Conference misery::feline_v1

    I am not 100% certain, but I think the spelling is Giardia.  Nasty
    parasite, and hard to diagnose.  Seems that they can miss it in
    the stool samples so you have to keep running the stools every couple
    of days until you catch it.
    
    Jo

    Do you know how the Aby is doing now that they have diagnosed the
    ghardia?   
    
    Thanks, Pam

    can someone please explain the possible symptoms and treatment???  I've
    had a kitty with a cronic case of diarrhea that hasn't responded to any
    of the normal treatments.  This has been going on for about 2 months
    now, just shortly after she weaned her kittens.  It also appears as
    though the diarrhea is getting worse instead of better....in fact, it's
    almost water that comes out of her now.
    
    cin
    

>    can someone please explain the possible symptoms and treatment??? 

cin,

from what I've read, your cat is showing the symptoms.  A case of diarrhea
that just does not go away or respond to other forms of treatment.  I
cannot remember what the suggested treatment is, but I'm sure your vet
can find out if you point him/her in the right direction.  I'd not heard
of it in cats before, but I know that once it is diagnosed in humans, it
can be successfully treated.  It seems to be a bear to diagnose, though.

Could this indicate contaminated drinking water in your area?

    	We were having a problem with our little red boy for some time and
    the vet suggested giving him some plain white boiled rice. It seems 
    that the rice slows down the digestion process and absorbs the excess 
    fluids. It worked. At first he ate it by itself, then we started to mix 
    it with his regular food. Now he is off the rice and seems fine again.
    
    Mike

    I think the abby is doing better (I just had a short conversation
    in the street with the person, whom I don't know very well.)
    
    What I also remember reading about this stuff in humans is that
    fairly recently they discovered that some cases of very long term 
    diarrhea (at a semi-mild level) that no one had been able to find
    the cause of were found to be due to it.  The diagnosis was made
    by some new, more sensitive test.  some of these people had had
    this problem for years.
    
    

    re: symptoms, etc.
    
    One of my cats (male) had this when he was a kitten; he had persistent
    diarrhea for a period of 1 month.  Fortunately, it was caught in the
    first stool specimen.  He had to stay on a pill medication - can't
    remember exactly what - that was obtained from a regular pharmacy (same
    medicine for humans and animals).
    
    Giardiasis (sp? - but that's the "disease"; giardia [sp] is the cyst
    itself) is usually obtained through drinking contaminated water, often
    where beavers are present.  I don't know where my cat got it since I
    don't think he had ever lived outside.  However, it cleared up in about
    3 weeks.
    
    I'm not sure if it interferes with digestion, absorption of vitamins
    and minerals, etc.

    re: 3 & 5
    
    Cin and Diane, maybe using bottled water for a while could help??

    Just got back from my hols and found this note. Pookie had diarrhoea
    for months. The final cure was fine powdered kaolin mixed into her
    food and the dose slowly (very slowly) reduced. It took about 1 month
    to work.
    
    
    Lisa plus Pookie and Rolf
    
    BTW Picked them up from the cattery yesterday. Remember all the trouble
    I had with the last cattery - condensation etc - well we found this
    one, very nice pens, nice lady etc. They have come home witht the flu!
    Their jabs are up to date. It just swept thru the place and most of the
    cats got it. Rolf has lost his voice and just sort of barks and Pookie 
    keeps sneezing :-( Oh well ....
    

    Hi Lisa -
    
    I believe what you cats are experiencing is called Kennel cough.
    It is quite common unfortunately.  See your vet he will give them
    some medicine to clear it up. It can be VERY stubborn though.
    
    Glad you had a good vacation.
    
    Barbara
    

>    I believe what you cats are experiencing is called Kennel cough.
>    It is quite common unfortunately.  See your vet he will give them
>    some medicine to clear it up. It can be VERY stubborn though.
    
Yes...and it can be dangerous if not treated...kennel cough is often a
lead-in to "inflamed" heart or pneumonia.  The good news is that if it is
treated, it will just be a bother to any otherwise healthy cat --- a very 
stubborn bother.

    
    
    They were taken to the vet by the owner of the cattery while we were
    away and they had jabs and we've got little white pills to give them
    twice a day. If its not any better by Friday - or if it gets worse -
    they will be going straight to the vet. I have got the heating on at
    home to keep them warm. They seem to be very healthy apart from the
    coughs and sneezes - their coats are glossy and they are eating well.
    All I want to know is "why me"!!
    
    Thanks for the advice, it sounds like kennel cough :-(
    
    Lisa (I've got a cold too!) plus Pookie (SNEEEEEEZE) and Rolf (Hack Hack!)