4/2 Cinco AMPS 315 +4 137 +6 126 PMPS 300

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Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey

Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey

Member Since 2011
3/31 Recap:
1.0 units bid
AMPS: 275
AM+3: 188
AM+5.25: 144
PMPS: 327
PM+3: 192
PM+5: 142
PM+7.25: 126

4/1 Recap:
1.0 units bid
AMPS: 218
AM+2.5: 229
AM+6.5: 198
PMPS: 261
PM+7.25: 122

Last Condo

Happy Fursday! Sorry that I was AWOL yesterday (thanks, @tiffmaxee, for the concern). It was a very hectic day (and that makes it different how?! :p) and I just never had a chance to sit down at the PC for more than a minute or two. I had to take our tax paperwork to our accountant in Sacramento, and stopped at the vet on the way home, followed by Costco, and then it was time for an early t/f/s and off to Sac again for the Garth Brooks concert! Which, btw, was AWESOME!!!! We got home so late and had to do meds and fluids and boy was I pooped!

Cinco has been good in the sense that I haven't had to worry about his dropping too low while I had all this other stuff going on, but I'm not happy with his numbers, especially the two pinks that snuck in there. We didn't increase this morning because when I saw where he was when we got home last night, I thought there might have been a lagoon drive by. However, looking at his readings today so far (although this morning's AMPS is an hour late), I'm pretty sold on a dosecrease tomorrow. So, Cinco, you have one more chance to change my mind. I'll be here allll night!!

Minka's appy was only so-so yesterday, and this morning it was pretty much absent, so I just gave her some Cypro. I did start her on the tummy supplement that the acupuncture vet gave me - it's called Feline Enteric Support, and it's from Standard Process (the company that does Allerplex). She said that the chemo and some of her other meds cans sluff off the lining of her stomach and make her feel uncomfortable about eating, and this will help restore that. I figure it's worth a try. The problem is that the pills are huge, and it's an herbal compound, so if you try to cut it in half, it crumbles. I've been scooping up the pieces and putting them in gelcaps. The Oncologist had asked me to have the vet start a new urine culture so we could see if the bacteria is responding to the AB, and she did so on Tuesday when we were there for acupuncture. I'll be interested to see the results.

Sasha scared the $#!+ out of me this morning. She has always had a bad habit of wolfing down kibble and treats without chewing them, and then she gags and coughs them back up (eww!). She's been doing it more and more lately, and a little while ago I went into the bedroom and found her hunched on the floor making the most horrible noise - she sounded like she was choking.
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I saw a piece of kibble on the floor near her that had obviously been coughed up, but she was still gagging.
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I didn't know what to do - was patting her on the back and googling "Heimlich maneuver on cats" on my phone, when she finally managed to cough it up - TWO pieces of Hill's TD, which are pretty big!! I pretty much lost it. I was so terrified. After a few minutes of cuddling, she was fine (I wasn't) and ate the food I had brought her. I immediately picked up all bowls of the Hill's and am debating about breaking it up before putting it back, or eliminating it. You see, Abys have lots of teeth and gum issues, and the Hill's TD has really cut back on them for both Harvey and Sasha, so I hate to take it away from them. But I just can't have this happen again - even if she survives, I won't.

Our regular vet called me yesterday as I was pulling out of the driveway, to tell me the radiologist said that there was no sign of pneumonia or cancer (whew!) in Sasha's chest x-rays. She said he called it "Feline Airway Disease", but it's basically allergies+asthma+URI. She told me to increase the Pred and said she would write a prescription for an inhaler, which I picked up when I was in town and dropped off at Costco. I ordered the Aerokat online last night and it will be here tomorrow, so we can start trying to get her used to it.

Harvey has been better about getting his meds - this morning he jumped up on the computer chair when I was checking my e-mail. This is where I "do the deed" - I put his meds and the pill shooter on the desk first thing so I will be ready when I get hold of him. It was so easy to just pick him up and put him in the sack! :woot: I hope this becomes a habit with him! I think it helps that I always give him lots of love and scritches before, during and after the ordeal.

So another long, rambling condo. Sorry. But if you count it as two, it's not so bad! ;) Thanks again to everyone that visited my last condo and offered support and encouragement. You people are the best!! :bighug:

Sending healing vines to all in need, especially Scooter, DoLou, Tess and Doodle, and hugs to all their beans, especially Linda, Lisa, Ann & John and Jennifer. :bighug: Prayers continue for Amy's DF, Lyresa's DF, DH and DGD, Lisa's DF, Marje's DM and Elise's DM.




 
Whew. I am exhausted reading your condo. ;) We saw Garth here and he was amazing. I am so glad you got to go.

