Author Topic: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?  (Read 29738 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #120 on: August 07, 2018, 07:57:25 PM »
Jennie is loving the cooked meat.  I cook the chunks in a little water on a low heat, just enough for each surface to be cooked.  It makes a lovely broth which Jennie goes crazy over.  She's been missing her EZc gravy with every meal. She gets bone broth with two of her meals each day, but it's only a half tablespoon with water dded, she gets that with her calcium and other supplements, including the pancreas. The broth from cooking the meat gives the bone broth sauces added flavor, and there is enough to add to her two smaller meals too, lunch and bed time. Those are the only raw she gets for now.

She's getting 2/3 cooked at the moment.

I had been waiting for the vet's call regarding the antibiotics after I got home from work and by the time I realized she wasn't going to call it was too late, they'd closed. Sigh of exasperation.

I've started Queen Eva on a 1/2 capsule of s.boulardii a day, as added bacteria fighting power in her intestines. Mazy already takes it daily.

No one else is showing any signs of having picked it up, including myself.  Jennie's obviously had this a while so I guess if we were susceptible we'd know it by now. Of course I have always used good hygiene, with litter boxes and meat prep anyway.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #121 on: August 07, 2018, 10:08:31 PM »
Campylobacter is the diagnosis. Vet wants to put Jennie on erythromycin, if she can find it in cat dose. Can't understand why Queen Eva doesn't have it too, or even Mazy cat (different diet) since they share litter boxes but Jennie is the only one with symptoms.

Vet says her immune system is just not as hearty, maybe.

 Vet says the frequent pooping is caused by the inflammation and blood, causing her colon to contract more than normal.

(edit) It has just occurred to me that Jennie is the only cat who ever ate chicken wings. I bet she got it from them. Meaning - as an explanation why Queen Eva did not get it. Queen Eva never ate chicken wings so if it was the wings that were affected by the bacteria, Queen Eva would not be affected.

I'm so glad you're getting answers!  That's pawsome!
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #122 on: August 10, 2018, 04:24:53 PM »
Oh no Poor Jennie!  We've started the erythromycin.  The compounded liquid is "chicken flavor" and has to be mixed with the powder, then 1 ml is given every 8 hours for five days. 

When I first opened the liquid part Jennie got sniffing and said yum that smells good.  I thought oh yay this will be a breeze.  I put the mixed together potion in a little cooked pork and handed it over.  Jennie took a quick lick and oh dear!  I almost wish I'd been videoing but that wouldn't have been nice, to get that face on camera I guess.

She was quite shocked that something that smelled so good tasted so awful!

She tried a number of times, because apparently is stil smells good, but she couldn't get past the taste.

I tried various enhancements, forti flora even Parmesan cheese, but finally she gave up and said no.

Then I had to give it to her by syringe. I hate giving liquids I worry so much about aspiration.  And I think she did breathe some in, because she's coughed a few times after.

But the worst of course was her reaction, she jerked back and the drool started immediately.  A long rope of it came out as she tried to run away from the awful taste in her mouth and I hurried after her trying to get the meat in her mouth.  I caught up with her on the bed (did not manage to catch the rope of drool, that went on the sheet) but managed to calm her down enough to give her the meat, which she ate.

She coughed a few more hacks (you know how you do when something goes down the wrong pipe).  I finally caved and gave her a tiny blob of mayo.  I hate to use the mayo for this, I hope it doesn't ruin mayo for her (it's the nail trim treat) but we've got 14 more doses to go.

She's already forgiven and forgotten, she's here looking for more mayo.  funny2

Anyway, she's already doing better from the s.boulardii treatment.  Eventually the therapeutic dose of s.boulardii would take care of the bacteria in her guts, but I don't want her to have to wait that long. I want it cleared out quickly so she can get back to her raw meat.

She loves the pork cooked, but does not love the beef cooked.  She eats it, but she doesn't love it.

Once she's all back to normal I will re introduce EZcomplete, since it does seem it isn't a chicken intolerance after all.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #123 on: August 10, 2018, 07:20:09 PM »
Poor Jennie!  Xing paws that she's back to normal soon!   fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #124 on: August 11, 2018, 06:02:44 AM »
Thanks Pookie.  Jennie went 24 hours between poops! And the next poop was normal! Maybe a trace of blood but perfect in all other respects. I could tell she was feeling better yesterday.  It's a shame now that she's doing better to put her through the antibioitcs but I want to be sure to completely eradicate the bacteria.

I mean, it's clear the s.boulardii is helping, but being the worrier I am, I do think this is the best way to go.

Jennie's middle of the night dose of antibiotic went much better.  She knew what to expect, for one thing, and I was better prepared with the before and after.

I gave her a little canned and she was still licking her chops over it when I shot the liquid antibiotic down her throat.  Before she could gag and drool I wiped mayonnaise on her mouth. She licked the mayo and started purring instead.

 That was at 1:30 a.m.  funny2

It's unfortunate but there is no getting around the middle of the night doses.

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #125 on: August 11, 2018, 03:46:45 PM »
11 more doses to go.  Jennie and I both are becoming pros.  She hates it, but she knows what's coming so it's not quite a shock.  She'd food driven so even though she knows that tiny taste of canned food is leading to the nasty stuff, she accepts the offering, and allows the squirt down her throat.  then I quick grab her again and put the dish back under her nose and wipe a little mayo on her mouth. she finishes the little bit of canned, licks her chops and all is well.  She did aspirate again this morning, but only a couple of coughs to clear it out.  This time, just now, it all went where it was supposed to go.  Whew.

