10/11 - Bootsie is + so now what?

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/10-10-bootsie-amps-296.254073/

I called my vet and she was able to locate her results (on her day off) and Boots is + for Acromegaly. Her results were over 500, so high that the lab could not get a reading. Our vet said normal results should be between 2-92. Not sure what measurement they are using if it is mg/dl or what. So our vet will do some research and we will continue to treat Bootsie with TR for now in an attempt to bring her diabetes under some control.
Radiation in my area is $7000 - out of my price range and I will not put her through the surgery either. So we will keep her comfortable and see what other options may present themselves.
Thanks for the support and advice you have given me. I guess if anyone knows of anything to slow the progression of the disease please let me know

Jackie

 

Sorry to hear the answer. Did you get IAA results too? Anything over 92 is positive for the test done at MSU. The actual number doesn't really matter.

Check out the threads here on cabergoline as a treatment. It's the only lower cost option, other than just treating with insulin. Often cabergoline can manage symptoms and lower insulin dose, saving on the cost of insulin. We've had 4 cats go off insulin using cabergoline.

 

Wendy, would you say that Cabergoline can slow or stop the other effects of Acromegaly like bone growth, soft tissue growth, stress on kidneys, heart, neurological disease, etc. Or would you say it only helps the cat's insulin requirements?

 

Wendy -
Our vet did not mention the IAA test - I will ask when we talk again. I did tell her about the cabergoline and gave her the info for this website and she said she would look at our options.

Great question Darcy - I will watch for Wendy’s response.

 

I did not have personal experience with cabergoline - came out too late for us. But I have heard other people here say some of the other side effects, like stridor, went away and QOL improved. But I don't know if there's been any research on that. There's been so precious little on it, and results focused on insulin dose.

 

The only two cents I can give, because I think we caught the acro pretty early, is that he so far seems "frozen" in time. He had a pretty rapid progression in the face/jaw and foot changes between the beginning of the year and when we got the blood drawn/results back. But visually, I haven't seen much progression since we started it in July.

His arthritis and joint pain seem marginally better? He's not walking as stiffly, making higher jumps, and even running again.

From what I understand, the cabergoline binds to the site that the IGF usually binds to and blocks it out, so to some extent I would hope it would slow the progression of things like organ enlargement, soft tissue, etc.

 

Yes. That’s what I was afraid you would say. I never saw any research on it, but I was hoping that you had! I thought of @Olive & Paula and Olive’s stridor that was so much improved on the Cabergoline. Thank you.

 

Olive's symptoms were resolved on cabergoline, and her insulin dose went down by half. Her 2 most noticeable symptoms where the stridor and her walk/feet.

You could hear Olive 24/7. At other end of house over volume of tv. It was how I knew she was ok. If I could her, she was alive. One morning I wake up, go to do the AM test, shoot, feed and I don't hear her. I started to panic and went looking for her. Wake husband up ( he was not thrilled) I can't hear Ollie, where is she? She was sound asleep on her chair. I gave her a wiggle to make sure she was alive. She was. It took me days to get use to not hearing her anymore.

Her walk was not typical diabetic neuropathy. She always tested each step to make sure floor wasn't going to cave in. When she jumped from her chair to carpeted floor she would flop on her side immediately before walking. You couldn't pet, brush or touch any part of her back or feet. Being long haired she needed brushing. Shaving her was easier on her. I used zobaline before knowing she was acro. It did help a little. Her feet were always big. You couldn't tell where the toes started.

After starting cabergoline, her insulin went down, stridor stopped, she loved to be brushed, she walked normally, trotted in for her meals, ran down the hall, jumped up and down on furniture, played with toys. She walked with confidence. Eventually she needed gabapentin and then bupre for pancreatitis but it helped overall.

I had to find another vet for her. Her previous was told by "experts" it didn't work. I don't know what his expectations were in using it. I only wanted the symptoms to ease up. I didn't care how much insulin she needed. She needs what she needs. I just wanted her comfortable and hopefully have better quality. Next time I went to her previous vet I showed him video of her, her ss. I told him it helps, Olive is proof, it's undeniable.

We had nothing to lose trying it. We had everything to gain trying it. Her vet said it was her last option and she was willing (she no experience with it) if I was to try it.

My only advice is, if you want to try it, then fight to get it. If it means changing vet so be it.

 

Thank you, Paula. Your experience with Olive os so valuable to share. It is compelling.