Cinco came down nicely for +6. Good luck with the dosecrease if you decide to do it.

Appy vines for Minka. Oh my on Sasha choking. That is really scary. I'm glad she got it up. I'm sorry about the asthma dx. That is a real pain in the rear. Tarragon's asthma scares me more than the diabetes. Let me know if you need anything.

Way to go Harvey! Making life easy for your bean.

Have a great day Tricia!
 
Oh wow. I'm glad Sasha was okay. That would have scared me too. Sorry she needs an inhaler, but I hope it helps her. Sending appy vines for Minka. Good luck if you increase Cinco's dose. I'm glad you enjoyed the concert.
 
So I think my response would have been to panic and cry, so you are much better than me....

I am glad to hear that she was able to cough it up herself, how scary! I am so jealous of Garth Brooks...if I was "allowed" to go to concerts, I would probably be even more jealous lol

Cinco....why don't you come keep Skooter company? He needs a buddy to chat about the horrible awful things I put him through yesterday....he is headed for the lagoon, so go on and join him, k?
 
Wow...that's really scary!! So glad Sasha is OK!!

Now Cinco...I don't know what you and China have been talking about behind our backs, but this nonsense has to stop! China got a dosecrease tonight, and if you don't want one soon, you'd better listen to your mamabean!
 
OMG that choking episode sounds so scary!! You deserve an extra large adult beverage tonight! This may be a totally weird idea but could you grind up the kibble a bit in a food processor? I don't know if that would have the desired effect but I know someone (human) who has trouble with food and grinds everything, even crackers. I hope the inhaler helps!! Is it Flovent?
 
I guess it's too time-consuming to cut each piece of the kibble in half. Maybe try soaking some in a little water to soften it up?

Wow on your day. I'm glad that Sasha is OK and that everyone else is hanging in there, too.

Glad you enjoyed your night out.

Hugs and scritches,

Ella & Rusty
 
Soooo scary about Sasha! My civvie Frankie has done the same thing, although not quite as bad as Sasha. Frankie doesn't have many teeth (vetty thinks she has FORL), so she doesn't chew much. I'm always on edge when she eats - she eats a 50/50 mix of canned and kibble.

I hope Minka's appy has picked up, and that Cinco has taken your threat very seriously!! Have a great evening recovering from Garth tonight!!
 
Cinco. See that table. Your dosecrease is on it. Take heed; take action. The time is now.

Vines the herbal supps help with Minka's appy. Makes sense she'd not feel like eating if her stomach lining is sloughing. Fingers, toes, everything crossed that the new supps do the trick.

I have a boy at work that periodically keels over after his pills or when eating treats. Just drops a couple saliva spots and falls over. So scary. I open his mouth stick my finger on his tongue to push it down. Works so far. Unnerving. Hope for you, this was a one time occurrence.

Good news on the x-rays. And good luck with the inhaler.

Harvey. You're blowing your reputation. But that's good. Your bean caIn use a sorta, maybe cooperative guy at pill time.

You are amazing. One day at your house is like a lifetime of chaos for most of us. Whew.

Marilyn and Polly
 
I would think that softening or breaking up the TD would ruin the purpose of it which is to chew on it (aren't they deliberately large for that reason?) - although that doesn't seem to be happening anyway! Maybe you could just give them as treats one at a time and supervise to make sure they are chewed instead of inhaled.
 
Thanks for stopping by, Melissa, Carla, Molly, Chris, Deanna, Ella, Amy, Marilyn and Serryn.

Apparently Cinco is NOT taking me seriously about the dosecrease. I wish I knew where these 300s are coming from. I understand the one after the fur shots, but are these bounces from his big drops? o_O Whatever it is, more jus appears to be the next step. *sigh*

The Pred appears to be helping Sasha's appy, at least. Her entire dinner and a round of seconds already CPC. Harvey didn't care for tonight's entree (neither did Minka), so I trotted out the Max Cat Venison and both were much happier. Minka is still not eating enough, but if I keep offering it every half hour or so, she eats a little more. I'm still keeping that syringe in my back pocket. I weighed the girls today and Minka lost 3 ounces in the past week. Sasha lost 5. :( Obviously, I'm not doing enough to get the food into them. I'm not at all worried about Harvey or Cinco- they're doing great weight-wise.

@Deanna & Billie, the vet gave me both Albuterol and Flovent. As soon as the Aerocat comes (tomorrow), I'll start trying to train Sasha to use it. I understand there's a video? I'll have to look for it. We'll start with the Albuterol, and once she's off the Pred, we'll use the Flovent.

