GOBBLES GI UPDATE - At a loss...

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Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Hi Kat,
I'm sorry Gobbles isn't feeling so well, but glad to know he's better today.
Lucy goes anorexic quote often on me, and she has had quite a few vomiting/diarrhea episodes in the past.
(In fact I'm dealing with one of those episodes right now. :smile: )
I don't bring her to the vet every time she has one of those episodes or it will be too stressful for her and my bank account.
I don't think I have enough knowledge to give advice, but I'd like to share with you how I deal with it the best I can.
Sometimes, Lucy vomits and has diarrhea and seems obviously unwell, and other times she seems perfectly normal except loose poopy.

If Lucy is nauseated, I try to deal with it first.
Vomiting irritates the lining of stomach, and causes more vomits, so vomiting must be stopped.
If she is not eating because of nausea, I do not give Cypro until nausea is taken care of.
I've been bringing Lucy to the vet for a shot of Cerenia, but I got a box of Cerenia in tablets last time I went to the vet to keep at hand, so yesterday she had one, and it worked.
If Lucy vomits on empty stomach, and the puke is yellowish or formy, I give Pepcid.
Yesterday, I went for Cerenia because she vomited pukey smelling bownish liquid with a bit of earlier food in it.

If Lucy is not nauseated, but just not eating, I give her Cypro.
If she really doesn't want to eat, I'd let her skip one meal, but after that I always do Cypro.
Even when she turned her nose to everything I had offered, 30 minutes after Cypro, she'd be asking "where's my food?".
It's so much easier for both of us if she eats voluntarily than force-feeding, which is super stressful for both of us.

For diarrhea, if she has continuing diarrhea, first, I would not bring Lucy to the vet, but I'd bring her poop.
I don't ask for a stool culture at this point, but ask them to analyse it under a microscope (cheaper & faster) while I sit and wait there for their findings.
If they find a lot of bad bacteria, I get metronidazole.
If they find not much bad bacteria but no good bacteria either, I think probiotic.
Lucy has been on metronidazole a few times. Sometimes, they prescribe pills for 5 days, other times 7 days or 10 days.
And sometimes, it worked after just one or two pills, and diarrhea didn't come back.
Other times, diarrhea stopped while on metronidazole, but came back right after the course of treatment.
This time, it took about 8 pills before she started producing solid poop, and she just had her last pill this morning (7 days treatment this time), and I guess I'll see if the diarrhea wants to come back or not in the next day or two (paws crossed).
Since Lucy has finished 7 days of metronidazole, I'm thinking about putting her on probiotic, but I think I'm going to try Pearls - which I think is less powerful.

I did try slipperly elm barks, but it didn't work for Lucy.
I thought Lucy's poop got looser, so I stopped, but it's supposed to be safe to give.
I am fully willing to try this again another time. I think I may have given her too much for her. I did 1/8 teaspoon of loose power, but I kind of packed it pushing the powder against spoon. :lol:

I believe multiple diarrhea would irritate anus. Poor Gobbles.
I hope he'll be better.
I hope metronidazole will kick in soon.
Maybe he may need a stool culture done to determine what med. would work.....
I will check back on him, and write more if I think of something else.
In the meantime, sending tons of vines and prayers to his way.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

I'm glad you got him eating something at least. I think abdominal massage is usually one of my first solutions when my kitty's are having that sort of troubles, but of course, I let them dictate the situation, so if it is at all uncomfortable they let me know and I stop. Glad you are able to do the same for your baby.

/hugs right there with ya on the no money for the vet problem, wish it weren't so, but we do what we have to do.

