? 11/26 Jude | AMPS 327; +3 348; +10 364; PMPS 287; +3 154 | QUESTION ABOUT RISING NUMBERS
- Thread starter Mary & Jude
- Start date
Kat & Trixie
Member Since 2025
Have a good day, Mary.
Come down gently, Jude!
Come down gently, Jude!
Allie & Gen
Member Since 2025
Have a good day! Wishing Jude more settled insides, poor guy.
Staci & Ivy
Member Since 2022
How is Jude feeling this morning?
I hope today is better for both of you
I hope today is better for both of you
Diane Tyler's Mom GA
Member Since 2018
I hope Jude starts to slide down safely 
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
Hi Staci, Jude seems to be feeling okay, but his numbers are climbing again. It's very frustrating because I can't figure out what's causing this.How is Jude feeling this morning?
I hope today is better for both of you
Karolina & Nestle
Member Since 2022
Hi Mary
Happy to see he's feeling better but the mystery of the high numbers is still to be solved. Any way he's getting into the other kitties food?
I'm guessing you havent heard back from the vet yet?
Hopefully they see something in the lab report.
️
️
Happy to see he's feeling better but the mystery of the high numbers is still to be solved. Any way he's getting into the other kitties food?
I'm guessing you havent heard back from the vet yet?
Hopefully they see something in the lab report.
️️
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
@Wendy&Neko @Sienne and Gabby (GA) @Bandit's Mom @Christie & Maverick @Angela & Cleo @tiffmaxee
I hate to tag you good folks, and if anyone else wants to weigh in, feel free, but I would really appreciate some experienced thoughts/opinions/advice. And I know that we're not experts in FIC or FLUTD issues here, but I'm grasping at anything right now to help Jude.
If you take a look at Jude's spreadsheet and the notes, you'll see that Jude has been experiencing episodes where his numbers spike. He has a history of both UTIs, some of which were diagnosed through cysto and c/s tests, and FIC, which the doctor diagnosed this past May after Jude's cysto and c/s tests came back negative. Typically, what happens is that when Jude's numbers spike, I take him to the vet, and they perform a cysto + c/s, but then they often give him a round of antibiotics because the c/s results take 4-5 days to return, and, assuming there is infection, the vet wants to get on top of it. Oddly, for some reason that we cannot determine, Jude's numbers begin to fall as soon as he gets the antibiotic. This happened a month ago, starting around 10/9. At that time, Jude urinated outside his box, something he rarely does, but something that typically indicates UTI or FIC flare. At that visit, the vet did a cysto and UA and saw nothing in the urine to warrant further testing (no blood, no bacteria, etc.); additionally, they performed an ultrasound, which showed no thickening in the lining of the bladder (which occurs with FIC). The vet did notice that Jude's penis was purple, which is often a sign that a cat is developing a blockage (this resolved). The vet prescribed Clavamox just in case there was something sub-clinical going on. Jude's bg numbers improved. Then on 11/13 Jude had another spike in his bg numbers. We went back to the vet who performed a cysto & c/s and started Jude on another round of Clavamox because he noticed epithelial cells and struvite crystals in the bladder (often present with infection). It took 5 days for the results to return; they were negative for infection. This time things got kind of complicated for Jude: he had a reaction to the Clavamox and stopped eating (the only problems he's ever had with Clavamox before is it has caused diarrhea). I had to begin syringe feeding him to get enough food into him for his shots, some of which I was forced to reduce in dose due to the fact that I couldn't get much food into him. On 11/23, I stopped the Clavamox after six days because he obviously was not doing well on it. As soon as I stopped the Clavamox, his numbers began climbing. I assumed he was experiencing some residual effects of the Clavamox, (he was still not eating; grinding his teeth, etc.), so assumed he had nausea, and I began Ondansetron, which helped his numbers a little (see his 11/25 a.m. cycle). Yesterday I took Jude back to the vet because the doctor wanted to do some more labs to look at his kidneys/liver/pancreas. The trip was very stressful for Jude--he's had diarrhea (likely from the Clavamox--and I've tried to give him s.boulardii, but because he wasn't eating, I couldn't get full doses into him), and on the trip, he defecated in his carrier. Then, when I brought him home from the clinic, I had to bathe him, and that was extremely stressful for him. His numbers began climbing again last night, into this morning. The lab results this past week--the cysto/c&s and all other chemistries, were all normal. And during the periods of time when Jude's numbers would spike, I began giving him Gaba and Prozacin (anti-spasmodic), which is protocol for an FIC flare. This could all be FIC flares, but what's odd is that the antibiotic seemingly lowers his bg, but there is no infection, so it doesn't really make sense.
By the way, I plan an increase for tonight, if his numbers remain high. What can I increase to?
I hate to tag you good folks, and if anyone else wants to weigh in, feel free, but I would really appreciate some experienced thoughts/opinions/advice. And I know that we're not experts in FIC or FLUTD issues here, but I'm grasping at anything right now to help Jude.
