11/02 - Gremlin - AMPS 160, +4 151, +6.5 169, PMPS 198, +4 207 (Question re: painkillers)

Laura and Gremlin (GA)

Laura and Gremlin (GA)

Member Since 2015
Yesterday's condo
Looks like last night was just a bounce (anti-jinx), yay!

Grem is happy and purry today.

Vines to all that need them.

Question: On the 22nd of January, Grem fell off my bed but the claws on his one front leg were stuck in the chair he uses to get down. It looked like he wrenched his shoulder which is already weak being the only front one, with arthritis and muscle wastage from the arthritis. Since then, he's been moving less (sits and waits for me to carry, lift, put down, etc.), and much closer to the ground when he does. I'm concerned he's in pain, although he shows no other sign of it. Here's where I've been internally battling... I don't want him in pain, he's already on Meloxicam which he'll have to stop if his kidney disease progresses and he becomes dehydrated, he can't take Gabapentin as he reacts to it, so my only pain killer option is Buprenorphine. He's had it before but only for three days. It's super expensive!! But he felt AMAZING when he was on it. It was after his tooth broke. He was actually running!! Now, I don't know what to do... Do I leave him as is and hope the pain with Meloxicam is manageable for him? Do I put him on a super strong and super expensive pain killer for the rest of his life? His quality of life seems to be good to me right now, even though he is walking low to the ground, I don't think it's his time just yet, though it is getting close. I'm already struggling with the cost of all his meds/food/etc. I have two other cats and a son I have to care for too. But I don't want Grem in pain. Rock... Hard place... That's how I feel. I've been thinking about this for quite a while so any insight would be amazing!
 
Buprenorphine was a game changer for Neko. She was on it twice a day for a couple years, which was the rest of her life. She had really bad arthritis. She was so much happier on it, much more interactive. Cats don't show pain very well, so sometimes it's hard to tell what they feel. Though they do give some clues. Have you seen the Feline Pain Scale

Buprenorphine when you get individual syringes from the vet is really expensive. I don't know if it's possible in Australia, but in Canada, vets can write prescriptions in a special controlled substances prescription pad. They have to file copies with the "authorities" too. Anyway, it allowed me to get a vial of buprenorphine. I'd just use regular syringes (without needles) to give it myself. It was way cheaper. A three month supply cost me something like $100. The vet did add a special charge for the prescription cause it meant extra paperwork for them, but I still saved a ton of money that way. And I got the bupe compounded in chicken flavour, which Neko liked much better. (she preferred the chicken soup flavour to the roast chicken flavour :p).
 
That's kind of what I was thinking @Wendy&Neko . He was RUNNING when he was on it. The vet told me he might be drowsy, haha, nope! But AU$11 a day is too expensive.

I'll ask my vet if they can do a prescription for a vial. And if it comes in flavours. And where I could get it from. I still have quite a bit of Meloxicam left but I want Grem's final days/weeks/months to be happy.

Thank you. And fingers crossed!
I won't be able to get it just yet though, I need more insulin and Denosyl today. And maybe lancets too. Denosyl is AU$55 a month!! But it works for his cognitive disfunction.
 
Google around to see if you have compounding pharmacies in your area that do medications for pets. I remember at one time searching for another member in Australia and found some such pharmacies.
 
I sometimes order Grem's Denosyl from a pet pharmacy so I'll check there. Also, I found one dose of Bupe in my pantry from late last year. I might give it to him tomorrow morning.
 
Looks like I will have to increase Grem's dose again. It has been hot here which can make his BGL rise. If I don't see lower numbers very soon, it's going up. There was green only two nights ago but I'm not liking the yellow much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top