Esther Elizabeth has a UTI

BW · December 10, 2010, 04:58:57 PM

Well, Esther has one litter box and one box with white papertowels. She likes a paper towel box for peeing.
The last couple days, I thought I saw a pink tinge, and today I was certain of it, quite pink today. Took a urine sample in, and sure nuff, bactieria and crystals. I weighed her, called in the weight, and was given some antibiotic. I am to give her the med, a liquid because I dont' know how to get a pill in her, don't really know how in the world to squirt a liquid into her either. After 7 days, I am to bring in another urine sample, and after that the vet wants to see her for an exam. She wants her to take the antibiotic for 2 weeks.

So I do not know how in the world I am going to get the med into this cat. She has bitten me every so often, just for the heck of it. And lately, I have been making great strides with her, and have been able to cuddle and kiss her without getting bitten.
Now I have to blow all this progress, by cramming some awful tasting liquid into her mouth. I may be able to do it once, but I don't see how I will be able to do it repeatedly after the first time.
Esther sleeps in my room, lives in there actually, and there is a big queensized bed to hide under. Woe is me!!! Should give her the first dose tonight, but don't know if I am up to trying that. Have had a hard day. But I should do it promptly, I know. She must be in some discomfort. Hopefully the crystals are from the infection and not FUS.

merrihart · December 10, 2010, 05:03:19 PM

BW, I had the same problem with Bella. (pilling, I mean)

I took her into the bathroom and closed the door, then cooed and waited for her to settle down, and when her attention was elsewhere, grabbed her ruff, lifted her front feet off the floor and squirted the liquid in, as fast and as smooth as I could. then let go very quickly and let her stalk off her anger. And i didn't let her out of the bathroom till she was calmed down.

Wish you luck and Esther Elizabeth rapid healing.

BW · December 10, 2010, 05:17:44 PM

Merrihart, I have some Clavamox to give her. What did you use? Does anyone know how effective the Clavamox is for a UTI.
Merrihart, how in the world did you get the syringe into her mouth without using the other hand to pry open her mouth?? I would need both hands, one to hold the syringe, and one to pry open her mouth.

I am thinking wrap her up in a towel, with only her head sticking out. She does bite, so even doing it that way will be dangerous, and I cannot take antibiotics.

I am going to try and pry open her mouth with the syringe. Fortunately, she only weighs 10lbs 13 oz, so the dose isn't too big. I am NOT looking forward to this.

merrihart · December 10, 2010, 05:22:25 PM

No, that's the beauty of a syringe. You can slip it between her jaws at the spot behind her incisors. No teeth block that spot, the syringe slips in and you depress the stick. She may twist, but if you do it fast, she'll get most of the medicine in her.

I dont remember which medicine it was, but it was something that tasted horrible and she drooled afterward, terribly, so I was also syringing water into her mouth to get the taste out for her.

Just remember to aim for the back of the throat.

catbird · December 10, 2010, 05:45:11 PM

Sorry to hear about poor Esther Elizabeth. I had to give liquid Clavamox to Isis (spitting, feisty tortie) a couple of years ago, so I can sympathize.

Many cats do not like the taste of it at all (Isis was one!) Others, contrarily, think it's the greatest stuff since tuna. I'm hoping EE will be one of those odd cats who likes the taste.

Merrihart's syringe method is a good one. If you have a spitter, you will need to hold the mouth closed after squirting it in, or it will all come out.

Good luck.

BW · December 10, 2010, 06:11:00 PM

Ok, I got most of the first dose in. Just her head sticking out of the towel. I did not get it all in, but hopefully most and enough to start doing the job. Of course that is because she didn't know what was coming. I have to give it every 12 hours, so twice a day, with food.
Afterwards she ran under the bed, but thank goodness, she just came back up on the bed again, and let me kiss her on her little head, so I guess she has forgiven me.
So, Catbird, maybe it doesn't taste that bad to Esther. I pray it doesn't, since I have to give it twice a day. I didn't get the foamy drool afterwards, hope that's a good sign.
She is very smart, and so I don't know how long I will be able to fool her into coming close enough to wrap the towel around her. I am leaving the towel right on the bed so she thinks it is always going to be there, and is not a sign to run under the bed.
Hmm, wonder if that will work.

Merrihart, I did not read your last message before giving this dose, so I didn't know about the place behind the incisors where no teeth block the spot. I think I stuck it in a bit too far forward, next time I will know better. AND I was timid, so I didn't squirt fast enough and with enough confidence. Thank you both, your support REALLY helps!

catbird · December 10, 2010, 06:14:54 PM

Good job, BW! Hopefully she will be feeling better soon.

merrihart · December 10, 2010, 07:37:43 PM

Yeah, I always feel really bad when I see Bucky slinking away from taking his pill Oddly, he is harder to give medicine to than Bella, which leads me to believe that in her previous home, she was pilled.