Hope you both get feeling much better soon!
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

dian and wheezer said:
since we are playing with the butt hole, how about a few of those stamped autographs I was talking about at reunion
Click to expand...
:lol: that must have been an interesting conversation! :lol:
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

well, carl. you know me. gotta find something that is interesting and funny to talk about.
and in color too
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Dian,
I read what you posted while I was at home taking a break and feeding Bob....I swear I chuckled for at least an hour afterwards. :lol: Anybody who saw me must have thought I'd lost it.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

well, you are just gonna have to make the next reunion so you can participate in out arts and crafts session
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

mariko said:
I've been bringing Lucy to the vet for a shot of Cerenia, but I got a box of Cerenia in tablets last time I went to the vet to keep at hand, so yesterday she had one, and it worked.
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What kind of drug and what is Cerenia for?

mariko said:
...I don't bring her to the vet every time she has one of those episodes or it will be too stressful for her and my bank account...
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Same here--extreme stress for Gobbles as well as my bank account--this month, there is so little room for any vet visits/tests--way less than the cost of any GI test :cry:

mariko said:
If she is not eating because of nausea, I do not give Cypro until nausea is taken care of...If Lucy is not nauseated, but just not eating, I give her Cypro
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I don't know how to determine if Gobbles has nausea...I THINK he may be, because he sniffed his food and had only a few licks of it.

mariko said:
For diarrhea, if she has continuing diarrhea, first, I would not bring Lucy to the vet, but I'd bring her poop.
I don't ask for a stool culture at this point, but ask them to analyse it under a microscope (cheaper & faster) while I sit and wait there for their findings...If they find a lot of bad bacteria, I get metronidazole
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Other than bad bacteria, what else might show up under a microscope? What do you get charged for that?

mariko said:
If they find not much bad bacteria but no good bacteria either, I think probiotic.
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I have ReNew and Pearls on hand.

mariko said:
Lucy has been on metronidazole a few times. Sometimes, they prescribe pills for 5 days, other times 7 days or 10 days.
And sometimes, it worked after just one or two pills, and diarrhea didn't come back...This time, it took about 8 pills before she started producing solid poop, and she just had her last pill this morning (7 days treatment this time), and I guess I'll see if the diarrhea wants to come back or not in the next day or two (paws crossed)
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Gobbles is on Day 3 of the metronidazole. I hope Mariko firms up!

mariko said:
Since Lucy has finished 7 days of metronidazole, I'm thinking about putting her on probiotic
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So you don't give the metronidazole AND the probiotic at the same time?

mariko said:
Maybe he may need a stool culture done to determine what med. would work
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That test was done in April, was more than $100 (I'd have to check my records--I think it was around $170), they found nothing.

mariko said:
I will check back on him, and write more if I think of something else.
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Wow, thanks Mariko--for such a long and helpful post! You are so sweet. His appetite this morning was null; he ate a few licks of food then went back to bed. He had a large yellow, liquid poo at 8 am; which was 16 hours from his last poo. He had been going 5x a day, up until yesterday,where he went only 2x.

I am at a loss as to what to offer him for his next meal AND if I should administer the Cypro (1/4 of the pill, correct?) I am thinking if I give him Cypro, I could probably get him to eat some LC. Maybe. He was loving the Tiki chicken yesterday, but snubbed it this morning...
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

TheBowHuntress said:
.What kind of drug and what is Cerenia for?
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It's an anti-nausea drug - vomiting, motion sickness etc. May also help stimulate appetite

TheBowHuntress said:
I don't know how to determine if Gobbles has nausea...I THINK he may be, because he sniffed his food and had only a few licks of it.
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Look to see if he will approach food/water and look like he wants to eat but won't. Does he lick his lips alot, especially when near the food. Does he lay in "meatloafing" position - with all four paws tucked under his body.

These are typical signs of nausea - especially the lip licking.

Think about when you feel nauseous, what do you do - curl up in a ball, when you feel it building up, you drool and lick your lips, it's similar with cats.

Other than bad bacteria, what else might show up under a microscope? What do you get charged for that?
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They can see if any parasites are in there as well. You would need to call your vet and ask what they charge.


sorry I can't help with your other questions.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

I agree with Hilary - licking lips is a good indicator of nausea. And meat loafing is a good signal that a kitty just generally feels like crap.

"Yellow poo"...that means something....
"Indicates rapid transit". Things are going from the "in door" to the "out door" too quickly. Both yellow and runny are indicators of that.
The unknown is "why". This is all from an older book, Kat. "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook".
"Transit time in the intestinal tract can be speeded up by a variety of irritating substances, including:
Dead animals, rodents, and birds
Garbage and decayed food
Rich foods, gravies, salts, spices, and fats
Sticks, cloth, grass, paper and plastic"

Is there any way Gobbles could have gotten into any of those?

