3/20 Raja AMPS=195 Pancreatitis

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Pat+Raja+Shadow (GA)

Pat+Raja+Shadow (GA)

Member Since 2009
3/19
AMPS=208 ~S.5u Lev
+4=120
+8=67
PMPS=89 ~F.25u Lev (BCS)
+4=129
+8=161
AMPS=195 ~S.5u Lev (11th cycle)

Yesterday
Morning kids! So, Raja has a UTI and Pancreatitis. Dx with a reading of 12.7 ug/L on the Spec IPL test.
(Shadow's first Spec IPL was 15 ug/L on Oct 15, 2012 and then 10.0 ug/L on March 1, 2013.)
She has managed to come out of her basket for meals and she licks the food and eats a little each snack time. (Shadow lies next to her basket often, as if he knows she is not feeling well....he is so sweet...)

Looks as if I have two patients who are in need of Pepcid bid, one needing Clavamox bid also for her urinary tract infection. Shadow was not prescribed ABs so that was good in his case. But in her case, I have that additional complication (vomiting from the ABs or no appetite due to the ABs) :YMSIGH:
Although he is not suffering from an acute attack, I am forever worried that it will flare up again so I am giving him the Pepcid and watching like a hawk when I feed him...

I picked up the copy of Raja's blood work yesterday afternoon, late. My regular vet was not in but the alternate vet took time to speak with me. She is the first vet we had met there and she is very nice. I have to go back there today with my requests for meds for Raja. I am thinking I would like more Buprenex and possibly some mirtz...not sure what else. Thinking B12 shots for both of them wouldn't hurt....
I am going to take a nap first...then i will think about it some more... :YMSIGH:

Gave been reading about this darn Pancreatitis again all morning ....nothing new since I read everything I could for Shadow. It's horrible. There really isn't too much one can do for them. I just don't know why both of them have it.....commercial food that is so bad for them, genetics, FD, inflammation as well as possible other complications?

It was Oct with Shadow and then again at the beginning of the month. Now, Raja.
This is really depressing.....my heart hurts for my kitties.....This is a nightmare...maybe I will feel better after a nap...I got up early to say goodbye to my DBIL who had been here for a week...he had an early flight back home.
Sending hugs to you all....
 
Sending gobs of healing vines to your household! Poor little kitties! You are a great bean for doing so much for them. I hope you can see things a little more clearly after your nap - that's a lot to deal with. :YMHUG:
 
Oh, not good. :sad: I'm so sorry to hear that about Raja, and am hoping that the medication will work, and make her feel better very soon. Hang in there, Pat. {{{{{PAT}}}}}
 
Oh Pat :YMHUG: I wish there was something I could say to make your heart hurt less. It's awful when your baby hurts.
I'm glad you're going to get bupe for her pain.
You are such a good mama to your furries. I'm sending lots of healing vines (prayers actually) for Raja to heal quickly, and completely.
Barb
 
Hi Pat,
So sorry to hear Raja's pancreatitis dx. There really isn't much you can do other than make sure that they eat and get enough water and give bupe for pain, if necessary. Pancreatitis does raise bgs. When Rusty had his first flare-up last spring he only really wanted to eat FF T&G, so that's what he got (and I had to raise his dose to compensate for the fact that it has a spiking effect on him). I don't know what his spec fPL number was last spring, because we only had the snap fPL test, but I think he had a mild case. He had another mild episode in the fall, and this time we got the spec fPL: result: 3.8 ug/L.

I think that with diabetic kitties, there is always pancreatitis lurking, because the pancreas is the organ that is so involved in diabetes. I hope that Raja's episode will be brief. I assume that you have looked at the articles in the Pancreatitis primer that Marje put together. I found the IDEXX round-table discussion to be particularly helpful: http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresource...es/feline-pancreatitis-roundtable-article.pdf

Please try not to worry (too much!). This flare will subside and all will be OK again soon. Lots of healing vines for Raja!

Hugs,

Ella & Rusty
 
Pat:

If Raja is vomiting, you don't want to give an appetite stimulant quite yet. You should probably ask your vet for either Cerenia (maropitant) or Zofran (ondansatron). They are very good anti-nausea/anti-vomiting meds. Once you have the nausea under control, then an appetite stimulant will be better. (Think about what it would be like for us -- taking an appetite stimulant when your nauseated. Ugh!)

I don't know if you saw the post Marje put together on pancreatitis. You may know most of this already but I thought I'd pass it along.
 
Thank you guys....I appreciate your loving thoughts.....
I tried to nap on the couch and was suddenly aware of Shadow on the floor next to me...he came over to give me some kisses.... awwww. He is SO sweet! I brushed him for awhile...
Ya know, I would do anything for them. I wish there was something specific to DO with this Pancreatitis. But, there is no ONE good thing to do to cure it.
I am at a loss as to what I can do to help them. This helpless feeling is hard to bear. I feel so useless.
 
