# Baytril and Health of My Cat



## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

The vet on Monday gave my 16 year old cat baytril because I told her hes drinking a lot and urinating anywhere in the yard....I dont think hes reacting to the baytril very well, hes a bit unsteady with his gait and sleeping lot. 

Definetly weak but drinking and eating...eating less of course but that is one of the reasons he went to the vet.

If the vet wanted a urine sample I could have gotten that, today is the third day on baytril. Should I stop or continue?

Mirtazipine is the other drug given every 3 days, I will cut that prescribed dose by half since he was extremely vocal after his first dose at the vet...


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

burt, you may want to take a look at this link on Baytril:
Also click on the "more information" (2nd tab) under the picture of the bottle, after "overview".
Baytril ® (Brand)

I'd also just call your vet to see what he/she advises, on the err of caution. Your kitty has been going through a lot, so being extra careful cannot hurt.

Wishing you more healing vibes to you and Smokey...


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

If your vet put your elderly cat on Baytril based solely on his excessive thirst and urination, with NO diagnostic testing (blood or urine) at all, I would RUN, not walk, to a new vet for proper testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Excessive thirst is a frequent symptom of all three of the most common illnesses in elderly cats: kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes. Baytril is NOT an appropriate treatment for ANY of those diseases. Even if your cat does have a urinary tract infection, which may be the assumption made by your vet, it is not good medicine to prescribe an antibiotic without a diagnosis. 

The symptoms you are seeing in your cat could be side effects of Baytril and/or Mirtazapine. Baytril can cause problems with coordination, lethargy/depression, and even blindness. Mirtazapine can cause sedation/drowsiness. Both can cause vocalization and other symptoms, and both should be used only with caution in cats with renal insufficiency, which is the most common cause of excessive thirst in elderly cats.

Again, your cat should go to a vet who will run appropriate diagnostics BEFORE throwing potentially harmful meds at your cat. I recommend you get your cat to another vet ASAP tomorrow morning and insist on a round of bloodwork (full chemistry, CBC, and Total T4) and urinalysis (using a sterile urine sample acquired by cystocentesis). That will give you a much better overview of your cat's current state of health.

Laurie


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

His last blood work was in october, he was diagnosed with fiv and anemia, but his organs was fine.....


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Burt,
Laurie has dealt with these issues more than you know, she does know what she's talking about! 
She is right about the tests that need to be ran for Smokey...
It may indeed be time for a new vet...
All Paws Crossed for him! 
Sharon


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

She's got tons of experience with senior cats, especially hyperT and CRF. She's not here as often as we'd like (very busy, I'm sure), but she does give excellent pointers on how to treat medical issues with kitties.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

burt, if you have your cat's most recent bloodwork lab report, it would be very helpful if you would post it here so that we can take a look. If you don't have a copy of the lab report, you should go back to your vet and get one. You should ALWAYS request and keep copies of your cat's test results at home for reference.

If your cat's excessive thirst occurred or worsened AFTER his last bloodwork, you should have new bloodwork run now. How anemic was he in Oct, and have you been doing anything to treat the anemia?

Laurie


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

I do not have the blood test data, he recovered after october, I called the vet today and the nurse talked to the vet. I told them one of his eyes is glassy and all he does is sleep and he does not seem strong walking.

I asked if I should discontinue the baytril and she said to continue until saturday and if hes not better then to call.

This morning 5 am he was ravenous but after his 11am dose of baytril hes been sleeping and just nibbling, still drinking. I seen him pee in the yard and it came out fast and looks normal.

He also had a slight fever at the vet, either from the traumatization of going to the vet i dont know... His head does seem a bit warm...

Should I give him his dose tomrrow? Im torn, also hes due for the appetite stimulator tomorrow?


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Knowing that Baytril can cause ocular damage in cats, including permanent blindness, I, personally, would NOT give the cat any more Baytril if one of his eyes has started to look abnormal after starting Baytril. If your vet was informed that one of your cat's eyes looks abnormal, and the vet did not insist on seeing the cat right away, I'd be looking for a new vet immediately.