What about odor? Is he chasing himself out of the LB to get away from it?
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Hi Kat,
I'm so sorry Gobbles is still not feeling well.
I see you got some answers, but I'll add mine as well.

What kind of drug and what is Cerenia for?
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Like Hillary replied to you, Cerenia is an anti-nausea drug.
It's for dogs and is off-label for cats, but my vet uses for cats all the time, and it has worked well on Lucy.
I know other people on this board use Cerenia for cats too, so it's good for cats too.
It comes in injectable form and tablets form.
I suppose injection would work faster, but the down side is that you'd have to bring the cat.
When I got one for Lucy in the past, it cost $34.
The tablet also worked for Lucy, and I bought a box of 4x16mg pills, and it was about $19.
For cat, the dose is 1mg/kg body weight, so for most cats I think it's about 1/4 to 1/2 pill.
I didn't know this cat dose when I gave it to her the other day, and I gave her a whole pill :o , but nothing bad happened.
I was so worried about the overdose but both Sienne and my vet said it should be OK, and it was.

I don't know how to determine if Gobbles has nausea...
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I have trouble determining if she has nausea or not sometimes.
Sometimes, they don't give a clear sign......
When the nausea is severe, Lucy swallows saliva a lot, and that's an obvious sign as well as lip-licking.
And like Hillary mentioned, showing interests in food, but not eating it is also a sign.
If Gobbles is sniffing his food and taking a few licks but not eating, I would think he's nauseated.

Other than bad bacteria, what else might show up under a microscope? What do you get charged for that?
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Again like Hillary mentioned, they will see the type of bacteria and parasites.
I never worry about parasites for Lucy because she doesn't eat raw food and she doesn't go out side, but I guess they would see them if parasites are present.
The fecal cytology at my vet cost $42, but it might be cheaper as my vet is on the expensive side.
I'd like to point out, though, fecal cytology by bringing in a sample may not be awfully accurate because the sample is not as fresh as the one collected at the vet, and some bacteria may not have survived.
Fecal culture is more accurate, but it's more expensive too.
Even though it may not tell everything, I still do fecal cytology (fecal smear) quite often because it's cheap and fast and stress-free for Lucy.
And they can at least tell me if there is a over-growth of bad bacteria.
Sometimes, they found not bad bacteria but no good bacteria either, and it saved me from putting Lucy on antibiotic unnecessarily.
If you are going to try this, naturally a sample as fresh as possible is better.
I'd collect the part of poo that does not have a lot of litter stuck to it, and call the vet "I'm bringing the sample!!".
Sometimes she poops overnight, and if I don't think I can get a fresher sample, I'd keep it in the fridge (gross, I know), and they can still see stuff.

So you don't give the metronidazole AND the probiotic at the same time?
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Lots of more experienced people recommend giving antibiotic (metronidazole) and probiotic at the same time, so I think it's a good thing to do.
But, I didn't this time, because I wanted to see what would make a difference for her diarrhea, and wanted to try one think at a time.
The other reason I didn't give probiotic at the same time is that I was afraid it may cause her even more diarrhea.
I know it's unlikely, but I have a friend who ate Activia and suffered diarrhea afterwards :lol: .
When your tummy isn't used to probiotic, I think it could cause diarrhea in the beginning.
Lucy has a super sensitive tummy, so I decided to stay away from probiotic while she is pooping diarrhea, otherwise I wouldn't know what's causing it.
I already know that Lucy has problem sustaining good bacteria in her tummy, and if I give her billions of good bacteria suddenly when her tummy is already upset, I thought it might make it worse.
I am even going to wait to see what her next poop is like before I start giving her a Pearl.
Because if I give her probiotic now and her next poop is loose, then I wouldn't know if it's because metronidazole is wearing out or the initial side effect of probiotic.
But this is just a precaution I took, something I'm trying, and usually antibiotic together with probiotic should be a good idea and a lot of people recommend it.

