Last summer. after years of using Frontline I opted for cheaper (I thought) and used Hartz on my cat Bootsie. She almost died and spent two days in the hospital. Now if she even sees a flea she breaks out in a severe rash.
This time is worse. I took her to a friends vet last week and they washed her ears and dipped her in Lyme Sulphur and put her on prednisone and antibiotics.
Since then she has bee disoriented and off balance. She has also had trouble eating. And the rash and scatching in worse. Last night her stool was a little loose.f a shampoo might help with the itching and they wanted to see her and give her a shot.
When they examined her she had a lot of ear drainage and when they opened her mouth her tongue was black. They said they had never seen this and wanted to keep her for observation. The rash is horrible and she has several spots that are bleeding.
Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I am frantic!!
Emergency! please help me!!!!!
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
The best thing I can advise you is to request a complete blood workup on your kitty, including both chemical analysis and hematology....A CBC may indicate allergies (i.e., flea allergy dermatitis) or inflammation, the blood can tell your vet much about immunological potentials. The vet could determine flea allergy dermatitis simply by exam or slide exam, but there may be an underlying unrelated condition surfacing, in which bloodwork can be a helpful tool in ruling them out.
Kitty could also have been sensitive to the sulphur dip and experienced a reaction. Ask your vet to double-check on the application and rule out allergic reaction.
The black tongue could indicate a toxin of some sort (did she lick at or ingest the sulphur after the bath?)...check your home for any tell tale signs of ingestion of pills, medications, plants, and also rule out electocution from an electrical cord, especially if her tonge is seared, swollen, or burned (like 2nd or 3rd degree)
The imbalance could be from an inner ear infection. Without an exudate on slide exam, don't know what your vet diagnosed (mites, vs yeast vs bacterial infection)...if the infection is severe, then incoordination, head tilting, scratching and head shaking can all occur. With antibiotic support, this should clear up soon, but you'll want to follow up soon on this to ensure that the bacteria is identified properly, so that it responds best to the antibiotics most appropriate. I am assuming your vet gave you otic rinse and ear meds to apply at home? If not, call first thing in the a.m. and inquire about that.
If your vet is stumped or has not properly identified flea-allergy dermatitis, get a second opinion immediately, and take kitty's current records with you, a new vet would need to know exactly what has been applied topically (i.e., the lyme dip), by injection or oral meds (i.e., the prednisone, type of antibiotic, etc), as he would need to rule out medicine reactions as well.
Kitty could also have been sensitive to the sulphur dip and experienced a reaction. Ask your vet to double-check on the application and rule out allergic reaction.
The black tongue could indicate a toxin of some sort (did she lick at or ingest the sulphur after the bath?)...check your home for any tell tale signs of ingestion of pills, medications, plants, and also rule out electocution from an electrical cord, especially if her tonge is seared, swollen, or burned (like 2nd or 3rd degree)
The imbalance could be from an inner ear infection. Without an exudate on slide exam, don't know what your vet diagnosed (mites, vs yeast vs bacterial infection)...if the infection is severe, then incoordination, head tilting, scratching and head shaking can all occur. With antibiotic support, this should clear up soon, but you'll want to follow up soon on this to ensure that the bacteria is identified properly, so that it responds best to the antibiotics most appropriate. I am assuming your vet gave you otic rinse and ear meds to apply at home? If not, call first thing in the a.m. and inquire about that.
If your vet is stumped or has not properly identified flea-allergy dermatitis, get a second opinion immediately, and take kitty's current records with you, a new vet would need to know exactly what has been applied topically (i.e., the lyme dip), by injection or oral meds (i.e., the prednisone, type of antibiotic, etc), as he would need to rule out medicine reactions as well.
..........Traci
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
The first vet said they saw ear mites and washed her ears. That is what I thought about the motor imbalance. She has the shaking of her head, tilting etc. The second vet could not do a thorough exam because of the thick black exudate in her ears but she said she would do a culture on it.
There are no signs of any kind of electrical burn. I do know she groomed herself after the lyme dip so that may be it. After the Hartz drops she may just be really sensitive to topical treatments.
It just does not make you feel very good when the vet is examining your baby and says "Oh my Lord!!!!"
There are no signs of any kind of electrical burn. I do know she groomed herself after the lyme dip so that may be it. After the Hartz drops she may just be really sensitive to topical treatments.
