the vet, except for his diarrhoea. His temperature is normal and he's not dehydrated. He's there now while they wait for a sample that they can culture. My vet also suggested IBS, certain protein intolerances (the usual that I've been through before) and that he might have another birth defect to do with his digestive system. I'll be calling Michelle at the shelter this afternoon to find out if he had any digestive upsets while with them and what food they gave him.

One problem is that when the tech contacted your vet, they didn't know who they were talking about. It was your vet that gave the health certificate, right? We need to know what treatment he was on previously.

I'm home sick at the moment and need to crash back into bed for some hours before I go back to pick him up. If you can get some information to me before I go back to my vet, that would be helpful.

[doolittleky]

Lizzie, The food Michelle said he was on when I picked him up was Hill Science diet the adult maintenance. I gave him that but when the diarrhea started my vet put him on the Science Diet W/D like what I told you. It got better with that but as you know with IBD they go through bouts of it. I am sorry I hadn't gotten the records to you yet but I got sick and couldn't go pick them up. I plan on doing that this weekend. If your tech wants to call my vet, Dr Joyce was the one that saw Beans the three times I had him there and she can tell your tech was treatment she gave. Or if she can't come to the phone when they call just tell the nurse or receptionist that the recordm ismunder my name and tell them Bean's name and they shoudl be able to tell you the treatment. He was on Fiagyl almost the whole time I had him. He was also on pred a little while when the diarrhea wouldn't get any better. he also got injections for it but can't remember the specific med. I hope that helps.
Melissa

[doolittleky]

oh I forgot that when he had the touch of URI he was on Baytril too. And for his ears with the yeast he was on Treasderm drops.
Melissa

[Lizzie]

Tresa did get through to someone who was able to give her information but the only thing they faxed her was a list of the drugs he'd been given. They would not fax her notes from the vet. Was any kind of test run on a fecal sample - for giarrdia and such? When you said culture, I assumed it was the kind they have to send away to a lab and that they'd run the usual tests at the vet.

I did have Beans on w/d from the start but, since it didn't seem to help him and I'd had such good results with using AvoDerm on both Dagda and Ashley (both with very mess, stinky stools with blood before the change in diet), I very gradually mixed in the AvoDerm. For two weeks it seemed to work. How long were the period when he didn't have runny stools when he was with you?

Sorry, everyone, I know parts of this could be in a pm to Melissa, but I would appreciate others' input and opinions on what could be causing Bean's outbreaks and what can be done about them. Could it all be down to stress?

[catmandu]

We have no experience with Cats in that condition although Miquelitos can be pretty wet and stinky.
We pray you Vet can help Beans get over this, as its a pain to have to daily clean and wash everything.

[QueenScoopalot]

I'm so happy to hear Beans is acclimating better. I'd have scooped that boy up quick if he was on the East Coast, but I think I have enough M*A*S*H Unit cats now. Does your vet carry "amphoral" by chance? I had a litter of kittens some years back with the worlds worst diarrhea! They had all the routine tests, and meds, and the only thing that worked was the amphoral. Nasty tasting and it has to be given 3 times a day for 3 days. By the second day the babies I had were almost 100% better, and by dose # 9 were good to go. They were covered with poop as was everything else, and it was awful. I waited a week or two after meds and they all went off to new homes. I hope precious Beans starts feeling better soon. Have you thought of adding pumpkin to his food to help bind his stools? Plain 100% with no spices etc. Many cats love it. I'm not going to attempt spelling the active cultures that are in yogurt (acido...) but capsules from a health food store will also help Beans replenish the good bacteria being washed out of his intestines. I hope you can get to "the bottom" of Beans problems, and wish you tons of luck.

[Lizzie]

What do you mean, if he'd been on the East Coast!? He was a lot further east than he was west.

I haven't tried anything yet, except to change to AvoDerm and that worked until last night. For a few days he'd been pooping in the front hall instead of going down the hall to the litter room and I thought it was just a behavior matter that I'd have to figure out. Then, late last night, the stuff just came pouring out of him and I knew it was time for a vet. My vet is a big believer in pumpkin but that means switching to wet food and I've kept Beans on dry since I didn't want to make that change also. I'll also pick up some yoghurt which I've used often,usually with success. Actually, his poop isn't that smelly, but it is slimey which indicates inflammation (I think). I really don't need another diet in this household but it looks like I'm going to have to deal with it. The kittens, of course, want anything that isn't theirs and are very aggresive about getting it. I'm out of isolation rooms and the garage is too cold at this time of the year!

I doubt if my vet is going to go with amphoral. He's a big believer in not using drugs of any kind until you know the reason for the illness. Since Beans' problem could be for a multitude of reasons, he'll probably advise food changes first. I am going to push for some med though, since Beans' bum was red raw.

Just got off the phone with my vet. We are going to try the hypo-allergenic diet, antibiotics for anything in his gut, centrine (short-term) to stop the diarrhoea, and a general de-wormer (even though tests don't show any evidence), and his sample has been sent out to a lab. If that doesn't work, we are looking at surgical diagnostic tests.

Jan - do any of your RH cats have intestinal problems? We are wondering if the RH is Beans' only birth defect.