Alternatives to liquid steroid and Atopica?

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Sorry the issues continue. Reminder me what you have tried so far. I believe I have told you I use Zyrtec. I’ve seen people use prednisolone and it’s available in pill form. It can raise the BG but if it works you would just need to adjust dosing. Novel protein diets can help switching to a new one if symposia or return. I went back to pork after Mocha not having it for many years and it’s helped but there’s the chance it wasn’t the culprit. It’s frustrating and nearly impossible to find the cause. :bighug:
 
For skin problems, Dexamethasone is far better than Prednisolone. It is a very small pill and the doses are small. Pred is better for GI problems like IBD. All steroids raise BG to some extent (Budesonide less so, but it’s not an appropriate steroid for skin problems/atopic dermatitis.)

Atopica is available in the form of a small capsule. Depending upon your cat’s weight, you can probably use the capsules. I recently started my Siamese, who is a little less than 10 pounds, on the Atopica capsules, 25 mg. The capsules are supposed to be for dogs, but it’s the same drug. I don’t know why they think it’s easier to give cats a liquid.
 
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It’s this. My vet said that they’ve found that the generic cyclosporine is not as effective in cats. She recommended keeping the capsules in the freezer to help prevent gastric upset. The capsules will dissolve a little lower down in the GI tract.

The meds need to be given one hour before or two to three hours after a meal. I give it first thing in the morning in a pill pocket. I then give a couple more pill pockets or tiny treats to help the pill get all the way down. Then he eats breakfast later.

He had just about balded himself and was getting Depo Medrol (methyl prednisolone acetate) injections, but they weren’t helping. So here we are trying Atopica. We haven’t even finished the first box yet, so I don’t know if it’s going to work.
 
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I have another cat currently on Dexamethasone as well — serious atopic dermatitis. It’s now given every other day (small pill that I put into a small gelatin capsule to make sure she never tastes anything.) It can be given using a piller or by hand or inside a pill pocket. Dexamethasone is quite effective for skin problems in cats. You would start with a daily dose and taper down to every other day. I have had no end of skin problems in my cats. At one point I had 3 cats on Dexamethasone at one time. :(

I also have sometimes had to put cats with serious skin problems into a surgical recovery suit. This can really help (and they eventually get used to wearing it.)
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I have another cat currently on Dexamethasone as well — serious atopic dermatitis. It’s now given every other day (small pill that I put into a small gelatin capsule to make sure she never tastes anything.) It can be given using a piller or by hand or inside a pill pocket. Dexamethasone is quite effective for skin problems in cats. You would start with a daily dose and taper down to every other day. I have had no end of skin problems in my cats. At one point I had 3 cats on Dexamethasone at one time. :(

I also have sometimes had to put cats with serious skin problems into a surgical recovery suit. This can really help (and they eventually get used to wearing it.)
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Good to know. Can any be bought from a compounding pharmacy to get correct dosing?
 
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