It just does not make you feel very good when the vet is examining your baby and says "Oh my Lord!!!!"
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
I'm so sorry you first had the experience with Hartz, now this. For what it's worth, I will never recommend ANY Hartz product, ever. They are still containing toxic substances and unfortunately, the EPA only got them to change their instructional label (not that it made any difference)....For more information on Hartz, see Just Say No
The black waxy substance is most likely mites, and a severe infection at that. However, you do need to know if there is more than just mites, kitty could have the mites and and accompanying bacterial infection. Can't stress enough how important monitoring and a followup is because you need to know if the situation is responding to treatment. If the head tilting and incoordination continue past another couple days, contact your vet and rule out toxic exposure and neurological reactions as a result of that exposure.
The black waxy substance is most likely mites, and a severe infection at that. However, you do need to know if there is more than just mites, kitty could have the mites and and accompanying bacterial infection. Can't stress enough how important monitoring and a followup is because you need to know if the situation is responding to treatment. If the head tilting and incoordination continue past another couple days, contact your vet and rule out toxic exposure and neurological reactions as a result of that exposure.
..........Traci
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
Thanks so much Traci. I will know more tomorrow when I go check on her at the vets. I guess she is better off there for now than here with me.
I am a pediatric nurse and I know kids but nothing about veterinary medicine.
I did know what the vet meant when she said whatever it is is affecting her systemically. I have been searching the internett on black tongue- That is how I found this wonderful site.
The only things I came up with was some kind of toxic reaction or a Niacin deficiency which did not seem plausible- but the symptoms fit that too. She has alway eaten well and never eats table scraps or people food. Just Purina cat chow.
I am a pediatric nurse and I know kids but nothing about veterinary medicine.
I did know what the vet meant when she said whatever it is is affecting her systemically. I have been searching the internett on black tongue- That is how I found this wonderful site.
The only things I came up with was some kind of toxic reaction or a Niacin deficiency which did not seem plausible- but the symptoms fit that too. She has alway eaten well and never eats table scraps or people food. Just Purina cat chow.
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
Yeah!!!!! Bootsie got to come home today. They gave her a shot of Depo Medrol. They treated her with Advantage and also put her on Tresderm (sp) for her ears.
After the shot her tongue started changing back to pink (around the edges-the center is still black). They said there was no necrosis on her tongue and they look for a complete recovery.
They seem to thin that it did have something to do with the dip the other vet used.
Tonight she followed me around talking to me almost back to her old self. AND she actually ate some of her dry food (the first in a week)!!!!!!
I got her a pet pillow today and right now she is curled up in a little ball sound asleep. At 4 pounds she looks kind of lost on it LOL. Everyone at the vet's office was talking about what a sweetheart she is. I remember one time coming into the kitchen and seeing my then 13 month old son pulling himself up with Bootsie's tail which was hanging over the edge of the counter. She just sat there and let him! She is so tolerant of him even now that he is three and likes to kiss and try to cuddle her.
Last night as I was putting him to bed he told me "I miss Bootsie but the dr will make her all better and bring her home."
And the Dr. did make her better.
After the shot her tongue started changing back to pink (around the edges-the center is still black). They said there was no necrosis on her tongue and they look for a complete recovery.
They seem to thin that it did have something to do with the dip the other vet used.
Tonight she followed me around talking to me almost back to her old self. AND she actually ate some of her dry food (the first in a week)!!!!!!
I got her a pet pillow today and right now she is curled up in a little ball sound asleep. At 4 pounds she looks kind of lost on it LOL. Everyone at the vet's office was talking about what a sweetheart she is. I remember one time coming into the kitchen and seeing my then 13 month old son pulling himself up with Bootsie's tail which was hanging over the edge of the counter. She just sat there and let him! She is so tolerant of him even now that he is three and likes to kiss and try to cuddle her.
Last night as I was putting him to bed he told me "I miss Bootsie but the dr will make her all better and bring her home."
And the Dr. did make her better.
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
I'm so glad to hear this news. I hope that things continue to improve. I especially love to hear what a great relationship your son has with your Bootsie. It warms my heart to hear of families who teach children to love their pets as part of the family. Good luck.
Re: Emergency! please help me!!!!!
Great news, Jeana, thank you so much for the update.....Here's hoping she improves even more with each day.....keep us updated.
..........Traci