Laurie


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

BTW, what exactly did your cat recover from after October?


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

In october he wasnt eating much and I was finding undigested puke in my yard, he was given doxycline i think it was but unable to take it. He would foam and go frantic and throw up, I stopped that antibiodic and he made a full recovery..

I have posts of it under my name somewhere on here

His eye looks normal now, maybe its because he was sleeping all day, actually hes still half sleepin by me


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Your vet prescribed doxy for an elderly cat who was vomiting undigested food with a diminished appetite? Unless there's more to that story than you've told here, your vet is making nonsensical use of antibiotics. It REALLY is time to seek out another veterinary opinion before your current vet does real damage to your cat.

Laurie


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Burt,
From another thread, I see he was diagnosed FIV positive, and had anemia, towards the end of that thread, also a possible UTI...
You really need to get copies of all tests ran on Smokey...
Sharon


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

We will stop the antibiodics, what about very small dose of the appetite stimulant, should I give him that tomorrow?


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

We will stop the antibiodics, what about very small dose of the appetite stimulant, should I give him that tomorrow?

Everything you said makes perfect sensce, I dont trust a lot of doctors period, even my own doctor. I once stayed home from work and needed a bogus doctors paper, he prescribed me antibiodics for a throat infection I never even had....

He seems very weak from that antibiodics, its probably killing him....

Why did my vet just guess..possible urinary infection based on my words of drinking and peeing, prescribe very strong drugs...


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Baytril may be causing lethargy and uncoordination in your cat, but it's probably not causing his weakness. Anemia, however, can cause severe weakness, depending on the severity of the anemia (severe enough, and it will kill your cat). It can also strip the appetite. In geriatric animals, anemia is also usually progressive, so it's likely that your cat is more anemic now than he was in Oct, esp. if you have not been treating his anemia in any way.

Many vets throw antibiotics at ailments in the absence of a firm diagnosis. It's a dangerous strategy that is far too widespread in veterinary practice. At the risk of repeating myself again and again and again, you REALLY need to get your cat to another vet for diagnostic testing, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment.

As far as the mirtazapine is concerned, if your cat became hypervocal on his original dose, it would be reasonable to reduce the next dose. But frankly, I've used both mirtazapine and cyproheptadine as appetite stimulants in my own cats, and I much prefer cypro. Cypro is dosed daily, so it's easier to adjust the dose to achieve the desired appetite stimulant effect while minimizing or eliminating the undesirable effects. Also, cypro generally does a better job at improving my cats' appetites than does mirtazapine (though it needs to be noted that cypro doesn't work on all cats).

Laurie


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

5 am and my cat has what feels like moist ear lobes when I pull on them?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Cyproheptadine is what my vet prescribed for MowMow. If he gets at all nauseous or stressed.... or the moon and the stars don't align JUST right he stops eating. 

Cypro is awesome, I always give him 2 chances for meals before he gets one. Meaning if he skips a meal, fine. I watch him but don't do anything. If he turns down a SECOND meal (2 in a row), then he gets a cypro and the meal 45 minutes after the pill. He's always RAVENOUS between 45 minutes and an hour after a Cyrpo, it warms my heart to watch him dig into food after he's had one....and then beg for seconds, which he always gets.

I've never heard of 'moist' earlobes. I have no idea what that can indicate.


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

burt said:


> 5 am and my cat has what feels like moist ear lobes when I pull on them?


It was just the cold weather i think


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Burt,

Thinking of you and Smokey. I hope you find a good, competent vet today, one who will do a complete senior panel, urinalysis, and check thyroid levels (T3 & T4). If he does have urinary issues, they normally would take a urine sample (clean catch to check if there's any blood in the urine) followed by a cystocentesis (needle through the bladder to get a sterile sample and check for any bacterial presence). I'm suspect to think that Smokey is going through some other issues besides urinary problems, however, since the first problem you encountered wasn't that. For senior kitties, getting the full bloodwork testing is recommended every 6 months. Things that were normal 6 months prior can all change quickly, so if your initial vet didn't do those things properly the first time, it'll be even more important to get it right this time around.

