Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well believe it or not the other day I was very lucky and was able to get a very good urine sample from the cat using a triple layer of plastic wrap over a clean litter box. The urine sample showed a slightly elevated white count indicating perhaps a low grade infection. My vet prescribed baytril and amoxicillian and starting next Wednesday I have to try getting another urine sample and bring in the cat for another examination and weigh in.
According to her, the other tests noted in the post below came back so clean that she is wondering if she might be missing something else. Any thoughts from those of you that have or have had a senior cat?
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Bob

Your vet sounds excellent. I'd wait and see what the results are next week at this point. She's going thru the right steps/right tests...

Two thougths --

I don't have your post in front of me, did she just focus on the Throid during the blood test? Sometimes they can narrow what they test and exclude other areas if they want to focus on a specific area. I would guess she did the full blood panel testing everything you'd commonly look for in a geriatric cat's blood work. I know the blood work they do on my boys has numerous categories... If she just looked at Thyroid... maybe expand the test.

Another thing, an experienced geriatric vet once told me that morning and evening can make a difference in thyroid levels. If you took your cat in to see her in the morning last time, maybe take him in in the evening for the follow-up next week... Get some blood then. They can test results in-house.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

I re-read your post and see where you mentioned complete blood panel as well as thyroid focus... Good.

I would consider going at an opposite time of the day as you did last time and re-testing the blood if the antibiotics don't see to have cleared it up (white blood count). My geriatric vet tested two different times of the day (primarily for thyroid).
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Chances are his next visit will be in the evening since I am back to work from vacation. I took him in the morning on his first visit. I believe it was the blood panel she ran and the Thyroid test sent to Cornell that she was referring to when she said they came back so clean she might be missing something else.

Here is a picture of Boo from a couple of years ago.

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Bob

Sorry --

Just thought of something else.

Have you changed the diet in the past year the two pounds were lost? My boys lost a pound or two each once while they were Seniors because of a new diet. I switched back to their regular brand and they gained the weight back.

If she just can't pin-point anything after the follow-up, I do still strongly recommend a visit every six months with bloodwork (urine each year) unless there is a problem.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Tammy thanks for replies... no there hasn't been a change in diet or food in the past year though now paying particular attention to the cat he may not be eating a lot. Of course he has also started his antibiotics so that my also throw him off a little.
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Bob

Hi Again

If x-rays have not yet been done, that should be the next step. Then, possibly, an ultrasound.

Not to scare you, but with that amount of weight loss and normal labwork, you want to rule out the possibility of a mass somewhere. It's best to be as thorough as possible.

Regards,
PHKitkat

KitKat after another urine sample next week and reexamination of Boo the x-rays and/or ultrasound will be next in line. Worst case the thought of a possible mass is in the back of my mind. I'll keep everyone updated.

This is Boo from a couple of years ago.

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Bob