Antibiotic woes; appatite stimulant? Advice needed.

Kenzie, my 14 year old Calico cat, has been on Clavomox (ammoxicillin)
since the evening of 3/2/10.

It's for the indolent lesion on her inner lip, discovered when she was
in for a 'routine' dental cleaning.

TED said if Kenzie didn't look better in 5 or 6 days, to get a refill on
the antibiotic; I got a 7 day course of liquid antibiotic. I had
intended to get more, since I can't see any improvement.

The trouble is that when I got home, after being gone all day and
evening, on Saturday, Kenzie had eaten very little. I got her to eat
some treats: some turkey, some sardine, and some potato chips, and I
gave her her antibiotic, and her Tapazole,

This morning, (well, about noon) Sunday, she had eaten nothing over
night. Even the turkey I had left out for her.

So, again, I gave her some treats, so her tummy wouldn't be empty, and
gave her her meds.

In just a few minutes, she threw up the small amount of food I had
gotten her to eat, as well as the antibiotic, and her Tapezole.

I waited all day, and got her to eat a little bit of food.

I decided to give her a half dose of the antibiotics.

She just threw that up, along with her Tapazole, again.

Her tummy has been a bit more delicate since she's been on the Tapezole;
nausea is THE most common side effect of that drug, unfortunately.

When I first started Kenzie on the Tapezole, a year ago, she had a very,
very bad time with it, and I had to take her off of it for a week, and
then and very slowly increase the dose over the course of several
weeks, to get her to her full dose. She's been OK with the Tapezole
since then, but I have noticed that she throws up if she eats too
quickly.

I have taken to giving her half her food, waiting 15 minutes, and giving
her the rest.

I expect the antibiotic is just making her poor tummy all that much
worse.

I was wondering if switching to the tablet form of the antibiotic would
be a little easier on her, since the liquid tastes terrible, I'm sure.

I was also wondering about an appetite stimulant. I remember somebody
mentioning a drug I can't recall the name of; I don't think it was a
steroid, and I think it was in tablet form.

I'm going to call TED in the morning, but I have a meeting all
afternoon, and if I can, I'd like to avoid having to bring Kenzie into
TED's office again.

She just HATES going to the vet; she's been there 3 times in the last
month, and being out of work, I'm trying to avoid the expense for the
vet's office fee.

Just the antibiotic 'refill' is about $25. Any other meds will be
equally expensive, I'm sure. I don't have much money to work with.

I did just force feed Kenzie a little bit of meat based baby food, but
now Kenzie is hiding from me.

This is an old and cluttered house, and there are many places where
Kenzie can hide, where I cannot find her. She has done this before, when
she was so sick from the Tapazole. If she doesn't want me to find her, I
won't find her. So taking her to TED's office tomorrow may be a moot
point, anyway.

Does anyone have any advice for me, please? Oh yes: Kenzie is 14 years
old now

Thank you.



---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 100307-1, 03/07/2010
Tested on: 3/8/2010 1:03:49 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

If she were my cat I would slack off on the Tapazole until she is healthy
enough to not need the antibiotics. She will not die of HT in the time it
takes to clear up her infection. Maybe a half dose for now so she can keep
food down. I would request my vet prescribe a different antibiotic. If she
cannot tolerate the Clavamox there are alternatives. There is nothing
magical about Clavamox. Perhaps she would do better on Baytril. There is
also a long lasting antibiotic that is given in one injection. Maybe that
would be appropriate. Any good vet will ork with you and understand your
financial position.

That is just what I would do. I am not an expert so don't assume I am.

Paul

On Sun, 7 Mar 2010 23:42:17 -0800, "Paul M. Cook"
wrote:

If she were my cat I would slack off on the Tapazole until she is healthy
enough to not need the antibiotics. She will not die of HT in the time it
takes to clear up her infection. Maybe a half dose for now so she can keep
food down. I would request my vet prescribe a different antibiotic. If she
cannot tolerate the Clavamox there are alternatives. There is nothing
magical about Clavamox. Perhaps she would do better on Baytril. There is
also a long lasting antibiotic that is given in one injection. Maybe that
would be appropriate. Any good vet will ork with you and understand your
financial position.

That is just what I would do. I am not an expert so don't assume I am.

