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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Robert, there are simply too many unknowns for me to give you meaningful advice. My fear is that your dog may not have time for more trial, and may need the special services of a board certified internist to sort out her specific problems and get her on the road to recovery before she goes so far down that she can’t recover. Ask your local veterinarian for a referral Monday morning, and please let us know what you find out. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
Help please! My 1 year old German Shepherd stopped eating 3 days ago. 2 days ago she had terrible diarrhea (no blood but mucous), and vomiting all day until she vomited yellow bile. I took her to my veterinarian. He felt her abdomen and she yelped. He did blood work and a stool test and gave her subcutaneous IV fluids along with B-vitamin injection and an anti vomiting injection. He sent us home with carafate and Cerenia. He called next morning with blood/stool results and said he found no organ damage and no worms so he said he “assumes it’s a gut bacterial infection”. My dog refused food, refused carafate and cerenia so I returned to the veterinarian. They took an x-ray and determined there was a lot of gas in her belly and her spleen was quite enlarged. They gave her an injection of Convenia and a fentanyl patch on her skin. I took her home.
She still wont eat or drink. It has been about 10 hours since the Convenia injection. She’s lethargic, her stomach is rumbling, she wont eat or drink and I’m worried I’m not doing enough. Should I get an ultrasound on her spleen? I believe enlarged spleen can be symptomatic of bacterial infection or alot of other maladies.
What should I do? How long can a dog survive without food? Should I force-feed her Pedialyte or water or take her to an emergency care for IV fluids tomorrow if she still hasn’t drunk anything? How long should it take for the Convenia to work and if it works will she regain her appetite quickly? Thanks!
My cat has leukemia. Always gets ut infections. This time they gave Convenia. After 14 days cat has no white blood cells and is anemic. He is dying. They never ran tests before giving him this drug to see how bad his aniema already was.
Inna, first realize that there is no such thing as “kennel cough.” Click here to read more. Assuming your puppy has an uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection, no pneumonia, it can sometimes take longer than three days for improvement. Also, especially this time of year, he must be kept in a protected environment, out of the cold, rainy weather. Indoors, in other words. Most cases require a cough suppressant to break the coughing cycle. If he’s not also on one of those, ask your veterinarian. Please don’t read “pet forums” for medical advice for your pets. Ask your veterinarian. Or a veterinarian you trust. If you continue to read http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com and trust us, we believe you will find us reliable.
What a great compliment and how we have missed ALL of you! Best wishes in your new home, Dr. Randolph.
Annette, as you will read in this post the condition your kitty is experiencing is multifactorial. Using Hill’s c/d is a good start, and I often use Convenia as an antibiotic for urinary tract infections. Be sure to have a followup examination of your kitty, along with urinalysis and urine culture and sensitivity, according to the schedule your pet’s doctor recommends.
IF, and I emphasize IF, we assume that neither cat has a communicable condition, there should be no reason they can’t interact with each other. Typically there are no side effects with Convenia.
My 3 month old puppy has kennel cough. The veterinarian gave him Convenia shot for it. It has been 3 days, and he is not getting better. Was Convenia the right choice? I don’t see it mentioned as a treatment for kennel cough on any of the pet forums.
My 7 year old male cat was into the veterinarian Nov. 10 because there was blood in his urine. I took a urine sample in and we discovered that he was full of crystals. I was told to administer a pain medication for 3 days – torbugesic – change his diet to Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d and to try and get him to drink more fluids. After a few days he seemed fine but 3 weeks later he was once again having blood in his urine. I took another urine sample in and this time there were no crystals but a bacterial infection. He was given an injection of Convenia and appears to be fine however he still has “some” blood in his urine 6 days after the injection. Is this normal and how long should it take for the blood to clear out?
We moved from Long Beach and miss Dr. R. VERY much !!
Certainly the BEST VET we’ve ever had !!
Thanks !
