Old cat anemic and lethargic after antibiotics. What's the prognosis?

Question

My cat is 15 1/2 years, he was bitten by another cat and developed an infection. He was treated with antibiotics, then two days later crashed with non regenerative anemia. Kidney function is good. Two weeks later he is eating a little, wobbly and lethargic. What further care can I give him and is the prognosis good or bad? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 15 years and 4 months old | 11.4 lbs

Destini R. Holloway, DVM · Accepted Answer

Poor guy. Non-regenerative anemia in an older cat is always concerning. Due to the timing of all of these events however, his anemia could have very well have been caused by the medication alone. This would be considered to be an adverse reaction that would not be normal for any pet to have not can be predicted. But with that said it usually is a regenerative anemia when medication is the cause. A closer look at his bloodwork could help clarify this. Other possible causes that are common in older cats are: feline leukemia/feline aids or cancer unfortunately. Typically with all of these you will also get some changes with the white blood cell count levels as well and often-times a fever. Overall the prognosis would be guarded to poor considering your pets age and the fact that the anemia is non- regenerative. I am so sorry to be bearer of bad news here. If you wish to share more information about your pets specific bloodwork results and also physical exam findings (i.e. temperature, body condition score, etc), then you can request a private consultation with one of the experts here on the site. Best of luck moving forward with your vets treatment plan for Puddy and I do hope that he is able to stabilize soon. Take care.

Old cat anemic and lethargic after antibiotics. What's the prognosis?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

What's the best way to feed my hamster when I'm going on a trip?

Can chickens eat bell peppers daily and what about veggie salads?

My newly adopted pet won't eat hay. What can I do to encourage it?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

Share