Thanks Ella & Sienne....I realized that Raja seems to have stopped her vomiting. I know what you always say about the appeitie stimulant and nausea Sienne....that sticks with me LOL....so I like to have the meds on hand for when they can use it, but have none atm. One dose every three days so it is powerful stuff...!! But, for lack of anything better to think about, I had that on my list of things to get from the vet.

Thanks for everything guys! Hugs! :YMHUG:
 
Oh Pat, I'm so sorry about Raja. This pancreatitis is a nasty thing. Muffin's had 4 flares in 8 months - last July, September, December and February. Out of curiousity, do you have them on Denamarin all the time? That's been the only thing my vet has suggested to possibly help prevent the flares. Admittedly, I've been terrible about giving it consistently, as Muffin hates it and won't eat a pill pocket. Muffin's flares really seem to be tied to how much contraband she gets into, and I personally think, for her, stress plays a minor role as well. Sending tons of healing vines.
 
Hi Pat. I didn't have time to read your whole condo, because I am at work, and have to type fast. I'm sorry that you have another dx of pancreatitis.
J.D. gets 1/4 Pepcid and 1/4 Ondansetron BID, an injection of B12 (Cyanocabalomine) once a week, and 1/4 Cyproheptadine as needed for appetite.
He was diagnosed about 1 year ago. I think I am kind of sort of just starting to wean him off the meds, knock on wood.

I hope Raja feels much better real soon. Sending eating vines to her.
 
Thanks Anne & Dyana! I didn't have too much luck with giving Shadow the Denamarin pill...it was so big and couldn't be split, as you know. It came back up hours later, fully intact but without the blue dye. Sigh. It is tough cuz you have to give it an hour before or after eating times and well, I felt that it made him nauseous all over again. I gave up trying. But I really REALLY wanted him to have it. I should try it again for sure!

I guess we have been fortunate for their lives so far in that they haven't needed meds for anything really.
They were both healthy twins until the FD dx...relatively speaking. So, we are not used to pilling and giving meds. I am not so good at administering meds I guess and they are not good at being patients amd taking meds. :-|

I give you so much credit Dyana...and J.D. too for all those meds you do each day. AND you have a full time job!! Hats off to YOU kiddo! Will ask about the Ondansetron. Do you give the B12 shot yourself?

But since he first had the attack back in October, I have been holding my breath with each meal. I don't want to do anything that will make him nauseous and cause vomiting. Little Raja always ate....she ate everything! So this is new to me with her...holding my breath for her too at meal times.... :-|
 
I'm copying and pasting a reply to a PM here, so sorry if any of it is a repeat of what I quickly wrote earlier.

The cyanocobalamine comes in a vial like insulin and you measure a dose using an insulin syringe. The vial is only like $10.00 or something like that from Costco.

My vet at first had me go look for a B complex from our local Tractor Supply Store, but they only had it in quart sized or maybe it was pint sized, anyway it was big, jars for sheep.

He said the B complex will sting, so if I am going to give a B complex, I should mix it with the cyanocobalamine which does not sting. I only give the cyanocobalamine, as I have not found a B complex injectable besides those huges bottles at Tractor Supply.

Also, the Ondansetron is like 33 cents (or less) per pill from Costco. I paid $3.33 per pill from my local grocery store pharmacy. Big Time Savings! You don't need a Costco membership to use their pharmacy. Our nearest Costco is 24 miles away, so an hours driving time round trip, so I really stock up when I go.

She might also need pain medication. If she is sitting in a meatloaf position, you may need to give her some bupe, but talk to your vet first about that.

I used to love mirtazapine sp? and thought it worked well, but it wore off after about a day or a day and a half and you are "supposed to" only give it every 3 days.
I was on vacation in CA one year, and J.D. started acting all twitchy and agitated and looked like he was breathing fast once after getting it. The symptoms only lasted about 5 minutes or so (that I noticed anyway), but had me worried. I logged onto my parents old dial up computer and found this: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=2552
The antidote for the rare side effect of serotonin syndrome is cyproheptadine. Luckily, I had both with me "Animals with serotonin syndrome sometimes demonstrate general hyperactivity. If there is any question that serotonin syndrome is occurring, cyproheptadine can be used as an antidote." Now, I only use cypro, and it seems to work in about a half hour and lasts for about half to 3/4 of a day.



Pat, I give you cyber (((((hugs)))) You're going through a lot. I have had J.D. on Denamarin for a long time (and like Anne have been slacking off on it lately). I was giving it to J.D. as it is can maybe possibly help with dementia.

You're doing all you can, Pat, and I know how helpless you feel sometimes.
I wish for Raja and Shadows flares to be quick and to not come back. And for J.D.'s flares not to come back either.
:YMHUG:
 
Oh pat I a so sorry that Raja has P'titis... Healing vines for both of them. I know how difficult it all is... Mannie had that a couple of months ago too. Hugs to all there.
 
Hi guys .. I know this is yesterdays condo but not sure if I'll make it to one you might post today .. Just want to say I'm sorry that sweet raja is not feeling well .. You take such good care of your babies, they know you are doing everything you can to help them feel their best ..((hugs)) Hang in there Pat ..
 
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