4 Reasons Your Cat is Not Getting Better with Antibiotics MiDOG Animal Diagnostics

August 9, 2023

Antibiotics can lose their effectiveness due to antibiotic resistance that develops due to unnecessary antibiotics. Ensuring accurate diagnoses and, more importantly, prescribing antibiotics tailored specifically to your pet are important measures to prevent declining antibiotic effectiveness.

4 Reasons Your Cat is Not Getting Better with Antibiotics

Have you ever been concerned when your beloved feline companion isn’t responding to antibiotic treatment as expected? It’s crucial to address this issue for the well-being of our furry friends.

Here are 4 reasons why your cat may not be getting better with antibiotics and recommendations for finding the best, personalized antibiotic treatment based on their genetic makeup.

1. Misdiagnoses or choosing the wrong antibiotic leads to ineffective treatment.

The journey to recovery for your cat begins with an accurate diagnosis and proper antibiotic selection. Misdiagnoses or choosing the wrong antibiotics can lead to ineffective treatment, prolonging your cat’s discomfort and recovery time [1].

Identifying the exact cause of a pet’s infection can be hard, which means that, at times, misdiagnoses happen. Fortunately, there are ways to remove a large chunk of that uncertainty and lessen the probability of that occurring.

Using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology instead of traditional culture or PCR testing methods allows comprehensive analysis of your cat’s biological samples, identifying a wide range of pathogens with exceptional accuracy [2]. This means that the chances of misdiagnosis are significantly reduced, enabling veterinarians to make informed decisions when prescribing antibiotics.

2. Underlying bacterial infections often go undetected and are left untreated as a result.

Sometimes, the lack of improvement in your cat’s condition might be due to an underlying condition mimicking a bacterial infection. Viral infections, allergies, immune system disorders, or other non-bacterial causes could lead to similar symptoms, making it challenging to pinpoint the true culprit [3].

It’s best to thoroughly analyze your cat’s biological samples to rule out other potential causes and accurately identify the responsible pathogen. By unmasking underlying issues, veterinarians can develop targeted treatment plans, increasing the chances of a successful recovery.

3. Antibiotic resistances render antibiotic treatments ineffective.

One of the most concerning issues in modern medicine, including veterinary medicine, is the development of antibiotic resistance, a direct consequence of the excessive and improper utilization of antibiotics. These bacteria have evolved to become resistant to various types of antibiotics, rendering them ineffective and leaving veterinarians with limited options to combat bacterial infections effectively.

That’s why screening for antibiotic resistance genes is crucial in good antibiotic stewardship. This means that not only do we identify the pathogen causing the infection, but we also assess its resistance profile [4,5]. Armed with this valuable information, veterinarians can choose the most appropriate antibiotics for your cat, increasing the likelihood of a successful treatment outcome.

4. Antibiotic treatments should be tailored to each pet’s unique genetic makeup, otherwise, it may not work.

Every cat is unique, and so is their response to medications. What works for one feline patient may not be suitable for another. That’s where the utility of infectious disease diagnostic tests using NGS shines brightly [6]. By analyzing your cat’s genetic makeup and the genetic material of the pathogen causing the infection, we can offer personalized treatment recommendations.

Tailoring antibiotic treatments to each patient means more effective results and faster recovery times. It also helps to minimize the risk of adverse reactions, ensuring a safer and more comfortable experience for your furry friend.

How to Find the Best Antibiotic for Your Cat’s Unique Microbiome DNA

The frustration of watching your cat suffer without improvement despite antibiotic treatment can be disheartening. However, with the help of modern diagnostic technology, veterinarians can accurately diagnose infections, unmask underlying issues, and navigate antibiotic resistance to provide personalized treatment options tailored to each patient.

MiDOG is an infectious disease animal diagnostics laboratory utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to revolutionize veterinary medicine. With our NGS-based tests, veterinarians can accurately diagnose infections, unmask underlying issues, and navigate antibiotic resistance to provide personalized treatment options tailored to each patient.

We provide veterinarians all over the world with accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment options, including antibiotic resistance gene screening, to ensure the best outcomes for their feline patients.

If your cat is not getting better with antibiotics, it’s time to consider a more advanced approach. Embrace the power of NGS diagnostics and personalized medicine to ensure your feline companion’s happier and healthier life. The MiDOG All-in-One Microbial Test, powered by NGS, offers comprehensive diagnostic information, including the most appropriate antibiotics for your cat according to our antibiotic resistance gene screening.

Remember, your veterinarian plays a crucial role in your cat’s health journey, so don’t hesitate to collaborate closely with them and explore the benefits of Next-Generation Sequencing technology in optimizing your cat’s treatment plan. Together, we can enhance the well-being of our beloved feline friends and strengthen the bond between humans and animals.

Find out if your vet uses MiDOG before you book your next appointment!

