7/11: Sammy - AMPS 86; +4 72; +8 66; PMPS 63;

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Tina & Sammy

Tina & Sammy

Member Since 2010
Yesterday's Condo

Good morning all! Sammy seems to be doing much better this morning. Well, he wasn't until I finally gave him the Mirtazapine (appetite stimulant). Sammy did eat a bit last night after the Cerenia shot, but not what I expected. I tempted him with ground up "Kitty Crack" and he did eat, but still not much. I was hoping this morning would be better after I gave him Famotidine and Prilosec, but they didn't help much. Finally at about +1 I decided to go ahead and give him the Mirtazapine to see if that would help. I am pretty sure it was a coincidence, but right after I gave him the pill he got up and ate. Then about 30 minutes later he ate again, and he has eaten at pretty regular intervals since then. Very happy with the Mirtazapine.

So yesterday Sammy did get a Cerenia (anti nausea) shot and Convenia (antibitotic) shot. I am actually really happy that I didn't try to give the Cerenia shot at home because as you all already mentioned it stings, and he was not very happy about getting that shot. So I am glad the doctor gave it too him with he assistance of a vet tech. There is no way I would have been able to give it too him by myself.

tiffmaxee said:
I'm sure the shot was Convenia as well. My vet said it won't effect the BG. Sounds like the cerenia is helping. How long did your vet say it would last?
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The vet said that the Cerenia shot is for 24 hours, but it could last longer. We also have some Cerenia pills if we need to continue with it. Since Sammy got the injection of Antibiotic we won't need to give the Clavamox any longer, which was what was causing him to not want to eat in the first place.

Hopefully today will be a much better day than the last couple.
 
I'm glad you got the cerenia injection and Sammy has started feeling better. Three of my guys (Trix, Noah, and Petey) have all had the cerenia injection, and it did make all of them a little bit sleepy - a known side-effect. While I could tell it made them feel better and they did start eating, none of them ate with extreme gusto. Sometimes you do need the stimulant along with the cerenia, just to get the ball rolling. Any time Trix has gotten cerenia, do follow-up within 48 hours with a pill, just to stay ahead of naseau; if she's too nauseated and I try to give her the pill, she just barfs it up and we're back at square one with having to get another pricey injection. Hopefully that will be a total non-issue with Sammy, though!

Continued feel better prayers from us!
 
Tina, I think the high BG the last few days is likely to pancreatitis. Having dealt with it for so many years and my personal experience I would give the cerenia pills every 24 hours over the weekend and the reassess after that. When I get on top of the nausea right away it usually subsides more quickly. Once it sets in it is harder to get on top of is my experience and cerenia can't hurt him at all. :bighug:
 
tiffmaxee said:
Tina, I think the high BG the last few days is likely to pancreatitis. Having dealt with it for so many years and my personal experience I would give the cerenia pills every 24 hours over the weekend and the reassess after that. When I get on top of the nausea right away it usually subsides more quickly. Once it sets in it is harder to get on top of is my experience and cerenia can't hurt him at all. :bighug:
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Okay, I will give the Cerenia for the next couple of days even if he is eating well. I am also giving him the pecid and prilosec as well, the vet said it was okay to do that.

If it is pancreatitis, how do you treat that? Isn't it really just a pain management thing, and of course supplementing with insulin?
 
Yep, p-titis is management of symptoms: naseau meds, pain meds, SubQ fluids are helpful, too. And keeping them eating enough is vital. When Trix has a flare, I often have to assist-feed a little to make sure she gets enough calories. My vetty always says to maintain meds for several days after symptoms resolve, just to be sure.
 
I agree with Amy. Max almost always loses his appy due to nausea. Lately diabetes keeps him eating but he just doesn't act right. I always treat nausea even if he's eating near normal.
 
Amy&TrixieCat said:
Yep, p-titis is management of symptoms: naseau meds, pain meds, SubQ fluids are helpful, too. And keeping them eating enough is vital. When Trix has a flare, I often have to assist-feed a little to make sure she gets enough calories. My vetty always says to maintain meds for several days after symptoms resolve, just to be sure.
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I am wondering if I should ask the vet for pain meds to have on hand. And it sounds like it is a good idea to keep Serene and Mirtazapine on hand also.

I think you told me before that Pancreatitis is difficult to get an accurate reading on the FPL test. Do you think the vet would provide the medication knowing that Sammy has had issues with Pancreatitis in the past.
 
tiffmaxee said:
I agree with Amy. Max almost always loses his appy due to nausea. Lately diabetes keeps him eating but he just doesn't act right. I always treat nausea even if he's eating near normal.
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Yeah, the vet told me that I need to give Famotidine every day FOREVER, to help Sammy with nausea due to his elevated kidney values. She said to give it ever 24 hours if things are going well, and ever 12 hours if he seems to be eating less than normal, and to add in the prilosec if necessary as well.
 
I recently read and posted an article that says Prilosec works much better than Famotidine and Dr. Jory on the yahoo list confirmed this as well. I'm going to ask my vet about it on Tuesday.

Your vet should let you have mirt and cerenia on hand at all times based on his history. I prefer cyproheptadine to mirt but if mirt works for you great. It can cause serotonin syndrome and cyproheptadine is the anecdote.
 
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tiffmaxee said:
I recently read and posted an article that says Prilosec works much better than Famotidine and Dr. Jory on the yahoo list confirmed this as well. I'm going to ask my vet about it in Tuesday.

Your vet should let you have mirt and cerenia on hand at all times based on his history. I prefer cyproheptadine to mirt but if mirt works for you great. It can cause serotonin syndrome and cyproheptadine is the anecdote.
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The way the vet described Famotidine and Prilosec is that they target to different types of stomach acid or something like that. Which is why they work well together.

I have noticed that Sammy is sleeping more after giving him the Mirtazapine, but at least he is eating.
 
Sammy's numbers have been perfect today. I honestly think the antibiotic was the key, but I can't be 100% just yet. I would say that Sammy is eating almost normally tonight. He is probably eating just a little less than what he would normally eat, so I am very hopeful that we might have figured out the problem. We still have the dental to get through, but maybe we are over the hump. HOPEFULLY!

I was a little nervous about shooting at PMPS with 63. I am confident that I can feed a low if it happens. Again I am not sure if I should give a reduction if he goes under 50 tonight, but I am thinking so. I am planning on checking him at +1, +2 and probably +3 to see how things are going, because he does have the potential to drop low when starting at 63.

Based on his numbers today, I might be inclined to say that his pancreas is doing at least some of the work because he was in the 60's three times today, even after being at higher numbers at previous tests. It is possible that the previous tests were within 30-40 minutes of eating also. Ever since he started eating this morning after the Mirtazapine I had food out for him all day, and continued to replenish it as he finished off the plate. I figured if he was eating I wanted to give him what he wanted, especially since he ate very little over the prior 48 hours. I did mostly give him 4-5% food today, because I was really nervous that his numbers were going to start climbing once he started eating on a more regular basis.

Tonight, I gave him 8% food with his first mini meal, about ⅓ of the mixture, plus a couple pieces of Kitty Crack hoping that would help keep him from plummeting too quickly.
 
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Looking good. BTW I just read that a side effect of Famotidine is nausea. It's on thriving pets but you can double check with drugs.com.
 
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