Tabasco´s bladder infection

This is an update:

After wednesday´s visit to the vet (Tabasco got a penicillin shot + a
homeopathic remedy to be given at home 3 times a day), we went there
again on friday, as the vet requested. I told the vet that I´ve seen
no improvement during wednesday and friday. Tabasco was still peeing
very often, and only a few drops, with few exceptions when the clumps
were app. walnut-sized. He got another shot of penicillin and this
time, she also gave him a Cortisol shot. Since he got those 2 shots,
Tabasco seems to be feeling better. The clumps are bigger now and he
doesn´t go to the sandbox as often as he did.
I encourage him to drink camomile tea, as the vet advised me to do.
Tabasco licks it off my fingers and I´m very glad he does - I thought
he won´t take any of it.

I am asking myself if this improvement is more likely to be due to the
antibiotic (penicillin) shot, or rather to the Cortisol shot. Is there
some way to tell?

I am asking this because the vet goes on vacation this week and there
will be someone else in her office. What the vet told me is the
following:

either Tabasco will feel better, and if he does, then I should come on
monday and the colleague will give Tabasco his last penicillin shot

OR - if Tabasco is not doing better, then he won´t be getting any
penicillin shots anymore and we will switch to amoxicillin (I believe)
- I should go there on monday and pick the pills she prepared for me
just in case.

Now, Tabasco IS doing better but the question that I keep asking
myself is - was it penicillin or cortisol or both?

any ideas?

Marta

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 18:05:08 +0200, Martini
wrote:


Oh, and.. by the way, my "little" - not-so-little guy has been weighed
at the vet´s office.

He weighs 13.5 pounds :

The vet almost fell of her chair as she heard the nurse say his
weight!

But hey, she also said that Tabasco has the most beautiful fur - so
soft and shiny :.)

M.

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 18:05:08 +0200, Martini
wrote:


Oh, and.. by the way, my "little" - not-so-little guy has been weighed
at the vet´s office.

He weighs 13.5 pounds :

The vet almost fell of her chair as she heard the nurse say his
weight!

But hey, she also said that Tabasco has the most beautiful fur - so
soft and shiny :.)

M.

Cortisol is a hormone that increases when a cat is stressed. If cortisol
levels are elevated for too long, it will weaken the cat's immune system and
increase its chance of getting ill. Cortisol secretion increases in response
to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma,
surgery, or temperature extremes) or psychological. I'm going to say that
the Penicillin in conjunction with the Cortisol is what is making your cat
feel better.

Cortisol is a hormone that increases when a cat is stressed. If cortisol
levels are elevated for too long, it will weaken the cat's immune system and
increase its chance of getting ill. Cortisol secretion increases in response
to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma,
surgery, or temperature extremes) or psychological. I'm going to say that
the Penicillin in conjunction with the Cortisol is what is making your cat
feel better.

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 17:07:37 GMT, "Iso" wrote:

Cortisol is a hormone that increases when a cat is stressed. If cortisol
levels are elevated for too long, it will weaken the cat's immune system and
increase its chance of getting ill. Cortisol secretion increases in response
to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma,
surgery, or temperature extremes) or psychological. I'm going to say that
the Penicillin in conjunction with the Cortisol is what is making your cat
feel better.

I know the way cortisol works, I also know how penicillin works. In
this case cortisol is supposed to stop the inflammation. I know it can
supress the immune system after a long therapy. But it has also the
advantage of working very powerfully and really fast - if you ever had
to use some lotion containing cortisol (for example because of
allergy), you will know what I mean. So I am not really sure.

Marta

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 17:07:37 GMT, "Iso" wrote:

Cortisol is a hormone that increases when a cat is stressed. If cortisol
levels are elevated for too long, it will weaken the cat's immune system and
increase its chance of getting ill. Cortisol secretion increases in response
to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma,
surgery, or temperature extremes) or psychological. I'm going to say that
the Penicillin in conjunction with the Cortisol is what is making your cat
feel better.

I know the way cortisol works, I also know how penicillin works. In
this case cortisol is supposed to stop the inflammation. I know it can
supress the immune system after a long therapy. But it has also the
advantage of working very powerfully and really fast - if you ever had
to use some lotion containing cortisol (for example because of
allergy), you will know what I mean. So I am not really sure.

Marta

In ,
Martini composed with style:
This is an update:
[...]

Now, Tabasco IS doing better but the question that I keep asking
myself is - was it penicillin or cortisol or both?

any ideas?

Marta

Purrs and headbutts from my kiddos for Tobasco to get better. I don't
have any words of wisdom but I know many here do.

In ,
Martini composed with style:
This is an update:
[...]

Now, Tabasco IS doing better but the question that I keep asking
myself is - was it penicillin or cortisol or both?

any ideas?

Marta

Purrs and headbutts from my kiddos for Tobasco to get better. I don't
have any words of wisdom but I know many here do.

"Martini" wrote in message
...
This is an update:

snip

I am asking myself if this improvement is more likely to be due to the
antibiotic (penicillin) shot, or rather to the Cortisol shot. Is there
some way to tell?

Marta,

How does your vet know Tabasco has a bladder infection and not interstitial
cystitis? The symptoms you're describing closely match those of IC. Did he
examine and culture Tabasco's urine?


"he went to pee like every 30 minutes with the same result, peeing only
a little bit"

"He is not really straining while doing this, he simply seems to
have the need to pee often"

Inflammation causes a nervous sensation in cats that mimics the same
sensation that's normally induced by a full bladder. That's probably why he
still made frequent attempts to urinate even though his bladder was empty.
The little urine he passed could have been recently formed urine.

If I were you, I'd err on the side of caution and order a complete
urinalysis including a microscopic examination for crystals and bacteria,
and if bacteriuria is not found, confirm the finding with a culture.

Urine that will examined for bacteria should be collected by drawing the
sample directly from the bladder (cystocentesis). This method avoids
contamination of the urine sample with organisms that normally inhabit the
distal urinary tract -- which can result in a misdiagnosis of a UTI and the
unnecessary administration of antibiotics.

Best of luck.

Phil