Oscar again...

[Meowli]

Thank you everybody.
Hes still doing too many box trips and pee is sometimes tinged with blood, but paler than the other day. He's only had three doses so far of the antibiotic and I don't want to get unrealistic hopes up but he doesn't seem to have that awful pained and withdrawn expression today that he had the day he peed red.. I tried playing with him tonight and he did respond. 
From watching this cat and hearing other Itchmo tales of UTI's, I think this is going to be a real battle .Eek.

[ranger]

Poor Oscar, glad he's feeling a little bit better. He's a handsome boy BTW.

[lesliek]

Is Oscar getting the rx twice a day ? If so it may take a few days to really start working. Hopes for a much improved Oscar in the next day or 2.

[Sandi K]

I hope he starts feeling better too.  Im guessing he should start showing improvement in the next day or so, like Leslie said?   Come on Oscar, we are all pulling for you to get better soon!

[Meowli]

Once a day on the med. He seems mentally perkier, but is still doing "the box dance", in and out way often and occasionally a little tinge of blood. I wonder if his bladder is permanently damaged by now, even if he does not seem in as much pain. It's only the first week, though, if he seems to be making progress at all and still has symptoms after the 10 days, I will ask if he can stay on it longer.
There are a slew of natural supplements too to support bladder functioning. I have a couple now, will be getting others.
Cat thinks every time I call him now I'm going to dump things down his mouth or give him a needle or something. Have to big time bribe him already.

[JJ]

Meowli read somewhere yrs. back that any pill takes 3 days for the effects to help as it has to build up in the system. Hoping in next couple of days Oscar is done with the frequent potty trips.

[August]

Uck, sorry to hear about Oscar catching on to your giving him medicines and stuff.  That can be so stressful.  Sometimes when I get medicine ready, I'll take it and start walking a completely different direction once to fake em out lol.  It works for about two seconds.

Sending warm hugs to you guys.

[Sandi K]

Meowli, how has Oscar been doing?

[Meowli]

Still doing the cystitis "box dance" - but less often tinged with blood. No more red gushers.  He doesn't seem in pain right now like he was. We just refilled the zeniquin and I wonder what is next. There is likely something more than the infection, and if it's interstitial cystitis we have permanently switched out the food to avoid bladder irritating ingredients. Now it's a waiting game to see if we still need to do more $$ testing.

[Sandi K]

Keep us posted OK?  I hope you can get it figured out, how frustrating it must be. 

[Meowli]

Today he had a bad day with the cystitis, I saw some blood tinged pee. Yesterday he seemed more comfortable and I even got him playing.
He's on the second round of zeniquin. He's lost weight, although he seems to eat (not heartily but he does get most of his food).

Certain food ingredients do aggravate it, a high bg spike will too. Of course he has to be our worst fussbudget so finding healthy choices he will eat is a nightmare. I thought at least unhealthy choices would be better than nothing, but last night he did have extra food with high carb/starch and this morning he had very bad high bg. More than I thought he'd have. Sugar spilling into the urine both feeds bacteria and irritates the bladder.  I feel so guilty now that I let that happen. Ok Oscar you are now going back on your "diet".

I think he has a chronic non-blocked cystitis condition but I do think it's possible there may be something else, too, although an xray didn't show. Fancy testing like ultrasound will have to wait for budget reasons, not sure if even that would give us more of an answer anyhow.

He knows what "pilly" means - he knows when he is supposed to get one, and takes off when it's pilly time. He may be sick but he's not dumb!

Thank you everyone for your good wishes and concern. 
Meowli

[JustMe]

Meowli,

I'm sorry Oscar is still having problems.  Hope you can get this under control soon.  {{{hugs}}}

[merrihart]

Bucky knows when the pill is imminent too, and he'll disappear under the bed or in the bathroom cabinet.  Cats have a sense about these things!

I hope Oscar feels better tomorrow.

[catwoods]

Sending hopes and wishes for Oscar to feel better soon.

[catbird]

I add my hopes for Oscar to feel better, and for you and your vet to be able to work out a lasting solution.