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#1
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek |
#2
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
"Peg Caldwell Ott" wrote in message ... Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek Ask your vet about Arnica Montana. It helped my Tigger. W |
#3
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
Peg Caldwell Ott wrote:
Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek My elderly cat Tigra was on a couple things for her arthritis starting from when she was 15-16 years old. For 1 - 2 years she got a chewable unflavored baby aspirin tablet 80 mg ASA every 3 days as your cat does plus a Cosequin capsule to be sprinkled on her food - can't remember the dose but it was a veterinary grade. Eventually, her arthritis started slowing her down again, so having looked up Cosequin dosages per pound on the internet & checking with our vet, I doubled her Cosequin so she was receiving a capsule sprinkled in her food both morning & night. Again it provided relief for at least another year. In her last year when she was almost 20, she was losing weight & all the muscle mass in her back end & over her shoulders. She began having mobility problems in spite of the aspirin & Cosequin & she was switched to (I think) a liquid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory - sorry I don't remember the name but I think it started with m--- It sort of helped but she was deteriorating & later lost muscle control of her bladder. She was put to sleep in Sept 05. Don't make the mistake (as I did for awhile) of switching to a cheaper source of Cosequin - the glucosamine chondroitin sulphate because eventually you'll realize it isn't helping the cat, only your wallet. Do whatever you can to make your cat as comfortable as possible, for as long as she seems comfortable. Then when it's obvious the end is coming, do it sooner, not later. Best of luck, M. -- Message posted via CatKB.com http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...ealth/200705/1 |
#4
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
I think the medication you are referring to is metacam.
"mariib via CatKB.com" u22469@uwe wrote in message news:71fdcc6b05d89@uwe... Peg Caldwell Ott wrote: Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek My elderly cat Tigra was on a couple things for her arthritis starting from when she was 15-16 years old. For 1 - 2 years she got a chewable unflavored baby aspirin tablet 80 mg ASA every 3 days as your cat does plus a Cosequin capsule to be sprinkled on her food - can't remember the dose but it was a veterinary grade. Eventually, her arthritis started slowing her down again, so having looked up Cosequin dosages per pound on the internet & checking with our vet, I doubled her Cosequin so she was receiving a capsule sprinkled in her food both morning & night. Again it provided relief for at least another year. In her last year when she was almost 20, she was losing weight & all the muscle mass in her back end & over her shoulders. She began having mobility problems in spite of the aspirin & Cosequin & she was switched to (I think) a liquid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory - sorry I don't remember the name but I think it started with m--- It sort of helped but she was deteriorating & later lost muscle control of her bladder. She was put to sleep in Sept 05. Don't make the mistake (as I did for awhile) of switching to a cheaper source of Cosequin - the glucosamine chondroitin sulphate because eventually you'll realize it isn't helping the cat, only your wallet. Do whatever you can to make your cat as comfortable as possible, for as long as she seems comfortable. Then when it's obvious the end is coming, do it sooner, not later. Best of luck, M. -- Message posted via CatKB.com http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...ealth/200705/1 |
#5
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
Peg Caldwell Ott wrote:
Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek I suggest prednisolone rather than prednisone. Prednisone is metabolized into prednisolone in the liver. Since Alino's liver may be a bit out of the normal, you're better off with prednisolone. Either drug is available in tablets as small as 2.5 or 5 mg ... kitty size. You will find them at a much better price at the local pharmacy than your vet's office, but you will need a prescription. In my experience, long-term use of an oral steriod like prednisolone is much less likely to set off diabetes than is a long-acting injectable steroid like Depo-medrol. |
#6
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
"While long term use of steriods is not generally recommended sometimes you
have to outweigh the benefits verses the risk. If you can give him a few more years of a pain free life I personally would do it especially since aspirin is not helping any longer. My mother has a cat who has taken steroids her whole life on and off for another illness not related to arthritis and she's still hanging on there after 16 years. Celeste "Peg Caldwell Ott" wrote in message ... Our wonderful kitty, Alino (pronounced Ah-leen-yo, like the spice) has been having some problems with arthritis in his right shoulder for just over a year. On the advice of our vet, we have been giving him a St. Joseph's children's aspirin once every three days, and that does seem to help enormously. He also gets Cosaquin powder mixed into his daily food (highly recommended for cats with arthritis) and that helps too. But, the problem appears to be becoming worse, especially on the third day, before we can give him another aspirin. On those days in particular, his limp is very pronounced. The vet says we cannot increase the aspirin dose or frequency due to potential liver problems--and Alino already has some weird liver values that the vet understands to be "normal" for him. Consequently, the vet is recommending that we move on to a steriod medication like Prednazone. We understand that Alino would have to be without any aspirin at all for a week, and that we will have to "load" him with a steriod medication for a few days, and then begin to cut it back to see how small a dosage we can get away with and still keep Alino comfortable. We also understand that steriod medications have side effects, including increased drinking and urination--not a problem for Alino who does not drink all that much anyway. Does anyone have experience with arthritis in more senior cats and experience with giving the animal steroids? Which medication would you recommend? What other side effects should we look for? Alino is a blue-point Siamese, 16 years old on June 23, with a very muscular build and an incredibly sweet disposition--just a loving little guy!! His older brother, Amaretto, died of diabetes and CRF on April 7, from which we are all still recovering. PegNDerek |
#7
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Steroids for Kitty Arthritis
On May 10, 10:13 pm, "Spot" wrote:
"While long term use of steriods is not generally recommended sometimes you have to outweigh the benefits verses the risk. If you can give him a few more years of a pain free life I personally would do it especially since aspirin is not helping any longer. I would agree, especially considering the age of your cat. There is also a "natural" cortisone you can ask your vet about that he would have to order from a pet pharmacy. It doesn't have the side effects usually associated with steroids. |
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