Sunday, June 25, 2006

one parasite is not the same as the other!!


Last Sunday I took the kits to the shelter and had a fecal done because their stools were so loose. The result - I was told - was round worm. So they went on dewormer. I did a double normal dose to start (it's safe according to the vet) and then was supposed to do it for three days. Well, it didn't make a bit of difference, so I kept doing it. Still no chance. after two days I put them back on Albon (which they had been on at least a week prior to the fecal). Saturday I took the kittens back in with another stool sample (on a plastic spoon since it was so loose and everyone laughed at me thinking I was going to feed it to someone)

The head medical tech / co-manager looked at it and immediately said it was coccidia. Since they had been on albon, and it was still wall to wall (she was amazed/stunned at how many there were) I asked if there was anything else I could give them since they had been on albon, and their gums were getting pale and this just wasn't working. She said yes there was but that the shelter didn't have it. The dr that the shelter works with (the one I used to work for and who is a JERK) has no experience with this particular drug so he said they couldn't have it. Since they order their meds through him, they have to keep their relationship a positive one. I offered to try to buy it elsewhere since it is a horse dewormer. Yup. A horse dewormer - Marquis Paste. She warned me it would be expensive, around $200 - $300. Which I don't mind if it is going to work. I suppose I would mind if it was $200 for a single dose, but it isn't. (not that $200 would stop me - would be worth it not to lose the kittens) But unfortunately, I couldn't find it anywhere local. I asked her a bit more about it, and apparently, the other local shelter uses it with good success. I asked if maybe I might be able to buy a few doses from them - which the manager thought was a good idea, so she called them up. They gave it to us. I gave it to the kittens yesterday, and it looks like it is the miracle that the other shelter said it was.

I'm pretty amazed at the turnaround! They dilute the paste quite a bit, but it still has the consistency of toothpaste. after 24 hours their stools look normal, and they are doing much better. They are on a supplement to help them regain their coloring.. but at this point, I would say not only are they out of the woods, they are out in the field hunting mice :D




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