AND...no bloody bits of poop in the litter box at all today, so far, just her normal poop this morning. Probably too soon for the antibiotics to have kicked in but the s.boulardii was doing the job to keep her going.  I'm keeping her on it, and her probiotic of course, to guard against any diarrhea from the antibiotic.  Once it's over I'll have to keep her on a maintenance dose of s.boulardii now I think.

It has been recommended to me to put her on a course of poop pills after the antibiotic to reset her gut flora.  We'll see. That's pilling her 2 times a day for a month, not sure I need to put her through that.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #126 on: August 11, 2018, 05:08:12 PM »
 thumbsup1 thumbsup1 thumbsup1 thumbsup1 thumbsup1
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #127 on: August 12, 2018, 07:21:52 AM »
Last night I was so disappointed when Jennie, after having a pee, had another poop. A small single stool, very very bloody on the outside of it. After a few minute of thought I realized that, this must be the blood that she was passing in little blobs of poop before, so it accumulated? Maybe that's right, anyway.

Since all this started, Jennie always passes a stool after peeing. So she seems reluctant to pee very often which of course troubles me as well. (Her urine culture was fine for everything) So that one time she went 24 hours without pooping, it's important to note she also went 24 hours without peeing.

Now some good news.  This morning she peed again...and had NO POOP after!

10 more doses of antibiotic to go.

Offline Lola

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #128 on: August 14, 2018, 01:33:42 PM »
I had to Google Campylobacter. 

Quote
You become infected with Campylobacter by taking in the bacteria through your mouth. This can be by: eating contaminated, undercooked meat, especially chicken. drinking contaminated water or unpasteurised milk.

JUST throwing this out there...
A few of my cats can't and/or won't eat grocery store chicken.  Doesn't matter if it is Organic, or fresh out of the case. 

They can eat chicken from other sources... Hare-Today, My Pet Carnivore, and Raw Feeding Miami.  It has crossed my mind the companies I mentioned... they chop and grind knowing it is going to be fed raw.  Maybe they have better standards.   :-\

Anyway.... hope things get better with Jennie VERY soon!   
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #129 on: August 16, 2018, 06:33:24 AM »
I remember you saying that before and I agree with you, but to feed enough variety, I didn't feel I had any choice. I can't order from HT, I don't have the space to store it.

I don't think it was the chicken, Queen Eva is not sick.  I think it was the wings. That's the only thing Jennie was eating that no one else was eating. But the vet agrees with you about feeding raw chicken.  :)

Poor Jennie was so relieved when she realized she wasn't going to have that awful stuff shot down her throat at breakfast, though she took it like a pro.  She's done with the course of antibiotics, and in fact I went over one dose.

There is no improvement in her bowel issue, she is still having bloody poop twice a day.  Small, slightly soft, but formed, but bloody. I called the vet last night but she was already gone.  I've asked that she call me this afternoon after 4:30.

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #130 on: August 16, 2018, 08:24:31 AM »
There is no improvement in her bowel issue, she is still having bloody poop twice a day.  Small, slightly soft, but formed, but bloody. I called the vet last night but she was already gone.  I've asked that she call me this afternoon after 4:30.

 :(

 fingerscrossed  The vet has a better idea of what's going on.  I'm thinking you're right about Jennie needing an x-ray.  It certainly couldn't hurt at this point -- if nothing else, it rules out some things.

grouphug
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Offline Lola

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #131 on: August 16, 2018, 01:26:48 PM »
Did your vet mention how soon you should see an improvement?  Is she isolated from the other cats now?
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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #132 on: August 16, 2018, 03:44:51 PM »
Jennie is not isolated.

She's had this for months, while I messed around with food intolerance trials. The other two show no symptoms but I have increased Mazy cat's s.boulardii and put Queen Eva on a small dose, just to help them fight any bacteria they may have picked up.

I have spoken to the vet.  The next step is to retest the poop.  Vet feels it will show negative, and she just needs time for the irritation to heal. I am to continue cooking her food.  I wish Jennie could have slippery elm bark I am sure it would help her, except for her, it makes things worse. I don't know what else I could give her to sooth her intestinal tract.

If the poop is negative,  and there is no improvement as time goes on, we go to the next level of diagnostics, vet says ultrasound.

If the test is still positive, we put her on the Tylosin.

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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #133 on: August 16, 2018, 04:10:34 PM »
Thanks for the update.   Hug1
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Re: Jennie developing an intolerance to beef?
« Reply #134 on: August 23, 2018, 05:48:09 AM »
No change in Jennie. Really I'm starting to wonder if the antibiotic was actually what it was supposed to be.  I mean, erythromycin is the treatment of choice for this bacteria, and there was no change, no change at all, when she was on it.  That doesn't make any sense, does it?

I managed to get new samples in on Tuesday, so I won't hear any more until next week.  Jennie is on plain cooked pork only.  1 capsule of s.boulardii a day.  If I go over 1 she gets worse. Her appetite is fine, her activity is normal.

Queen Eva and Mazy cat continue to show no signs of illness thank goodness. Please keep the vibes coming for that to continue.

I wish I could sterilize this disgusting apartment somehow. I want to rip up the filthy carpet, but then I'd be left with bare particle board and heaven knows what else (whatever has soaked through over the years).  I don't even think I am physically capable of ripping up the carpet.

I wash Jennie's bedding almost daily, heavy on the bleach.

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