Convenia Long-Acting Antibiotic Injection
Usually that question comes from a pet lover in the form of an objection to having to give oral medications for a two week or longer time period. Up until now our answer has been, “No, an antibiotic injection will last 12 to 24 hours, then we would have to give another one. Do you want to come in every day for 14 days for injections at $35.00 each?”
But the times, they are a’changing.
Enter Convenia, the long-acting antibiotic from Pfizer Animal Health that lasts 10 to 14 days with a single injection. Convenia is more than just penicillin. It’s a broad-spectrum antibiotic (in the simplest terms that means it kills a lot of different kinds of bacteria), so it can be used in a wide variety of infected organ systems and clinical and hospital situations.
Convenia isn’t right for every infection. If it were, it would be the only antibiotic on the market. Instead, there are hundreds and hundreds of antibiotics, each with a situation or organism on which it works best.
If my pet were a patient, I would sure ask my pet’s doctor if Convenia were right for him.
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Carolyn, cats don’t get distemper, it is a disease of canids (dogs, wolves, coyotes, racoons get it, too), but what is sometimes mistakenly called “feline distemper” is actually Panleukopenia. That doesn’t sound like what your cat has. It is easy for fomites (objects can transmit a disease without modifying it or otherwise playing a part in its progress), such as clothing or your unwashed hands to transmit any of the several upper respiratory diseases cats get. Because some of these can be serious you should obtain an appointment first thing Monday so that your cat can receive a proper diagnosis and the correct treatment. Remember, too, that there are diseases we cannot vaccinate against, so your kitty is not immune to every disease there is, only the ones we vaccinate against and the ones she gets “community” immunity to.
I recently got a Chorkie puppy who had severe itching. He was losing a lot of hair and the second day I had him the doctor gave him the shot Convenia. He wasn’t moving or eating much but I thought maybe this was typical of him since I hadn’t been his owner for long. Three days later he could not walk or even stand up. His legs were wobbly and his eyes were “lost.” He had to get 2 blood glucose sticks as well as Karo and the veterinarian told me he probably wouldn’t make it. I had to feed him every few hours and also give him a nutritional supplement. Finally after about ten days he started acting like a puppy again. Now over a month later he has scaly stinky skin and had previously been diagnosed with sarcoptic mange. I am going to take him to the veterinarian again but am afraid they are going to administer Convenia again.
My 5 year old male cat suffers from Urinary Tract Infection. It recurred 3 times in one year. In August 2009 he was diagnosed with UTI and he got medication and antibiotics, then 2 weeks later it recurred. I took him back to the veterinarian and she gave shots and antibiotics and he was on a special diet (Royal Canin) for around four months from August to November and I noticed that he lost weight so I switched back to commercial pet food: Whiskas and Purina. Yesterday I saw him straining and something white is coming out with tiny drops of urine. I think UTI recurred and I will take him to the veterinarian tomorrow as it’s the weekend now and he is closed. I am so worried about my cat especially we don’t have specialist veterinarians in my country (I live in the UAE). All of the veterinarians are telling me to just feed him Royal Canin but its not working out. Please help my cat
Dr. Randolph, Exactly one month ago I played with a sick kitten with distemper. I wasn’t worried because my cat was vaccinated 11 months ago. My 3 year old cat started hacking yesterday, but nothing came up. Didn’t think much of it, since she vomits hairballs about once a month. Today she showed other symptoms such as not eating or drinking, acting sleepy, slightly closing one eye, walking around very slowly, but otherwise staying in one spot. I fed her water and gravy from soft food through a dropper 2x today. Could she have contracted distemper or another disease from my clothing?
Dear Karen,
The answer to this question really comes down to what level of care you want for your pets and what you can afford. I commend your pet’s doctor for wanting to do what’s best. Are your pets at high risk? Probably not. Are they of breeds that might have a predisposition to certain problems, such as Persians with a genetic tendency to PKD? If there are predispositions your veterinarian should be able to explain those to you. At some point, probably around 5-7 years of age, he will want to add a thyroid test to the panel, as cats in this age group may begin to develop overactivity in the thyroid glands.