I am at a loss as to what to offer him for his next meal AND if I should administer the Cypro (1/4 of the pill, correct?)
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Yes, the dose of Cypro is 1/4 pill, but do not give him Cypro is he is nauseated.
This is something Sienne once pointed out to me - Can you imagine given an appetite stimulant when you are nauseated!?
If you take care of the nausea, he may be more willing to eat.

Another thing I really would consider is sub-q fluids, Kat.
If he is having so many diarrhea and not eating much, he is losing a lot of fluids and not gaining much.
Even if he is drinking, considering the amount of diarrhea, it may not be enough, even if his skin springs back.
Whenever Lucy vomits or have diarrhea, either one more than twice, I always give her extra sub-q fluids (she's already on twice-weekly fluids therapy for her CKD), and it always perks her up.
If you do not have a sub-q fluids kit, your vet can sell you, and you can do it at home, so you don't have to pay for something you can do at home.
I use Lactated Ringer's Solution.
You can buy it at the vet, but it's usually cheaper if you can find a pharmacy that sells fluids.
Most pharmacies do not carry fluids, but if you try a pharmacy that is attached to a big hospital, you'd have a better chance.
I give Lucy 100 to 150 ml per day.
I really think it will help Gobbles feel a little better.

I'll check back on him later.
And I'll post again if I think of something else.
I really hope metronidazole will kick in soon, Kat, and we can compare notes. :smile:

ETA:
Another thing I discussed with my vet previously is that Lucy may not be producing enough digestive enzymes, and the food she eats may be just running through her, causing diarrhea.
When I was thinking about this possibility (she does have IBD), I asked the vet what she thought about putting Lucy on digestive enzyme supplements, but vet wanted to do a test first to make sure that was the case.
So we did a test (very expensive), and it turned out that her digestive enzymes were fine, so I never put her on enzyme supplements.
But her recent blood test indicated that her protein level is low, so now the vet is concerned that Lucy might be losing protein into her intestine, and pointed out that this could be causing diarrhea.
So, I suppose not being able to absorb nutrients due to lack of digestive enzymes could cause chronic diarrhea, making the food just run through them.
I am going to do another blood test in a couple of month to confirm the diagnose, so I don't know what treatment plan the vet might have yet, but I may discuss adding enzyme supplements before increasing her steroids for her IBD.
(But I'm a little hesitant about enzyme too because it could cause mouth ulcers.)
When I originally talked about it with the vet about a couple of years ago, she did want to do the test first, but she also said that if I wanted to try and see, she thought it would be OK.
At that time, I decided not to give it a try until I have the test results, so I didn't really research what's available, but I see some digestive enzymes available at many pet stores.
If you run out of all options before you can take him to the vet, maybe it's something to consider......
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Carl & Bob said:
dian and wheezer said:
since we are playing with the butt hole, how about a few of those stamped autographs I was talking about at reunion
Click to expand...
:lol: that must have been an interesting conversation! :lol:
Click to expand...
It was very interesting and Dian provided me with lots of details...Deb made sure I got a certain grab bag (everyone brought something and we picked bags) which contained fancy feast appetizers, cat magnets, cat door sign and um, adult finger paints. I told Dian that I didn't know they were for but could paint Gobbles paws with them and let him run around on a poster board to bring out his creativity. Well, Dian one-upped me by proceeding to explain that she had entertained the idea of using kitty bums to "stamp" or paint with.....needless to say, there was really a motley crew at the Reunion and we had a ton of fun and giggles!!! And Gobbles had a blast! When it was time to eat, he decided to jump on the buffet table. And he made a new best friend: J.D. (and what a sweet cat he is -- I am in love with him). They shared a piece of fried chicken :-D
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Hillary & Maui said:
...Look to see if he will approach food/water and look like he wants to eat but won't. Does he lick his lips alot, especially when near the food. Does he lay in "meatloafing" position - with all four paws tucked under his body.
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No, he eats a little, mostly licking the juice/gravy, then walks away. He does not meatloaf. In fact, he asked for 2 belly rubs yesterday. I rubbed his belly for a while, firmly, in downward motion (thinking that if he does have a turd hung up, that may help). I don't think if he was nauseated he would want a good belly rubbing.


