3/16 - Gen, AMPS 139, PMPS 149

[Allie & Gen]

Yesterday

Good morning, friends! It is a rainy, sleepy morning here (especially for me, who foolishly stayed up into the wee hours reading scientific articles ). I hope you all have a good start to the week! Surf safely, kitties!

Gen had some difficulty with pooping last night/this morning (great big streak on the bathroom floor), poor lad. I'm never sure if that particular issue calls for more laxative, or less ... we still haven't started the budesonide (er, I got really distracted with my reading and then didn't want to give it to him super late), but we will today. Need to move forward with enteropathy treatment.

Apart from that, he's doing well; nice PM cycle (that nadir is basically exactly as I'd like to see it; all I could wish for is a slightly flatter curve, but it's not bad), and he's eating more or less normally (). I tried ditching the MC Hill's m/d and feeding him two FF pates last night, with success.

Need to discuss whether to resume attempting the diet trial with my vet (though I don't think I'd want to do that right away, we're still only on day 4 of him eating for himself again). There's so much I could use to discuss with my vet, who has not been very accessible recently. On the other hand, I do have an appointment with the internal medicine specialists at the animal hospital tomorrow. Originally, I set up that appointment to discuss a biopsy, which I don't think we're going to move ahead with, but it seems like a good opportunity for follow-up after the whole recent saga.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Gen’s spreadsheet is lovely!
So glad he’s eating better and hope the constipation resolves.
Good luck with the vet visit tomorrow, hope everything goes well when you get good information from them.

Sending you both lots of hugs

 

[Allie & Gen]

This boy really seems to have a yen for organ meat right now. The Hill's m/d glucosupport (which I haven't given him since his AM meal yesterday)is primarily pork liver. He's been readily eating the FF Classic Pate Chopped Grill Feast; he wouldn't touch the plain chicken pate, but I swapped it out for the Tender Chicken & Liver pate and he dove right in.

 

[Allie & Gen]

Also, apparently I interrupted his grooming routine earlier by training my phone camera on him... I'm so rude.

"Excuse you, human; can't a cat get some privacy while he's washing his toes?"

 

[Mary & Jude]

Nice numbers, Gen and Allie!!

 

[Allie & Gen]

Gen's so hungry this evening - it's like the mirtazapine is kicking in for the first time (or at least, the first time since I brought him home more than a week ago). He's not meowing or running around, but he is perhaps being slightly more affectionate than usual (so much purring and kneading).

He ate slowly earlier (and was much pickier, strongly preferring the chopped grill and eating less of the chicken & liver), and I think we're going to see a notably higher PMPS as a result of this late-in-cycle eating, but in the circumstances I'm disinclined to step in. Might need to consider reducing(/discontinuing) liquid mirtazapine, opening up that brand new feeder my friend gave me, or both, it seems.

 

[Allie & Gen]

I wonder if I should consider switching mirtazapine administration to the morning, considering that he has a certain tendency to eat extra-slowly and experience big dives early in his AM cycle ... at exactly the time when I can't be home to encourage him, 3x a week on my on-site workdays. Hmm.

 

[Allie & Gen]

Not such a terribly high preshot after all!

Also, I was able to administer Gen's first liquid budesonide dose without a hitch. He just looked kind of confused; I guess it can't have tasted too bad. Now I guess we'll see what it does ... though I think I read that it might take a couple of days to show effect.

It occurs to me that his evening meds (except potentially insulin) may all be a bit delayed by tomorrow's vet appointment. (We should be home by shot time, but I usually give him his oral meds a few hours earlier to hopefully ameliorate anything that could cause inappetence.) Hopefully that won't be an issue.

Could I maybe take it easy for the rest of the night? Probably. Am I still sitting here reading scientific journal articles about FD management? Yepppp. I want to put together some comparative points in case the vet wants to argue with me tomorrow. (Totally different vet from the ER vet we saw a little over a week ago, and the appointment is supposed to address his GI issues, not FD, but even so.)

My reasons for the research aren't just for the sake of discussion with vets, but because I do care about peer-reviewed research, evidence, the scientific method and clinical medicine, I want to be articulate about my opinions and background in the event of such a discussion! I want to be able to demand a certain amount of respect/be met on a collaborative footing even if there's disagreement. Aaanyway.

(Also this stuff is fascinating just on its own. So many little things I'm curious about; I really should post about some of it later when I have my thoughts in order. All that, plus it honestly was good to read the study TR was originally based on--I wish I'd done that months ago, it would have helped me understand some things a lot faster to see how they were conceived of.)

 

[Tim & Pookey]

I’m like you, I had some fun reading a bunch of those documents recently related to kidney disease. It would be cool to talk about your findings in the Think Tank if you think there’s anything worth discussing. I think new perspectives can be good and help combat things becoming an echo chamber.

Good luck tomorrow and so happy to hear about the eating!

 

[Allie & Gen]

I’m like you, I had some fun reading a bunch of those documents recently related to kidney disease. It would be cool to talk about your findings in the Think Tank if you think there’s anything worth discussing. I think new perspectives can be good and help combat things becoming an echo chamber.

Good luck tomorrow and so happy to hear about the eating!

I was hoping there might be someone/some folks who would be interested in this kind of discussion! I don't imagine I'll have time to get into it for at least a few days, but I'd love to do so. I don't know if I'll be adding much that's new (I'm looking at studies going back at least 10 years, in some cases, and I'm sure it's all been covered at some point; I know there must be plentiful old threads and posts here that have discussed things I'm considering in-depth for the first time)! But I'd be delighted if folks indulged me regardless.

 

[Blanche]

I was hoping there might be someone/some folks who would be interested in this kind of discussion! I don't imagine I'll have time to get into it for at least a few days, but I'd love to do so. I don't know if I'll be adding much that's new (I'm looking at studies going back at least 10 years, in some cases, and I'm sure it's all been covered at some point; I know there must be plentiful old threads and posts here that have discussed things I'm considering in-depth for the first time)! But I'd be delighted if folks indulged me regardless.

Hello Allie!
So happy Gen doing so well! And yes, from my point of view it is certainly rude to interrupt toes's cleaning session!
I understand you well enough, I passed all week up to read scientific papers about FD and hepatic encephalopathy (I have one little one who suffered from the disease and she is currently under medication and prescription diet), wondering how I can combine foods feeding times. Today my eyes are hurting

I notice you mentioned "liquid budesonide dose". Blanche also suffers form allergic asthma and I thought to give a try to budedonide (instead of prednisolone) but it comes only as spray to be inhaled. It exist an other option?

If I was you, I'll kiss those clean toes, just saying

 

[squeem3]

You don't need to worry about arguing with the vet you're seeing today. It's too bad the other vet I suggested isn't taking new clients. He is on site today so if anything, you can insist on getting his opinion. @Allie & Gen

@Blanche here in the US budesonide is available in different forms. Leroy gets a tablet for his IBD and asthma. Other compounded options include chew treat, capsules, and oral gel.

 

[Blanche]

You don't need to worry about arguing with the vet you're seeing today. It's too bad the other vet I suggested isn't taking new clients. He is on site today so if anything, you can insist on getting his opinion. @Allie & Gen

@Blanche here in the US budesonide is available in different forms. Leroy gets a tablet for his IBD and asthma. Other compounded options include chew treat, capsules, and oral gel.

Thank you for the reply Squeem3!
Here only in spray for asthma and cream /solution for skin application...