9/27, Bell, AMPS 276 +3 238 +6 122 PMPS 223

Discussion in 'Lantus / Levemir / Biosimilars' started by bluesunshine, Sep 27, 2024.

  1. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2024
    Yesterday

    Bell continues to have not so great numbers after the reduction, after killing it on the 2.5 dosage. I think she's still struggling with bounces, since she has hit the 50s on this dose. I'm going to give it a couple days for the bounce to clear, but if her numbers remain high I'll ask here for dosing advice.

    She had her anal gland check today at the vet. I got my favorite vet today, but it was a struggle for her to get up in there and Bell was howling again :(. Unfortunately there was some infection still there that she expressed. This vet was the one that saw the initial horrible rupture, but not the subsequent two re-ruptures. She said the gland felt a lot better than when she last saw Bell and that it was only the size of a pea. So i guess that's good news...

    Bell is back on more Clavamox (7 days). We talked about options if this happens a fourth time. This vet recognizes how good Bell is doing with the diabetes, and does not want to mess that up. So she agreed that there was some things we should try before the risky surgery, which I am grateful for. I had let the vet know about a treatment option I had read about where they flush the gland with antibiotics. She thought that was a good idea and said she had successfully treated a dog with that method (it took two tries). I also asked if there was a way to use the Clavamox in that way, since whatever bacteria is in there showed resistance to almost all antibiotics except a few. She liked that idea as well and said they could compound the Clavamox to use it in that way.

    Bell would have to be sedated for this treatment, and I expressed concerns about withholding food for long periods of time - both because Bell's BVS makes her throwup all night during fasting and because she has been pretty tightly regulated and no food + even 1/2 dose of insulin worries me. I showed her the AAHA graphic that Wendy (I think it was Wendy) shared with me indicating that cats don't actually need a 12 hour fast. She seemed a bit surprised but responsive to that. She wanted to talk to the lead vet to gameplan if we go that route.

    She also wanted me to add psyllium husk to Bell's diet to bulk up her stools in the hope it helps express the gland naturally. I told her that Bell's stools were great with the diet switch and the probiotic I've been giving, but she wanted me to do that anyway - mentioned that I would need to get unflavored. Let me know if you have any experience with using that (or I could just search the message board history myself :D).

    She did give me a prescription for ondansetron! So i don't have to mooch off my sister's supply.

    Finally, I had her check Bell's back pain, and it is still really bad... Bell flinched pretty significantly when she touched her lower back. She said this could potentially contribute to the anal gland issue if Bell has to use some weird posture to go the bathroom, but I don't think that is super likely. But! I decided to give Bell her first Solensia injection. I had been debating it for awhile and wanted to get a month of Cosequin in her before doing that (which i think i did). After reading some success stories here with Solensia, it seemed worth a try. Seems like the only downsides could be a skin reaction and the cost of the injection (I think i'm already solely keeping this vet clinic in business). So we shall see.

    When Bell got home, it seemed like her butt was really bothering her. She kept licking it for a long time. I am very fearful that these expressions at the vet are irritating or speeding up the ruptures (the third rupture happened the day after another vet checked the gland). That area looked pretty inflamed post-vet trip, but Bell finally settled down and it looks much better now. So fingers crossed I don't wake up to another rupture. After she licked her butt for half an hour she was super wound up and I chased her around the apartment for a good 5 mins. So that was nice to see. Her appetite is a little down today, but I'm guessing that is stress or shot related.

    Apologies for the novel here... I think I'm writing this more for me to document all this stuff.
     
  2. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2024
    The Pillow Queen returns:
    upload_2024-9-27_21-3-13.png
     
  3. Diane Tyler's Mom GA

    Diane Tyler's Mom GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2018
    The treatment options sound good. I hope the Solencia helps Bella. She is so adorable :cat:
     
  4. Diane Tyler's Mom GA

    Diane Tyler's Mom GA Well-Known Member

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    Sep 21, 2018
    @Bron and Sheba (GA)
    @Wendy&Neko
     
  5. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

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    Jul 1, 2024
    Thank you so much, Diane! She is such a sweet cat (when she’s not at the vet)
     
  6. Staci & Ivy

    Staci & Ivy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2022
    Hi Seth, I’m sorry to hear Bell has another infection. Your vet sounds very thorough and competent. Lucky for you both :)
    Wishing Bell good luck with the treatment plan. Hoping the antibiotics help to finally clear this infection.

    I’m sure she is very sweet. I mean what cat wants all that poking with their butt! I think any cat would not be pleased.
    Hoping that **** helps with her back pain, too.