Hillary & Maui said:
...microscope...They can see if any parasites are in there as well. You would need to call your vet and ask what they charge.
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I am going to bring in a sample tomorrow. Are you referring to something like maybe Coccidia?
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - see my last reply...

Carl & Bob said:
..."Yellow poo"...that means something....
"Indicates rapid transit". Things are going from the "in door" to the "out door" too quickly. Both yellow and runny are indicators of that.
The unknown is "why"..."Transit time in the intestinal tract can be speeded up by a variety of irritating substances, including:
Dead animals, rodents, and birds
Garbage and decayed food
Rich foods, gravies, salts, spices, and fats
Sticks, cloth, grass, paper and plastic"

Is there any way Gobbles could have gotten into any of those?

What about odor? Is he chasing himself out of the LB to get away from it?
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Thanks for the shite lesson, Carl :lol: His squirts are a dijon color mustard--very runny. So far today, he has only had a large one at 8 a.m. this morning and it was after he ate. He has eaten 3x (plus drank pedialyte 2x) since I gave him 1/4 cypro this afternoon and he has yet to squirt (but he did pee once). It isn't a horrible smell--last time he had the bout of diarrhea (the "deer cam" days of spring), it was a nasty smell; much worse-smelling that it presently is. The only thing on the list above would be gravies (as in the dreaded HC food), but the diarrhea started on Tuesday and I did not resort to HC until 2 days ago... What are your/anyone reading this, thoughs about Coccidia?
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

If you haven't ruled out parasites, another possibility is giardia.

Emme had it and it took forever to get a diagnosis. Her diarrhea was periodic. I found out that the it is hard to diagnose because the cysts are shed in stools sporadically, so "several different fecal samples may be needed for a positive identification. Special stains may be needed, as the organism can sometimes be elusive." (http://cats.about.com/od/gastrictractdi ... iardia.htm). The treatment is Flagyl, and a second treatment dose is often needed.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

Maggies Mom Debby said:
If you haven't ruled out parasites, another possibility is giardia.

Emme had it and it took forever to get a diagnosis. Her diarrhea was periodic. I found out that the it is hard to diagnose because the cysts are shed in stools sporadically, so "several different fecal samples may be needed for a positive identification. Special stains may be needed, as the organism can sometimes be elusive." (http://cats.about.com/od/gastrictractdi ... iardia.htm). The treatment is Flagyl, and a second treatment dose is often needed.
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Thanks Debbie. Well, he's on Flagyl now but I really think he needs to be on it longer--the vet only gave me 10 pills (62.5 mg twice a day); he's on Day 3. I have to hold off on the giardia test if that is one of those expensive fecal exams that gets sent off (last one cost me about $170) but I am going to get a fecal sample for them to look at under the microscope...without taking him in, for now.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

Kat, I'm adding this to compare notes. :smile:

Well Lucy had the last pill of metronidazole yesterday morning(she had it for 7 days/14 pills), and this afternoon her diarrhea came back. :sad:
It was a part solid part runny poo.
So I called the vet, and got more metronidazole - 10 days/20 pills this time.

The vet was available when I went to pick up the meds, and she thinks it's IBD flare and we have a good reason to suspect this as we reduced her steroids in order to better manage her diabetes.
So I suppose Lucy is not holding the reduced steroids, and our next step would be to increase the steroids dose back to what it was before the reduction.
I'd be disappointed but it's not too bad.
A bit more steroid & a bit higher BG is better than constant inflammation for Lucy.
And I can always adjust her insulin dose, although the chance of OTJ becomes slimmer for her.
But again, that's fine. :smile:
I asked about digestive enzymes, and the vet didn't think it would help Lucy's IBD because it's not a digestive problem, but she's hyper-reacting to the protein in her food (I guess sort of like allergy if I got her right), and causing inflammation.
The inflammation is allowing the bacteria to over-grow, and causing diarrhea, is the most likely scenario in Lucy's case for this particular episode.

Since Gobbles is not an IBD kitty, he has a better chance to recover with metronidazole alone than Lucy!
And I really hope so. Even if he may need to be on it for a longer period of time.