Paul

I think you suggestion to switch antibiotics is a very good one. I will
ask TED in the morning.

Thank you so much

I'll ask about the Tapezole, as well.


---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 100307-1, 03/07/2010
Tested on: 3/8/2010 2:36:47 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
Kenzie, my 14 year old Calico cat, has been on Clavomox (ammoxicillin)
since the evening of 3/2/10.

It's for the indolent lesion on her inner lip, discovered when she was
in for a 'routine' dental cleaning.


Sounds like you're describing an indolent ulcer (rodent ulcer) or
eosinophilic granuloma, which is part of the Feline eosinophilic granuloma
complex (EGC).

http://maxshouse.com/Dermatology-Illus/Rodent_Ulcer.jpg

http://maxshouse.com/Dermatology-Ill..._upper_lip.jpg

If it is an indolent ulcer or eosinophilic granuloma , antibiotics aren't
going to resolve it. Sometimes antibiotics help a little but that's because
of the anti-inflammatory activity of some antibiotics rather than their
primary bactericidal properties.

Take a look at the pictures in the about links. If your cat's lesion looks
like either, let me know.

Phil







TED said if Kenzie didn't look better in 5 or 6 days, to get a refill on
the antibiotic; I got a 7 day course of liquid antibiotic. I had
intended to get more, since I can't see any improvement.

The trouble is that when I got home, after being gone all day and
evening, on Saturday, Kenzie had eaten very little. I got her to eat
some treats: some turkey, some sardine, and some potato chips, and I
gave her her antibiotic, and her Tapazole,

This morning, (well, about noon) Sunday, she had eaten nothing over
night. Even the turkey I had left out for her.

So, again, I gave her some treats, so her tummy wouldn't be empty, and
gave her her meds.

In just a few minutes, she threw up the small amount of food I had
gotten her to eat, as well as the antibiotic, and her Tapezole.

I waited all day, and got her to eat a little bit of food.

I decided to give her a half dose of the antibiotics.

She just threw that up, along with her Tapazole, again.

Her tummy has been a bit more delicate since she's been on the Tapezole;
nausea is THE most common side effect of that drug, unfortunately.

When I first started Kenzie on the Tapezole, a year ago, she had a very,
very bad time with it, and I had to take her off of it for a week, and
then and very slowly increase the dose over the course of several
weeks, to get her to her full dose. She's been OK with the Tapezole
since then, but I have noticed that she throws up if she eats too
quickly.

I have taken to giving her half her food, waiting 15 minutes, and giving
her the rest.

I expect the antibiotic is just making her poor tummy all that much
worse.

I was wondering if switching to the tablet form of the antibiotic would
be a little easier on her, since the liquid tastes terrible, I'm sure.

I was also wondering about an appetite stimulant. I remember somebody
mentioning a drug I can't recall the name of; I don't think it was a
steroid, and I think it was in tablet form.

I'm going to call TED in the morning, but I have a meeting all
afternoon, and if I can, I'd like to avoid having to bring Kenzie into
TED's office again.

She just HATES going to the vet; she's been there 3 times in the last
month, and being out of work, I'm trying to avoid the expense for the
vet's office fee.

Just the antibiotic 'refill' is about $25. Any other meds will be
equally expensive, I'm sure. I don't have much money to work with.

I did just force feed Kenzie a little bit of meat based baby food, but
now Kenzie is hiding from me.

This is an old and cluttered house, and there are many places where
Kenzie can hide, where I cannot find her. She has done this before, when
she was so sick from the Tapazole. If she doesn't want me to find her, I
won't find her. So taking her to TED's office tomorrow may be a moot
point, anyway.

Does anyone have any advice for me, please? Oh yes: Kenzie is 14 years
old now

Thank you.



---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 100307-1, 03/07/2010
Tested on: 3/8/2010 1:03:49 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

Does anyone have any advice for me, please? Oh yes: Kenzie is 14 years
old now

Clavamox is known to put cats off their food. (It's the main reason I
refuse to use it on our cats.) Just call your vet and ask him/her to
prescribe another med--even amoxocillin would be better.

If he/she gives you a human medication, ask to have it phoned in to
Target or Walmart as a $4 prescription.

I hope she's feeling better soon.

