It would be nice if studies like this would result in increased scrutiny of pet food manufacturing practices ... but perhaps that's a vain hope.

Tainted pet food can sicken owners and kids
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/09/tainted-pet-food-can-sicken-owners-and-kids/

Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Contaminated Dry Dog and Cat Food, 2006–2008
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-3273v1

Anyone have any other ideas on how to fatten up a cat??? 

Nutrical? Lots of sugar, but lots of calories and I've never had a cat refuse a helping.
http://www.1800petmeds.com/Nutri+Cal-prod1340.html

Good thoughts out to Tinker.

What a devastating course this disease takes. Both puppies passed on. Awful, awful to feel so helpless.

/Sharon

although I might try to clean it with some diluted alcohol on a Q tip.

On the advice that a vet tech once gave me, I tend to used hydrogen peroxide. Less sting and less toxic if licked off and ingested.

I have some liquid Yucca schidigera Extract so I might add a couple of drops to his food. Yucca is a natural anti-inflammatory that contains steroidal saponins that are often used as starter substances in the production of synthetic steroid drugs.

Not to abscond with your thread, but would this be helpful for a contact allergy? Every summer one of my cats gets a contact allergy with some unidentified substance. If caught early I've been given chlorpheniramine in combination with a small amount of children's benedryl ... but she then sleeps 23.5 hours of the day.  If I don't catch it early enough she literally rips chunks out of her skin and a steroid shot becomes necessary.

Would the Yucca extract help?

Thanks.

A friend just had her cat diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, but has been giving tapazole (or its equivalent, she wasn't sure of the exact name) via a gel applied to the inside of the ear. Which is good for her, as this cat is an old semi-feral stray and pilling consistently every day might not have been doable.

If pilling continues to be a headache this might be an alternative.

First come, first served bed.

My neighbor took in a pregnant chihauhua that she found on the street, and a week later she had her puppies (4 of them).  One puppy was placed in a home, and the remaining  3 puppies were placed with a rescue at 8 weeks.

The rescue has now diagnosed the 3 puppies with parvo (1 died) and returned the remaining 2 to my neighbor to foster.  (The puppy that was placed directly in a home is apparently fine.)

I know nothing about parvo and what I'm finding on the web are a bit scary. What can I tell my neighbor? She has two other dogs in addition to the puppies mother. The puppies are in her bathroom and she has instructions to wash her hands with a bleach mixture whenever she handles them ... is there anything else?

Thanks.

/Sharon

But I have noticed that since this all started that she has been shedding more than usual.

Don't stress ... it could just be summer. And I don't know how closely, or if, you follow icanhascheezburger, but my cats are going full shed so I'm thinking of getting one 'o those fancy cat hair distributor thingys.
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/07/16/funny-pictures-using-technology/

Although she still hates it when I give her the pill, she still comes to me when she is called.  So I guess she doesn't completely hate me......

Your treats must be good.

It has only been a few days and whenever I approach her she gets this look in her eyes as if she is wondering if I am getting ready to shove something down her throat.

Just might be your trepidation to which Tinker is responding. Perhaps when pilling becomes part of the 'normal' routine, for the both of you, this won't be such an issue. And never underestimate the power of treats. I had to pill an unpillable cat for two weeks of antibiotics and I followed a successful pilling (and there were many unsuccessful!) with a bit of tuna. May not have done the cat much good, but it made me feel better.

/Sharon

You have my most heartfelt sympathy.  I have no other words, but am crying with you.

/Sharon

I had a cat that went on Tapazole for hyperthyroidism when she was 14 ... and she lived to the grand ole age of 23. It was also more convenient  (and cheaper) to get the medication from the local pharmacy instead of from the vet.

/Sharon

Arrest has been made in connection with this horrific issue.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE55D1AY20090614

/Sharon

PCA actions are despicable, but aren't the federal/state watchdogs in place to keep the actions of a few despicable companies from sickening its citizens? Oh, right ... we've been here before.

Excerpt from LA Times article

Code:

The state of Georgia inspects the plant under contract with the FDA. But "there is no requirement that a firm inform FDA of a positive internal testing of their finished products," Rogers said.

Peanut Plant Had History of Health Lapses
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27peanuts.html

(Past) Violations cited in Georgia peanut butter factory
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-peanut28-2009jan28,0,4632530.story

Thanks all for the kind replies.

There has been no further signs of an upset tummy and appetite and activity are all good so my concern is less. I'm really beginning to think that this latest was an errant hairball and/or some inadvertent Revolution being ingested. And at the very least, if it happens again I'll be more sure of what questions to ask the vet.

Best.

There have been no changes in the brand of cat food, and I hope that Wellness hasn't changed the formula. I use Wellness grain free canned, and Wellness Core for dry and have pretty much since the recall.

The first concern in Dec was an obstruction as there was vomiting about an hour after eating or drinking for almost two days. The vet didn't think it was an obstruction, but  did ask me whether there was an increase of drinking which might indicate liver/kidney issues (there wasn't). The vet decided to treat symptomatically with follow up if the problem persisted.  Since the medicine helped I put it down to possibly eating an unappetizing bug or something.

The recent bout looked like it started with a hairball.  The big worry was that it continued every few hours or so afterward, at least until I dosed again with the metoclopramide.

The only other thing was that after being off revolution for a few months,  he was just dosed with revolution a few days previously, but he's had revolution before.

I'm going to keep slippery elm on hand, but If it happens again I should start thinking liver/kidney?

If the picture appears meet Flim (the cow kitty) and Flam (the tuxedo and the vomiter), a.k.a., the FlimFlam boys. Someone was going to throw them in a dumpster until a friend of a friend took them away and flimflammed them into my house 9 year ago.