Good luck with the poop sample analysis tomorrow.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

Good luck from me and another runny cat. Tiggy is rollercoasting between normal poops and liquid. Very odd. Last time he had it we tested and found no bacteria or parasites. I hate when results are "inconclusive". I am wondering if its IBD or just wet food in general. Never had this issue before the diabetes when he was getting dry food - could be the FF but it took forever to find a wet food he would eat I dont want to go through that again and we arent going back to dry.

Anyway I hope you find something - its easier to treat when you know what it is.

Wendy
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

mariko said:
Kat, I'm adding this to compare notes....
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Thanks Mariko. I am very sorry to hear Lucy's poo is not firm; I hope it is the next time she takes to her LB. I will keep everyone updated.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

Wendy&Tiggy said:
Good luck from me and another runny cat. Tiggy is rollercoasting between normal poops and liquid. Very odd. Last time he had it we tested and found no bacteria or parasites. I hate when results are "inconclusive". I am wondering if its IBD or just wet food in general. Never had this issue before the diabetes when he was getting dry food - could be the FF but it took forever to find a wet food he would eat I dont want to go through that again and we arent going back to dry.

Anyway I hope you find something - its easier to treat when you know what it is.

Wendy
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Thanks Wendy (and btw--Tiggy's SS looks great! Wow, congratulations on lots & lots of reductions...AWESOME!!!) I started the ReNew again today (he hasn't had it since Thursday, so I'm certain the ReNew wasn't causing his diarrhea. I also started giving him pedialyte today (with a bulb syringe as he can detect in his food and he's not a cat who willing drinks water) and he is drinking water mixed with tuna juice...also, watered down Tiki chicken....along with the flagyl twice a day. Hopefully, the poo test (the cheap version, under microscope done at the vet's office) won't be too expensive; I'm thinking 20 or 30 bucks...will find out tomorrow...
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

slippery elm bark works well for my dog. He has constant stomach and poo issues. It help soothe the intestinal lining as well. I buy mine in powdered form from Super supplements...the NOW foods brand.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - PEDIALYTE ?

He doesn't seem dehydrated. Scruff snaps back. Gums have saliva on them. I started giving him Pedialyte last night. Now I am wondering if it can worse the diarrhea? He only had diarrhea 2x yesterday (dijon mustard colored) and 1x this morning (brown colored). How much is too much Pedialyte? I am using the unflavored variety. He detects it in food or water or tuna juice, so I am using a bulb syringe (and gave him about 3 ml yesterday, total). I wonder why the change in diarrhea color? Perhaps the Pedialyte? Tuna juice? ReNew?

I called the vet this morning. I asked the tech for more flagyl (they only gave me enough for 5 days on Saturday; one of which he vomited), the cheaper version of a stool examination and sub-Qs. The tech said they will NOT just hand me the sub-Q's and only send stool samples to the lab. She said she will see about more flagyl. She attempted to make an appointment. I told her I am trying to avoid that because I DO NOT HAVE MONEY for a vet visit and expensive tests.... I wonder what part of NO MONEY do they not understand???

I put him back on ReNew yesterday; he was on a 4 day hiatus from it. I had stopped it when I was trying to narrow down what may have caused the diarrhea to start. I am not sure if I should continue the metamucil ???so haven't given it to him thus far today.

ETA: Gobbles' vet just called me. He is going to prescribe more flagyl as he is only on Day 4 of it, and said they can do a $38 stool test to check for giardia, among other things. He does not believe he is dehydrated at this time, based on all the fluid he is getting (water in food, tuna juice, pedialyte) and gum, scruff tests. I am feeling a bit better about this....
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - cypro started...maybe coccidia?

I'm glad the vet is giving Gobbles more flagyl. The test for giardia is a simple visual test, but a number of stool samples may be needed over time because the cysts are not shed continuously. And I think with parasites you sometimes need a couple of doses. One to kill the first parasite, another to get the next generation after the eggs hatch.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - PEDIALYTE ?

Another bout at 3 pm (thats 2x today). There's a difference in the color of his diarrhea. It had been (except for one time) the color of dijon mustard. It is now medium-brown color. I had not given him his metamucil this morning. I just gave it to him....oh, what to do--what not to do! Mind-boggling!!!

