Why is my sick senior cat not eating while on prescribed antibiotics?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Since you are in day 1 of the antibiotics I think it would be fair to give it a bit more time to see if Musika gets better. You can try to entice his appetite with things like tuna, tuna water and chicken. If his appetite does not improve by tomorrow, let your veterinarian know as anorexia can be detrimental to a cat's health. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would agree with the veterinarian that the blood work does not look concerning at this time. If his appetite has decreased with antibiotics, I would recommend discontinuing the antibiotics and seeing how his appetite improves. If he continues to be inappetant or is lethargic, I would have the veterinarian recheck him to ensure everything is ok. If he continues to be itchy, I would recommend using a topical shampoo such as Douxo PS shampoo which can be found online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would also recommend using Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent, which can also be found online. If he continues to be itchy, it may be time to consider switching to a different food or even consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist. 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!

Hi and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are many reasons why Ariel could stop eating, one of which could be the antibiotic (Augmentin). The reason she is on Augmentin could be another reason why she has stopped eating. Augmentin does have a potential to be rough on the GI system, it can cause animals to have GI signs, ie vomiting, diarrhea and not wanting to eat. Often times if it is given with a meal these signs are avoided; however, just like in humans every animal responds differently to medication. Ariel may just be sensitive to Augmentin. I would recommend offering boiled, skinless chicken breast; even chicken or turkey baby food to encourage her to eat-try warming the food up as that often encourages them to eat as well. I would also speak with your veterinarian about her medication as she does need to be on a medication for the underlying condition-it just may need to be a different one. I hope Ariel starts to feel better. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like you pointed out, it is possible that this is all related to the trip. I would recommend to just continue with the current plan for now. If it is just related to the trip, she should start feeling better soon. If her appetite has not improved by tomorrow, let your veterinarian know as the other possibility would be that the antibiotics are causing her to lose her appetite which is a common side effect seen with some antibiotics. Good luck! I hope this is just transient and she goes back to normal.

If the antibiotic is causing some stomach upset, contact your veterinarian and request a different antibiotic. You can also ask for an injectable antibiotic, such as Convenia, which will bypass his gastrointestinal system. Subcutaneous fluids can be adminstered to maintain hydration. Warm his food slightly or mix in some plain baby food to stimulate his appetite. If he won't eat, you may need to syringe feed him. If there is an abscess from the bite wound, it needs to be lanced and drained. Pain medication may be needed. Do not medicate him with any over the counter medicines. Many can be toxic to cats.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Leo is having this problem. Many antibiotics cause gastrointestinal issues in cats so you will need to call your vet and let them know what is going on. Most likely they will have you stop one or both of the antibiotics and prescribe something different. I would also suggest that you put him on a pre/probiotic while he is taking antibiotics and then continue for at least one week after the antibiotics have been stopped. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for the question. It sounds like Gregory has finished 2 days of the medication that was prescribed by your veterinarian. I would recommend finishing the prescribed medication, and then going back in for a recheck if he isn't improving. At any time if Gregory is getting worse, then don't wait to finish the medication. Often, without more testing (lab tests and x-rays) we don't know exactly what we are treating for. If Gregory is not improving, your veterinarian may recommend more testing to try and find a cause for his symptoms. I'm glad he is doing a little better so far, and I hope his appetite improves.