– B and C
Hi Dr Randolph, I have 2 exotic short haired cats (sisters from same litter). One of them has been acting really strange lately, excessive grooming and also licking walls. She is eating ok, but has lost weight over last few weeks. I took her to the veterinarian this morning, she said that her glands were up on her neck, and took some blood for testing. They did FIV and Leukemia while I was there both were negative. They have sent the other blood off for testing. Asha was given Convenia and Dexafort injection. I was just wondering if there are any side effects I should look for and is she ok to still be around her sister? Thank you.
Dr. Randolph, My husband took our cat to the emergency veterinarian since it was after hours. Zidi (our cat) was very dehydrated. He was given fluids. Other tests were done and nothing was found. His temp and vitals were normal. He did come home and was acting “normal.” However, he would NOT eat his dry food. He kept crying for us to give him his “sisters” dry food. I called our regular vet in the morning to brief him on what happened. He was surprised with the reaction as well. We have Zidi on a different dry food that he seems to enjoy. My main concern now is his behavior…he is just not acting like the cat I knew from 10 days ago. I can only say that he is acting differently. Any thoughts?
Tania, my first concern is about this kitty’s immune system status. Chronic respiratory infection, especially when accompanied by keratitis which may be herpetic and recurrent are strong indicators for immune system suppression. Are funds available for FeLV and FIV testing? Is there money for testing the cloudy cornea for herpesvirus? Is there money for antiviral medications if the test comes back positive? I don’t imagine you’re going to hurt the kitty with another Convenia injection. Lord knows he faces meaner things than that on the street every day! It is possible to do more harm than good when combining antibiotics, and there are more effective combinations than either of the ones you chose. Ask the doctors at the shelter about some other possibilities. Let me know if I may help further, and God bless you for the work you do for these who can’t speak for themselves, Dr. Randolph.
Alana, this is not typical for reactions to Convenia. It’s more likely that the infection is causing him to feel bad. Did you call your veterinarian? What did he say? Some cats and some dogs will feel and act lethargic after Depo Medrol injections. Stay in touch with your pet’s doctor. He knows best what his patient needs, as he’s there and actually seeing your kitty and measuring his vital signs. Don’t be hesitant to let the veterinarian perform laboratory testing if he asks. Let us know if you have more questions, Dr. Randolph.
I help care for a large, stable feral cat colony who live around a school here in Albuquerque. Two weeks ago, we re-trapped an already ear-tipped (i.e., already neutered) feral with a terrible upper respiratory infection. He had green gunk coming out of both nostrils, a gunked eye with some clouding of the cornea, and stringy drool hanging from his mouth. I took him to our local humane association clinic for a Convenia injection and concurrently gave him Clavamox for about a week (administered in his food, wasted several doses until he started eating), then Amoxicillin for the second week. He is much better, amazingly so–no more drooling, eye not gunked shut but still a bit cloudy, eating well. However, I can still hear his breathing and when I shine a light I can see some fluid still in his nostrils. Is it advisable to see if the humane clinic will give him another Convenia shot before I release him? Or should I be asking about some other antibiotic because he’s already gotten the benefit of the Convenia? I am very worried about releasing him back to the colony while he still has fluid in his nose/throat, especially because winter is here and it’s bitterly cold at night. However, it’s not humane to keep him confined indefinitely either–maybe for another week or so to help him gain more weight? The colony is regularly fed dry food, but if he gets sick again and can’t smell it he will probably stop eating again. I also wonder whether I need to gradually re-acclimate him to the cold before releasing him after he’s spent two weeks in a warm garage. Thank you so much!
My 17-pound cat went to the veterinarian this morning and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. (The skin was all pink and irritated on his tummy and underside of his tail). He received Depo Medrol and Convenia. My cat is now lethargic, eyes are a bit glazed, doesn’t purr when I pet him and won’t take a kitty treat. Could he be having a negative reaction to the Convenia? Is this a “normal” reaction to Convenia? Or a combination of the 2 drugs? I am worried. He is just not himself. If he is having a negative reaction, what can the veterinarian do to make him feel better? THANK YOU!
Freia, in my experience most anal sac abscesses will heal adequately and resolve infection with 14 days of antibiotic therapy, which Convenia provides (in ideal cases…the range is 10-14 days). The factors to consider are: 1, do we know that her loss of appetite was from Convenia and not from the abscess? 2, Were there possibly other causes for the diarrhea? 3, At the time for the next Convenia injection ask your veterinarian to examine your kitty well first, deciding whether another injection is necessary. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
Thank you for a great testimonial, Susan. Convenia is a good choice whenever cost is not a factor (in most cats and small dogs oral medications are going to cost as much as Convenia anyway), when the infection being treated is susceptible to the active ingredient in Convenia and, especially, when the patient is difficult to give oral medication to. We hope he heals fully and without complications.
My 8 year old cat was given Convenia to treat a pretty bad bite in the face and subsequent cellulitis (likely a bite from another cat) about two weeks ago. I was so grateful for the long acting injection. Giving this cat a pill, given the bite location on his face, would have been painful, and a challenge. I’m happy to report no side effects, and a full recovery. I have 4 cats, and I will always ask, going forward, if this antibiotic is an option. I am “ok” at pilling my cats, but it is often a little violent, and sometimes, I wonder if I really got it in there:) Then there is trying to get them out from under the bed at pill time. When is Convenia a good choice? When are other antibiotics preferred?
My cat is 16 years old and got a shot of Convenia for anal sac infection. She would not eat for 3 days and had diarrhea. She had to be sedated which is also very hard on her. The veterinarian insists she needs another shot in 2 weeks. Is this true, since it’s so hard on her?
Rachael, why not just go ahead and call your veterinarian now, and let him know your kitty is having difficulties? He’s treating your other kitty for IBD, so he knows what medications you have on hand, he will either say that he wants you to use that or he wants to dispense something different or he feels your kitty needs to be seen. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
Yes, Kelly, you should be worried. It is unlikely that a reaction to Convenia would take the form of labored breathing, but the “virus” (did the doctor say what kind of virus?) could be causing anemia or other problems that are resulting in the breathing difficulty. Please let us know what the doctor says. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
Karen, while it seems logical to blame Convenia for the problems your kitty is having, we must not allow ourselves to have tunnel vision. We must ask: 1, what caused the original seroma? 2, is there underlying physical damage from a blow that initiated the seroma? 3, was the seroma a result of a surgical incision that might now be causing complications? 4, have routine laboratory tests been performed to determine whether malfunctions are occurring in the body, such as liver, kidney, pancreas or other organ dysfunction? http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/at-the-laboratory-with-my-pet%e2%80%99s-doctor-complete-blood-count, http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/at-the-laboratory-with-my-pets-doctor-chemistry-profile-i, http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/at-the-laboratory-with-my-pet%e2%80%99s-doctor-urinalysis. What were the results of those tests? The fact is that there is a small percentage of patients who will react to antibiotics, including Convenia. IF that is the only problem your kitty should make a full and uncomplicated recovery. Still, due diligence applies. We, too, will say a prayer for your kittie’s full recovery, and will appreciate you keeping us up to date through postings here. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My cat Molly had injured one of her rear claws. I took her to the veterinarian and they decided it was best to just leave it alone and let it heal since the upper part of the nail was still there. They gave her a shot of Convenia as a precaution against infection. The nail is healing up just fine but now she has diarrhea. I know this is a potential side effect but she didn’t get full blown diarrhea until a week after her shot. At first it was just slightly mushy poop which has slowly progressed to diarrhea. Everything else is fine. She eats, she drinks, she plays and is otherwise her normal mischevious self. Do you think it could be from the Convenia? I am currently giving her metronidazole with the hopes of it helping to clear things up. I have an IBD kitty and know that the protocol at my veterinarian’s office for a kitty with diarrhea is this particular drug. I just didn’t want to rush her off to the veterinarian to only be given medicine that I already have plus if this is just a side effect of the drug and will clear up on its own then I don’t see a need for a veterinarian visit either. This Tuesday will be 14 days since she has had the shot. If it is a side effect how long will it go on for? If it doesn’t clear up by Thursday I will definitly be calling my veterinarian.
We had our cats laser declawed 2 weeks ago. We noticed that they felt like they had fevers 6 days later, so I took them back to the veterinarian for fear of infection. Everything looked great, but after doing blood work the found that had a virus of some kind. The veterinarian gave them both Convenia to prevent any infections in the paws, mainly because their immune systems are weak from the virus. But now I’m noticing our 7 month old boy seems to be having labored breathing. He had the shot a week ago. Should I be worried yet? I’m not sure if its a side effect from the medicine or not. He isn’t wheezing nor does he seem to be in discomfort of any kind.
My cat had a superficial seroma drained and it was sent to the lab…no infection.
She had a temp of 103. The veterinarian said she “looks great, healthy” when we left after the drainage and 24 hrs later I was phoning their office in a panic. She was given Convenia without my knowledge, I was told after my veterinarian returned with her following the drainage. Within 24 hours my cat was a completely different animal when I returned from work. She looked like I pulled her from a drainage ditch. She had a screeching meow. I went online to see read about antibiotic reactions in cats and learned about Convenia. Since my veterinarian was out for two days and I was told to wait by another veterinarian at the office, until the next morning to bring her in…that it would likely be fine to wait. To make a longer story short, my cat had to be hospitalized for almost three days and received a different antibiotics and steroids. She has not recovered…she is home now and is taking steroids and oral antibiotics. She is completely lethargic and I am praying she recovers. It has been one week and she is still sleeping all the time and cannot do anything except lie down. I am certain she had a bad reaction from this “convenient” drug. I really would have like to have known the risks. It is not worth the convenience to go through this kind of anguish now. If this happened to a human…there would be consequences that would make the practitioner more careful.
Kristina, this is a hard question to answer. First, vaginitis and UTI are not the same thing. Vaginitis is inflammation of the wall of the vaginal vault. Inflammation may be caused by infection, as well as a number of other factors. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) describes infection that is affecting the urethra, urinary bladder, ureters and/or kidneys. Laboratory confirmation of bacteria seen on the microscope tells us there are bacteria present, but it doesn’t tell us which part of the urinary tract they came from, OR which antibiotics will work best. For the latter a Bacterial Culture and Sensitivity is required. I usually give clients a choice between Convenia and oral medication and the choice is usually determined by the pet owner’s ability to pay and the known difficulty level of giving pills to the pet. Perhaps you should speak to the doctor in advance if you prefer to have pills. Will the medicine clear up the problem? Without a culture and the known/unknown of complicating factors for UTIs, we just don’t know, but UTIs that don’t respond and stay gone deserve a more in-depth workup as you will read in this post. Best wishes on your dog and please let us know how she does, Dr. Randolph.
I don’t think anyone knows what the long-term effects of using Convenia will be. The FDA has approved Convenia for two consecutive injections, but has put no limitations on a time period between series of injections. In other words, if Fang got one injection today and needed another in six months, that would be acceptable to the FDA. That said, as doctors we often operate outside the parameters of label limitations with off-label techniques, described here. So, with owner approval your pet’s doctor could administer a series of Convenia injections beyond the approved two and continue those as long as they are helping. You, of course, in giving your approval, would have to accept the risks. Would I feel safe in taking that step for my own pet? Most likely, given the right circumstances. One factor to consider is that with many of our chronic dermatology cases we use cephalosporin therapy for as long as six months with excellent safety. It is not a huge stretch to assume that Convenia would have that same level of safety. Chances are good that Fang has some other secondary factor going on, such as Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Leukemia Virus and/or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus immune system suppression. Enisyl and certain other immune system stimulants may help. Be sure your pet has two FelV/FIV tests separated by two months which agree with each other (both negative or both positive for either or both viruses).
Hi Dr. Randolph, I adopted a 5 year old poodle mix (small) from the shelter here about 6 months ago. Today I just took her to the veterinarian because I noticed her urine had a little bit of white in a small part of it. Turns out she had a very high bacteria level in her urine and a small amount of pus. After running tests and confirming it was vaginitis the veterinarian gave her a shot of Convenia, 80mg/ml, she weighs about 11.4 pounds. This is her 2nd UTI since we’ve come home from the shelter. For the first one they gave me a packets of pills and had me give her one a day. Do you think the Convenia will work for this bacterial infection in her urine as good as the pills? They didn’t give me any details of her urnalysis, just that there was a little white “pus” in her urine which (and I quote) “looked like the bacteria was having a party around”. For the Convenia injection I paid $49, which is fine I’ll pay to my doggy better, but the pills I got previously were much cheaper (I think around $18). I just want to make sure this works and it is the right thing my veterinarian did. I have to take her back in 14 days for another urinalysis test, which will cost approx $100 for the urinalysis test, urine sediment exam, urine specific gravity and medical waste disposal fee (these are all the things they charge for in these urine tests). Does this sound right? Thanks for any help. I just want my dog to not get these any longer, I feel bad for her. Is there any other steps I can take in help with prevention of UTIs? I take her on walks every 5 hours, she always has fresh water. Should I start giving her spring water? I read that is good..but didn’t know if that is accurate information. Thanks for your help.
Dr. Randolph, my cat, Fang is a rescue from a shelter. He has what I believe is a respiratory infection caused by Pasteurella. He has had blood work, cultures, x-rays and laparoscopy to remove a mass in his sinus cavity. The cultures pointed to Pasteurella. My veterinarian administered the Convenia injection and gave us oral antibiotics, Clavamox. We went through several cycles of the Clavamox to no avail. The Convenia seems to do the trick. Next he gave us Orbax (Orbifalxicin). He has been through two bottles and no improvement. We have been doing this regimen for 9 months now. Finally our veterinarian prescribed the Convenia again, but we are administering it ourselves (veterinarian is an hour away). As I mentioned he always is better after the injection, but as it wears off he goes right back to being in poor shape. Is there any harm in using Convenia forever? Should I expect this forever? Fang is approximately 3 years old and he is a Bengal, possibly a mix, but I think full-blooded. He eats well and is very active. He weighs 10.4 lbs. He just can’t breathe a lot of the time and it breaks my heart. We have another rescue, a Bengal, and he shows no signs of infection. We got him after Fang and seems to have lifted Fang’s spirits. If you have any suggestions I would be forever grateful! Thank you for your time.
Sharon, I’m not sure about the half-life but the duration of the injection in most patients is has a 10-14 day duration. Typically injections are given 14 days apart. The signs you say your kitty is demonstrating are among the reported signs that occur in some pets, though I have not seen them in our practice. Staphyloccoccal sinusitis can easily interfere with appetite, too. Most cats unable to smell will not eat. Ask your veterinarian about vapor treatments that might open his airways. Also, ask him how he feels about using metronidazole as an intestinal antiinflammatory. I have had success with it in cases such as this. Fortiflora will be very important, too. Especially with oral cephalosporins we use beneficial bacteria when reactions occur. Please keep us posted so that we may know the outcome of your kitty’s situation. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My mature male cat has had 3 injections of this medication. The most recent was the 12th of October. He now has developed, since the last injection, diarrhea, lethargy, decresed appetite, decreased water intake and limping gait. We have had him to the veterinarian and blood work and stool Gram stain showed a left shift in his CBC . We are supporting him at home with subcutaneous fluids, Fortiflora in his food and Pepcid daily. We have had to syringe-feed him to get calories in him, otherwise he prefers to sleep. This is a significant change from the cat three weeks ago when he had his 2nd injection. We are treating a staph sinusitis from a foreign body in his sinuses. What is the half lfe of the medication? I am truly fearful for him.
Dear Foozi’s Mom: Feline diabetes is a MUCH too complicated topic to cover in a question, but it’s far more likely that Foozi isn’t eating because of his diabetes than from the Convenia. Remember that 64% of the medical information on the Internet is either wrong or outdated! ( http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/64-of-medical-information-on-the-web-is-wrong-or-outdated ). So, be careful there and get your advice from a trusted source, such as us, or your pet’s doctor. ( http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/ask-questions-of-your-pets-doctor ) Depending on what Foozi’s blood glucose and fructosamine levels are he PROBABLY needs insulin whether he eats or not. I put “probably” in all caps, bold and italics because I don’t know what his glucose and fructosamine levels are AND I don’t know what the rest of his labwork results are. In my hands Convenia has been a fabulously safe antibiotic and extremely effective. UTIs are very common in diabetics, so be sure to have the proper followup performed to ensure the infection is all gone. Write back if you have more questions, Dr. Randolph
My 14 year old big boy (20 lbs) Foozi was diagnosed with diabetes and a UTI on Friday. Convenia was given to fight the UTI and I was given insulin to administer twice daily with food. Unfortunately, kitty has completely lost his appetite. Could this be a result of the Convenia? If so, how long will the side effect last? Everything I’ve read is pretty clear that insulin should not be adminsistered on an empty stomach.
Jeannette, Convenia is an antibiotic and antibiotics are for controlling infections caused by bacteria. IF your kitty has respiratory tract inflammation from chemical irritation he needs the antiinflammatory of your pet’s doctor’s choice. If your veterinarian thinks he has secondary infection after the inflammation Convenia might be a good choice. Did he have sinus inflammation prior to this episode? Chronic, recurrent sinusitis is often evidence of immune system suppression such as FeLV and FIV ( http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/feline-leukemia-virus ) and ( http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/feline-immunodeficiency-virus-fiv ). Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
Can Convenia be used to help respiratory problems like sinusitis? I have a cat who inhaled (possibly) ant spray and ate the ants and was having rapid breathing. He seems like he has a fever at night and also at times a serous type nasal drainage. would this be good for something like that?
http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease-flutd will answer a lot of those questions. Every cat is an individual and each case has its own set of complicating factors. Unfortunately, the practice of veterinary medicine is not cookbooked and there are rarely pat answers. Thanks for reading our blog, Dr. Randolph.
Convenia has a broad safety margin, but it sounds as if your half-wild kitty may have had a limited diagnostic workup. Is there laboratory evidence of kidney failure, or is that a working diagnosis for your pet’s doctor ( http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/tentative-or-working-diagnosis ? Even if funds or patient cooperation kept me from obtaining proper laboratory tests I would feel safe using Convenia in most patients. We wish you luck and thank you for going out on a limb for a feral cat, Dr. Randolph.
I’ve just learned of Convenia today and suggested it to my veterinarian when the urinalysis showed white blood cells in the urine. My Veterinarian will inject Convenia in few days. Meanwhile I’m struggling giving her 1/3 capsule (estimate) of 250 mg. Amoxicillin until the appointment date. She was/is semi-feral and lost for nearly 1 1/2 months only to be found severely dehydrated, near death and 2 kg. (less than 4.5 lbs.). Evidently without food, water for that time. Therefore, it is difficult to administer further medications.
Presently, I am trying to nurse her back to health, although renal failure is possible. Is it safe and successful for bladder/kidney inflammation in an old (over 12 yrs. min.) grossly underweight cat?
