#1
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Kitten with tritrichomonas foetus
Hello Cat People
We just found out that our Mukmuk has the tritrichomonas foetus parasite. It's a particularly resistant protozoan that lives in his bowels. It causes chronic diarrhea in (usually) young cats. Has anyone ever had experience with this? I've also read that it can be a problem in rescue shelters/catteries. I wonder if I should notify the rescue that Mukmuk came from, as "heads-up" information. Our vet clinic was excellent. We will hopefully start treatment early this week (after the long weekend). Pray that there will be no neurotoxic reactions in our Mukmuk as that is a potential concern with the drug used to treat the T. foetus. Will keep updating as we progress.... |
#2
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I've never had a cat with trich but I definitely think that you should notify the rescue place that Mukmuk came from, and you might give them the name of the vet and phone no. of the vet who diagnosed it. Certainly hope the medication eradicates this parasite. Hope all the best for Mukmuk.
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#3
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It is a very resistant protozoan. Typically Ronidazole is the drug of choice. It is (flagyl) Metronidazole's big brother. As it does cross the blood brain barrier, some cats will have neurologic signs which will go away with a decrease or cessation of the medication.
Here is an excerpt from a client education on Tritrichomonas. It is written by Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP "How do Cats get Infected?
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Christopher A. Lee, DVM, MPH, Diplomate ACVPM Preventive Medicine Specialist With a Focus on Immunology and Infectious Disease myvetzone.com Last edited by Dr Lee; May 22nd, 2010 at 05:27 PM. |
#4
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Thanks, Dr. Lee! I appreciate the information.
Will have to get some gloves... Here's hoping Mukmuk won't experience any neurotoxic side-effects and that our other cat Maomao hasn't picked up the nasty parasite |
#5
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Speedy healing for Mukmuk & Maomao hasn't picked it up
I think it's a good idea to tell the rescue just in case they have had others with the same symptoms but no firm diagnosis yet, the info may point them in the right direction
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Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
#6
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Holy catz, kungfuMao, that sounds like a nasty one.
for a successful treatment and a quick recovery for Mukmuk!!!
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"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference." "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!" "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." |
#7
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This is not the most pleasant of infectious bugs to deal with! I have treated several though and they did well. The last time I prescribed it, we were treating three cats with the ronidazole and it was a tad pricy too.
Best wishes for a speedy and uneventful recovery
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Christopher A. Lee, DVM, MPH, Diplomate ACVPM Preventive Medicine Specialist With a Focus on Immunology and Infectious Disease myvetzone.com |
#8
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you are lucky you have a vet who is up on it..... I have a high percentage F2 Savannah.... I have taken about a dozen bloody poops in to be tested, and have taken her in since I had her 3 days, saying something is wrong.... she will not eat! Always a fecal float.... which will not show it up. Finally I brought 3 bloody poops in, all within 12 hours.... he put her under to do a biopsey of egc in her mouth.... she was out cold. He picked her up and poop ran out all over his pants. Later, he said she had geardia.... showed me the quickly dying things.... we treated her for a few days. Then he called and said it was a very "rare thing" tritrich, that he has only found 1 time in 35 years. (he was not looking in the right place!) I have a lot of savannah breeder friends and between them and learning ALL that I could on it, I knew we had to treat her. He said it would be gone in 2 years.... I have 6 cats, and told him this is not an option. I went to work educating him and myself. I just got the meds for all 6 cats, today. I look forward to having some healthy cats, although 5 of the 6 show no symptoms. By now, I have over $10,000.00 in my Kaya!
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