Here's a link to help you get started in finding another vet in your area if you haven't been looking just yet:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/...?sa=X&ei=PXLKVMy3G86uogTsi4GICQ&ved=0CMIBELYD

Again, best wishes to you and Smokey...


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

I gave smokey 1/8 mirtazapine and he has major balance issues with his hind legs 2 hours after the meds. Hes walking sideways and he fell when he tried to use his hind leg to scratch his head.

Does it cause balance issues, i stopped giving him baytril


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

Here I am panicking again, called the after hours vet and he told me to keep him inside...I read about serotonin syndrome, spelled it wrong.

Seems like the vets are trying to kill my best friend, im throwing his meds in the trash


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Two of the reported potential side effects of Mirtazapine are fast heart beat (tachycardia) and low blood pressure (hypotension). These side effects are reportedly dose-dependent, but my guess is that other underlying conditions like anemia and FIV may make them more likely to occur, as well. The following link will provide you with information including a list of symptoms of hypotension in cats. You will recognize several of them in your cat.

Feline Low Blood Pressure

This does NOT mean that your cat experienced hypotension after taking Mirtazapine. It's just one possible explanation for what you're seeing. YOUR CAT NEEDS TO SEE A VET WHO CAN PROVIDE AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS!!!

Laurie

BTW, ALL DRUGS can produce negative side effects. The only way to avoid them possibly occurring in your cat is to refuse all drugs, which may, in itself, result in the death of your cat. ALL medical care - human and veterinary - involves risk. It's our responsibility to choose the best possible practitioners and to inform ourselves fully of diagnostic and treatment options.


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## texasgirl (Feb 27, 2013)

My cat, Josie, was excessively drinking and peeing copious amounts, too. When I did the skin check I found she was dehydrated and rushed her to the emergency vet in the middle of the night.

They thought she might have a kidney or liver issue but they did a urinalysis, too, and were shocked that she was shedding keytones in her urine, signaling diabetes.
She wasn't showing any other of the classic symptoms so it was a hard diagnosis to handle and she was incredibly sick. They tried to get a handle on it but she passed away there.
This was at the end of June and I am still grieving.

Please have them do a urinalysis. It may not be diabetes but it's still a test that should be done to rule it out.


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

Well smokey is not as wobbly today, still not doing so well, hes lying down in the bathtub where i have water for him to drink.. He keeps insisting a lot to get in there.

I have been rubbing baby food on his paws for him to lick up..

If hes not better by monday i will take him for bloodwork.

Personally ive been put on sertraline for my anxiety, I have lost around 14 pounds and had to buy some new clothes to fit my waist...

Im never owning a pet again if my phychology cannot handle the inevitable


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

He stumbled into the hallway and peed on the floor...

I just went outside the house and had a break down, total panic attack, .i could hardly walk, sinuses spilling out of my nose

My attatchment to this cat is out of this world, I just dont know how I can get through this

Just thinking of my yard with no grey furball following me around killz me


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Burt...I'm so sorry you're going through this...
Prayers for both of you...
Sharon


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## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

Burt, did you read Laurie and Texasgirl's advice? Laurie is possibly the most extensively educated member on this forum of feline nutrition. Please take her words seriously. Right now what's important is to focus on finding a new, very experienced vet that can help Smokey. Like Laurie and Texasgirl said, he needs to be properly diagnosed and the right tests need to be done. If he is stumbling around and not eating, it may be good to take him to a good emergency vet this weekend if you can instead of waiting until Monday. The sooner the better with health problems, you don't want him to get worse. I know how awful panic attacks are, and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this... Smokey needs you to be strong for him, and help find what's wrong with him. I hope you can get some answers from a good vet so Smokey can be better soon. *hugs*


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

Thank you all your words really do,help me, i had another breakdown a moment ago spilling my guts out, i do it outside away from smokey

I will take him to the vet tomorrow


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

burt, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and Smokey. As stressful as it is to take him to the vet, and I know it has to be terrifying for you, taking action to help him may allow you to focus on his health and push your anxiety level down a little. Try to be strong for him; he will sense your stress, which may make things harder. 