What percentage of cats will be helped by this program? Probably a small percentage. BUT! if it’s your cat, or your favorite cat, and he detects abnormalities early, you sure will be grateful for the testing. As I always say, if we knew the test results, we wouldn’t need to run the tests, but we can’t tell by looking which cats, or dogs, are harboring subclinical health problems.
Many, many pets whose problems are caught early will benefit in terms of degree of success of treatment and longevity.
Bottom line? If you can afford it, by all means do the tests. If you can’t, save up for next year’s tests, and plan ahead to have the funds available for each successive year.
Thank you for the question and for your readership of MyPetsDoctor.com,
Dr. James Randolph
There are several things that concern me about your kitty’s recurring UTIs.:
1. Whenever UTIs recur we become concerned that there is an underlying cause, such as bladder stones (these are not always palpable, sometimes an X-ray, or even a double-contrast X-ray, or cystoscopy are required), bladder wall defects, such as persistent urachus (a defect from birth) or even tumors of the bladder.
2. How long is she taking medication? If I use Convenia for a urinary tract infection I typically repeat it in 2 weeks, giving the patient a full month of antibiotic therapy.
3. If using oral therapy I like to give a minimum of 3 weeks of therapy.
4. That your pet’s doctor is culturing the urine means that he knows which antibiotics will work best. It’s possible that she just needs to take the right antibiotic longer. For recurring problems I’m not afraid to use an antibiotic for a couple of months, if it’s indicated. Sometimes an antibiotic is effective in the laboratory, but not in the body. Use of a different antibiotic from the list, for an adequate time period, may help.
5. Other underlying problems can include not cleaning the litterbox frequently enough (twice or more daily is NOT too much!), folds around the vulva that predispose to holding infection, inability to hold a squatting position and keep vulva from contacting the litter (unlikely in a 3-year-old).
If your veterinarian is unable to perform the tests listed in (1), he can refer you to a specialty practice where those can be done. For example, few general practitioners own a cystoscope.
6. Few feline patients spike fevers so high with uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections. Her kidneys may be involved. You need to take her temperature at home a few times with her well, and the next time she’s sick, before taking her to the doctor. Some patients raise their body temperatures from the excitement of going to the doctor.
7. What are the results of her CBC and Chemistry Profile?
These are major points, there are some less-likely possibilities, but it provides you with a strong starting point.
Please do keep us updated on your kitty and her response to therapy. We will be eager to learn how she does.
Best wishes,
Dr. Randolph
My 3 year old cat has recurring Urinary Tract Infections. Two days ago, she starting getting ill–lethargic, not eating or drinking, not urinating–so I took her to our veterinarian yesterday. Her temperature was 105; the culture results showed she had a bladder infection, and the veterinarian gave her a Covenia injection, a cortcosteriod injection, and injected water under her skin. My questions are: Since it appears that we never quite get rid of the UTIs (since they recurr within a few weeks), should I take her back for another culture? If so, how many days after the inital visit and injections should I get another culture? Should I ask the veterinarian to start an oral antibiotic regimen after the 10 days of Convenia coverage? My cat will take pills. It’s been 24 hours since the Convenia shot, and she is not noticeably better. Two weeks ago, when she was given oral antibiotics (Clavamox 62.5 mg.) for a UTI with 105.9 temp, she was nearly back to her old self within 24 hours. Thank you for your help.
My veterinarian wants to draw blood yearly (CBC/Chem 11) from my indoor cats, ages 1 to 1 1/2 years old. Is this necessary?
