Alex - 7/20 - Bladder Infection

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Ginny & Alex

Ginny & Alex

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Last week, when I was anxious to get a new vial of insulin ordered, I couldn't get my current vet to call me back, so I went, armed with all my spreadsheets and info from this website (sans Alex, of course), to see my old vet. Current vet had told me that once Alex got settled in with this insulin shots, he'd probably start him on a round of antibiotics b/c sugar cats are prone to UTIs. Old vet asked for a urine sample and wanted to do a urine culture. So, $90 later, the old vet's associate called me and tells me Alex has a bladder infection. It seems like he's been urinating more again in the last 2 or 3 days, but other than that, besides possibly being a little move feisty about pokes and shots, he seems like himself.
She prescribed 1 ml of Clavamox twice a day for 7 days. Wow! This is going to be fun. DH is leaving on yet another business trip Sunday. Not sure how I'm going to get this antibiotic down him alone.

I'm still giving .8 units and was planning to do some mid-cycle tests on Friday and seeing if we needed to increase his dose again.
So, my question is, would the UTI alone cause higher blood glucose levels or do the higher blood glucose levels cause the UTI?
And should I hold steady on the dose until we finish the antibitoics?
 
Not sure. I do think infections can cause higher bg levels. I don't know if higher levels cause infections...

Think you might need to raise the dose a little to counteract the infection if you get higher numbers.

Darn. Sorry about the set back. These cats are always throwing curveballs. :evil:
 
I have heard diabetics are more prone to UTI's and infections raise BG. I think Clavamox is available in pill form if that's easier for you. I can't give Thumper liquid, she fights & I end up choking her.
 
High glucose levels can cause sugar to spill over into the urine. When the urine has sugar in it---it serves as a perfect host for bacterial growth--thus a UTI.

The infection then causes the blood glucose level to go up.

The two feed off of each other.

This is a simple answer, but it is my understanding!
 
I use the injection type antibiotic Convenia on Peeps. As with any drug, there are some very negative comments about it out there. Just to let you know there is a third option.
 
Pill, liquid or shot. He will find them equally distateful as I have to add another annoyance (twice a day) to his daily routine. :twisted:
Hopefully 7 days of the drops will knock out the infection.
 
I feel for you! Thumper was always bad about me doing anything to her. I have been shocked at the way she cooperates with testing & shots. She would not however let me give her that carafate last week.
 
Awwww, poor guy! Good thing you caught it at least and hopefully the A/Bs will clear it up.

As for countering higher BGs, I think one shoots more insulin if needed, but with the idea of being quick on your toes if the numbers start to come down as the infection clears.

I wouldn't raise though without some midcycle data, but if after you get tests on Friday it looks warranted, I would raise the dose until the numbers are better.
 
I heard some bad things about it, and was scared as heel, but Callie Mae had baytril for her UTI and it cleared up lickety split.
I was nervouse, but my vet said she was going to be on it for such a short time that I would be ok. I trusted that, and all went well.
Hope kitty starts feeling better soon.
Sending hugs and well wishes.
 
Since I already have the Clavamox, I'm going with that route for treatment of his UTI--2 doses down, only 12 more to go!

His AMPS was a bit higher this morning, almost 300, so I went ahead and raised him to 1.0 unit and will go from there. I will get some mid-cycle numbers tomorrow.

Thanks, everybody, for the well wishes!
 
Alex's PMPS was 257 this evening after shooting 1.0 unit this morning. Another dose of Clavamox under his belt. With the infection, so you think I should stay at 1.0 unit? Do you think I try to do a curve or should I wait until antibiotic is used up?
 
Clavamox is a good choice for most UTIs. It can also be used for longer periods if needed (for UTIs that are resistant to going away -- bacteria sometimes burrow into the bladder wall and are tougher to kill because of that). I've used convenia for a UTI before learning more about it. It didn't work at all, unfortunately, and I suspect it may also have contributed to making Shaikha's anemia worse when she got a second shot earlier this year without my knowledge by a substitute vet. There are better choices for ABs in my opinion given the risks.

Hope it goes away quickly! I know they are a pain to deal with. Clavamox is sometimes not well liked due to taste, but if you are firm they will get it down. Shaikha has been on a liquid amoxycillin for a while now that tastes vile (bubblegum flavor from the smell) but she dutifully takes it now. I think that Clavamox is banana-flavored if I remember correctly. :roll:
 
Wendy, I don't know how much you know about Alex, but while his diabetes is a problem, his behavior is the bigger problem. The last several times we went to an office vet, he was untreatable b/c his hisses and bites at everyone. We now have a vet the comes to the house. Hubby and I are he only ones he will allow to pet him, hold him, shoot him, etc. We had major problems (and still do some days) giving the shots for weeks, but thanks to Lori and Tom, she gave me some new ideas. So, I was concerned that adding another twice-daily nuisance to his already twice-daily routine would send him over the top. Giving the anti-biotic works better as a 2-person task, but hubby is leaving on a business trip about half-way through the meds, so I have to find a way to give.

Just so you all don't think I have a monster, he can also be the sweetest boy in the world!
 
I didn't know about that. You can try hiding the liquid in food, though he may not buy into that given how strongly it is scented. It depends on how greedy for food your boy is. I've heard some try to put the liquid into gel caps and immediately give, but I don't know how that would work because I'd think the capsules would melt quickly and cats often are more resistant to pilling than anything. If he's got a UTI though, it needs to be treated to prevent more serious problems, so hopefully you can figure out a way.
 
Trust me I understand!! Shakespeare is a bear!!
he now only allows a woman to touch him but even then he will bite and scratch the vet

What I started doing in the begining is my husband would wrap his torso in a towel..etc
from there when my husband was working I would just lie the towel over him
so he knew it was shot time...that took awhile
but he got used to it a bit...sometime he still fights but i just get the towel out now and he knows

,aybe try something like that
 
Henry had the Covenia shot twice, then after reading about it I was worried, but he didn't seem to have any side effects other than a little loose poop the next day that went away. The problem some have with the Covenia injection is the fact it is supposed to stay in their system for 2 weeks but sometimes is longer than that to clear, and if your cat happens to have a severe allergic or other bad reaction to it, you have to wait for it clear the system and if your cat is one that happens to have a reaction to it, they can become really sick or die while waiting for it to clear. It is supposed to be a small percentage of cats that have a severe reaction to it, but if your cat has not ever had a Covenia injection, you don't know what kind of reaction to it they may have.
With Henry, it just didn't work to clear the infection. He had a gram negative bacteria and needed a different AB. He has taken Cipro once a day (1/2 tab) twice in the last 6 months and that cleared him up. Just found out he had another UTI a week ago and he was clear of it in 7 days with Cipro.
What I found with him if he starts getting higher numbers all through the cycle he might have a UTI. And he usually will start sometimes peeing right outside the litter box sometimes when he has one.
And it seems the ABs up his numbers and/or make them wonky when he first starts the AB, but when the infection starts clearing his numbers get better.
 
Here's the weird thing. Alex didn't present with any problems. When I went to the old vet to chat, she just suggested a urine culture b/c diabetic cats are prone to UTIs. Since he does have the infection, I increased the dose to 1.0 yesterday, but this morning, DH shot .8 (he's a wonderful man, but doesn't always pay attention to details :lol: ). His PMPS is 188. I guess I'll stick with .8.

BTW, how soon do anti-b's kick in?
 
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