5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 +8 67 PMPS 92

Previous condo

Tiggy has the vet today to try and find out if there is any cause for his high dose. We will be taking blood, pee etc. He hates the vet so his BG will be super high.

I am also thinking about increasing his dose again but I guess I will see how today goes.

Wendy

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

Hi guys .. .poor tiggy .. I hope the vet visit goes well .. both my cats hate the vet's as well so I sympathize with you!

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

Poor Tiggy, such a nice start to the day too. You could ask the vet about the scooting while you are there. Paws crossed for no noisy droolers in the waiting room when you get there. That's what freaks Neko out at vetty.

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

I hope the scooting isn't a sign of impacted anal glands that need to be expressed.

Good vetty vines for Tiggy today. Hope Bailey doesn't mind the vetty smell on Tig.

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

At the vet. Tiggy was growling at the vet and he isn't out the carrier yet! The vet did some research and is quoting $150 for the IGF-1. Will find out on the IAA. Also test for pancreatitis and uti.

I see a big bill but already my mind is eased knowing we might get to the bottom of this!

Wendy

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

Sending vines for Tiggy, and hope the tests show a diagnosis and treatment started. It is tough on the big Vet bills but so glad your mind will be eased once you get to the bottom of it.

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

ok so back from vet - prices are Canadian dollars!

1. total panel $220 to include urine test for infection, fructosamine and full blood panel
2. IGF-1 ($150 & $21 blood collection fee )
3. IAA ($ tbd but less than IGF-1)
4. pancreatitis test I cant remember the name of maybe fpl?? ($tbd)
5. Urine culture and sensitivity ($115 + urine collection fee $53)

Vet looked at his features - no sign of acro but I guess that doesn't mean anything. However Tiggy has put on 0.8lbs in 6 months which the vet says is a sign of acro since he doesnt think Tiggy is regulated at all. Personally I dont think his BG is that bad since we have been on top of him so it will be interesting what the vet says about the fructosamine level. Has a little tooth tartar build up but its minimal.

panic panic panic - what if he is acro? Does that mean he only has a few years left?!! he is only 7!!!

Wendy

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

No. An acro diagnosis may effect lifespan but there are always other factors to be considered that can contribute to a kitty's health that may or may not have anything to do with acromegaly.

 

Re: 5/29 Tiggy AMPS 146 - vet today

Wendy,
I don't know of reasons why you need a dose of 9u and the cat's not regulated, other than acro and/or IAA, but it's possible There is one member in the facebook group who tested negative for both but she is struggling with the cat to regulate and the cat is almost at the same dose at Tiggy. She did find that BPA seemed to affect the cat's numbers.

Cat have only a few years to live? Nope, that's not true. How do you know Tiggy won't go OTJ on his own? My acro Oliver has been OTJ since Jan7/12, and there have been other acro cats who have gone OTJ, so if you manage whatever related issues that Tiggy has, who knows how long he will live.

The big thing with knowing if your cat has acromegaly is you can then watch for common issues and treat them. Several acros have heart issues and need meds, so think about if you do NOT test for acro, it's not going to make Tiggy not acro, is it. If he has heart issues but you don't check for it, you are doing him no favors by ignoring any issues and not treating them.

It's always better to know than not know.

Does Tiggy have pancreatitis right now? If not, then the fPLI test is a waste of your money.... pancreatitis is much like a fever. If you have a fever today, but it's gone tomorrow, why would you waste your time with taking your temperature? The same with pancreatitis.... you need to have the test done when the cat is experiencing a flare. To treat pancreatitis, give pepcid, pain meds and fluids.

I am also not sure why you are wasting your money on a fructosamine test..... you test lots already so why do you want to spend that money to know what Tiggy's average has been for the last 2 weeks?

Save your money towards having Tiggy's heart checked if the acro test result is positive.

My Shadoe did not look acro at all! She was a tiny petite little grey female with no features of acro at all.... except her high dose. The vet said don't bother testing, and it took me a month of so, and finally having to go to the office to demand they draw blood and ship it off for testing.
About the only symptom visible on her later on was a HUGE pot belly .... she was like a pregnant cat she was so big. Her IGF-1 was only 120 and she showed no enlarged organs, so we may have caught it early. Sadly I never had her heart checked and that's was failed her in the end.

Gayle

 

I thought acro meant a tumor on the pituitary gland and being cancer it would grow and kill him?

Is that OTJ for Oliver July 2012 or December 2007?.

That was the vets idea but they do it in house so he thought it was worth a go.

I questioned that, it's part of the blood panel and its cheaper to do the diabetic blood panel that has the fructosamine in it than a general blood panel because it comes with a free urine test or something.


Wendy

 

Acromegaly is a benign tumor on the pituitary. It is not cancer. However, there are side effects from the tumor and the extra growth hormone it produces. The only damage caused by the physical tumor itself is that if it is large enough, it can press on the optic chiasm. Neko had some sensitivity to bright light (before SRT, now no longer). You may read of some acrocats whose pupils never got small in bright light, that would also be a side effect.

FWIW, Neko has very few external acro signs. She is a large cat, but always has been. Her weight is actually two pounds less than she was 6 years ago. Her paws are large, but ditto probably some Maine Coon in there somewhere. Her main sign of acro was intense hunger and love of all things carb (bread, muffins, etc.). The extra growth hormone makes them like teenagers.