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Cats/Considering putting cat to sleep with IBS- medication does not work
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Question
My parents adopted a cat from a shelter and he just turned a year old this month. The cat had been doing fine, but within the past couple of months he was pooping outside the litter box and there was blood in the stool. They have taken the cat to the vet and they diagnosed him with IBS. They have tried several medications, sprinkling on his food daily and a pill they give him orally every day. He is still pooping quite frequently on beds in the house and my parents do not know what to do now. They are considering putting him to sleep and I just wondered if there were any other options? Please help!!!
Amy,
I am not a vet, and vets often do not like this answer, but, in my opinion, IBS is a catch all for gastrointestinal problems the vet cannot nail down. Often it is a nasty intestinal parasite called tritrichamonas foetus. Fortunately, this is testable anmd treatable.
Here is a link to an excellent lay discussion of this problem:
http://cvm.ncsu.edu/docs/documents/ownersguide_tfoetus_revised_120909.pdf
I ahve spoken to a number of vets that did not know this organism even existed and were able to successfully treat some baffling cases of "IBS".
Good luck and best regards... Norm.
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Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
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