My kitten has coccidia. Metronidazole or wait for ponazuril?

Ponazuril, while not specifically approved for dogs/cats, has been used safely for many cases of coccidia. Often the treatment chosen is based on the veterinarian's training, experience and drugs available. You can discuss using Ponazuril with your veterinarian and if he/she would be comfortable prescribing it.

I wouldn't be too hard on the vet in this case, because shelter vets are quite used to treating these cases and metronidazole kills most of the offenders for causing diarrhea. You are right to be concerned about dehydration and how quickly the treatment should work. In most cases the diarrhea will improve within a day of starting treatment. It may be 3-5 days before his stools are back to normal though. If the explosive diarrhea continues for longer than a day after starting treatment and/or the kitten seems to be very depressed/inactive, then it would be best to return him to the shelter. There are some cases that require hospitalization, but I can assure you that most are treated well at home with the prescribed protocol. For now, I recommend following the veterinarians directions and calling the vet tomorrow if he seems to not be getting any better, or seems to be getting worse. Below is a link to an article about diarrhea in cats that may be helpful. https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-cats/ I hope that helps and the foster kitten gets better soon.

It could be that the diarrhea worsening is independent of the metronidazole as this drug does not help all cases of diarrhea, dependent on the cause. But since it is new it would be best to stop until you can speak with your vet. Has your kitty had a work up for these symptoms? Chronic vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms of several things, but most notably GI disease. It would be abnormal for a cat to need chronic medication for vomiting unless there is a disease process there. Just to help a little, a work up for an older kitty with these signs could include bloodwork with thyroid testing, an abdominal ultrasound, and sampling if needed (dependent on ultrasound). If there is an underlying disease that can be treated your kitty may feel better and need less medications eventually. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Is Tyrion having diarrhea? Some coccidia (of other species) doesn't cause symptoms and just passes through. Since he is a poop eater he could have eaten rabbit or deer poop and the coccidia isn't the dog kind. If that is the case we do not treat it. Otherwise I do not think the metronidazole will get the coccidia but we can see. Recheck a stool in 1 month and have him poop in one location and immediately pick it up. Walk him on a leash to prevent stool eating. Otherwise the following antibiotics get coccidia: Primor or other sulfa drugs, Doxycycline, Minocycline, Chloramphenicol, Ponazuril, and Amprolium Good luck!

Without seeing Z in person, I can't say what is the best course of treatment for him. I'd trust your vet's decision, but if you do have questions, you can always take him into another vet for a second opinion.

Giardia can only be treated with either Metronidazole or Fenbendazole at the appropriate dose for your cats weight. I would consult your vet for the appropriate dosage for your cat since they have examined him before. Veterinary client patient relationship act says that a pet has to be examined by said vet who prescribed that pet medicaiton. I hope this helps. Best wishes and take care.

Hello. I am so sorry for your concerns about Mia. I would not stop the Flagyl without talking to your veterinarian. In addition to its antibiotic properties, this medication can have some anti-inflammatory effect especially in the gut. She may also need some anti-nausea medication like Cerenia to keep her comfortable. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.