To medicate or not to medicate. . .

[catdoc]

My senior kitty Luna, (14 yrs old) has mostly lost her appetite. This started 3 days ago. She eats a bit and will always accept kibble (aka kitty crack) She is somewhat constipated but this morning produced small hard dry stools, shaped like little balls (sorry for the graphic description) I do not see her drinking much. I took her to the vet yesterday. Temperature was normal, heart rate and beat normal. Lower abdomen a bit hard. The vet was unsuccessful in getting a stool sample. Blood work revealed a slightly elevated white cell count. He suggested a nonspecific inflammation probably caused by fleas or ticks??? He gave me a prescription for doxiciclina 25 mg once a day for 3 weeks. (the "go to" antibiotic, it seems) I do not want to do this protocol. Since the inflammation/infection is of a non-specific nature, what can I use Homeopathically for this? Yesterday, I gave her 1 dose of Cal carb 30C for her constipation and the little hard balls of stool in her litter box this morning are the result. I am not sure where to go from here. Yesterday evening, she seemed to be her normal self and eat most of her dinner (primarily raw) but this morning, not interested in food, even the raw food.

Something else I have just noticed. In Luna's right eye, the nictitating membrane (third eyelid) does not fully retract and is partially covering the inside corner of her right eye. Not sure what this signifies, but it is something new.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

For now, you may want to hold off on doxy. and give the Calc another day or two to act.

Did your vet do any chemistries or just the CBC?

Did he feel her abdomen closely for impacted stool and tell you that it felt OK?

The small stool balls and lack of appetite may be related to mild dehydration and constipation.

It's quite typical to not be able to get a stool sample if a kitty is very blocked up with stool.

When did she have her last "normal" stool?

Was she straining to defecate during the days that she seemed constipated?

You also may want to consult with a vet homeopath by phone or Skype for further individualization and to help evaluate the effect of the Calc.

 

[catdoc]

Hi Dr Jeff, the vet just did the CBC. Most of the readings were in the normal range with the exception of the slightly elevated white cell count. He told me Luna's abdomen feels "a bit hard". She does not appear to be dehydrated (after doing the pulling of the neck skin test) Normal stool would have been 4 days ago.

I gave her the dose of Calc Carb Tuesday which is 3 days ago and the little hard balls of stool were the next morning result. There is nothing in her litter box this morning. I have not seen her "in the act" so I cannot speak to the possibility of straining to "go"

She ate a small amount of raw food last night, and a bit more raw food this morning. She appears to be acting more like herself, but with reduced appetite and lack of stool. The vet suggested if she has not regained her appetite by tomorrow I bring her in for an abdomenal ultrasound