References

Jessen, L. R, et al. “Effect of antibiotic treatment in canine and feline urinary tract infections: a systematic review.” The Veterinary Journal 203.3 (2015): 270-277.
Damerum, A, Malka, S., Lofgren, N., Vecere, G., & Krumbeck, J. A. (2023). Next-generation DNA sequencing offers diagnostic advantages over traditional culture testing. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 1(aop), 1-9.
Sykes, Jane E Canine and feline infectious diseases. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2013.
Tsang, Wayne, et al. “Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance genes in the oral cavity of cats with chronic gingivostomatitis.” Animals 11.12 (2023): 3589.
Melgarejo, Tonatiuh, et al. “The Urinary Resistome of Clinically Healthy Companion Dogs: Potential One Health Implications.” Antibiotics 11.6 (2022): 780.
Older, Caitlin E, Aline Rodrigues Hoffman, and Alison B. Diesel. “The feline skin microbiome: interrelationship between health and disease.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 25.7 (2023): 1098612X231180231.

Categories: Antibiotic Resistance, Cats

Validated by Veterinarians

“Clients expect their veterinarians to stay up to date on all matters that affect the health and well being of their non-human family members. The current technique that we have used to determine the presence and antibiotic sensitivity of organisms causing disease in our pets is over a century old.

With the emergence of dangerous antibacterial resistance, it is critical that veterinarians are able to offer laser focused diagnostics and treatment. MiDog enables us to offer care that exceeds the typical standard of care.”

Bernadine Cruz, DVM, Laguna Hills Animal Hospital Laguna Woods, CA

“I love the absolute abundance and comparing the fungal with bacterial infection. I do not worry as much about getting a false negative urinary infection reading as I do with traditional urine cultures. Several times the same urine would culture negative but MiDOG would detect pathogens.”

Michael Morgan, DVMQuail Animal Hospital, Tustin, CA

“The MiDOG All-in-One Test is amazing, I would use it instead of culture and sensitivity. Such rapid and detailed results, I will reach for MiDOG before culture next time!

Thank you very much MiDOG, for sharing the opportunity to try your technology.”

Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, President of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, LLC – Boston, MA

“The MiDOG All-in-One Microbial Test is our new gold standard of pathogen identification. The results are so accurate and valuable – especially with assessing both bacterial and fungal infections with the same sample.

Thank you MiDOG!”

Kathy Wentworth, DVM, Diplomate ABVP Canine and Feline Practice – PetPoint Medical Center, Irvine, CA

“The MiDOG staff was extremely helpful and supportive.”

Cathy Curtis, DVM – London, UK

“I have had great results using the MiDOG® Test. Compared to traditional culture tests, I am better able to target the treatment for dogs because the MiDOG® Test is so sensitive that it identifies all pathogens including bacteria and fungi, as well as antibiotic sensitivity.

The cost and turnaround time are about the same as a culture test, but I get much more data. The test has great performance and I believe the NGS technology will be a game changer for veterinarians treating dogs with lesions or other infections.”

Michael Kavanagh, DVM, Practice owner – Saddleback Animal Hospital, Tustin, CA

“It’s helpful to have an NGS spectrum because it gives you a broader insight of what’s happening and what might be going on.”

Richard Harvey BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS – European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology – Head of Dermatology, Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service – Solihull, England UK

“I have been using MiDog for over 4 years now and exclusively as my test of choice for all cultures for 3 years. It is so great to submit a culture and feel confident there will be a result when it comes back, especially for urine cultures. The reports were intimidating at first because they contain so much information. After the first few, I am now quickly able to glance over it and pick out the highlights. I can then come back later and pour over all the details. I have been extremely pleased with my patients’ results using the test as well. I don’t envision ever going back to traditional culture and susceptibilities again.”

Brian M. Urmson, DVM, Columbiana Veterinary Associates

“As an exotic veterinarian, there are numerous tests we have to consider to check specific bacterial and fungal organisms based on the species. MiDOG eliminates the need for many of these separate samples and provides definitive results quickly to help us treat our patients more efficiently and effectively. The lab is wonderful to work with and has never rejected our samples- they even processed a lizard toe we amputated and determined the cause of skin infection.”

Dr. Melissa Giese, Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital

“MiDOG’s diagnostic approach offers the unique ability to identify pathogens that evade traditional culture and sensitivity testing. I have found that adding a molecular based testing approach in the form of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) from MiDOG to my routine diagnostic cultures can be extremely helpful in the identification and diagnosis of uncommon pathogens in veterinary medicine.”

Dr. Wayne Rosenkrantz, Animal Dermatology Clinic – Tustin

“She [Dr. Krumbeck] really did a great job of making complicated concepts accessible and demonstrating the value of your services. I’m really looking forward to working with MiDOG on my research project!”

Dr. Yaicha Peters, Animal Dermatology Clinic – San Diego

“As a proud collaborator with MiDOG, I deeply appreciate their dedication to fostering partnerships between industry and veterinary experts. Their commitment to enhancing diagnostic quality for veterinarians is commendable. In my experience, their support has been invaluable, earning them a ‘Double A+, Triple Star’ rating. Their assistance has been faultless, contributing significantly to the success of my projects and studies. I eagerly anticipate our continued collaboration.”

Dr. Richard Harvey, BVSc DVD DipECVD PhD FRSB FRCVS; European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology

“We’re seeing that, if we prescribe too many antibiotics or they’re taken too frequently, animals are developing inappropriate or pathogenic strains of bacteria. We’re also seeing that our antibiotics are just not working against them anymore… It’s a good example of why we need better diagnostic testing, like MiDOG, so that we’re selecting the correct antibiotic every time our patients have an infection.”

Dr. Alissa Rexo, DVM, CVA, DACVD, Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Dermatology