Depo Medrol injection frequency

Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Any other suggestions?

--

Wayne M.

"Wayne Mitchell" wrote in message
...

Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Any other suggestions?


Aerokat has been discussed, try a Google search. As I have
already posted, my cat needs Depo for asthma and EGC,
and your vet agrees with mine. I never take her in for shots
less than 2 months apart.

Wayne Mitchell wrote:
Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Nope. I personally wouldn't do Depo any more than that.


Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Depo is a catch-22 since it makes the cat feel great, yet is hard on
the liver and kidneys.


Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Megan (zuzu) has, I believe. Send her an email.

-L.

in article , Wayne Mitchell at
wrote on 4/26/05 10:59 PM:


Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Any other suggestions?

There are a couple of people on rec.pets.cats anecdotes that use aerosol
therapy. Do you also have HEPA filters around the home? Just as with
people, taking steps to remove irritants should help. Vacuum and dust (with
kitty in another room. And run standalone Hepa air filters.

A hepa filter and air conditioning go a long way to help aleviate asthma.

Celeste

"Karen" wrote in message
...
in article , Wayne Mitchell at
wrote on 4/26/05 10:59 PM:


Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Any other suggestions?

There are a couple of people on rec.pets.cats anecdotes that use aerosol
therapy. Do you also have HEPA filters around the home? Just as with
people, taking steps to remove irritants should help. Vacuum and dust
(with
kitty in another room. And run standalone Hepa air filters.

"Spot" wrote:

A hepa filter and air conditioning go a long way to help aleviate asthma.

Celeste

In some cases, no doubt, it can go a long way; and in most cases
it can probably provide minor alleviation. But as I learn more
about the particular ways in which feline asthma is different
from human asthma, I become less and less convinced that air
filtration of the kind we do for humans, to remove dust, mites
and mold spores, can provide major alleviation for a majority of
cats with asthma.

For Will, the only air quality issues I see are in mid-summer
when the *outside* air (he's an indoor cat) is high in ozone and
humidity.

--

Wayne M.

in article , Wayne Mitchell at
wrote on 4/27/05 9:08 PM:

"Spot" wrote:

A hepa filter and air conditioning go a long way to help aleviate asthma.

Celeste

In some cases, no doubt, it can go a long way; and in most cases
it can probably provide minor alleviation. But as I learn more
about the particular ways in which feline asthma is different
from human asthma, I become less and less convinced that air
filtration of the kind we do for humans, to remove dust, mites
and mold spores, can provide major alleviation for a majority of
cats with asthma.

For Will, the only air quality issues I see are in mid-summer
when the *outside* air (he's an indoor cat) is high in ozone and
humidity.

One thing with cats, they are so much closer to the carpet. I wonder if one
shouldn't concentrate on a lot of vacuuming with a very good vacuum cleaner,
and bare as much of the floor as possible.

As a human who has been on depo injections for several years at 3 monthly
intervals and who like Will suffered problems again after 5 weeks or so, I
would say listen to your Vets advice, I have just been taken off the
injections as a matter of some urgency as my muscles had started to weaken
very badly to the point where I was falling over. I am still on oral
steroids but no more injections
"Wayne Mitchell" wrote in message
...

Anyone care to express an opinion as to how frequently steroid
shots can be given without too much risk of complications such
as diabetes?

My Will is asthmatic. He gets a Depo Medrol shot about every
2-3 months. Unfortunately, they only last him about 5 weeks.
The reason that he doesn't get a shot every five weeks is that
our vet is strongly averse to a period under 2 months. Any
chance that he's being overly conservative?

Even after the steroid runs out, Will's symptoms are relatively
mild. He generally has at least five, and not more than
fifteen, coughing spells in twenty-four hours. We can tell that
he has some breathing difficulties, but he rests well, eats
well, plays well, and only appears to flag when the air quality
is particularly bad. The only other symptom he has (which
convinces us that the asthma is allergy related) is itchy and
sensitive skin.

Since he's been taking Theo-dur, the asthma doesn't seem to wear
him down the way it did when I first adopted him two years ago.
It appears that he might be able to go indefinitely at that
level, never getting worse. As a quality of life concern,
however, I sure would like to increase the frequency of steroid
injections.

Failing that -- Has anyone any experience with aerosol therapy
using a device such as this -- http://www.aerokat.com/ ?
What's the cost of the medication? How difficult is the
administration? (Will is dead easy to handle; takes his pills
like a gentleman.)

Any other suggestions?

--

Wayne M.

Karen wrote:

One thing with cats, they are so much closer to the carpet. I wonder if one
shouldn't concentrate on a lot of vacuuming with a very good vacuum cleaner,
and bare as much of the floor as possible.

Our upstairs is carpeted. I can't quite get to all the
vacuuming I should do (caregiver for two parents, 83 and 91;
some days, the housework slides a bit). We have thought some of
re-doing with tile and washable area rugs. (But I'd hate to
have anything but a carpeted stairway.)

Another problem is that we have forced hot-air heating. I never
would have adopted an asthmatic cat if he hadn't already been at
the shelter for months and about used up his time. (Actually,
there was zero chance of my not bringing him home; they didn't
tell me he was asthmatic until *after* I was hooked.)


This week I had non-feline health problem which took some of my
time, so I'm slow in returning to this thread. Thanks to
everyone for your comments. It seems that you all pretty much
agree that two months spacing is minimum for injected steroids,
and longer would be better. Since the five weeks relief that
Will gets from his injections is *above* average, that means, in
most cases, that this therapy can cover only about half the
time. So far, it's the only therapy my vet has even suggested
to me.

I like the vet clinic I'm with now, and it's only five minutes
from home. But they may not be the greatest at treating asthma.
The one time I suggested we think about inhaled medications, I
got a pretty blank look. Still, I think at this point I'd
better study up on it so I can present a good argument. If one
of the vets there wants to join me in learning as we go, that
will be fine; if not, I may have to go vet shopping. Of course,
if I could find a vet who is already knowledgeable and
experienced with inhaled therapy, that would be the easiest for
me.

--

Wayne M.

"Wayne Mitchell" wrote in message
...
Karen wrote:

Another problem is that we have forced hot-air heating. I never
would have adopted an asthmatic cat if he hadn't already been at
the shelter for months and about used up his time. (Actually,
there was zero chance of my not bringing him home; they didn't
tell me he was asthmatic until *after* I was hooked.)



Wayne--my asthmatic cat is also a shelter cat. She presented with
asthma as soon as I got her home and the shelter offered to take her
back and/or pay for a vet visit. I turned them down for both--I was
already hooked too!

I just want to stress how important it is to do small things like
switch to unscented litter, avoid burning scented candles and
using air freshener like those plug in things, and if you wear
after shave or cologne or scented soap or lotion, try not using
it for a bit. I also changed cleaning products (can't say from what
to what as I just changed cleaning services). The two most important
things that got my cat down from a shot every two months to
one twice a year, in my opinion, was switching to unscented litter
and quitting wearing all perfume or scented lotion.

Good luck with your girl.