It is understandable that Lotus is still doing well 14 days after her Convenia injection because it has a 14-day duration of effectiveness. The real test will be how well she does after the medication is no longer in her system. What diagnostic tests has Lotus had? Some cats with chronic problems like this are infected with Feline Leukemia Virus and/or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (you may search for each of these terms on any page of MyPetsDoctor.com for articles on the topics). Some have polyps or other obstructions to sinus drainage flow. Foreign bodies, such as blades of grass or other objects can cause chronic reactions such as you have described. Such problems may be easily diagnosed by use of a tiny scope passed into the nasal passages of an anesthetized patient. Commonly this is done at a referral center your pet’s doctor can send you to. In cases of chronic viral rhinotracheitis virus (which we will have a post on in the next few days to weeks) some patients improve with immune system boosters such as Enisyl. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My 9 year old cat, Lotus, has suffered from chronic upper respiratory infections for years. She has been treated with several different medications, some of which caused her to vomit. When my veterinarian finally found one that she could tolerate (Orbax), it helped while she was on the medication, but the symptoms (thick yellow discharge from her nose, sneezing, gulping and struggling to breathe) came right back right after she had finished the medication. I recently heard from a friend about Convenia. Lotus was given the injection 2 weeks ago, and is still doing fine. Her nasal symptoms are completely cleared up and she’s gained a little weight which she needed. This treatment has been a Godsend after years of seeing my little girl suffering and not being able to help her. I realize that she will probably have to have these shots periodically, but to find something that helps her is such a relief.
Pam, let’s start with more information: 1) Did your dog have a urinalysis and, if so, were there bacteria seen? 2) Was his prostate palpated and, if so, was it normal or abnormal in both size and shape? If it was abnormal, I need to know all the ways it was abnormal. If you don’t know the answers to these questions your veterinarian can supply them.
My 13 year old dog has been urinating constantly both inside and outside the house. He takes a very long time to urinate and he seems to be straining a lot. I took him to the veterinarian on Tuesday and he received a Convenia injection. It has been 4 days but there seems to be no signs of improvement. How long does it take to see any improvements?
Ernie is a sick kitty, so we wouldn’t expect him to be himself for a few days. How long until he is “himself” or “normal” again depends on the type of bacteria in the wound, his body’s immune system reponse to the infection and how long the infection was there before treatment began. Did the doctor instruct you to flush the wound? If not you should at least press gently on the area twice daily and try to get out any pus that you can. Hotpacking the area would help bring healing circulation in, too. If Ernie did not have a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus test, he should.
Hi Dr. Randolph,
My cat Ernie went to the veterinarian today because his paw pad appeared to be infected. The veterinarian said it appeared to be the result of a cat bite from his brother (the only two animals in my house). He did try to get some pus out of it but not much came out. He received an injection of Covenia. How long until I should expect results on his paw pad? On a side note Ernie appears to be REAL tired tonight, is that a natural reaction? I suppose that long with the stress of actually going to the veterinarian didn’t help either. I just noticed him eating and he used the litter box about an hour ago, just not quite his normal self.
Howie probably has a chronic infection with Rhinotracheitis virus. As it is a herpesvirus and the body’s immune system never completely clears it, infected cats are predisposed to relapses. You may also want to have investigated the possibility of foreign bodies or growths in the nasal passages. Convenia and Amoxicillin are commonly-used antibiotics for this, but there are some high-powered antibiotics your pet’s doctor might also choose to use. They can be pricey, but may give you a longer time period between relapses. Of course, we must always keep in mind that antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses, so IF he has chronic Rhinotracheitis he will always be predisposed to relapses. I have assumed that Howie has been recently tested for FeLV and FIV (you can search for these on MyPetsDoctor.com for in-depth explanations) and tests must always be paired: two tests that agree, positive OR negative, two months apart. Cats infected with either one or both of these immunosuppressive diseases will be predisposed to URTIs as well as other chronic, relapsing health problems.
My cat Howie (domestic long hair) seems to get upper respitory infections alot. My veterinarian treats him with rounds of Amoxcicillin and Vyralis (sp)?. The symptoms always seem to go away and come back after a few months. Now he is on shot of Convenia and the amoxcicillin. He lost his appetite and had to have fluids administered. I just do not understand why he keeps getting relapses after all the treatments I give him with the immunity boosting gel. He is an indoor cat only. Any suggestions?
Hi,Dr.Randolph,
My cat, Money, is about 4.5 years old. Few weeks ago, after she came out from the litter box, I saw some light brown liquid on the floor and it had very bad smell, very stinky. I took her to the veterinarian and the veterinarian said she “might” have a lower urinary tract infection and gave her one injection of Convenia. The veterinarian told me if she didn’t get any better within 10 days, then I would need to take her back for urinalysis. It’s been 3 weeks since she was given the injection. This morning I found few drops of brown liquid (a little bad smell) on the floor after she used the litter box. I don’t know if Convenia worked 3 weeks ago but now she has the infection again? Should I take her back for another Convenia? Is urinalysis necessary before antibiotics or treatments are administered?
