Possible Irritable Bowel Disease, but

[AndreaM]

Ok, this has been going on with my Sphynx since DECEMBER 2015!! Diarrhea and/or soft stool for months, and occasional bright red blood in stool for 1.5 months.

This is what we've tried:
* = current

- Deworm
- Metronidazole
- FortaFlora
- Hill's I/D
- Hill's Z/D *
- Natural Balance Venison/Green Pea *
- "regular" cat food (different brands/types, like Royal Canin Special 33)
- Prednisolone *
- Chlorambucil *
(I'm mixing the Z/D and Natural Balance because I have another cat who started to get soft stool when we tried just Z/D. They get a mix of both dry food and wet food -- sick kitty gets about 1/8 can wet food, once a day in addition to dry food always available).

She's seen a regular vet, and now an internal specialist (who also specializes in Oncology).
NOTHING is working! She's been loosing weight in the past 2 months and the blood is also new in the past 2 months.

It's not diagnosed IBD, but that was the specialist's best guess, but the tests to diagnose are VERY expensive (and I was just laid off, so...)

Do I see a 3rd vet? What kind would I look for? What else haven't we tried?? What else could it be???
She is otherwise completely healthy. Almost 3 years old, acts normally and still playful.

 

[Yoda mom]

@AndreaM ,(((hugs))) I am so so sorry to learn of your lay off
( been there personally too... here for you ...)
and challenge of getting a diagnosis for your girl

I have read some vets will treat with meds for Giardia
and also rule out Tritrichimonas which is treated with a different medication


Has she had a PCR test?
You certainly have done ooo much for your girl - I am so sorry you are goimg thru all this

I put my girl on Fromm game bird recipe after reading reviews when i suspected my girl with IBD /IBS.
It helped immensely - its been almost a year and she is like a new kitty -
Just Fromm Gamebird and no treats.
Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals Grain-Free Game Bird Recipe Dry Cat Food, 15-lb bag - Chewy.com

(I haven't had good results with the vet office sold foods
I called Hills and they couldn't tell me what magic ingredient make it different
They said it was a "combination "of ingredients - I read labels close now

My sphynx have great stool and no poo issues on actually a grain inclusive food
That has no recalls
Nutrisource cat and kitten in the blue bag
NutriSource Cat & Kitten Chicken Meal, Salmon & Liver Formula Dry Cat Food, 16-lb bag - Chewy.com
Both Fromm and Nutrisource have buy 12/1 free as well as well as other brands if you call and ask (- every bit helpdcwhen I was laid off )

I am sure others will chime in too

Sending positive vibes

 

[Hairless Blessing]

If you were to see another Vet.
I would go to a University.
Do you have one not very far away?

 

[Toa and Ross]

Don't have good advice to offer, but wanted to chime in to sent healimg vibes to your baby and a big hug to you.

Natasja

 

[paigeberry]

How long should cats be on antibiotics? What are the side effects if long term?

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk

 

[AndreaM]

Thank you for all of the info @Yoda mom ! I will check into everything you've recommended. None of those conditions have been mentioned by either vet, and I've not heard of that food, either.

@Hairless Blessing we do have a vet university about 45 mins away. I might check into that. I'm pretty sure both vets I've been going to are alumnus of that university, though.

@paigeberry my cat isn't on antibiotics, but I'm sure cats shouldn't be on them for long periods of time. I'm no vet, though!

Thanks everyone! This is really scary as such a young kitty shouldn't be wasting away like this. Forgot to mention she poops x3 a day It's really disheartening.

 

[celsei]

I got my last kitten from the breeder with bloody runny poop (otherwise fine) and started feeding raw food immediately, had perfect firm poops in a day or two He also seems okay on just wet food (grain free and make sure a specific meat is listed as the first ingredient, things like lamb,veal, kangaroo, poultry - no pork or fish. I use Carny) but a bit less firm poop. I leave grain free kibble out also but they don't eat it with 3-4 big wet meals a day. I would never use Hills as they have low quality ingredients and a ridiculous list of complaints and low ratings including causing some worrying health issues: Science Diet Reviews - ConsumerAffairs.com, Top 154 Complaints and Reviews about Hills Pet Foods. They are known for paying vets to sell and recommend their food.

