My cat has diarrhea on antibiotics for UTI. What should I do?

Fortiflora is a probiotic that aims to maintain the "good" gut bacteria that is part of the normal intestinal flora. The "good" bacteria can be killed during antibiotic therapy, which can result in diarrhea. The Fortiflora website makes claims about supporting overall immune health, but to my knowledge, maintaining an appropriate bacterial balance in the gut is the main objective. All of that said, Fortiflora can absolutely be helpful during antibiotic therapy, but be sure to put it on Duck's food between his doses of medication rather than simultaneously to allow for maximum efficacy. I hope that all goes well!

It may be related to the recent stress of the infection or medications that were given. I would just keep an eye on it. If it continues for 24-48 hours or if Chibi develops additional symptoms, such as poor appetite or lethargy, I would definitely have him re-examined by the vet.

I'm sorry to hear that Duck is still so uncomfortable! Most cats show significant improvement with respect to their UTI signs within 2 days of antibiotic treatment. Since Duck is still vocalizing in the litter box, his infection may be resistant to the antibiotics being used. I recommend calling his vet because it may be necessary to perform a urine culture to determine to which antibiotics his infection is sensitive. Continue monitoring the size of his urine clumps and go to an ER vet if the clump sizes become significantly smaller or if he stops urinating altogether. I hope that Duck feels better soon!

I would recommend a urinalysis to make sure the urinary tract infection is completely gone. I would even recommend a urine culture (although can be expensive) it will be a definitive answer. The culture will tell you what type of bacteria and what antibiotics are best. With regards to the stool, I would recheck a stool sample, put Chance on a bland diet and god from there. Depending on his age will depend on what different differentials would be on the list and what we would do next. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would recommend seeing the vet. At this point even if the diarrhea was initially related to the antibiotics Jasper may now have a disruption of his normal intestinal flora that requires additional treatment. It's also possible that the diarrhea is unrelated to the antibiotics and instead is due to intestinal parasites or a food sensitivity. If you wait until he stops eating or loses weight he may require more intensive treatment so I'd recommend making an appointment to see your veterinarian this week.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I want Mittens to get checked out but it's not an emergency. The fact that he is eating and acting normally is huge and a very good thing. It could be that his GI tract has just been very upset by the antibiotics. While you gather the money for a recheck appointment, try a probiotic like Purina FortiFlora (use as directed on the box). You can also add a fiber supplement like Benefiber powder (tasteless- 1 tsp with each meal). Stay on the GI diet given by your vet as this is likely also helpful. If this seems to fix the problem, great! If not, get into the vet as soon as you are able to get other medications for the diarrhea. Best of luck to you and Mittens!

If your kitty will eat her food when you add benefiber, it likely will help. The diarrhea could be a side effect of the antibiotic, so you may want to check with your vet about whether the antibiotic should be stopped or changed or the course finished anyway.