TF us shed intermittently so sample a little bit of every poo for 3 days... That way you minimise the chances of getting a false negative.

I would not have the blood testing done until after the results of the stool samples.... Stool sampling is completely un invasive, whereas blood sampling is an invasive test. I would rule out parasites first (the most likely) before looking for the very rate causes.... Unless he shows other signs of illness.

Just check a full PCR panel includes Tritrichomonas foetus....

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Lollo

Hey everyone,

The most recent frustration is this: Since I've had Harley, his stools have never been 100% formed and regular looking. They've always had at least one part that was unformed and soft. Now suddenly, for the past 2 days since I've started trying to collect samples, his stools have looked perfectly normal and formed. I've still collected some today, but I'm worried that because it's not the symptomatic stool I was hoping to collect that it may not reveal anything if there is a parasite.

The only thing that I can think that might have caused the change, was over a week ago we started making the transition to a new food (From Royal Canin, to Wellness), because at the time I was sure it was probably just diet related (the loose stools). Since then I've changed nothing, especially since I was informed it may be a parasite and to keep his diet constant.

What would you guys recommend at this point? The Wellness isn't a raw food, but it is a new food to Harley, could it be masking the symptoms of a parasite, or is it likely that the loose stools were caused by something in his other food? Should I keep him on the Wellness at this point? I still want to have Harley tested, but it's frustrating that his one and only symptom (loose stools) has at least temporarily vanished. Part of me is hoping it comes back, just so we can test and treat whatever it is. What if the symptom doesn't return? How many parasite tests should be done before a negative is pretty conclusive?

Sigh, not sure what to do. Any advice would be a huge help at this point.

Thanks guys

x Renae

To be honest, I'm feeding Cyrus the cheapest Iams food right now to keep it diarrhetic in case I need more samples, until we get results from his tests in a few days. If I were you I'd feed him some cheaper dry food (I get cheaper food because Cyrus eats A LOT right now and isn't gaining or losing any weight) until Harley is having mostly runny stool consistently, and then collect your samples. Good luck. :)

I think you should probably read this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20564

I know I'm probably in the minority here, but knowing what I know now about TF, I think if I were in your shoes I would wait to test. Wait until the diet is settled, wait until you've spoken to the vet and maybe do the "easy" fecal flotation test and that sort of thing. Read up on what the TF symptoms are and see if your cat is actually matching those symptoms, and only then consider testing. The reason why I say this is the nature of this test. Basically that if you get back a negative result, the test has told you nothing. I guess you really have to ask yourself what you would do if you got back the negative result? If your answer is anything other than "re-test" or "treat it proactively", then I almost think there is no point in doing the test.

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The little monsters 3

Personally I would not test if he is not symptomatic!!! It will be a waste of time and money in my opinion. Others might disagree but I wouldn't force him to have diahrrea if his tummy is not agreeing with him on its own is one thing, but I wouldn't give him anything(including different food) to induce diahrrea. As long as you have no other pets and don't plan to add any in the near future I would wait. If it's tf it will show its self again. I had the same thing happen with Jasper, he would get better for a few weeks and diahrrea for a few weeks. Each time it cleared up it came back way worse than it was the time before. It got to the point where he could no longer control it and it would literally leak out
Of him. I would see the vet get collection containers and set the money aside and wait. If it doesn't show again then you will just have extra savings! Of course make sure it's ok with the vet that you can just bring the samples by when you have collected enough, I don't see the point of bringing him in to only send off a stool sample you have already collected.

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If you want to test, but his stool never becomes completely liquid, you could try a saline flush. When he's having softer stool, the vet can insert a catheter(?) into his butt, push a saline solution through his way-up-there intestine with a syringe, and pull it back out. Then they centrifuge the solution to get just the fecal sample. You could also try a fecal loop, but I think it would be less effective.

When I asked my vet if they did that they had no idea what I was talking about, but after research said they could do it but would sedate him a bit. I don't think anyone would hold still if they had something shoved in their butt. :p but that's just a last resort you might consider if Harley won't provide at least mostly soft stool.

I have read that saline flush is not a good way to get accurate results. If you do plan to get another cat within a year or so I would at least go ahead and do a standard fecal float on Monday. If he has tf chances are he will also test positive for giardia. According to a breeder I know a cat rarely test positive for one without the other. I would also think that with you moving the stress from the move will probably make him have a flare up of diahrrea. Stress can cause tf to shed and moving locations is probably one of the most stressful things for a cat.

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