Diarrhea and Peeing issues

[Patti]

I don't know what kind of fecal tests for everything that a diarrhea panel does so I would still ask, at least about giardia, tritrichimonas, clostridium, chryptosporidium, and camphylobacer.

Metronidazole only treats giardia, but it is also considered an anti-inflammatory agent for the gut, so I would imagine that is why your vet prescribed it. Be sure to give probiotics with it.

I agree with Deborah, if the diarrhea is not caused by an infectious agent, raw is one of the best cures for diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease (the catch-all when no other cause of diarrhea can be found).

As for the vaccine, until these guidelines came out in 2013 I always considered 12 weeks the cutoff and have never had an issue, so up to you but if you are concerned about over-vaccinating I think, if it was my cat, a second vaccine at 14 weeks would be adequate.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Thanks Patti. It was a regular fecal stool ova and parasites test. I brought up trying a panel and they said the tests are almost identical in what they check for for the cost difference...

His Birthday is March 26 and his 2nd vaccine was July 4 so that's less than 16 weeks. So maybe I should go ahead with the 3rd? Also food recommendations... or stick with the prescription Royal Canin GI food he gave me for now... I have natures variety raw on hand just didn't want to give him something too rich

A standard lab fecal is NOT the same, it doesn't give almost identical results. There's a reason the PCR panel is recommended by so many on here, it is because it is more extensive and more accurate. A standard lab fecal misses anything not being actively shed at that moment and does not detect things like tritrich which can be a chronic issue that will then lead to IBD issues if not properly diagnosed and treated. It IS expensive, but if your kitten's issues don't improve after the metronidazole then I highly recommend you visit this.

I agree, I don't recommend having the FVRCP and Rabies on the same day, and I would delay until his diarrhea issues are over. You don't need to stress his immune system further...get him well and then vaccinate.

I would be leery of diet changes and if his stools are firming on the chicken and rice why mess with that right now? I'd be more likely to continue the chicken and rice and then transition to the diet you want your kitten to be eating... I know that vets push their prescription diets but most my cats won't touch such things!

 

[Aaron]

Thanks for the info Patti! He loves the bland chicken and rice. Gobbles it up like crazy. Natures Variety makes a Raw food that I started using with him and he was eating it well until this bout of diarrhea. Since the diarrhea its been boiled chicken and rice that he's gobbling up... being that I can't keep him on boiled chicken forever... is there a raw diet (home made) using the chicken and rice as a base that I can start giving him as a permanent food? I'm sure there's plenty of posts on this... I'll start checking them out Just don't want to start experimenting with different canned foods and upsetting him again.

 

[Aaron]

And Brigitte!!!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

If you are worried about just feeding chicken and rice (my vet has recommended feeding just that for a month or more) then consider just adding supplements to it in a week or two when you are sure his system is settled. And probiotics. In terms of supplements, I like the Mazuri one, there's one formulated for just "slab meat" which would be appropriate here...

 

[Aaron]

So helpful!! It's so stressful to take him to the vet and have them recommend their way... almost make you feel like an idiot for disagreeing with their practice... I hate it.

 

[Carykd7kau]

I know what you mean Aaron, but remember, vets are just people too. Just because they have a crapload of education does not mean they are always right. Don't let them make you feel that way. You are the Daddy, you probably know best. True they know the medical end of things, but YOU know the love end.

 

[Kristin]

Oh gosh, I have got into it with my vet over this stuff so many times! In the end, my gut was right and I am extremely glad I got a second opinion. Saved Zeddie lots of pain

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

So helpful!! It's so stressful to take him to the vet and have them recommend their way... almost make you feel like an idiot for disagreeing with their practice... I hate it.

It can be hard, we trust them with medical issues but it is important to note that the average vet does not have nutrition training (there are nutritional specialist vets though) nor do they get breed education either in vet school.

Additionally, as one of the vets at my vet hospital recently told me, they are told to discourage pet owners from feeding a raw diet because it IS a complex matter. They don't want owners just feeding their cat chicken breasts for example and thinking it is a balanced diet. They don't want owners not being careful about spoiled meat too... so the conclusion is that it is "safer" to recommend canned and kibble diets. And of course there are inducements from Science Diet and Royal Canin to carry their products. It can be an extra source of income for a vet office to be selling regularly to pet owners...

 

[Patti]

I would not keep him on a diet which included rice long term, it is basically just a filler but so easily digestible that it helps soothe the gut when upset. As Brigitte said, you can add a supplement such as Mazuri as well as probiotics - BUT I would wait for at least a week before introducing something new into his diet. Also, make sure you add extra water so that it is mushy, if he is continuing to have diarrhea then he will continue to be at risk for dehydration. Once his diarrhea has cleared up you can slowly try to reintroduce the Nature's Variety if he did well on that.

As for the vets - remember they receive incentives to push certain diets (which I would consider middle of the road, certainly not the best quality available). In addition, many do not look outside of the box (what they have been trained to believe) which is akin to western physicians poo-pooing eastern medicine - they may not believe in it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work!