Many thanks to Mrs. Kitty, who offered several good feline questions when I asked cat lovers to help me give the “second species” of veterinary medicine its due.

Mrs. Kitty works in feline rescue. This means she may have more cats in her house than the average reader.

Let’s answer one of her questions.

What do you do with a cat with chronic diarrhea who has been on repeated courses of Albon and has a clear stool sample?

Chronic diarrhea is a common complaint in multi-cat households. Especially in rescue situations, a new bogeyman has emerged as a leading cause of the problem.

A relatively-new-to-the-scene (in cats) parasite called Tritrichomonas appears to be a common cause of refractory, chronic diarrhea in households in which multiple cats reside.

The parasite is not detected by standard fecal tests. Specific Tritrichomonas cultures or PCR assays (DNA testing) on feces is required to diagnose the poorly understood parasite. Many cats in rescue situations who suffer from chronic diarrhea will respond to treatment for Tritrichomonas regardless of test outcome. I recommend that you talk to your vet about this.

Although treatment for Tritrichomonas may solve the problem, you should remember that there also are plenty of old bogeymen out there causing chronic diarrhea in cats. Infiltrative (also known as inflammatory) bowel disease is a common cause of feline diarrhea. Food intolerance, chronic pancreatitis, and a number of viral and bacterial infections also may cause the problem.

Albon treats a different parasite, coccidia, that is ubiquitous and causes diarrhea in young animals. If your cat already has received several courses of this medicine, I wouldn’t repeat it. Also, you should know that Albon isn’t terribly effective. A newer medication, ponazuril, is believed to be much better.

Finally, in a rescue situation one must consider stress-based diarrhea. Cats are exquisitely sensitive to overcrowding. Diarrhea may be the only outward manifestation of this stress.

Photo: Dude is a rescue cat with no known history of diarrhea.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

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• What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea in Young Cats?
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My five-month-old cat has been throwing up and having
diarrhea for the last four days. It is not all of
the time, but it is 85% of the time. He plays
normally, eats normally and acts the same. If you
have any ideas what could be wrong with him please
let me know. Thank you!

Tessa
Kinderhook, Il.

Many things can cause otherwise healthy young cats to vomit or produce diarrhea. Intestinal parasites are high on the list.

Young animals are especially prone to infestation with intestinal worms and microscopic parasites called coccidia. These parasites are common causes of diarrhea in kittens and puppies. Severe infestations may cause vomiting as well. Some intestinal worms are potentially contagious to humans.

Adverse reactions to rapid diet changes also may cause the sort of gastrointestinal upset that you describe. Foreign objects lodged in the intestines, infection with a number of viruses or bacteria, and inflammatory disorders of the intestines are on the list of causes but are less common.

Your cat needs to see a vet. Be sure to take a stool sample so that he or she can test for parasites. After evaluating your pet and looking at his deworming and vaccination history, the veterinarian will be able to offer an educated assessment of the situation.

Photo credit: click here.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• How can I Know if my Pet has Parasites?
• When Should Kittens and Puppies be De-wormed?
• Can Cats Suffer From Bulimia?
• How Much and How Often Should I Feed my Dog?
• Why do Cats Suffer from Chronic Diarrhea?

Hi,
We have a new Boston Terrier pup (9 weeks) who
tested positive for coccidia but has no symptoms
yet. Our vet has prescribed a 7 day course of
Albon. However, some other people have told me
that she needs a 28 day treatment regimen. Do you
think that this is necessary or should I just do
the 7 day treatment and follow up with the vet
next month (we see her for vaccines then)?
Also- could my cat catch this from my puppy?
Thanks!

Beth
Stoneham, MA

Coccidia are microscopic parasites that are incredibly common in puppies and kittens. Some animals can tolerate Coccidia infestations without showing any symptoms. Others develop diarrhea. In severely afflicted young pets, profuse diarrhea can lead to dehydration, failure to grow and severe illness.

Sadly, there is no perfect treatment for Coccidia. Albon is used to arrest the reproduction of the organisms within the intestinal tract. However, in the long run it is up to the pet’s immune system to tackle and eliminate the parasites.

Because every pet’s immune system is unique, some pets need to take Albon longer than others. I have known some puppies and kittens who had to take it for a month or more before they were cured. I have known others who cleared the parasite on their own, without any medication whatsoever.

Since your puppy isn’t showing symptoms, I think it is reasonable to start with a less aggressive treatment plan. It sounds like her immune system is already fighting the Coccidia. I’d recommend that you complete the seven day course of Albon. Have her stool tested after the medicine runs out. If parasites are still present, your vet can prescribe more medicine.

If your cat is an adult, it is extremely unlikely that the parasites will spread to her. Adult animals with fully-developed immune systems almost never contract Coccidia.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea in Young Cats?
• How can I Know if my Pet has Parasites?
• When Should Kittens and Puppies be De-wormed?
• How Much and How Often Should I Feed my Dog?
• Why do Puppies and Kittens Produce so Much Waste?

Summed up… Miko is 4 months old. We got her at 8
weeks old. One day after we got her she got Parvo
and Coccidia, which of course gave her horrible
diarrhea. She luckily lived through that. She has
since been to the vet several times, had blood
work and fecal tests, and they have come back
clean. She has also had all of her shots now as
well. She still has really watery diarrhea.

Lindsey
Costa Mesa, CA

Wow. It sounds like Miko’s life got off to a rough start. You have asked several questions, and I’ll try to address them one by one.

First, let’s talk about Parvo. Parvovirus (aka Parvo) is an extremely contagious disease of dogs. It occurs mainly in puppies, or in dogs that have not been vaccinated. The bad news: many dogs that contract Parvovirus die. The good news: dogs that do not die (such as Milo) almost always make complete recoveries. They usually do not suffer long-term health consequences. The intestines should heal quite rapidly.

Also, there are no 100% guarantees about anything in this world, but I can tell you that it is extremely unlikely that Miko could contract parvo again. Most dogs that live through parvo develop permanent immunity.

Now, let’s talk about Coccidia. Coccidia are ubiquitous microscopic intestinal parasites that infect huge numbers of puppies and kittens. They rarely cause serious health problems, but they can lead to long-term, frustrating watery diarrhea. They are hard to treat, and sometimes several rounds of medication are necessary to eliminate the problem.

Based on your description, I am suspicious that Coccidia may be playing a role in Miko’s ongoing diarrhea. You may want to consider treating for the parasite again, or doing a special fecal test (zinc sulfate centrifugation) that is more sensitive than standard fecal tests.

Of course, other parasites (such as worms, which also can be missed by some fecal tests), reactions to foods, inflammatory bowel disease, or (and this is unlikely) lingering damage from Parvovirus infection could be playing a role in Miko’s problems. But my hunch is that the Coccidia are the culprits. I recommend that you and your vet go after them first. If that doesn’t work, it will be time to do an extensive investigation into the problem with comprehensive diagnostic tests.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea in Young Cats?
• Why do Cats Suffer from Chronic Diarrhea?
• Why Hasn’t my Cat’s Bladder Infection Cleared up?
• What Causes Chronic Diarrhea in Rescue Cats?
• Are Pets Being Over-Vaccinated?