Species: Cat Breed: British shorthair Age: 8-11 years
Sorry to bother you again. I wrote to you abt Shakey
who has Pseudomas bacteria infection. You suggested
Zithromax. We spoke with our vet. Who advised us that
French authorities ( we live in France now) do not allow its usage on animals because of TB resistance in humans?
She prescribed a second drug which we inject shakey ourselves every 8 hours for 4 days called G4 or gentamicin which we are giving alongside Marbocyl pills.
We have had to increase her dosage of cortisone to one pill a day 4mg as she is too uncomfortable otherwise.
What do you think abt this treatment?
We have seen Zithromax for sale online do you think we can administer it if we can get it? What would be the dosage?
regards
Altan
Dr. Marie replied:
You're definitely not a bother! I absolutely love helping people out online! I just hope I can be of some assistance to Shakey.
That's frustrating that Zithromax is not available in France. I can understand why. When we first started to realize that it was so effective against respiratory diseases in cats it was prescribed a lot. Over time it was realized that overuse of zithromax can contribute to antibiotic resistance. So, it is not a drug that should be used as a first line antibiotic. I will still use it a couple of times per year for a stubborn case that needs it.
You may want to ask your vet if it is possible to get something called an "emergency drug release". In Canada (where I practice), if a drug is not available here we can sometimes have it shipped to the country if we fill out some government paperwork.
You won't be able to buy it online without a prescription from a vet, and likely they would not be able to ship it to France without governmental permission.
Regarding the gentamicin, I have no concerns with using this drug as long as Shakey has healthy kidneys. Most likely she has had some bloodwork done to be sure of this. If the gentamicin is continued for a significant amount of time your vet may want to do some bloodwork partway through the treatment to make sure the kidneys are ok. The drug is not likely to cause kidney problems, but if any problems were lurking it can make them worse.
Cats tend to handle corticosteroids well, so if she needs a tablet a day for now then this is likely ok.
It sounds like your vet is on the right track.
I really hope things are improving soon!
Dr. Marie
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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
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Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
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