I would definitely go completely grain free, that's the first thing my vet told me when we had any tummy issues, also no corn/soy/potatoes. This is a typical symptom for cats eating Royal Canin/dry food with grain and it's not likely to be some complicated illness since your baby is feeling fine and a lot of other things have already been ruled out. I know other members have also had bloody poop caused by food with grain/Royal Canin specifically and have solved the problem by feeding grain free

If you want food advice from a vet I would find a holistic vet/one you really trust.. not being stocked full of Hill's is a good sign! Because most of them are not that educated about nutrition, don't have much experience with sphynxes and their sensitive digestion and worst of all care more about money than your cat's wellbeing

 

[celsei]

Here's a raw food guide by Xandria if you want to try http://www.xandria.ca/Max/RawCatFoodInformation.pdf, however just to try if it works for your cat's digestion I would just chop up some raw chicken breast and give it to them for a few days. If it's just for a few days you don't have to worry about it being nutritionally balanced and all that, just see if the digestion works first and then go into that. It's also not necessary to grind, they do fine chewing bigger chunks and it cleans their teeth. There's also commerical raw brands in the US where you can just buy the ready product, it's a bit more expensive but easier and works fine

 

[AndreaM]

@celsei thank you! I'm going to definitely try a new, grain-free and (gluten-free) food. I read some really good info on IBD (leaving link here for others: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Cats )

It also recommends a diet low in fat in addition to gluten-free carbs. Thinking back to when this all began, it was after I started her on the Royal Canin Special 33 (it was recommended by the breeder for the new Devon Rex kitten I got last December, so I started my Sphynx on it a couple months in advance--and no, it wasn't a kitten food which is what everyone thinks ). I had tried to go back to it briefly and she got liquid poop right away so no more trying that stuff out.

I have a call into the specialist waiting to her if she thinks trying Metronidazole again would be worth it. I'm going to stop the chemo med as it doesn't seem to have helped at all, but I'm still using the corticosteriod. It is the only thing that has seemed to help almost immediately (at least a bit anyway).

There is a holistic vet in town, so I might check them out. I'll update!
She says thank you for all the help! Here she is with my Devon Rex (and some butterflies!)

 

[Yoda mom]

@AndreaM , awhhhh adorable pictures! Wish I knew how to add butterflies to my pics
Head smooches sent!

Thank you for sharing the IBD link - so many of us deal with this with our babies

Keep us updated often and keep the adorable pics coming!

 

[AndreaM]

@Yoda mom -- I added butterflies with SnapChat! Here's one of my favorite "lenses" that I've added -- a cat face. You can see my cats are just thrrrrrilllled LOL

 

[AndreaM]

 

[AndreaM]

@Yoda mom THANK YOU! I tried the Fromm Game Bird grain free cat food (against my vet's wishes) and it WORKED! My kitty has cleared up and no need for medications! I'm watching her closely, but it only took a few days for her to go back to normal. I don't know if it's the grain-free, the new protein, the quality ingredients, or a combo of all 3, but it worked! Now to call the internal specialist vet and tell her she was wrong...lol!

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Awesome news/update!!!!! Cute pics.

 

[Yoda mom]

@AndreaM , ((((hugs))))) so happy to read this wonderful news update !
Head smooches sent ! Looking forward to more pics!
(Ps- chewy has buy 12/1 free on Fromm - just call when you are ready for the free bag)

The Fromm Game Bird Recipe has been amazing here for Macie for a year +
(She does not get my treats) Amd is doing wonderful
All paws crossed for the Same for your baby