OTJ Trial 10/30 - Artemis - OTJ Trial DAY 7 - AMBG 61; PMBG 58

[ChickenNugget]

One week mark reached! 7 more days to go!

Previous thread: Artemis OTJ Trial Day 6

Artemis's Mood: Extremely upset over the oral medication Metrodinazole
Artemis's Appetite: Fair
My Mood: Emotionally and mentally spent from school and Artemis's situation

Tips or Tricks needed: First day was a disaster for the oral medication since the antibiotic is extremely bitter and Artemis cannot be confined within the prison that is known as the Kitten Burrito - no matter how much I try or how many towels I use. He does not like it when someone reaches near his mouth due to years of treatment for his stomatitis and dental issues. I've tried the Churu-mix method and he didn't let me at all; added to a bit of wet food, he tastes and runs off; and added with chicken broth, he sniffs and runs off too. I'm considering getting some baby food to mix it in in the hopes he'll take it, otherwise I have to take him back to the vet to get a second option on treatment which from what I recall can be the steroid shot and that's the drastic measure considering he's on Day 7 without insulin. I've searched here in the website and Reddit on possible baby foods and I'm leaning towards Beechnut. I have even considered putting the solution inside a gelatin capsule but I don't have the time to wait for Amazon to deliver the empty capsules considering how they are taking their sweet time to ship out items. I would appreciate any tips.

Artemis with his first love - a water fountain. Appropriate photo for an appropriate day where he's been getting mad at me, just like when I have to clean his water fountain and he'd meow angrily for me to put it back and turn it on. He's upgraded to a porcelain water fountain. LOL

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Oh my. I am sorry. Is he having diarrhea? If not, I personally would not give the Metronidazole. Metronidazole is certainly one of the most revolting tasting meds around. Usually if your kitty tastes it he will foam at the mouth and fling drool all over you, the walls , etc. I just ordered some empty gelcaps from Amazon today, this evening; they are supposed to arrive Saturday (but we will see when it really arrives.) As for the size, the Metro that I have here on hand will fit into a size 3 gelcap if I cut them in half using a pill cutter. This is for my 62.5 mg. small tablets. I’m not sure it would fit into a size 4 which is smaller, unless I crushed it and put it in there.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

It tastes so bad that I doubt he will eat it mixed into anything.

Gerber baby food or Beech Nut is fine to feed (both low carb,) but, again, I doubt he will eat it with the Metronidazole in there. It’s good to keep on hand for when their appetite is puny though. Ham is usually a winner.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

The steroid injection would almost certainly knock him out of remission.

 

[Lisa and little]

When I’ve had to give Metronizadole the only way was to sacrifice my forearms, get a little “rough” and just go in and do it. She was mad and probably only ended up swallowing half as she ran around the house flinging and foaming the rest all over but it did the trick. Good luck. I feel your pain. And go Artie DAY 7!!!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

X-rays are not the best way of diagnosing intestinal inflammation. An ultrasound is the best way to look at that and actual measurements of intestinal layer thicknesses can be taken as well as looking at all the other organs. It should be done by a vet certified and experienced in doing ultrasounds. Anyway, trapped air/gas is not an unusual finding.

Do you have his bloodwork results that you can share?

It’s true that Metronidazole has an anti-inflammatory effect in the gut as well as some antibacterial and antiprotazoal activity. It can help with diarrhea.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

When I’ve had to give Metronizadole the only way was to sacrifice my forearms, get a little “rough” and just go in and do it. She was mad and probably only ended up swallowing half as she ran around the house flinging and foaming the rest all over but it did the trick. Good luck. I feel your pain. And go Artie DAY 7!!!

I always gel cap the tablets. They never taste it. Otherwise it happens just as you said. Giving liquid is out of the question!

 

[ChickenNugget]

X-rays are not the best way of diagnosing intestinal inflammation. An ultrasound is the best way to look at that and actual measurements of intestinal layer thicknesses can be taken as well as looking at all the other organs. It should be done by a vet certified and experienced in doing ultrasounds. Anyway, trapped air/gas is not an unusual finding.

Do you have his bloodwork results that you can share?

It’s true that Metronidazole has an anti-inflammatory effect in the gut as well as some antibacterial and antiprotazoal activity. It can help with diarrhea.

Hello!

Vet did the X-ray after doing an abdominal check. She did mentioned the possibility of doing an ultrasound on Artemis for next visit and/or if I bring him in earlier before his week mark checkup if he doesn't gain weight. He had a bit of diarrhea and soft stools that past few days before the vet visit. She had prescribed the Metronidazole for the inflammation as a first option since she said she didn't want to use steroid shots considering his age and how aggressive it is for a diabetic cat - otherwise if the Metronidazole didn't work, then steroid shots.

Here's his bloodwork from 10/29. Handwritting is mine.

 

[ChickenNugget]

It tastes so bad that I doubt he will eat it mixed into anything.

Gerber baby food or Beech Nut is fine to feed (both low carb,) but, again, I doubt he will eat it with the Metronidazole in there. It’s good to keep on hand for when their appetite is puny though. Ham is usually a winner.

At this point I'm willing to give it a try. The last thing I want happening is Artemis getting injured while I'm giving him the medication. Since kittenhood, its been a pain to give him anything, pill or liquid. Honestly at this point, insulin shots have been the easiest thing I have given him with no fuss or claws out.

 

[ChickenNugget]

When I’ve had to give Metronizadole the only way was to sacrifice my forearms, get a little “rough” and just go in and do it. She was mad and probably only ended up swallowing half as she ran around the house flinging and foaming the rest all over but it did the trick. Good luck. I feel your pain. And go Artie DAY 7!!!

That's what I had to do for the first day, just had to be a bit rough and added double layer of towels but somehow he was not giving in without a fight. Managed to get the dosage in even if I ended up covered in saliva. If only I had known about the pills and breaking them out inside gel capsules, I think it would have been better BUT once again, Artemis would have fought me on the pills too - I can never win with him! Probiotic is easier because I mix it with a bit of food and he licks it up!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Well, that’s a lot to base a diagnosis of inflammation off of mildly elevated monocytes (which can even just be elevated by stress) but then, if your vet is like my vet she can feel a lot just by carefully examining the cat — but I do hope Artemis will keep eating. The weight loss is concerning (2 lbs. is a lot.) I don’t see a lot of other inflammatory markers in that bloodwork — but something is going on.
It does look like Artemis has early kidney disease. I hope you can get him to eat some of the lower phosphorus foods on this list to help reduce the workload on his kidneys (regardless of his current blood phosphorus levels which you want around 4-4.5.) The FF pates are too high in phosphorus for a cat with CKD. Their kidneys have to work harder to remove it. You say he likes his water fountain so that’s good. He could just feel unwell from the elevated BUN (although conventional wisdom is that they don’t feel nauseated until BUN reaches 40, he could be sensitive to it.) How does he approach his food? Does he sniff it and turn away or walk away? Does he lick his lips? Does he ever make unusual sounds like grinding his teeth?
https://www.bizave.com/foodlists/CKD Diabetes Food List.pdf