I add a lot of water in her cans, so she drinks a lot of water. She urinates more often than another 2 cats I have with the size of urine clumps between golf ball and baseball size. Is this normal? The amount of her urine each time is not much, can it be because she urinates more often?
Thank you very much. I am very worried.
Hi Dr. Randolph. I have come across your website while doing research on Convenia. My cat, Wiggy, was treated for blocked urinary tract (struvites) in Dec. ’08. I refused the Convenia because it’s new and long term side effects unknown (this was pre-blockage). A few hours later he was admitted because he became totally blocked. He was given Convenia (against my wishes) during his course of treatment as he is too aggressive at the vet to do oral administration (I would have done it). But anyway, it is nearly a year later and my cat is somewhat better since the spring but overall, has not improved past a certain point. His bowels have never recovered from the antibiotics (he had a round of Clavamox in April as his pH became elevated and we were afraid UTI was recurring). While he does not have consistent diarrhea, his stool is mostly loose, sometimes liquid, occasionally solid. He is somewhat weakended in his motor skills – jumping calculation and such and his hind end seems a little stiff (and also it seems when he sits, he does not sit all the way down – bowel related?) My main concern is his weight. He has remained 1 to 1/2 lbs. underweight since June. He is on probiotics, essential fatty acids, milk thistle (for slightly elevated liver panel) and will be getting digestive enzymes starting today. He is on food prescribed by my vet (Iams Intestinal Low Residue – which I consider sub-standard) as this seems all he can tolerate (Solid Gold, what my other cat eats, gave him diarrhea). He also gets canned food (Wellness) – which though he needs the moisture, I think is partially responsible for keeping his stool soft as when he was on dry only, his stool was solid much more often). He eats well most days. I have gotten the cats a water bubbler but they still prefer the tub. As of Aug. ’09 his ALT was 286 U/L and T4 = 2.0. I have also just discovered (today) in reviewing Wiggy’s records, that in December, when he was having his catheter removed, his heart stopped twice and he had to be intubated and given CPR. I was never told about this and am highly upset to discover this via notes. The notes prior to cardiac arrest are as follows: “Tanlad down w/ Iso. [??] Removed sutures and u. cath. Rx: Buprenex 0.2 cc IM. Started to admin S0F when cat’s heart stopped.” The first line I do not understand. Also unclear as to why my cat’s heart stopped (this was not his first exposure to Buprenex).
I am really at my wits end with my vet. I live in a small town, there are no holistic veterinarians here and all my vet wants to do is give my cat more drugs or is generally lax about follow up. In general, she seems to have no clue what is going on. Taking my cat to the veterinarian is highly stressful for him – more so than is usual. Just getting his blood is terribly stressful. He is a fighter. I know he likely needs more bloodwork.
Any direction you can shed would be most appreciated. I am willing to give my cat drugs if they are helpful, I am not willing to medicate him needlessly and with shotgun diagnosis. I just want him to be well, not do things that make him sicker. I am willing to pay for phone consultation if you think it would be more condusive. Thanks for putting your time into this website.
Dr. Randolph:
My nine year old cat Ella had an injection of Convenia on 11-24-09 I took her to the veterinarian because she was sneezing a lot. No temperature and was eating normally. I have another cat Louie who is 4 years old. They like to go outside on a leash when it is nice which in South Carolina is a lot of the time. We have been away recently so they haven’t been out as much till last week. Ella also got a Depo Medrol injection on the same day as the Convenia. She seemed fine till today and the sneezing is back again. Our vet is out till Monday Nov. 30. She is eating and using the litter box. Should we see results from the meds by now? Last January Ella had urinary infection treatment with antibiotics and is on Hill’s Prescription Diet C/D multicare food for cats now. Also she gets Dasuquin which is supposed to help with decreasing crystals which she had on urinalysis. I am due to go away again and a close friend pet-sits for me. The chest is clear. Any thoughts here would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jennifer A. Stoops
My 9 year old Lab has severe skin problems, sores and itching. Would this drug help him?
Thank you, Peggy.
The length of time to improvement depends on the initial presenting signs and the urinalysis findings. If he initially presented with straining to urinate and blood in the urine it could be several days before those aspects are resolved. If the bacteria were round (cocci) as opposed to rod-shaped (bacilli), we woud usually expect faster improvement. We hope your kitty is doing better real soon. Keep us advised, Dr. Randolph
My cat was diagnosed with a UTI today and given a Convenia Injection. How long should it take to notice improvement?
Appreciate your advice,
Susan
Well now I have taken my dog out of PetSmart and into a pet hospital where he is in intensive care. They have given him a SNAP test, critical care exam, tick borne PCR, ultrasounds, Xrays, pain medication, an MRI but had to wake him from the anaesthesia because he was short of breath. The only thing they know for sure is that his pain is coming from his back and neck which a neurological specialist feels that it could be neurological. He also has abdominal pain and his ribs hurt on his left side. They have told me that tomorrow they want to run more Xrays on his abdomen to see why he’s in pain even though PetSmart has taken those Xrays prior because they said that maybe there will be a changein the Xrays. Other than that they said that he is responsive, has been eating, and does not have diarrhea but is on pain medication. Was not able to see him on the weekend because they don’t allow visitation on the weekend. I will see him tomorrow and my bill is up to $6000.00… I am frustrated and I am running out of money. I love him dearly and do not want to lose him because of money.
There are a jillion possibilities, which is why the doctors at Banfield are running tests and taking radiographs. It could be a quirk of his response to the anesthetic, or a change in his demeanor and metabolism as the anesthetic wore off. I doubt that Convenia is a factor, as we might expect vomiting and loss of appetite if it were, but not shaking and ataxia. Without the test results I can’t help much, but I would certainly be interested in knowing what the doctors find and how he is recovering. By the way, 8 is not old for most Yorkies.
Best wishes,
Dr. Randolph
Hi, I’m looking for some answers for my dog Marley. He is a Yorkie that weighs 11.60 lbs. He had 2 skin masses that were to be removed today, Thursday at 7am at Banfield. The gave him a shot of Convenia (80mg/ml) yesterday at 6pm… By 10 pm. my dog was acting rather strange. He looked doped up and was shaking. By 3 am. he could not stand on his 4 legs and kept falling over. I took him to Banfield today at 7am. and they have been running all sorts of test (Blood work, x-rays, checked his bladder, and now have administered pain medications) and have found nothing. My bill is up to $500.00 and they need to run more tests. My dog is 7 years old and will be 8 in dec….. Do you have any advice before I have a nervous breakdown?
My kitty had a shot of Convenia yesterday morning…She has not been eating, and sleeping all the time and had a fever…it has been about 30 hours and she is no better.
Joanne, several things about poor Herkie’s story bother me. No, fever is not a side effect of Convenia. How HIGH is the fever? A swollen lip from a bee sting should resolve in less than 3 weeks, usually in a day, certainly by three days. There may be a complicating factor, such as the stinger still being in place, OR the bee sting was a coincidence and the REAL cause of the swelling is something else. I would recommend that you either take him back to the doctor for more aggressive diagnostics or seek a second opinion. Please keep us posted on Herkie’s progress and findings.
Dr. Randolph
My Puggle Herkie got a shot of Convenia last Wednesday, and after that he got a fever. I was wondering if it’s a side effect of the shot. The fever comes and goes but it’s been 3 days already. I am just worried. We went to Banfield 3 weeks ago because Herkie got stung by a bee and his lower lip got swollen. The oral antibiotics didnt work so we when back and they gave him Convenia. I hope he will feel better and the swollen lip gets better.
“Is this something to be concerned about…”
Yes, Julie, you should be very concerned. Your kitty should have seen his doctor on Monday with these signs, as he may have an obstructed urinary tract, adverse reaction to medication or other complication. I will send you an e-mail as soon as I finish this reply, recommending you take him to your local emergency hospital tonight. Please write back to let us know how he fares. This is very serious.
My cat was diagnosed with a UTI and blood in his urine. I took him in Wednesday to get a shot of Convenia since I could not get the oral medication into him. Now he can barely walk a few steps without wobbling and falling over and crying in pain. Is this something to be concerned about or is it normal after an injection? How concerned should I be that he is not eating or drinking. This started on Sunday and he has only eaten a few bites since then.
Misty, that your dog was initially diagnosed with “kennel cough,” (the proper term is infectious tracheobronchitis (ITB), because the vast majority of so-called “kennel cough” patients have never even seen a kennel) is not surprising. I will cover ITB in an upcoming post. It’s a common condition and all of the signs your pet exhibited fit the syndrome. The vast majority of such patients respond to therapy, resolve, and do fine. Your dog, however, seems to have more than just ITB going on.
1. There may or may not be infection in the airway, and the only way to know is by tracheobronchial lavage (sometimes called transtracheal wash) followed by cytology and bacterial culture and sensitivity. Was this procedure done? What were the cytology results? What were the culture and sensitivity results?
2. “lungs are inflamed.” Strictly speaking, lungs are not involved in ITB, or pure bronchitis. A cause for the inflamed lungs needs to be determined and this may require lung biopsy.
3. In FDA approval trials about 5% of Convenia-injected patients experienced vomiting and loss of appetite. Read the above-linked MyPetsDoctor.com post and you’ll better understand what those numbers really mean.
4. “will the symptom of throwing up her food go away?
a. Your specialist (whom, I assume, is a board-certified internist) is probably considering the possibility that there are gastrointestinal problems, separate from the respiratory tract problems, that are causing the vomiting.
b. He is likely also considering an intravenous (IV) antibiotic, though even this route may cause vomiting.
5. That your pet is “too weak to walk” is a grave sign, which I assume the specialist is addressing aggressively.
Please keep us posted on your pet’s progress, and our readers and I will be eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Best wishes,
Dr. Randolph
My dog was originally diagnosed with kennel cough. Her symptoms of coughing, sneezing, moderately hacking, retching, gagging, lethargy, depression, spaced-out, no interest in much, poor appetite continued for a month and to this day now almost going on two months. Then I went to a specialist. More chest X-rays were done, and they concluded bronchitis. Previously she was given oral antibiotic that she continuously threw up. They consisted of, Azithromycin and some other one that I can’t think of the name of at the moment. They said since her reaction to oral medication wasn’t going well she was given this injectable antibiotic, Convenia yesterday. This morning she threw up all her food, and my first thought was “Oh no, it’s happening again…intolerance to an antibiotic. She is so weak and has lost a lot of weight. I was having high hopes that this treatment would work and help kill the infection she has. Although, would this even knock out an infection such as bronchitis or kennel cough? They say her lungs are inflamed. Second, do you think this symptom of throwing up her food will go away? She desperately needs to put some weight on!
If this injection doesn’t work for her, what are my alternatives to get rid of bronchitis? Please help, she has felt so bad the last two months, and I know she is running out of time. The poor girl has to be picked up and taken to the bathroom because she is too weak to walk. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Meryl, this is a real chicken-and-egg question. Which came first, the liver problem or the loss of appetite? We will never know. When cats stop eating their livers undergo a unique process that doesn’t occur in all species…the liver begins to suffer storage of fat. The fat then slows down the movement of bile through the liver, which can elevate liver enzymes and cause inflammation and death of liver cells. The combination of Denamarin and other SAM-E neutraceuticals with antibiotics is a common and accepted method of dealing with liver disease when a liver biopsy is not practical or available. IF the liver problem was caused by INFECTION and the infection was not sensitive to the oral antibiotic(s) used but WAS sensitive to Convenia’s ingredient, Convenia might be able to take credit for improvement. The first antibiotic(s) might have knocked down the infection and Convenia finished it off. Or Covenia knocked it down enough that she is no longer clinical. Does that mean she is cured? Maybe, maybe not. Another set of blood tests (with CBC and differential along with the chemistry panel) would tell you more, and a liver biopsy would tell you the most. Do you want to subject a 15-year old well kitty to a liver biopsy? I probably wouldn’t, unless she relapsed, but it’s the only way to know exactly what’s going on in the liver. Please write back when you have the followup lab test results.