My veterinarian gave my 2.5 year old cat Convenia today to help with a fever and possible urinary infection. Blood was not visible in his urine specimen but the lab did come back with evidence of a low number of red blood cells and no cyrstals. His fever was approximately 105 degrees Fahrenheit. What is the estimated time in which I can expect to see my now-lethargic cat getting back to his normal, hungry, mischevious self? Thank you so much for your time! I feel so silly being so worried about this little guy, but he really has come to mean so much to me and my husband!
Dear Mrs. Grossman,
I would say the correct question is not “how quickly does Convenia begin working,” because it begins to work in a matter of minutes. As soon as circulation picks up the medication and takes it to the leg, where the suspected infection is, bacteria begin being killed, IF the bacteria are susceptible to that particular antibiotic. As Convenia is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, it kills a lot of different kinds of bacteria. Rather, the question might be, “How long will it be before the swelling goes down?” That depends on how many bacteria are in the leg. The more bacteria, the longer it will take Convenia or any other antibiotic to kill ALL of them. Typically, however, (which is what you really want to know, as much of the preceding is academic) tissues infected with cat-bite bacteria and experiencing cellulitis will improve in 24-48 hours. Of course, every patient is an individual, and every bite, even on the same patient, is an individual case.
Ask your pet’s doctor about hot-packing the area to improve circulation and speed healing, if he has not already recommended doing so. Of course, he may have a reason he doesn’t want you to do that.
Please keep us posted on your kitty’s progress.
Sincerely, Dr. James W. Randolph
Dear Dr. Randolph: My cat first exhibited signs of an injury — limping on his right foot — 4 days ago. He then became somewhat withdrawn and lethargic. The limping didn’t persist, but about a day later he vomited 3 times within a 24 hour period. His right leg and paw were still swollen but acted more normal. I took him to the veterinarian yesterday who couldn’t see any puncture wounds but did say that the leg was overall swollen and that is what caused the swollen paw. He administered him a shot of Convenia and some anti-nausea medicine. I’m to take my cat back if his condition does not improve. How quickly should the Convenia start working? His leg is still swollen. Thank you for your answer for the question.
My cat has been getting Depo Medrol injections for a reocurring skin problem. Recently she has also been getting Convenia as well. When she started on the Convenia, she has been licking herself so much that she has licked her fur off in all of the areas on her body that she can reach. She is a 2 year old Bombay in otherwise good health. Can the Convenia or the combination of Convenia and Depo Medrol be causing her skin to be dry and itchy? Thanks.
Hmmmmm. That’s VERY interesting, especially since it happened once before. Thank you very much for the update, Dr. Randolph.
Hi Dr. Randolph: He had the Convenia injection for a severe hot spot. He’s got a sensitive stomach and cannot take oral antibiotics. This is not a coincidence because it happened once before, when he got his first shot of Convenia a couple of years ago. That time it was for an anal sac infection. He does not seem sick; he’s eating and drinking just fine. The stools still have an orange cast, but not as vivid as the first few days after the shot. My dog “Eddie” is a Borzoi and has a very sensitive system. I was worried it might be his liver, but was told by a rep from Pfizer that the drug is matabolized through the kidneys. As long as he’s not sick I’m hoping the sweet potato-colored stool is benign. Thanks for your interest. Bev
Bev, my first impression would be that it’s a coincidence, or that the disease process for which he was being treated caused the change in stool color. I haven’t seen that as a reported side effect. How long did it last before it changed back to a normal color for him?
Convenia injections turned my dog’s stools the color of a sweet potato.
Is this common? What causes this?
Not unless they are having an adverse reaction. If a patient is lethargic it is usually caused by the disease process the Convenia is being used for.
Convenia is approved for use in dogs and cats by the FDA. To use it in another species would be “extra-label” or “off-label,” as explained in this recent post:
http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/doctors-extra-label-use-of-medication .
Thank you, GM, for the testimonial. We hope your kitty continues to improve!