@MollynSkooter, I know I'm lucky Cinco gave me permission to go to the concert. I am generally pretty confident on leaving him like that, with Otto, especially lately. I wish he'd give me reason not to be, though! I never got a chance to see Garth before (he was last in Sac 18 years ago!). I understand he doesn't run around as much as he did then (who does?), but he still puts on an amazing show. He mostly did his old songs, because he says that's what he wants to hear when he goes to a concert (he goes to concerts???). We all agreed with that decision! What fun. I couldn't think of a song I wanted to hear that he didn't sing. When I got home I pulled out my CDs and found a couple, but really, he did two hours, so I can't complain. I'm pretty hoarse today because I can't clap (damn arthritis), so I holler my appreciation instead. :p I was very appreciative. :joyful:

I put a bowl of the smallest pieces of TD, and ones that were broken, back in the bedroom for Sasha. I had also thought about giving her one at a time, as a treat. We'll see. I need time to recover from today's scare. I don't think my heart has stopped pounding yet. :eek: Moistening or grinding it would, indeed, defeat the purpose, but I don't think breaking them in half would. Definitely an option I'm considering.

Oops! Water for pasta is boiling. Gotta go.
 
Yay for Flovent! I can't say enough good things about it.

I would recommend joining the Feline Asthma Inhaled Meds Yahoo group - https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/felineasthma_inhaledmeds/info The experts there are super knowledgeable and helpful. If you post to introduce yourself, you should get a "welcome" response with some useful info.

If you go to YouTube and search "cat aerokat inhaler" you will find a bunch of videos. I found that it was helpful to watch a few different ones, because different people and kitties have different routines for the puff puffs. Some kitties take longer to get used to the Aerokat, but Sasha sounds like a very patient girl, so I have a feeling it won't be too tricky. With Billie, I left it out on the coffee table for a day so she could sniff it and get used to its existence. I did a couple "practice" runs the next day where I held the mask to her face just for a few seconds at a time and gave her treats. But, ultimately, just doing it is what made her okay with it, because she realized "oh, this isn't so bad, and it's making me feel better."

Maybe your vet mentioned this, but it is best to start the Flovent as you start to taper off the pred, because it can take up to a week for the Flovent to have its full effect. You may need to increase the Flovent until you find the right dose that gets the symptoms fully controlled. Billie started with 1 puff of the 125mcg inhaler 2x daily but ended up at 2 puffs of the 250mcg inhaler twice daily.

Also, I have never used Albuterol, but I have read on FAIM that kitties should only take 5-6 breaths of an Albuterol puff, because it can make them feel jittery (there is a little green flap on the Aerokat that will move with each breath, and you just count them). With the Flovent, you count 10-12 breaths per puff.

I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many details at once! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions anytime. Once you get the hang of it, it's wonderful. I hope you all have a good night!
 
@Chris & China, none of my cats like the innards from chickens or turkey. It was a major disappointment to me the first Thanksgiving I had them!

@Deanna & Billie, THANK YOU for all that info. I'm going to print it out so I can refer back to it easily. I appreciate having the benefit of your experience. I may contact you with questions as we get into this.

Cinco is coming down, but I'm still thinking dosecrease tomorrow. He's yelling at me right now, so I'd better get over there and give him a rubdown!.:rolleyes:
 
But Elise, that would defeat the purpose of the TD - it's to clean the teeth. If I just want something to sprinkle on her moist food, I crush the Hypo treats she loves.
 
You will get the hang of the inhaler. Tarragon really has never had any issues using it, especially when treats are the award. Vets generally under prescribe the dosage. We use the Flovent 250 - 2 puffs twice a day and the Albuterol as needed during an attack. Be sure to use the Albuterol first and wait a few minutes before you to the Flovent. Albuterol opens up the airways so the Flovent can get in. I agree with Deanna. I would start the Flovent before the pred ends. Of course, Tarragon is on both because his asthma is so bad. ((((Tricia))))
 
Tricia & Cinco said:
But Elise, that would defeat the purpose of the TD - it's to clean the teeth. If I just want something to sprinkle on her moist food, I crush the Hypo treats she loves.
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I didn't know what TD was but you could still use the mortar and pestle to break the pieces a little or would that not work either.
 
You certainly have one thing after the other. Have you tried just chunks of raw meat? We used to give Emma gizzards and hearts, but then we were trying a novel protein diet. We settled on raw lamb since we couldn't find rabbit readily. chunks big enough that she has to chew. Even if Sasha manages to swallow a big piece, I don't think she would choke on it like on dry kibble. Another thing we give Emma are the C.E.T. dental chews. They are too big to swallow whole and have this mesh around them that the cat has to chew through. It dissolves once they swallow it. Emma loves them.
 
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