Linda and Bear Man
Member Since 2009
Last week: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20582&p=204595#p204595
Bear Man has completed two weeks on Aranesp for his anemia. His PCV at the start was .18, and he had a good rise to .20 after the first week. On this past Thursday his PCV was .28, and his blood pressure had risen from the previous week, so I opted to skip the shot. (Condo on Health: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=21039). While I am thrilled that he is responding to Aranesp, an 8% rate of increase is too fast, with a risk of hypertension and stroke. This PCV of .28 has to feel much more comfortable for him. I believe the target range is .30 to .32. I have read that some kitties will respond with a big jump at the outset of treatment, then settle down to a slower rate of climb. There is still also the likelihood that the high dose of Aranesp that he is on is too high for him. I am fumbling around in the dark when it comes to deciding if I want to reduce the dose or reduce the frequency of the shots. The plan is to go back to the vet on Tuesday (after the long holiday weekend here), and recheck his PCV, and likely give him more Aranesp. I certainly do not want to lose the progress he has made. WCR-wise, he had a bit of a rougher week, with some vomiting, and more time in his bathroom bed. However, this morning as I was getting ready for tbp, he was following me around the house. Our old morning routine used to be to sit quietly on the sofa together (as quietly as we can with Teddy walking around all over us) and have a little tummy rub before I leave for work. We did that this morning, with a cool breeze coming through the window, and Bear holding his head up to sample the scents wafting in from the dark.
In other household news, Bear had lots of company when the convoy moved out to the vet this week. Miss Emily went in for suture removal. The wound looks good, and her patholgy report came back as a benign tumour with clean margins. Teddy became quite ill on Wednesday with a CP flare, and I took him to the vet twice for b/w (fPL was elevated), Cerenia shots, and some sub Q fluids. I gave him Bupe and Ondansetron as well. He is feeling much better now.
Here is Bear curled up in one of his old cozy beds:
Bear Man has completed two weeks on Aranesp for his anemia. His PCV at the start was .18, and he had a good rise to .20 after the first week. On this past Thursday his PCV was .28, and his blood pressure had risen from the previous week, so I opted to skip the shot. (Condo on Health: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=21039). While I am thrilled that he is responding to Aranesp, an 8% rate of increase is too fast, with a risk of hypertension and stroke. This PCV of .28 has to feel much more comfortable for him. I believe the target range is .30 to .32. I have read that some kitties will respond with a big jump at the outset of treatment, then settle down to a slower rate of climb. There is still also the likelihood that the high dose of Aranesp that he is on is too high for him. I am fumbling around in the dark when it comes to deciding if I want to reduce the dose or reduce the frequency of the shots. The plan is to go back to the vet on Tuesday (after the long holiday weekend here), and recheck his PCV, and likely give him more Aranesp. I certainly do not want to lose the progress he has made. WCR-wise, he had a bit of a rougher week, with some vomiting, and more time in his bathroom bed. However, this morning as I was getting ready for tbp, he was following me around the house. Our old morning routine used to be to sit quietly on the sofa together (as quietly as we can with Teddy walking around all over us) and have a little tummy rub before I leave for work. We did that this morning, with a cool breeze coming through the window, and Bear holding his head up to sample the scents wafting in from the dark.
In other household news, Bear had lots of company when the convoy moved out to the vet this week. Miss Emily went in for suture removal. The wound looks good, and her patholgy report came back as a benign tumour with clean margins. Teddy became quite ill on Wednesday with a CP flare, and I took him to the vet twice for b/w (fPL was elevated), Cerenia shots, and some sub Q fluids. I gave him Bupe and Ondansetron as well. He is feeling much better now.
Here is Bear curled up in one of his old cozy beds: