My cat has a protean parasite, is she going to recover?

Question

She has been taking clindamycin for over 2 weeks but when she stops taking it she gets sick again.

Answer 1

Some can be hard to get rid of, but it's important to give the medicine as directed. Protozoans are just parasites that are too small to see with the naked eye. There are different types - someone here said they come from contaminated water - some do, not all.

Most of them cause diarrhea. The danger from that is that nutrients are flushed out with diarrhea. So is water. So the cat can become dehydrated or malnourished. Both of those conditions can be life-threatening.

Again, some protozoan parasites are really difficult to get rid of (coccidia, giardia, to name a few). They live and breed in the cat's body. When you give meds, they kill off the parasite in the form it's currently in - but not every form. So for example, it may kill off eggs (oocysts) but not adults, or vice versa. Actually it gets a lot more complicated than that, but you get the idea. . . . if the meds don't work, it isn't because your vet doesn't know or because the medication is bad. . . it's just that it takes a few rounds to get all the bugs.

It's really important to do exactly what your vet says, and give all the meds. Then it's important to have the cat rechecked - and remedicated - until they are gone. It may take a while.

Your cat WILL recover, and survive it, if you treat it. If not, it can kill her. That is the bottom line.

Answer 2

she may have something else going on, or may need a different antibiotic. Or, her parasite may require a longer course of the clindamycin. I'd have the vet recheck her if she's not improving.

Answer 3

Please be sure to wash your hands thoroughly. Those ooscysts that are being shed can infect humans. Funny, I don't think that infection is very common in house pets in developed countries. It usually comes from a contaminated water source.

Answer 4

yes

Answer 5

i don't know. go to the vet