Best wishes,
Dr. Randolph
My 15 year old female cat stopped eating so the veterinarian did a geriatric blood panel. She was diagnosed with high liver enzymes – AST is 172 and ALT is 495. They did an ultrasound and found a probably benign cyst in her liver. We tried Denamarin and oral antibiotics. They didn’t work, but one day she had an injury to her paw – probably bitten by another cat-and the veterinarian gave her Convenia. That was over two weeks ago and now she eats well and seems to be feeling much better. We haven’t tested her liver again because she’s doing well. Do you think the Convenia cured her?
Thank you for your very difficult question, Andie. Clearly Malachi has immune system issues to go along with his other problems. Chances are good that he has a viral component to his nasal discharge and immune stimulants such as Enisyl may help. For the bacterial component of the infection (if, indeed, there is one) the BEST approach is bacterial culture and sensitivity test. Malachi will need to be off his Azithromycin for a few days, then a sample taken, after which he can restart his Azithromycin until the results come in, about 3-10 days. The sinuses may have to be radiographed and/or ultrasounded to determine whether masses are impeding natural flow of normal fluid production from the sinuses’ linings. All in all, it’s complicated, and could be very expensive. Please keep us updated and let us know how Malachi fares. Thank you for your question and your readership of MyPetsDoctor.com.
Hello Dr. Randolph,
I have a very beloved 6 year old foster cat, Malachi, who has been in renal failure since birth. He has recently developed his 2nd antibiotic resistant infection this year. The first followed a bad tooth abscess and spread to his sinus cavity. He had no response to Clavamox, Clindamycin or Baytril. Eventually Azithromycin worked. This time his veterinarian sees no oral issues, it just seems to be a sinus infection with much swelling around the nose/eyes and bloody discharge. Azithromycin has not worked and on Tuesday he got a Convenia injection. A day and a half later I see no improvement. Should I wait? Request something else? I very much appreciate any advice you can give me. Thank you, Andie
There is unlikely to be any harm to the palliative therapy you’ve described. Convenia makes it easy to have ongoing antibiotic therapy without having to hassle her with oral medications. The corticosteroids may give some reduction of size of the tumors. Of course, I’m sure you are aware that none of this is going to be curative. The lesions sound very invasive, which, I assume, is why you and your pet’s doctor have chosen a palliative approach instead of a more aggressive approach.
Best wishes with her, and please keep us informed of her progress,
Dr. Randolph
My 15 yr. old cat developed horrible sores on her eye lid, as well as swelling inside her nose, distorting her face a bit. Now, she’s got a large ball on her mouth. They assume it’s tumors, with possible secondary infections, but they’ve been giving her Convenia and now steroids too. This actually has helped with the swelling and issues, with always come back. Should I continue to give her the meds, a 3rd time. Is it even more dangerous to her to do that?
I moved to a new state a few weeks ago. I took my cats to their former vet before we left for a routine visit. Their vaccinnations were updated and other than needing teeth cleanings sometime soon, all was okay with their exams. Since we’ve been in our new home, one of them has been lethargic and losing weight. I’m not sure she’s eating. I took her to the vet this morning, where they said it could be stress, a virus or her kidneys or liver. She is at least 8 yrs old, but maybe older. She wouldn’t let them take blood. He gave her injections of Convenia and Dexamethasone, and said to isolate her from my other cats to better monitor her water and food consumption, litterbox and any vomiting (which there has been none of so far). He said if she’s not improved in a day or so, bring her back, and they will knock her out with gas to take blood. He said the condition of her teeth was not bad enough to cause her not to eat. She and all my cats have been informally diagnosed with feline herpes, but none of them are exhibiting symptoms right now of that or respiratory problems. She has a fever. All my other cats are healthy, and they are all indoor cats. Do you have any other advice? Thank you!
Thank you for your questions, Carol. Vomiting is common in upper respiratory tract infection cases as the inflammation of the trachea, pharynx and nasopharynx often stimulate gagging, which leads to vomiting.