Between flagyl, metamucil, pepcid, pedialyte, renew, getting him to eat and drink, lots of useful advice and information....my head is spinning! He seems to be feeling well and himself--wanted to go outside (I kept him on the porch) twice, allowed me to pet him, being social, smacking the dog, giving kisses....

I will be sure to post as soon as I hear back on his fecal test.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - PEDIALYTE ?

TheBowHuntress said:
...Between flagyl, metamucil, pepcid, pedialyte, renew...
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Time to make a chart!

Pepcid about 30 minutes before a meal, if he's not eating otherwise.

Flagyl (are you instructed when/how to give it?)

Metamucil may alter the vailability of both the Flagyl and the Renew.

Give Renew about 2 hours after the Flagyl (or it may get killed off by the Flagyl)

PediaLyte only if you are observing dehydration - skin tenting, gum dryness.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - PEDIALYTE ?

BJM said:
Time to make a chart!
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Done--great idea!

BJM said:
Pepcid about 30 minutes before a meal, if he's not eating otherwise.
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Will do, if need be--what about if he is eating very little? Still give that OR I do have cypro....but know it has to be given on an empty tummy.....

BJM said:
Flagyl (are you instructed when/how to give it?)
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One tab (62.5 mg) twice a day--I give it at 8 a.m/8 p.m.

BJM said:
Metamucil may alter the vailability of both the Flagyl and the Renew.
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Is there sometime during the day it would be best to give? Perhaps mid-day...say, 2 p.m.?

BJM said:
Give Renew about 2 hours after the Flagyl (or it may get killed off by the Flagyl)
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Will do this at second feeding (about 11 a.m.)

BJM said:
PediaLyte only if you are observing dehydration - skin tenting, gum dryness.
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Will check for dehydration twice a day!

Thanks so much :-D
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

If the Pepcid is helping him eat, give it first.

Mix a small amount (1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon) of the Metamucil with some water (so it doesn't make lumps!) and food and give if he'll eat it; syringe if not. *

Wait maybe an hour or two, give Flagyl.

Then 2 hrs later, give the Renew.

* if dehydration occurs, you might use the pedialyte to moisten the Metamucil.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

Awwww! I hope Mikey's cohort in crime feels better! I went through something similar a few weeks ago and through all the testing, the end result was: "it seems to be some sort of gastrointestinal inflammation." He started eating on his own again after about 4 days and is back to normal (albeit with a 1u decrease in dose! :-D ). A few days later, Henry had his own bout with diarrhea (no throwing up or lack of appetite, though). It might have been a stomach bug they both caught, maybe it was a bad batch of food? Either way, we're all hoping for Gobby's speedy recovery! Paws and fingers crossed and whisker kisses to you!
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

BJM said:
If the Pepcid is helping him eat, give it first.

Mix a small amount (1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon) of the Metamucil with some water (so it doesn't make lumps!) and food and give if he'll eat it; syringe if not. *

Wait maybe an hour or two, give Flagyl.

Then 2 hrs later, give the Renew.

* if dehydration occurs, you might use the pedialyte to moisten the Metamucil.
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Well, I didn't see this post before I gave him the Flagyl at 7:30 a.m.! Dang!

He ate like maybe 1 tsp. of Friskies SD Ocean Whitefish with the Flagyl. If he does not want to eat, not sure if I should go with the Pepcid or Cypro. And not sure, at 9:30, if I should go with the metamucil or ReNew. I offered him some chicken broth, at 8:30 a.m., but he snubbed itl If he were your bratty cat, what might you do???
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

How's the diarrhea this am?

Maybe try food without the Metamucil or anything else in it and see if that tastes better to him?
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

BJM said:
How's the diarrhea this am?
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at 12:30 a.m., which was 9.5 hours from last episode at 3:00 p.m. yesterday.

Just now, at 9:30 a.m., he ate 2 tbs. of FF LC, combined with ReNew and water.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

Kat,
This just came back to me (apparently that brain cell wasn't quite dead). Is there any way that Gobbles could have gotten into chocolate? Mullet did last year, and had explosive diarrhea for a few days. The "color" doesn't sound right, but it was dark chocolate in his case. Looked the same coming out.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Waiting on fecal test....