    You’re doing such a wonderful job managing all of her conditions:bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
  7. Heather82372

    Heather82372 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    How long has she had lower back pain? My boy, Shooter, has been getting Solensia injections for about half a year now. Yes, they are very expensive but he is almost 17 1/2 and has severe arthritis. Are they sure Bell has arthritis? I guess to me because Shooter is 17 it makes me feel like Bell is SO YOUNG at 8 yrs old. lol ;)
     
  8. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

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    Jul 1, 2024
    I reallllly appreciate the kind words, Staci. It has been a lot, but I'm doing my best. It would be nice to be past these infections.
     
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  9. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

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    Jul 1, 2024
    Yeah I thought the same thing :(. The vet first noticed the back pain back in June of this year when I took Bell in after she stopped eating much and was losing weight. This turned out to be the diabetes, but the vet initially thought she wasn't eating because of the back pain. You can see Bell visibly flinch when the vet gently presses on either side of her lower back. The pain doesn't seem to be debilitating, since Bell still runs around and jumps and plays, but I know how cats can hide their discomfort. I wonder if this has been caused by a fall Bell took, since she's had a couple in the last few years. She tends to get all wound up and is quite clumsy sometimes :arghh:.

    How has Shooter responded to the Solensia injections? I hope they have helped him feel better. Thank you very much for looking out for Bell, Heather!
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2024
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  10. jillnc1

    jillnc1 Member

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    Feb 11, 2022
    good luck with the Solensia! I would be interested in how it works for you. I have been holding off for now but I would consider if I heard personal good reviews. My Vet will let me give him the shot myself after they administer the first one. See if your vet will allow you to do that to save some costs.

    Again wish you all the best!
     
  11. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2024
    Thank you for the well wishes, Jill! I’m curious to see how it goes. We’re going to try at least two shots to give it time to take effect. I did ask about doing it myself but they want me to bring her in for it. It’s a larger needle and quite a bit of fluid, Bell was not happy about the shot, especially with all the poking at her bottom beforehand :D
     
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  12. jillnc1

    jillnc1 Member

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    Feb 11, 2022
    That was an intense Vet visit. She is a real trooper
     
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  13. Heike & BInie

    Heike & BInie Well-Known Member

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    Mar 3, 2024
    Hi Seth,

    so sorry, Bell has to deal with these anal ruptures. Sounds like a good plan to flush the gland with antibiotics to avoid surgery. Sounds like your vet is open to suggestions, which is so helpful. You really have to deal with a lot of issues. Bell is luck, you are taking such a good care!

    Good luck with the Solensia! Binie also has problems with her back and so far I could manage her pain with green lipped mussel tablets and highly concentrated CBD-Oil. Of course that might not be enough for Bell but maybe worth a try. She is so cute and I hope, she gets better soon. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
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  14. Mikanmama

    Mikanmama Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2023
    Hi Seth,
    I add psyllium powder to Mikan's food. When she was a baby, she had recurrent trouble with runny stuff - it helped then and I've continued to use.
    The one I use currently:
    Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Psyllium Husk Powder
    Mikan doesn't seem to mind at all.
    FYI!

    Bell is just so adorable. :kiss::kiss::kiss:

    It's great you work so well with your vet. sounds like a good plan!
     
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  15. Heather82372

    Heather82372 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Did they ever do any imaging to see if she injured her spine during that fall?

    The Solensia has definitely helped Shooter's arthritis. He's an old, fat man so he isn't running around but he does jump on the couch, chair and my bed sometimes. I was nervous about doing it at first because I read quite a few reviews but my vet reassured me that these cats that "died from Solensia" already had issues to begin with. I just decided that quality of life was more important and if he died from it at least I tried to make his life better. So far 7 injections has shown nothing negative. ;)
     
  16. bluesunshine

    bluesunshine Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2024
    No, they didn’t do any imaging. I did ask about that and if I remember correctly, they felt that unless it was a very significant fracture (in which case Bell would be very much less mobile than she is) it wouldn’t show up on a scan. Bell is very mobile when she wants to be, I actually don’t notice her being in pain at all. It’s just when the vet tests out her hindquarters area near her spine that we notice the discomfort.

    Thank you very much for the feedback. I’m super glad the shots allowed Shooter to be a bit more mobile! So far I don’t notice any adverse reaction from Bell. She was zooming up her cat tree just yesterday :D
     
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  17. Heather82372

    Heather82372 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    That's great! Good to hear it. I know they say it can take some time but I feel like I could see an improvement after Shooter's first shot just a few days later.
     
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