? question for IBD cat moms regarding metronidazole

For those of you who give your kitties metronidazole for diarrhea do you usually give it for five days or just until the bowel movements go back to normal? Leo had a bout of diarrhea from the ranitidine and I started the metronidazole. His bowel movements went back to normal by the second day and his vet hasn't gotten back to me yet. I hate to give him meds when it's not really needed.

 

My vet said always give it for the full cycle, but I've only used it twice, so I don't have a lot of experience with it. It's an antibiotic, and in humans, not taking the full course can be bad, so I would think it would probably be best to take it at least until you hear back from the vet, or from someone here who knows for sure.

 

Thanks- Poor Leo and his problems! I haven't told him yet that he has IBD. His is mild so I can imagine how frustrating it is when it is severe.

 

In this forum check out "civvie Daniel bowel problems, rock hard poo". He's also on metronidazole. His diagnosis is incomplete, could just be long hair / excessive grooming.

 

Leo was diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy with mild IBD. Was waiting to hear from vet if I should continue the metro or not since his diarrhea has resolved in two days. I was just wondering if any other IBD moms/dads ever gave the metro for just a couple days in lieu of 5 full days. His specialist takes a while to get back to me since she's in a specialty hospital and is usually very busy. He does have trouble with hair balls and being able to eliminate them due to his motility problems due to his IBD. I guess I may clip him soon for the summer, poor guy.

 

If his IBD is mild, are you trying the pre/probiotic route? Or pumpkin? After the second round of Metro, I didn't want to keep giving Sam an antibiotic, so I started that and it's done really well for him.

 

I've started the Dr. Mercola's probiotics for pets and also started giving the pureed pumpkin in his food on a regular basis. Hopefully this will help but I guess it will be a while until I see the results. The diarrhea was caused by the ranitidine he was given for motility issues. Even though his IBD is mild he will get diarrhea very easily from certain foods and meds. Keeping my fingers crossed that the probiotics and pumpkin helps. Thanks, I know what you mean about not wanting to give antibiotics all the time if you can help it.

 

One thing I learned the hard way was to just give a little bit of pumpkin. Sam loves it and at the beginning he just kept asking for more. Turns out that too much can cause diarrhea instead of curing it.

 

Pumpkin is 1/8 of a teaspoon. I did once a day to see if it slowed down, then 2x a day if she needed more. We now do 2x a day, perfect poo

 

I would take until finished. How many doses did they give you.

 

I have used metrontidizole all the time for my IBD kitties

 

I see 5 days now. Lol yes take until done, there are some anti inflammatory properties as well in it, and helps promote the good bacteria. Good luck with your furbaby. Just don't over load with fix it meds or supplements either. Try one for a couple days then add if you need. Imo

 

I am using about a half a teaspoon total of the pumpkin mixed in his food daily. I will make sure I don't over do it until I see how it is effecting him. The probiotics are powdered and instructions were to use half of the included spoon mixed with food. The metro is hard to administer even with a pill shooter. Leo has learned to move his tongue way back and block his throat so it takes several attempts to actually get it in him. I tried pulverizing the pill and mixing it with his stinky duck food and covering it with forti flora. This works sometimes. I guess I will continue the metro for the recommended five days even though his poop is normal right now. This is like having a baby that never grows up! Thanks all!

 

You can put a little petroleum jelly on one end it helps it slide.

 

Even if his poop is normal it doesnt mean it's done working. it's like when people take antibiotics you don't take them until you feel better. You finish the course of meds or your body can build antibodies against the med.

 

I will continue the metro for the five days. He doesn't seem to be having any side effects from it so I'm ok with it. I may try the petroleum jelly and maybe butter. He spits everything out though and sometimes hides the pill until later when I find it on the floor. They are sneaky little devils.

 

Metronidazole is very bad tasting. I always put it in a gelcap.

 

Yes it is nasty tasting but for some very odd reason Leo doesn't seem to mind bitter tasting anything. He just doesn't like anything at all put in his mouth unless he puts it there. I had one cat who would throw up after getting pilled with metro. What size gel cap do you use and where do you get them? They all look so large and it seems like they would choke on them.

 

Metro comes in a chicken flavored tab. No icky taste.

 

I use size 3 or 4 gelcaps and last time bought on Amazon.

 

Where do you get the chicken flavored tab? Pet Pharmacy?

 

Are the size 3 or 4's easy to get down their throats? Do they slide easy?

 

From my vet

 

No idea on size. I'll look and see if I have a bottle.

Easy to pill.

Vet always tells me to keep them secure. Many animals like the flavor and smell and have chewed the bottle to get to the tabs. I will agree. They smell good.

 

Metronidazole 50mg medi melts tabs

 

Thanks so much for the info. I'm wondering why my vet doesn't have these?? I got the plain old nasty tasting metro. The size I was asking about was in reference to the gelcaps
that some put the pill in to cover up the taste.

 

I don't put them in gel caps so I don't know how the sizing runs.

 

http://www.wedgewoodpetrx.com/items/metronidazole-gourmeds-chewable-tablets.html

This may give you an idea. Not what I got from the vet, close enough to give you an idea of the color (brown) and sizes.

 

I found them on line at wedgewood. Fabulous idea for this med. I'll have to get my vet to give me a script so I can send to the pharmacy. She doesn't carry the medi melts flavored in office.