Carl & Bob said:
Kat,
This just came back to me (apparently that brain cell wasn't quite dead). Is there any way that Gobbles could have gotten into chocolate? Mullet did last year, and had explosive diarrhea for a few days. The "color" doesn't sound right, but it was dark chocolate in his case. Looked the same coming out.
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No, definitely--no chocolates lays around in the house anywhere...but thanks for using your brain cells.!!
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Vet's office just called: "fecal is negative for intestinal parasites"....
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Hi guys .. wow, Did not realize gobbles was still not feeling well .. I'm sending lots of firming up poo thoughts his way!!
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Kat, I'm glad there are no parasiates, but I know it's frustrating not knowing what's causing it. Sending prayers for you and Gobbles. I hope he gets over the diarrhea soon.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Remember, you may need to test for giardia a number of times because the cysts are not shed continuously. It took 3 tries over a couple of months for Emme's test to come back positive.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - PEDIALYTE ?

Larry and Kitties said:
A better test is:
http://www.idexx.com//view/xhtml/en_us/ ... SSOTOKEN=0
Your vet can also take a fecal sample and send it to Idexx or similar lab for similar ELISA and IFA assays for Giardia antigens in feces
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Hi Larry; thanks for the information. This looks like a pricey test; anything more than $5 just isn't in my budget just now...I will keep this in mind though and find out what my vet charges for it :-D
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Thank you Devon, Carla, Kay & everyone else who has been responding to my looooong post :-D It is truly amazing just how much compassion and support that our "family" here has for eachother.

Gobbles is eating today; he's ate 5x, a little bit at a time (1 tsp - 2 Tbs). He drank the water that comes in a can of Tiki chicken...(no rice nor fish). I tricked him into getting his ReNew by taking a nib of boiled ham and rolling it in the ReNew. He's had his Flagyl (next dose tonight) and 1/4 Pepcid. I will mix some metamucil in his food a little later.

There was a medium, brown, loose present left for me in the LB at approximately 12:30 a.m.....so far nothingHOWEVER someone (3 cats live here) left a large formed turd late this morning....the same color of his brown diarrhea (with a blob of cat hair in it) in the spot where Gobbles does his business. It MAY have been him...

Otherwise, he passed the scruff and gum test for dehydration, is his self...in fact, acting up today...whining to go out, investigating the closets, smacked his poor dog 3x (usually he only does that 1x day), tons of morning kisses (he is intent on licking the wrinkles off my face--good boy!), taking TP off the roll when I get up, wants to go out (took him out this morning and will again this evening).

With regard to eating--he begs, then eats a little...I'm adding water to his food, as I've been doing for months...

ETA: :( medium, brown, loose pile in LB at approximately 5:00 p.m.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

continuing to send good thoughts and answers....sorry I don't have any additional suggestions.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Hillary & Maui said:
continuing to send good thoughts and answers....sorry I don't have any additional suggestions.
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Thanks Hillary--tell Maui that right now he's had to put his speedo away and hopefully can wear it in the next day or two....makes him just wanna go more......
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Would pepsid or cypro affect the absorption of Flagyl?

Also, I've read that Flagyl can affect appetite...maybe that's why he isn't eating enough...
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Medscape's drug interaction which is part of a larger app shows no interaction for those three drugs for humans.
 
Re: GOBBLES GI UPDATE - Fecal NEGATIVE for parasites...

Larry and Kitties said:
Medscape's drug interaction which is part of a larger app shows no interaction for those three drugs for humans.
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Thanks Larry. I'm wondering that since his fecal, for whatever they tested for (!!!) is negative, should he still be on flagyl?

In all honesty, I don't know what the following bolded words mean and therefore if I should still be giving flagyl. Here is what I copied from a search I did here on FDMB:

(flagyl)...typically used for anerobic bacterial infections of the gut as well as protozoal infections. It also has anti-inflammatory properties so if that's what's causing the diarrhea, it can help...(by Sienne)
 
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