I'm really hoping that these are side effects to the meds that can be resolved through either adjusting the dosing or stopping them. Hugs to you.


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

His red blood count is really low, they are ordering a bone marrow hormone.

His time comes soon, do i give him the hormone or wait a bit longer and say good bye

Oh god help..


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

If his hematocrit is dangerously low, did the vet suggest a blood transfusion to help stabilize him to give the Epogen time to work? What sort of prognosis did the vet give you for Smokey's recovery? Blood transfusion and/or Epogen may provide an extension of a good quality of life for some period of time, depending on the underlying cause of the anemia, but if the vet feels these measures will provide only a very short reprieve for Smokey, it may be kinder to help him pass on now before he weakens further. It would not be humane to continue to allow him to get sicker and weaker if you decide against giving him Epogen. Either treat the anemia or euthanize him now. Don't put off making a decision one way or the other.

If you need more information about the treatment options and his prognosis, go back to the vet and ask questions until you are satisfied that you have the answers you need to make a well-informed decision. Then spend some time alone with Smokey and ask him what he wants. If you really tune into him, he'll find a way to give you his answer.

Laurie


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

smokey left me a hour half ago, i love you smokey i love you

hes so soft and handsome bye my love


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Smokey has been released from a body that was no longer able to contain his great spirit. 

I wish you a peaceful grief,

Laurie


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Burt,
I am crying for your loss:'( I am so sorry...
When...you think you can...we have a VERY Special Thread, where we Remember and Honor those, that have crossed The Rainbow Bridge, ahead of us...
Please feel free to Honor Smokey there...
(((HUGS))) across the miles, for you.
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

burt, I am so, so sorry.  He knows how much you loved him. So many of us know what you are going through, and we are all grieving with you. 

Many hugs.


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## burt (Jun 2, 2014)

hi, it hurts so bad, ive never felt this bad before, im going crazy without him..I cant stop hearing his last cries,him leaving me, the way he fell over from his crouch, when he fell over i knew , i knew its on repeat repeat repeat

hes not here with me on my blanket, hes cold in the ground. i want to hug him soo badly my heart is torn in half

im having a very difficult time, its in the morning and i have nobody to feed to hug to kiss

i still can barely eat, he was my only boy so handsome


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I know that this seems too soon and too sudden after losing your love but perhaps a youthful playful happy kitten or even a puppy might ease the pain a little (and I do mean a little). You don't have to forget about your beautiful boy to open your heart a tiny bit to another pet.

Someone to give you a reason to get up in the morning who needs your love and care. Think of all the hungry sick kittens and puppies who could be made healthy and would be so happy just to have someone care for them.

No, it won't be your sweet boy or have his habits and some of that will feel disappointing but having a little buddy to play with might at least take your mind of it for a few minutes and you might not feel so alone. Think of how happy he would be and what a tribute that would be to him. For you to save another little life like you cared for his all those years.

I *DO* know how you feel, this is just how I felt when my Mini dog passed. I wanted so badly to go with her. I didn't ever want another pet after she went... but then I thought maybe a cat. Definitely never another dog and it was perfect. I adopted MowMow and I didn't expect him to be like Mini because he was a cat...and sure enough I love him just as much as I did her. It took about 6 months to even get attached, but he gave me now choice. He wheedled his way right into my heart without my even realizing it. He's my angel and my heart.

Take care of yourself and think about it. It doesn't even have to be a cat. Any animal that needs a forever home. A pet that NEEDS you as much as you need it. It might sooth the ache a tiny bit.


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