If you take a look at Jude's spreadsheet and the notes, you'll see that Jude has been experiencing episodes where his numbers spike. He has a history of both UTIs, some of which were diagnosed through cysto and c/s tests, and FIC, which the doctor diagnosed this past May after Jude's cysto and c/s tests came back negative. Typically, what happens is that when Jude's numbers spike, I take him to the vet, and they perform a cysto + c/s, but then they often give him a round of antibiotics because the c/s results take 4-5 days to return, and, assuming there is infection, the vet wants to get on top of it. Oddly, for some reason that we cannot determine, Jude's numbers begin to fall as soon as he gets the antibiotic. This happened a month ago, starting around 10/9. At that time, Jude urinated outside his box, something he rarely does, but something that typically indicates UTI or FIC flare. At that visit, the vet did a cysto and UA and saw nothing in the urine to warrant further testing (no blood, no bacteria, etc.); additionally, they performed an ultrasound, which showed no thickening in the lining of the bladder (which occurs with FIC). The vet did notice that Jude's penis was purple, which is often a sign that a cat is developing a blockage (this resolved). The vet prescribed Clavamox just in case there was something sub-clinical going on. Jude's bg numbers improved. Then on 11/13 Jude had another spike in his bg numbers. We went back to the vet who performed a cysto & c/s and started Jude on another round of Clavamox because he noticed epithelial cells and struvite crystals in the bladder (often present with infection). It took 5 days for the results to return; they were negative for infection. This time things got kind of complicated for Jude: he had a reaction to the Clavamox and stopped eating (the only problems he's ever had with Clavamox before is it has caused diarrhea). I had to begin syringe feeding him to get enough food into him for his shots, some of which I was forced to reduce in dose due to the fact that I couldn't get much food into him. On 11/23, I stopped the Clavamox after six days because he obviously was not doing well on it. As soon as I stopped the Clavamox, his numbers began climbing. I assumed he was experiencing some residual effects of the Clavamox, (he was still not eating; grinding his teeth, etc.), so assumed he had nausea, and I began Ondansetron, which helped his numbers a little (see his 11/25 a.m. cycle). Yesterday I took Jude back to the vet because the doctor wanted to do some more labs to look at his kidneys/liver/pancreas. The trip was very stressful for Jude--he's had diarrhea (likely from the Clavamox--and I've tried to give him s.boulardii, but because he wasn't eating, I couldn't get full doses into him), and on the trip, he defecated in his carrier. Then, when I brought him home from the clinic, I had to bathe him, and that was extremely stressful for him. His numbers began climbing again last night, into this morning. The lab results this past week--the cysto/c&s and all other chemistries, were all normal. And during the periods of time when Jude's numbers would spike, I began giving him Gaba and Prozacin (anti-spasmodic), which is protocol for an FIC flare. This could all be FIC flares, but what's odd is that the antibiotic seemingly lowers his bg, but there is no infection, so it doesn't really make sense.
By the way, I plan an increase for tonight, if his numbers remain high. What can I increase to?
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Brianna & Xander
Member Since 2024
I wish I had answers for you and your sweet boy, Mary. So sorry that you're going through this. It's awful to know he's feeling so yucky and to see those pinks on his beautiful spreadsheet!! 
His dose was 2.75 units, I'd go back to it. The reduced doses since 11/21 depleted the depot and that's why the higher numbers now.
I found that putting some s boullardi in a treat like a Churu helped get it down, and prevented food avoidance. Are you giving him a probiotic as well? If so, which one?
I found that putting some s boullardi in a treat like a Churu helped get it down, and prevented food avoidance. Are you giving him a probiotic as well? If so, which one?
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
Thanks, Wendy. I'll take him up .25 tonight. I didn't want to shoot lower doses, but because I couldn't get food into him, I was worried to give the full dose.
I thought s.boulardii is a probiotic--should I be giving him something else? I also give Jude Fortiflora, but it's mainly to entice him to eat, not for it's probiotic properties.
He wouldn't even eat Churus the other day. I could get him to eat some Dr. Elsey's kibble, but that was it. And I've discovered that s.boulardii does not do well if you put it into a liquid base of any sort (to syringe feed); it tends to glom together in a wad.
s. boullardi is a probiotic fungus. Think of it as something that mops up bad bacteria. But you still need another probiotic to add good bacteria back in. Not Fortiflora, it's only a single strain.
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
So that's like the Visbiome I've seen you recommend??
Laurie&Petey
Member Since 2024
Sorry Jude's numbers are high, but glad he is feeling ok.
I use Visbiome, seems great
no issues for Petey. It's pricey but goes a long way. I open the capsules and just sprinkle some on his food and mix it in... maybe 2-3 meals out of 1 capsule.
Visbiome is one option, but there are human ones that work well too. Visbiome was designed for IBD. A quote from the IBDKitties page on probiotics:
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
No, both he and Hazel eat the same LC food. Sometimes I give her HC treats, but I always monitor closely while Jude eats his LC treats.Hi Mary
Happy to see he's feeling better but the mystery of the high numbers is still to be solved. Any way he's getting into the other kitties food?
I'm guessing you havent heard back from the vet yet?
Hopefully they see something in the lab report.
I don't have any good answers. One thought, though is whether your vet would be willing to consult with an internal medicine vet or a vet that specialized in urinary tract issues.
Mary & Jude
Member Since 2024
Thanks, Sienne. I called the University of FL yesterday, as they have a FD specialist (Dr. Chen Gilor), and I was advised he would consult with my vet.