Hope Esther Elizabeth keeps being a good little girl for you

JJ · December 10, 2010, 09:27:55 PM

BW may you have much success w/giving the meds to Esther Elizabeth and that she will know that your only doing this to help her - not hurt her in any way.

August · December 10, 2010, 09:44:34 PM

Oh, BW, I'm so sorry to hear that you have to give medicine to sweet Esther! I know if I had to give Chami meds, that would be so difficult. Congratulations for getting in dose #1! I would think plenty of people are only able to give "most" of it on several of their tries, and I'm sure you'll both get better at giving and receiving (like around the time you don't have to do it anymore lol).

When I first started having to give Mooch (or any of the kitties) meds, I always took them to a place they weren't very interested in -- the bathroom in my case -- just so they wouldn't identify icky medicine with anything they enjoyed. I don't know if it made a difference, but I somehow felt better about doing it that way. Now that Mooch is totally used to having medicine dropped down his throat (and I no longer get nervous about it), I give him his medicines wherever.

I would just hate for Esther to associate your bedroom with medicines. But it sounds like she was able to take the stuff and then come up on your bed for kisses, so that's fantastic!

I hope the rest of the 2 weeks goes smoothly and that she is feeling better and peeing normally as soon as possible!

lesliek · December 11, 2010, 07:31:04 AM

BW-If you have trouble getting Esther Elizabeth wrapped in the towel, try laying across her on the bed to hold her still. Have the syringe ready on a paper towel within reach of your hand 1st. I sometimes have to do that with Punkin.

BW · December 11, 2010, 08:20:39 AM

Thank you all so much. Well, she came and lay on the towel today, and I thought wow, she is not going to be dreadful, but no!! She was dreadful! Now she knows what wrapping the towel around her means, and although I used almost all my strength to keep it around her neck, (didn't want to choke her or strangle her though! she squirmed out the bottom. Amazing how strong this 11 lb cat is!!
I called the vet, and she suggested using a pillow case which has a bottom in it. That tech is a wonderful girl, but she says she has a boyfriend, a second pair of hands to help her, and I am doing it alone.

Leslie I thought of putting her between my legs as I kneel, with her in my crotch, sort of, but then I can't see what I am doing. And I have to do this TWO times a day!!!

The vet tech said that if I can't get the next dose in her, I should give up, and not stress her any further and just bring her in Monday afternoon, and get a shot of the convenia which lasts a week.

I have read about cats having convulsions from the convenia, and it is in their systems for SOOOOOO long after using it, you can't get it out if the cat has a problem with hit, I think that is very scary!!!

She swears they have beeen using it for 1 1/2 years with no problems whatsoever.

Do any of you have any experience with convenia? Are the reports of convulsions exaggerated? I used it on Blackie Cutie Pie and it was fine! But Esther is a different cat.

BW · December 11, 2010, 10:03:34 AM

Ok, I got some more into her! Some squirted who knows where, but I think I got most of it in her, hard to tell.

I am surprised that she came and sat down beside me on the bed, and she actually sat on the pillow case which made it easier to pull it up over her rear end. I pulled it up and kept talking to her, and she let me.
The pillow case was wonderful!! First of all, she couldn't squirm backwards, and secondly, it was easier to grab it and hold it tight around her neck, the fabric wasn't so thick. I also put the towel a bit around that too, so she couldn't claw me through the thinner pillow case. Then I also piled some comforter over that pile of stuff with Esther in it. I was behind her, so I had to lean over and peak to find her mouth, and tried to put it behind the incisors, and hope I did.
I certainly hope I got most of it into her.

I kept telling myself that I had paid $25 for this darned stuff, and was NOT going to throw it away. The urine analysis cost $40. Is that really high? Seems like much more than it used to be.

After I gave it to her, I kept holding on a minute or two, and kissed her head, and talked to her, told her I knew it hurt to pee and that this would help, that I HAD to help her, and then when I released my hold on the pillow case, she just stayed there, and didn't dash off. (that was surprising) I told her what a good girl she had been, and rubbed her little head a while, and kissed her some more, and told her that was all, and she had been very good. We sat there together a few minutes, and eventually she "walked" away. Hope I will be able to do that again tonight. I don't want to wait till Monday, her urine is so bloody. It must hurt.

merrihart · December 11, 2010, 10:06:34 AM

*snuggles Esther Elizabeth*

Sounds like a sucessful dosing to me

I'm glad she was so good for you.

BW · December 11, 2010, 10:09:57 AM

Just one question. Am I supposed to be squirting quickly, or trying to squirt it in slowly???
Once I get it into her mouth, all hell breaks loose, so I am not sure I can control it anyway, and so that is why I have been quickly pushing down on the plunger when I get it in, but maybe that is wrong, maybe I should just let the tip stay in her mouth an instant or so, and then try to slowly squirt. I'm not sure that would be possible. <big sigh>
It all happens so quickly, almost instantaneously.