Conference misery::feline_v1

    My vet once prescribed a drug called chloramphenicol for one of my cats
    for the same problem.  This drug is used to treat some type of
    infection which is very difficult to diagnose with urine
    samples/cultures and it's easier to just prescribe this drug than
    trying to determine if the cat has this type of infection.  I can't
    remember what the specific name of the infection is or if it's
    bacterial in nature or something else, but you might want to mention
    this drug to your vet to see if he/she thinks it's worth trying.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Terry
    

    My cat is having a contrast X-ray (double study) this Friday.  A
    regular X-ray showed some type of abnormality in the bladdar but I
    understand that this test will also show if stones, pollyps , etc. are
    present.  Pippin has ben healthy in every other way and in a discussion
    with my husband last night, we decided that it was best just to get to
    the bottom of it rather than stressing her out and spending money on a
    variety of tests that would only lead up to having the contrast X-ray
    done in the end.  Has she had a regular X-ray done?
    
    Giudi

    Chloramphenicol is a very strong drug and it is my opinion that it
    should be used only as a last resort, if no other medication will work. 
    This drug has been linked to Aplastic Anemia in cats and people.  If
    your cat has no bacteria showing up in her urine cultures, than
    antibiotics probably aren't going to do a thing for her problem anyway.
    
    I think that if this was my cat, I would do the contrast x-ray.  Blood
    in the urine is not normal, so something must be up.  The contrast
    x-ray may tell you what is wrong.  Have you talked with the vet about 
    the expense and asked him if you can make payments weekly towards the 
    cost?  Many vets will do things like this.  Especially if you have been 
    a client for a long time.  Why not try that, then if he can't take
    payments towards it, maybe he can suggest another course of action that
    would be less expensive.  Also, ask him what he expects to find on the
    contrast x-ray, and what the course of treatment would be.  That way
    you will get some idea of what you are up against dollar wise.  It
    could be that the x-ray will show the presence of pollyps or cysts that
    wuold then require surgery to remove.  Find this out up front.
    
    Jo

    
    	Got a little more info from the vet - her blood screen is 
    	showing a high lymphocyte count, which she is having rechecked
    	to make sure they're not nucleatic RBC's. If not, then steroid
    	treatment may be the next course. She also has an elevated
    	eosinophil count. It is VERY rare for cats to have eosinophilic
    	cystitis, but it could be a result of flea infestation, which we
    	have finally completely conquered. So now we wait for the recheck
    	on the blood screen. There is a _very_ low possibility that she
    	has an autoimmune disease. 
    
    	Depending on what the vet has to say tonight, I am going to suggest
    	steroids first, xray as a last resort. And this is mainly because 
    	Squeek does not in any way seem to be suffering, or I would worry
    	about treating her more aggressively. And again, the vet has felt
    	her bladder several times, and not felt anything abnormal (which 
    	does not mean there's nothing there, I know). 
    
    	Sherry
    

    Does she also have a high total protein??
    
    Jo