7/29 - Frosty - AMPS 242, +4 188, +7 140, +9 189

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

I posted an update about Frosty yesterday in the Cushing’s forum.

Since he’s been vomiting, he is not taking Vetoryl today or tomorrow, until we get the results of the ACTH stim rest.

Only being fed 1 can right now at each feeding, which I think he’s tolerating. Fingers crossed. I suspect I may have to decrease the insulin dose until he is able to tolerate his full 2 cans at each feeding. I am nervous to give him more food right now because 2 days ago my entire house was covered in puke.

Also, he got gabapentin for anxiety before the drive home yesterday, and it worked miracles. He still meowed, but softly and there were even periods of silence! He also didn’t pee in the crate. They gave me 10 pills so I can give it to him an hour before a car ride. I am so glad that at least that part will be less stressful now.

 

[Bellasmom]

Hope Frosty continues to eat and keep it down, sending healing vines

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hi Ana, I am so sorry that Frosty got the Cushing DX. I don't know a whole lot about it but I am sure coupled with diabetes it has to be an exhausting journey for you both.

I hope the vomiting gets under control. Is that from the Cushing? My thyroid civvie used to vomit right after eating until I learned to give him just a tsp of food with his meds in it, then not give him anything else for about 20 minutes while I am getting all the animals foods and meds ready. And then I only give him 1/2 of his meal and let him "rest" groom, walk around while I am cleaning up and then give him the rest.

Like I said, I don't understand Cushing so this may or may not be helpful to you.

 

[Sue and Luci]

I posted an update about Frosty yesterday in the Cushing’s forum.

Since he’s been vomiting, he is not taking Vetoryl today or tomorrow, until we get the results of the ACTH stim rest.

Only being fed 1 can right now at each feeding, which I think he’s tolerating. Fingers crossed. I suspect I may have to decrease the insulin dose until he is able to tolerate his full 2 cans at each feeding. I am nervous to give him more food right now because 2 days ago my entire house was covered in puke.

Also, he got gabapentin for anxiety before the drive home yesterday, and it worked miracles. He still meowed, but softly and there were even periods of silence! He also didn’t pee in the crate. They gave me 10 pills so I can give it to him an hour before a car ride. I am so glad that at least that part will be less stressful now.

Poor baby....hope he feels better...and you've got things cleaned up ugh...

Maybe as suggested above, give him small portion, rest break, groom, another small portion...perhaps in a utility/laundry room??? Just a thought...the all over the house thing...oh my...feel for you mama bean...

 

[Olive & Paula]

It sounds like 2 cans at once might be to much. My civvies don't even finish 1/2 can at a feeding, they leave some than to back and finish it within an hour.

 

[JeffJ]

I am glad to hear all the barf got cleaned up, and that Frosty responded well in the car to the gabapentin. Wishing more luck with his appetite. Frosty is a trooper.

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

It sounds like 2 cans at once might be to much. My civvies don't even finish 1/2 can at a feeding, they leave some than to back and finish it within an hour.

For another cat maybe, but Frosty has a crazy appetite and he’s been eating 2 cans at a time for 3 months now and tolerating it fine. Prior to that i was limiting him to 1.5, but after he got the Cushung’s dx and i realized that he’s actually malnourished due to his metabolic derangements caused by the disease, i let him have 2. So since he’s always tolerated that amount, there’s something going on. Hopefully we find out soon.

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

I am glad to hear all the barf got cleaned up, and that Frosty responded well in the car to the gabapentin. Wishing more luck with his appetite. Frosty is a trooper.

Ha! It was crazy. One blanket got thrown away because I washed it 4 times and it STILL smelled like salmon vomit.

I found some more small puke on our blanket last night (it’s clearly old) so I gotta go the the laundromat again for a high capacity washer.

I’m debating whether to give him a second can now in the middle of his cycle since he’s begging. The problem is that I won’t be home during the week to feed him mid day and I wanna make sure his sugar is OK on this insulin dose and amount of food.

I’m also giving him hairball medicine with his afternoon feeds just in case this was all caused by a hairball. It’s so hard to tell... i wish we knew for sure what was causing this!!

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

I hope the vomiting gets under control. Is that from the Cushing? My thyroid civvie used to vomit right after eating until I learned to give him just a tsp of food with his meds in it, then not give him anything else for about 20 minutes while I am getting all the animals foods and meds ready. And then I only give him 1/2 of his meal and let him "rest" groom, walk around while I am cleaning up and then give him the rest.

Like I said, I don't understand Cushing so this may or may not be helpful to you.

We aren’t sure what caused the vomiting. That’s the challenge. Was it because the Cushing’s medication was too strong and suppressing his hormones too much? Or was it just some GI upset? Hairball? So hard to tell, which makes it harder to know how to fix it.

