[shlanon]

I'm contacting the vet ASAP. I happened to look at Stormy's poop before she covered it last night and it had some blood in it. I'm wondering if maybe Justin has whatever she has and it is causing his diarrhea also.
Has anyone had anything like this with their cats?

 

[jonsgirl]

Yes, when Stix had tapeworms that was one of his problems. It is transmitted through fleas and can go from one cat to another. But it could very well be something else. Have they had anything in their diet change? Good for you for contacting the vet right away, keep us posted.

 

[Jeanie]

I agree. It could be worms or something more serious. Please have the vet check him.

 

[shlanon]

Well, I took them in and they both got exams and fecal tests done. I brought Stormy's stool, which turned out to be a good thing because they found tinsel in it! It was from a toy ball she had gotten for Christmas where the tinsel came off too easily. So the tinsel was scraping inside and causing the blood in her stool. Silly cat!
Neither one had any parasites so that is good. However, Justin was running a little fever. The vet gave him Centrine to stop the diarrhea and a dose of Flagyl antibiotic. I have to give him antibiotic pills for 4 more days and just watch to make sure the diarrhea stops and that he acts like he is feeling okay (eating, drinking, playing). So far he is doing all those things so the vet was not too worried and said he must have something in his system upsetting him that his body hasn't cleared yet.
I'm so glad I took Justin with me also because he turned out to be the one who needed meds.
Now for a question: I wanted to leave the cats here at my parents while I went to Austin for 3 days but now justin has these pills. First, can I crush them and put them into his food? I didn't ask the vet and now the office isn't open. I will find out before I do this, but this would be easier for my family to do. Second, if I do need to give the pill whole, what is the best way? The vet showed me how to hold his neck and open the mouth, but I'm afraid Justin won't let others in my family come up to him and do it. I may have to take him back with me, which will stress him out a lot. Or maybe I can teach my brother how to give him the pills and let him do it, if Justin will come up to him. I leave tomorrow, so I'll be giving him one of the pills myself tomorrow before I leave.

 

[Jeanie]

It's not easy, Shlanon. If there is a wet food he especially likes, I would crush the pill, add it to a small amount of food, and make sure no other cat gets it. It has to be a rather small amount given while he's really hungry.

 

[kitkat]

I heard tilting their head up and putting the pill in their mouth and closing their mouth so they would swallow it may work, if not then you will have to do pill crushing with a very small amount of wet food. Good luck

 

[shlanon]

I have read that the pill is very bitter tasting, so I'm not sure if putting it in food is going to work. I have also read differing views that say that crushing it will lower its effectiveness and others that say you can crush it.
I guess crushing it will be a last result, if we can't pop it down his throat.
Oh and another thing is that the vet said it may decrease his appetite, although I haven't seen that side effect yet in my piggy boy.

 

[shlanon]

Well, it looks like it all may be a moot point anyway. I thought I could give him one of his pills today before I left, no problem. Hah. Even with my mom's help, we couldn't get him to take it. Every time he would spit it out. So then we hid it in wet food, but I guess he wasn't hungry. Then I tried again to get it down his throat, but part of the pill had disintegrated into the food. I ended up getting about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pill down him, but only by luck. Even then he was chomping on it and foaming at the mouth a little.
While I'm gone, my parents are going to try to mix the pill with wet food and only feed him at certain times, so that when he gets hungry enough, he'll eat the wet.
I really didn't think it was going to be this much of a problem to give him his meds. If we can't get him to take them, I'm taking him back to the vet on Friday to see if he is better and if not, getting more meds and more advice on how to get him to take them. As it is, I will probably call them tomorrow and see what they say. But I think even with one of those pill shooters, it will be hard for my parents to give it to him, since he doesn't trust them like he does me. And they don't want to traumatize him by trying to force it down over and over and chasing him down to give it to him.
I could just take him back with me today for the three days, but two more trips in the car would probably make him really upset and I don't think I'll be able to get the pill down his throat. *sigh* I feel like there are so many decisions about his welfare that I"m trying to make, and I'm trying to do the right thing and failing anyway.

 

[Jeanie]

shlanon, Please don't feel bad about this. I have given many pills to dogs, but never have been able to give a pill to a cat! The vet knows how difficult it is--almost impossible for anyone who has not had training and lots of practice. It's an invitation to getting clawed or-at least-a lesson in futility!