My cat has low folate. Is a B vitamin enough or does she need a shot?

While I don't have concerns about those specific ingredients, supplementing folate is not typically necessary for an adult cat. Low folate is a sign that the bacterial flora in the intestinal tract is out of balance, often because of a disease like inflammatory bowel disease and the test is often run to look for this problem. Treatment usually focuses on treating the underlying disease which will correct the folate. I would recommend talking to your veterinarian before choosing to supplement orally.

Not necessarily in regards to there being vomiting / diarrhea. Animals with IBD may have other symptoms such as weight loss, poor appetite, lethargy, etc. without vomiting / diarrhea. I will say it is common to see vomiting / diarrhea but I wouldn't rule out IBD until a biopsy has been obtained yet. Folate is absorbed in the proximal small intestine only. Values that are high are consistent with bacterial overgrowth and values that are low are consistent with disease affecting the small intestinal malabsorption. A biopsy of the GI tract may also help reveal what type of bacteria would be causing an infection if bacteria is the cause. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Cat is so sick! You can certainly give vitamin B12 injections at home if your vet agrees that this may be helpful for your kitty - this is a very common part of treatment for a variety of different problems, and is quite easy to do. Your vet will need to order it for you, since it isn't normally available over the counter. I'm not sure if you had any other questions about your cat's illness, but if so, feel free to post again and we will do our best to answer.

Usually we do end up giving some sort of supplementation to cats with severe IBD. However if their intestines are not absorbing things normally often we have to get the supplementation as injections. This is something your veterinarian could do or even teach you how to do. I recommend contacting them to set this up.

I don’t typically worry about Vitamin B deficiency in cats with CKD. It is common in cats with GI disease or diarrhea. B vitamins are safe in appropriate amounts, but I would recommend that you consult with your vet about any supplements. The kidneys are responsible for excreting excess b vitamins, and if they are severely impaired, there could be negative side effects.

Hi, thanks for using Pet Coach forum. Yes, usually vitamin B12, folate and pancreatic test are included in the complete GI (gastrointestinal) panel. There are many different fecal tests but I am sure your vet has chosen the one most appropriate for your kitty and, as they are negative, the vets need further information (blood test) to reach a definitive diagnosis for your cat gastrointestinal problem. Good luck and post again on the forum if you need further advices. I hope my answer was helpful.

No it is not safe to give your cat Vitamin B human grade b/c this would overdose him. In fact Vitamin B12 is not absorbed readily by mouth and must be given by injection to pets. This also isn't much of an appetite stimulant, but mostly helps with intestinal malabsorption. I would suggest that you ask your vet for anti-nausea medication (Cerenia) which is actually labeled to use for cats with kidney problems that have decreased appetite. It also help with nausea, which in turn can increase his appetite. Also you can look into Azodyl supplements to help lower his kidney values, which in turn can help with the nausea as well and manage his kidney disease better. https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=azodyl&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=241645664779&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14854120277917394511&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028263&hvtargid=kwd-3477607953&ref=pd_sl_7qkvgeqbgm_e Best of luck with your pet Tikvichko and I hope he manages his kidney disease well here moving forward! Take care.