He had his blood work done yesterday at the vet to make sure it’s not the former, since that could be life threatening. I am curious to see the results, but somehow I don’t think that’s the problem. I think it’s a GI issue. We’ll see if I’m right or not. Either way, I’m afraid to feed him more right now. I’m also giving hairball meds with feeds just in case he’s got a bad hairball and the million dollar woekup eas not necessary . But when you’re dealing with Cushing’s , you can’t really take a chance, esp in the beginning. He’s only been in the meds for 2 months, and if we are giving him too much it can be life threatening, so that’s the first thing to rule out. We shall see

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

We aren’t sure what caused the vomiting. That’s the challenge. Was it because the Cushing’s medication was too strong and suppressing his hormones too much? Or was it just some GI upset? Hairball? So hard to tell, which makes it harder to know how to fix it.

He had his blood work done yesterday at the vet to make sure it’s not the former, since that could be life threatening. I am curious to see the results, but somehow I don’t think that’s the problem. I think it’s a GI issue. We’ll see if I’m right or not. Either way, I’m afraid to feed him more right now. I’m also giving hairball meds with feeds just in case he’s got a bad hairball and the million dollar woekup eas not necessary . But when you’re dealing with Cushing’s , you can’t really take a chance, esp in the beginning. He’s only been in the meds for 2 months, and if we are giving him too much it can be life threatening, so that’s the first thing to rule out. We shall see

Good luck! Fingers and paws crossed

 

[JeffJ]

Our kittehs are just like 2 year old humans. They can never tell us where it hurts. I hope Frosty continues to make progress and keeps his food down this week.

Maybe you could hire a cat sitter to just come and feed Frosty in mid day during your work week. We have had success with that strategy.

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

Our kittehs are just like 2 year old humans. They can never tell us where it hurts. I hope Frosty continues to make progress and keeps his food down this week.

Maybe you could hire a cat sitter to just come and feed Frosty in mid day during your work week. We have had success with that strategy.

Yeah I could, we have 2 sitters and I used to have one of them come and take the dog out at noon, but and we will see how he does.

Frosty really is like a child. Even my friends who have young kids agree after hearing my stories with him. LOL. Every future parent should get a special need cat! Hahaha

 

[JeffJ]

My wishes for kitteh health
posted here

 

[JeffJ]

Hi Ana - how did the discussion with Dr McCue go? Is Frosty a candidate?

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

Hi Ana - how did the discussion with Dr McCue go? Is Frosty a candidate?

I will write up a post tomorrow! Stay tuned

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

Hope Frosty's tummy issues resolve soon. I know my drooler seemed to have a sensitive tummy too...pepcid was her friend.

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

Hope Frosty's tummy issues resolve soon. I know my drooler seemed to have a sensitive tummy too...pepcid was her friend.

Did you give Pepcid and Vetoryl at the same time, with the same feeding? If so, did it affect his levels at all?

Also, did his Vetoryl dose fluctuate over the years?

Thanks!!

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

Pepcid and Vetoryl

Yep, Sadie got her vetoryl, pepcid and in the summer benadryl in the morning and benadryl at night. She had bad allergies.

Sadie wasn't diabetic so that wasn't an issue for her. What it did do was help with the vomiting, room clearing gas and the runs. I did have her on a plain beef and sweet potato home cooked food. So I could control the ingredients and quality. I got the recipe from my vet. She was a dog which made it a little easier.

He dose went up 1 in the whole time. She was on the same dose for quite awhile-like a year and a half to 2 years before we did an increase.

 

[Ana & Frosty (GA)]

Yep, Sadie got her vetoryl, pepcid and in the summer benadryl in the morning and benadryl at night. She had bad allergies.

Sadie wasn't diabetic so that wasn't an issue for her. What it did do was help with the vomiting, room clearing gas and the runs. I did have her on a plain beef and sweet potato home cooked food. So I could control the ingredients and quality. I got the recipe from my vet. She was a dog which made it a little easier.

He dose went up 1 in the whole time. She was on the same dose for quite awhile-like a year and a half to 2 years before we did an increase.

Thanks so much! That’s very valuable information. I have been giving the Vetoryl with Pepcid also in the morning - except for the days he managed to spit out the Pepcid and leave it in the bowl, ha! on those days he gets it in the evening with dinner.

I’ve been making sure to give him the hairball medicine without any other medicine because I know fiber can alter the absorption of other drugs. So he usually gets his hairball pills in the evening.

It’s very helpful to know info about dogs because yesterday, Dr. McCue (the vet neurologist/neurosurgeon) was citing some information about surgery in canine and even human Cushing’s patients, since so little is out there about cats. So any info at all helps!

I’m exhausted after my 50 hour work week so
I’m calling it an early night. I’ll post Frosty’s curve and my discussion with Dr. McCue yesterday tomorrow. I am gonna try making a pros and cons list of Vetoryl vs. surgery, since I’ve gotten a lot of good information from him about benefits and risks of both. It’s a VERY difficult decision to make because both treatments are basically experimental. How do you know which one will be considered the “standard of care” for this disease in 20 years? Anyone have a time machine?

Talk to you guys tomorrow.

 

[JeffJ]

I have no regrets taking Leo to CSU for SRT (radiation) in 2016. It was expensive. I wish there was a "forward" time machine for the expenses since WSU is now, so much more affordable.

Get some rest. That is a long work week.