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
Kenzie, my 14 year old Calico cat, has been on Clavomox (ammoxicillin)
since the evening of 3/2/10.

It's for the indolent lesion on her inner lip, discovered when she was
in for a 'routine' dental cleaning.


Sounds like you're describing an indolent ulcer (rodent ulcer) or
eosinophilic granuloma, which is part of the Feline eosinophilic
granuloma
complex (EGC).

http://maxshouse.com/Dermatology-Illus/Rodent_Ulcer.jpg

http://maxshouse.com/Dermatology-Ill..._upper_lip.jpg

If it is an indolent ulcer or eosinophilic granuloma , antibiotics aren't
going to resolve it. Sometimes antibiotics help a little but that's
because
of the anti-inflammatory activity of some antibiotics rather than their
primary bactericidal properties.

Take a look at the pictures in the about links. If your cat's lesion looks
like either, let me know.

Phil







TED said if Kenzie didn't look better in 5 or 6 days, to get a refill on
the antibiotic; I got a 7 day course of liquid antibiotic. I had
intended to get more, since I can't see any improvement.

The trouble is that when I got home, after being gone all day and
evening, on Saturday, Kenzie had eaten very little. I got her to eat
some treats: some turkey, some sardine, and some potato chips, and I
gave her her antibiotic, and her Tapazole,

This morning, (well, about noon) Sunday, she had eaten nothing over
night. Even the turkey I had left out for her.

So, again, I gave her some treats, so her tummy wouldn't be empty, and
gave her her meds.

In just a few minutes, she threw up the small amount of food I had
gotten her to eat, as well as the antibiotic, and her Tapezole.

I waited all day, and got her to eat a little bit of food.

I decided to give her a half dose of the antibiotics.

She just threw that up, along with her Tapazole, again.

Her tummy has been a bit more delicate since she's been on the Tapezole;
nausea is THE most common side effect of that drug, unfortunately.

When I first started Kenzie on the Tapezole, a year ago, she had a very,
very bad time with it, and I had to take her off of it for a week, and
then and very slowly increase the dose over the course of several
weeks, to get her to her full dose. She's been OK with the Tapezole
since then, but I have noticed that she throws up if she eats too
quickly.

I have taken to giving her half her food, waiting 15 minutes, and giving
her the rest.

I expect the antibiotic is just making her poor tummy all that much
worse.

I was wondering if switching to the tablet form of the antibiotic would
be a little easier on her, since the liquid tastes terrible, I'm sure.

I was also wondering about an appetite stimulant. I remember somebody
mentioning a drug I can't recall the name of; I don't think it was a
steroid, and I think it was in tablet form.

I'm going to call TED in the morning, but I have a meeting all
afternoon, and if I can, I'd like to avoid having to bring Kenzie into
TED's office again.

She just HATES going to the vet; she's been there 3 times in the last
month, and being out of work, I'm trying to avoid the expense for the
vet's office fee.

Just the antibiotic 'refill' is about $25. Any other meds will be
equally expensive, I'm sure. I don't have much money to work with.

I did just force feed Kenzie a little bit of meat based baby food, but
now Kenzie is hiding from me.

This is an old and cluttered house, and there are many places where
Kenzie can hide, where I cannot find her. She has done this before, when
she was so sick from the Tapazole. If she doesn't want me to find her, I
won't find her. So taking her to TED's office tomorrow may be a moot
point, anyway.

Does anyone have any advice for me, please? Oh yes: Kenzie is 14 years
old now

Thank you.



---
avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 100307-1, 03/07/2010
Tested on: 3/8/2010 1:03:49 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

Or, it could be an "OKC", (Orthogenic Keratocyst) Which is also a very
serious bone disease that can only be cured by carving away the bad bone. I
don't know if cats get this or not......I know about it because I got it a
couple of years ago myself......

"Bill Graham" wrote in message
...

Or, it could be an "OKC", (Orthogenic Keratocyst) Which is also a very
serious bone disease

I don't think cats have bones in their lips, Bill.

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"Bill Graham" wrote in message
...

Or, it could be an "OKC", (Orthogenic Keratocyst) Which is also a very
serious bone disease

I don't think cats have bones in their lips, Bill.


Mine showed up as a cyst on the gum.......