Expert: Jessica - 3/1/2010

Question
Hi there...

I'm wondering if you could give me some advice, regarding my female, 11 years old Cat.  I took her to my local Veterinarians last week for a routine check, and also because she was licking various parts of her torso causing sore patches.

The Veterinarian administered a shot of depo-medrol, and since the shot...my Cat is drinking and eating, very minimal amounts,and runny stools.  She also seems very depressed, and I have noticed changes in her bahaviour. Storm was also prescribed an antibiotic for a gum infection, but because of her being so sick after the shot..I am very aprehensive about giving them to her, incase it makes her even sicker than she already is.

Could you please offer me any advice.... my Cat was fine before this steroid shot, and I am very worried for her. What should my next course of action be?
Any help will be greatly appreciated

Thank you very much.

Answer
Hi Jim.  These aren't the most common side effects of Depo-Medrol, and I wonder if they are related directly to the drug, or if an infection was present that the drug allowed to take hold, as Depo-Medrol has some immunosuppressant properties.

In any case, treating her oral infection is important, as bacteria can travel from her mouth into her blood stream, reaching her liver, kidneys and heart, if her gums are infected.  At the same time, you want to make sure the antibiotic is not going to further upset her stomach, and she needs to start eating again.  I'm not sure which antibiotic you were given, but it's time to put a call in to the vet!

One medication that can be helpful for oral infections and easy on the stomach is Convenia.  This is given as a one-time injection.  It lasts for 14 days.  That will take care of her gums, and your vet may want to treat her concurrently with a different antibiotic for her belly problems.  Of course, that would be one treatment plan, but there are numerous medications that could fit the bill.  I think your vet should be able to come up with a good treatment plan to cover both her oral infection and her gastrointestinal problems at the same time.

Unfortunately, there's nothing to combat the Depo-Medrol injection - it just has to wear off over the next few weeks.  If the itchy skin comes back and you wanted to see if the Medrol really was the cause of her belly problems, you might discuss giving her a short-acting steroid as a trial.  Triamcinolone is an injectable that lasts only a couple of days, and oral prednisone lasts only about a day.

I hope she's feeling better soon!

Jessica