As to where your kitty got the infection the answer is in your question, “outside during the day.” He may have had even passing contact with an infected cat (and the infected cat may be asymptomatic). Feel free to write back if more questions arise, and NEVER be hesitant to call your pet’s doctor’s office…that’s what we’re here for!
Hi Dr. Randolph…
My kitty (2 yrs old) was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection just last night. He was given a shot of Convenia for the secondary bacterial infections and a shot of anti-inflammatory. Last night he had some vomiting. I don’t want to be an alarmist and call the vet again so soon. Would some vomiting be typical? (All his vitals were ok last night and he was not running a fever.
Also, upon reading about URTIs, it sounds like he would have had to be around an infected cat to catch this. He is in a single-cat household, outside during the day and brought in at night. I am just wondering how he got it.
Thanks for any insight into this.
Carol
Officially, Convenia is approved for use in skin infections. The cephalosporin family of antibiotics has great use in killing bacteria in and on the skin. I have used Convenia twice in upper respiratory tract infections in cats with good success, but twice does not a clinical trial make! By definition, “lung” infections don’t qualify as UPPER respiratory tract infections and I haven’t tried Convenia on pneumonia. Thank you for caring for God’s creatures through your fostering efforts. Best wishes and thank you for your question and your readership of MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Two of our cats have used Convenia with great results after surgery or with infections. Does Convenia work on URIs? I only know that the cat I’m volunteering with is sneezing and coughing a lot. There is a discharge of mucus and a little blood when he sneezes. Does Convenia work on secondary infections from viruses, such as lung infections?
Thanks,
Gail
There are literally thousands of possibilities, and only the doctor who has examined and evaluated your pet should comment on those possibilities. Unfortunately, emergencies happen and sometimes pet owners are inconvenienced in having to wait for the emergency to be handled before getting the rest of the answers. Please, do write back and let us know what the doctor told you.
Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com,
Dr. Randolph
My dog was given Convenia yesterday for infection. Later we discovered she had ingested warfarin. Had blood transfusion last night, got her blood to clot, extremely dehydrated this morning, and CBC showed her WBC at 40000. He is putting her on another antibiotic. Shouldn’t the Convenia have kicked in by 24 hours? Her lower lung was full of blood and the xrays this morning showed some improvement.
My cat has been acting strange for 3 days: vomiting, eating less, staying in for long hours, cleaning his bottom more often usual. The vet today has taken a blood sample and administered Convenia. Unfortunately I have not been able to talk with the vet as she went into surgery, immediately after.
Any thoughts on what may be wrong? I am having anxiety as I wait for the vet to talk with me later today.
Thanks for your help.
Thank you for writing to MyPetsDoctor.com. When to expect a response depends mostly on what was wrong with your kitty. If you could write us back with the diagnosis that might help. However, if you are not seeing SOME improvement by Monday I would be in touch with the doctor. He may need to perform some laboratory tests such as Complete Blood Count (CBC), Chemistry Profile and Urinalysis. She may also need a Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus test. Feel free to write back with an update, or more questions should they arise.
Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph
My cat was acting odd, meaning she wasn’t eating like normal and she seemed to be wobbly some when she walked. She also has an infected eye. I took her to the Veterinarian and he checked her temperature which was normal. He gave her an injection of Convenia which I’m not familar with. She really didn’t seem any better today so I called him back and ask if there was anything I could get to give her over the weekend. He explained that this antibiotic stayed in your system for about 2 weeks and it would work on her gradually. How long should it be before I seee results and does this sound like the appropriate medicine. Thank you.
Loss of appetite is an unusual side effect of Convenia, occurring in less than 7% of cases during approval clinical trials. It is more likely that the disease process for which your pet’s doctor is using Convenia is causing the loss of appetite. Call him first thing Monday morning and discuss this complication with him. He may need to see your pet for followup.
Sir, my vet administered the long lasting Convenia to my fourteen year old dog. He is drinking water well enough but his appetite has dropped drastically. We can get him to only take a few morsels of his favorite dog food at a time. Hardly nothing at all. This is starting to worry us. My question, is this a side effect from the shot and if so, how long would you estimate before he regains his appetite? Thank you very much. G.McKinney