I know the way cortisol works, I also know how penicillin works. In
this case cortisol is supposed to stop the inflammation. I know it can
supress the immune system after a long therapy. But it has also the
advantage of working very powerfully and really fast - if you ever had
to use some lotion containing cortisol (for example because of
allergy), you will know what I mean. So I am not really sure.

Marta

I have a serious question and I hope you can put aside differences to
answer this for Shamrock. As most know, he's had serious allergy
problems since I've had him, and has had to have steroid shots which
is all that will make him comfortable.  He makes frequent trips to the
litterbox kicking up a storm lately though he always pees like crazy,
but sometimes he'll go back.  The last time his allergy flaired up he
chewed off the fur on the base of his tail and the shot didn't help
this time.  I am calling the vet tomorrow but I didn't associate any
problem in the litterbox with his chewing but am wondering now.  If he
has a problem with his penis do you think it could manifest itself in
chewing the hell out of his tail? He chews his skin to bleeding these
days and I have to clean it often with peroxide, put on a triple
antibiotic and put on an e-collar which really depresses him. (I've
continued the advantage monthly even though no fleas have showed on
him both by my inspections and the vets but I read someone's account
of how cats are good at picking off even a single flea from their
body).

Phil,

I asked the vet if she would take an urine sample, and I hoped she
would but she answered she didn´t need one. "Apart from that", she
added, "how should I get an urine sample if his bladder is empty?"
Sounded like a good explanation to me. She mentioned a couple of
things - bladder inflammation, struvite, cystitis - that may cause
similar symptoms but as far as I can remember, she excluded cystitis
in Tabasco´s case.

He got a penicillin shot on wednesday and I was asked to come again on
friday which I did. Since there was no improvement, she gave him
another penicillin shot and cortisol, to stop inflammation. Very soon
after those shots, Tabasco was feeling better and peeing almost
normally. He also appeared to drink more.

However, the vet just went on vacation this week, her colleague
overtook her job this week. We went there again today. He said that
the improvement was most likely due to cortisol. He also said that the
antibiotic treatment should last 2 weeks (he gave Tabasco one more
penicillin shot and, in addition to that, he gave me amoxicillin pills
for the rest of this week).  

I asked again about an urine sample and he admitted that it would be
wise to make an urinanalysis after the treatment, just in case, to
make sure that there is no sediment, stones/crystals etc. I am
definately going to take care of that.

I still don´t really know what interstitial cystitis is about.
Cystitis is "Blasenentzuendung" in German which is exactly what the
vet diagnosed - it´s just the "interstitial" word that confuses me.

I wish the vets over here would take a little bit more time to explain
those things.

Thank you, Phil.

Marta