Took my 3-month-old kitten to the vet for a routine checkup and loose stool. He came back a completely different cat, and now the vet is suggesting euthanasia. What could have happened?
Putting updates at the top:
Update : second vet said it’s basically terrible, 50/50 chance of survival. He has jaundice and his gums are yellow, extremely high fever and showing signs of liver failure. Said possibly either FIV or FIP. Said he would need extensive care to recover and it’s not guaranteed. Multiple days of hospitalization plus further tests would cost around $3,500 overall. We decided to go with the blood tests / X-rays to atleast know what it could be. I am at a loss.
Final update for now: blood work and X-ray showed anemia , low blood cell count and extreme fluid in the stomach, a bunch of other words I didn’t really understand but the doctor said it’s most likely FIP from what he can see, we’re sending the fluid to get lab tested to confirm it’s FIP. Second vet said he needs extensive care and is in a critical condition. He’s currently being hospitalized for a minimum of 3 days and will be getting fed through syringe and tube if needed and will have IV fluids. Once test is confirmed he will start treatment. He said it’s still a 50/50 chance he makes it but I’d rather try and know I did the best I could than not.
I’m honestly devastated and confused right now, and I’m hoping someone here has experienced something similar.
We got our kitten, Otis, on October 11. He’s only 3 months old, and up until his first vet visit, he was a completely normal, happy, energetic kitten. He was eating and drinking A LOT (multiple bowls of food and water a day), playing, and acting completely fine.
The only issue was that his stool was consistently runny and sometimes left streaks behind. So we took him to the vet for a regular checkup, vaccines, and to figure out what was causing it.
The vet gave him a deworming pill and medication for his diarrhea.
Everything changed after he took that pill.
He went from eating and drinking constantly to barely touching either. It’s now been FOUR DAYS of him barely eating or drinking. He’ll occasionally drink tiny amounts of water and take a few bites if I hand-feed him, but that’s it. He sleeps almost the entire day, has no energy, and is completely unrecognizable compared to the kitten we brought home.
We took him back to the vet today, and we were told we basically have two options: put him down or pay $1,500 for diagnostic tests to figure out what’s wrong.
I’m choosing to do the tests because I just can’t bring myself to put down a 3-month-old kitten who seemed perfectly healthy only days ago without even knowing what’s wrong.
What I can’t understand is how we went from having a kitten whose only noticeable issue was loose stool to being told he might need to be euthanized just days after a routine vet visit.
Has anyone experienced anything similar after their kitten was given deworming or diarrhea medication? Could this be a reaction, an underlying illness, or something else entirely?
I’m not necessarily blaming the vet or saying the medication caused this, but the timing is really hard to ignore.
I’m terrified of losing him. We’ve barely had him for two weeks, and I never imagined we’d be facing something like this so soon.
TLDR: My previously healthy, energetic 3-month-old kitten went to the vet for a routine checkup, vaccines, and loose stool. After being given deworming and diarrhea medication, he suddenly stopped eating and drinking normally, became extremely lethargic, and hasn’t been himself for four days. The vet is now suggesting euthanasia or $1,500 in diagnostic tests. We’re choosing the tests, but I’m desperate to understand what could have caused such a sudden decline. Has anyone experienced anything similar?
Additional Info: • Poster Age: 31 • Country: Canada • Vet Info: Otis has been seen by the vet twice. We took him back today because of his sudden decline, and the vet recommended either euthanasia or approximately $1,500 in diagnostic testing. We’re choosing to proceed with the tests. • Cat Age: 3 months • Cat Sex: Male, not neutered • Financial Situation: We’re willing to pay for the $1,500 in testing to find out what’s wrong with him.