Kitten on Flagyl for loose stool: Is she contagious? When to introduce?

You should not be worried yet, after several days of diarrhea, the intestines empty completely and it takes 2-4 days to start and having stools again, as long as he is otherwise back to normal that's the most important thing. Flagyl also tends to cause slight constipation, but again nothing to be worried about just yet.

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.

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.

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kittens may have diarrhea and low energy due to a number of conditions including intestinal parasites, viral infections, or a change in diet. I recommend having both kittens examined by a vet as soon as possible, as it is likely that the condition is contagious. To speed up the diagnosis, I recommend bringing a stool sample from the sick kitten in a disposable container for your vet to check for parasites. It is important to have the sick kitten evaluated as kittens can quickly become dehydrated and have low blood sugar, making them feel even worse. While it is unlikely that your son got sick from one of the kittens, it is possible. I recommend that you have him seen by a physician if you are concerned.

Kirito is adorable. Thanks for including a picture. I'm glad to hear that it sounds like he is already improving, but I would recommend giving the medication. Metronidazole is an antibiotic, but it specifically works well to decrease inflammation in the large intestine and help resolve diarrhea, so I would recommend giving it as directed to help resolve the diarrhea. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Kirito's diarrhea resolves soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Magic. This medication is occasionally given long term and is generally a safe medication. It is originally an antibiotic with some anti-diarrhea and anti-inflammatory properties. Typically, for diarrhea this medication is given for up to 10 days then discontinued. Hope this helps and best of luck.