Antibiotics will be prescribed by your veterinarian for a course of at least four weeks, with the type of antibiotic dependent on the stage of infection. Penicillins can be used for initial infections, but they are not effective for eliminating the bacteria once it has reached the carrier stage. Tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, or similar antibiotics will be prescribed for the carrier stage, since they are better distributed into the bone tissue.
...The vet assured me that this disease only occurs in the tropics, or possibly in Texas, but not in the Northeast.
I ended up crying about how I was told Lyme doesn't cross state borders either. It didn't work. He wouldn't give me long term antibiotics.
My cat was given an injection of Convenia (a cepha drug) while in the hospital last week (only because I begged for it - though he did have blood in his urine, I just found out), and two times before that (in 2003 and 2007) he was given amoxi for his renal failure 'close calls'. In fact, both of these times I was told he had 1-3 months at best, but he survived. Because I demanded antibiotics?
The Convenia injection didn't help this time though. His BUN and creatinine remain high. The amoxi did help in the past both times, but from what I'm reading the only thing that will kill the carrier stage is a fluoroquinilone or a tetracycline...a penicillin type antibiotic will only kill actives.
I don't have any doxy. I do have Cipro. What should I do? In the paperwork they sent home with me it even says sometimes antibiotics help their renal cats, though they're not sure why. When I mentioned this to the vet, he claimed antibiotics have anti-inflammatory effects.
He's dying. He's not eating or drinking and looks weaker and weaker. He has had zero bowel movements since I cleaned the litter box on Sunday because he isn't eating even canned food.
Please, someone help? I can't lose this guy:-(
Posts: 495 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks everybody. He's still not doing well today. And the vet did say dogs can get lepto, just not cats.
And I do have fluids I could give him at home. Problem is my daughter and I weren't able to do this because he was all squirmy and trying to get away - I would need 3 people to maneuver giving him fluids, even with him wrapped in a towel. I can't believe they expected me to give him fluids at home by myself, when even two people couldn't do it. I even squirt my daughter in the eye with the stuff and she even stuck herself with the needle.
I asked the vet for a sedative, but he refused me those, too...said that would compromise his kidneys further. And NOT getting fluids is LESS compromising to his kidneys? Somehow I don't get it...
Posts: 495 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Youve already received the advice i was going to suggest...i just wanted to send you a hug and tell you how sorry i am about your kitty. Posts: 624 | From Oklahoma | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
My precious golden retriever died of leptospirosis in CA. They say no lepto in CA, and no need to vaccinate. Not so...
Can your cat be given IV fluids at the vets?
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
I spent 13 months with my cat in end stage renal failure (after she got bit by a tick) before she lost the fight. So sorry for what you are going through.
Your call WILL let you give him the fluids. You can do this, because the choice is if you don't, you will lose him quickly. Cats will starve themselves to death when they don't feel good.
Fighting you is a good sign. When they no longer respond is when you should really worry. I honestly think that after a while, they know it makes them feel better and they won't fight you as much.
Go get some Nutri Cal (toothpaste like) and shove it in his mouth. It's high calories packed into a small amount. You can also mush up the food and shoot it into his mouth with a small pet syringe. And do the same with water. He needs fluids and calories.
We bribed my cat with fresh shrimp and tuna for a year. It wasn't the best for her kidneys, but given the choice of not eating at all, or eating something that they love even though it's not great for their condition, you choose the latter. In the end, I had to give her fluids twice a day.
Alternatively, bring the cat in for IV fluids and have them show you how to do the IM fluids.
My thoughts are with you.
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would get in the vet's face...firmly and urgently and say just that: well if it's going to ge t the fluids in... let's do it. Without them one thing is certain...with them and with the tranks...we got a fighting shot. No contest" And you can also practice not letting your vibe of frustration and wory feed into the cat. (I know, tall order) but it is a key to calming the scene down. they react to it. i had a wild animal until I did that. I just had to self talk my way through o chill down and breath deeper...concentrate.
It is hard to be firm with the "expert' but you can do it! for your kitty.
I highly suggest you go to Feline CRF and feline-crf-info yahoo groups.
Agreement on the groups seemed to be if you can only manage or afford one thing...do the fluids.
google "Tanya's Site...a wealth of info about feline renal failure. while you are waiting for responses from the forum.
I am praying for your dear kitty to turn around. feline-crf-info and similar group with caps are the two I joined.
-------------------- Not everything in life that can be counted counts and not every thing that counts can be counted...Albert Einstein Posts: 208 | From Northeast | Registered: Aug 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Soooo sorry about your poor kitty. when our beloved Topaz was fatally ill, my husband got a saline (Ringers?) solution from our vet and gave it to her daily. He was used to giving them to me and we had all the equipment.
When Topaz saw him carrying the IV toward her, she would sit up and purr loudly. We were grateful to be able to ease her last misery.
Best of luck and my warm affection to both of you.
Farraday
-------------------- DOCTOR: "I don't think you are sick." PATIENT: "We are all entitled to our opinions. I don't think you are a doctor." Posts: 697 | From Northern California | Registered: Jul 2009
| IP: Logged |
merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
yes the fluids are very important.
Here is my technique as a vet tech. Hope it helps I have given fluids to thousands of cats and dogs.
if your a righty, take your cat and place him on the table. with your left hand grab him firmly by the scruff of the neck. Wile doing so pull the skin up to form a tent. with your right hand stick the needle straight in. Another trick is to warm the fluids in a bowl of hot water (keeping the needle sterile) for a bit. The fluids are about room temp and his body temp is 101 ish. so it feels like icecubes to him. It is not painful but it is COLD.
I know scruffing your cat sounds mean but most of the time they get that you mean business and relax. Give it a try.
The other option is to hire a tech to come out and give the fluids. I used to do this for people. It would get costly though.
good luck and remember you NEED to do this for your cat.
Melissa
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
elizzza, I'm sorry to hear that your cat is so sick. I lost one about 2yrs ago to kidney failure. She was old and she got sick suddenly. Stopped eating, wouldn't even eat people food (she loved crackers and would steal them off my plate!) then she stopped drinking. We didn't want her to suffer so we opted to put her to sleep. I still miss her. She was so funny and feisty. We grew up together.
Sending you a big hug elizzza, I know it hurts.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic