Chloe Labs Adequen journey

MaryB

MaryB

Member Since 2022
Hi!
Chloe has had 3 injection of Adequen so far. I see a little change, not significant to me yet. The vet says she sees “a different cat” after 3 shots. She states Chloe didn’t cry when she touched her back leg area to inject like the first time indicating to her she was in less pain than before and she appears less “grumpy”, said her coat was softer too? Odd.
I have noticed she is sitting up more like in the bread loaf position rather than lying, so she’s on her legs. They must be less painful. I saw her jump once. I think it will take a month to see full results though she says. So far it’s encouraging.
Please check her lab section of SS…She had her electrolytes drawn again… not sure what’s up with the potassium but trying to be sure it doesn’t drop below 3.5
Thank you :)
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Hi! Are you giving a little bit of Renal K+ power with food for the low-ish potassium?
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Hi there…
I haven’t heard of that before. The vet gave her potassium gluconate when it dropped to 3.1, but then we tested her again with a week off it in a different lab (sent out test vs in house) and it was 4.3 so they said to stop. Her kidneys are good so I don’t think she needs renal right? Is it a multi vitamin type product? I’ve been interested to know if there was a vitamin she could possibly take to help her…? My main concern is it going too high.
Thanks for you feedback :)
 
@Suzanne & Darcy
I forgot to mention, is it common for potassium to go too high when using the product? She has hyperthyroid so that’s why it might be off balance…
I understand that low potassium might also effect her energy level, could this be why she is tired?
 
I hope you see some progress soon with Chloe. I have given Cartrophen (sort of like Adequan but what we get in Canada) to 3 cats now, and it took about a month to start seeing improvements. Worked better in some vs other cats.

I wouldn't add potassium supplementation without direction of the vet. There are side effects from too high potassium as well. Here is Tanya's page on potassium imbalances: http://www.felinecrf.org/potassium.htm
 
MaryB said:
Hi there…
I haven’t heard of that before. The vet gave her potassium gluconate when it dropped to 3.1, but then we tested her again with a week off it in a different lab (sent out test vs in house) and it was 4.3 so they said to stop. Her kidneys are good so I don’t think she needs renal right? Is it a multi vitamin type product? I’ve been interested to know if there was a vitamin she could possibly take to help her…? My main concern is it going too high.
Thanks for you feedback :)
Click to expand...
You definitely don't want it going too high as that is very dangerous! But of course, you don't want it too low either. The Renal K+ powder is just the same thing as you gave before... potassium gluconate... in a palatable powder form that none of my cats have ever objected to... it's only called Renal K because a lot of cats with chronic kidney disease get low potassium, so it's a supplement that is frequently used with CKD cats... but by no means only CKD cats. It sounds like she's okay for now. I'm sure the vet won't want you to do anything unless she gets below the reference range.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I hope you see some progress soon with Chloe. I have given Cartrophen (sort of like Adequan but what we get in Canada) to 3 cats now, and it took about a month to start seeing improvements. Worked better in some vs other cats.

I wouldn't add potassium supplementation without direction of the vet. There are side effects from too high potassium as well. Here is Tanya's page on potassium imbalances: http://www.felinecrf.org/potassium.htm
Click to expand...

thanks @Wendy&Neko :)
I appreciate your feedback.
I’m really confused on what is going on with the potassium. If you see her labs it is kinda jumping all over. They told me to give it when she came back with 3.1 then it went to 3.9 after 3 days and they said maybe it was a fluke and stop it then we rechecked at outside lab it was 4.3 and then 10 day later it was 3.7 again.
So I’m not sure whether to use it or not. She’s a bit low energy.
 
MaryB said:
@Suzanne & Darcy
I forgot to mention, is it common for potassium to go too high when using the product? She has hyperthyroid so that’s why it might be off balance…
I understand that low potassium might also effect her energy level, could this be why she is tired?
Click to expand...
Well... low potassium can contribute to lethargy, but there are lots of other factors that can play into it as well. If 3.1 is at the bottom of the reference range and that's as low as she's gotten, you wouldn't think that it's too bad. But every cat is different. Her most recent 3.7 isn't bad.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
You definitely don't want it going too high as that is very dangerous! But of course, you don't want it too low either. The Renal K+ powder is just the same thing as you gave before... potassium gluconate... in a palatable powder form that none of my cats have ever objected to... it's only called Renal K because a lot of cats with chronic kidney disease get low potassium, so it's a supplement that is frequently used with CKD cats... but by no means only CKD cats. It sounds like she's okay for now. I'm sure the vet won't want you to do anything unless she gets below the reference range.
Click to expand...

Ok I see…thank you for explaining!
That would’ve been easier to use than pills haha
3.7 I think is within but on the lower end.
Probably best to not give without the vet instruction. is there a multivitamin for seniors? Haha
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Well... low potassium can contribute to lethargy, but there are lots of other factors that can play into it as well. If 3.1 is at the bottom of the reference range and that's as low as she's gotten, you wouldn't think that it's too bad. But every cat is different. Her most recent 3.7 isn't bad.
Click to expand...

i think 3.5 is the bottom of the reference if I can recall correctly
 
MaryB said:
thanks @Wendy&Neko :)
I appreciate your feedback.
I’m really confused on what is going on with the potassium. If you see her labs it is kinda jumping all over. They told me to give it when she came back with 3.1 then it went to 3.9 after 3 days and they said maybe it was a fluke and stop it then we rechecked at outside lab it was 4.3 and then 10 day later it was 3.7 again.
So I’m not sure whether to use it or not. She’s a bit low energy.
Click to expand...
Could her dose of Felimazole be a tiny bit too high? Or is the vet pretty happy with where her T4 is now? I'm just trying to think of things.

Was she dehydrated at all when you took her in for some of those labs. I'm just looking at the high HCT on a couple of occasions -- that could be the reason why.

Also, there can be some variation in results when you sometimes get them done in-house at the vets office and when they are sent out (even when the equipment they use in house is made by the same lab company that they use to send out blood.) So that could account for some variation. That is only an observation and not a criticism. I understand how sometimes we need to see the results right away, and other times it's okay to wait a day or two.
 
MaryB said:
Ok I see…thank you for explaining!
That would’ve been easier to use than pills haha
3.7 I think is within but on the lower end.
Probably best to not give without the vet instruction. is there a multivitamin for seniors? Haha
Click to expand...
Oh, I see that 3.1 is below the reference range listed on the Labs tab of our spreadsheet. Be sure to check all of the reference ranges to make sure they match with the lab that your vet uses. I believe the Antech ones, for example, are slightly different than the IDEXX ones. Did you notice an improvement in her since her potassium came up from that low of 3.1 on March 8?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Could her dose of Felimazole be a tiny bit too high? Or is the vet pretty happy with where her T4 is now? I'm just trying to think of things.

Was she dehydrated at all when you took her in for some of those labs. I'm just looking at the high HCT on a couple of occasions -- that could be the reason why.

Also, there can be some variation in results when you sometimes get them done in-house at the vets office and when they are sent out (even when the equipment they use in house is made by the same lab company that they use to send out blood.) So that could account for some variation. That is only an observation and not a criticism. I understand how sometimes we need to see the results right away, and other times it's okay to wait a day or two.
Click to expand...

I wondered about the felimazole but the vet didn’t seem concerned about it. I wanted to lower it and see how she felt but I didn’t mention it.
I don’t think she was dehydrated not that I know of anyways. I remember they said the hct/hgb levels are commonly higher in cats I didn’t know that but they mentioned it.
Her regular vet sends out labs but her specialist who she sees for diabetes, thyroid and adequen because her other vet is very old school and basic he doesn’t have a lot of technology… the specialist, has in house labs they use they don’t even offer to send out. So that’s where you see the difference :)
 
MaryB said:
maybe I should try that powder.
Click to expand...
Well, check with your vet, of course, but it would be easier to give a really small dose when giving the powder. You could adjust the amount you give Chloe up or down, as necessary. It's Vetoquinol Renal K+ powder. Lots of vets stock it/use it.
 
MaryB said:
i think 3.5 is the bottom of the reference if I can recall correctly
Click to expand...
Depends on the labs. On the Labs tab of the spreadsheet (which is just an example), it shows 3.4 as the bottom end of normal. On my kitties recent Idexx labs, it shows 3.7 as the bottom end of normal, though I've seen 3.6 from another lab. The range is specific per lab and should be on your last blood work. In house labs, if equipment not calibrated regularly, might not be as accurate as labs sent out.

If you read the Tanya's page I linked, you will see there are secondary reasons for low potassium, including diabetes and hyperthyroidism. Going off of food, could also mean not getting enough potassium, from a recent experience.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Well, check with your vet, of course, but it would be easier to give a really small dose when giving the powder. You could adjust the amount you give Chloe up or down, as necessary. It's Vetoquinol Renal K+ powder. Lots of vets stock it/use it.
Click to expand...

thanks so much for your advice!
To answer your previous question, I really didn’t notice a lot of change after the potassium increase… I noticed the change more so after the adequen injection haha
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Depends on the labs. On the Labs tab of the spreadsheet (which is just an example), it shows 3.4 as the bottom end of normal. On my kitties recent Idexx labs, it shows 3.7 as the bottom end of normal, though I've seen 3.6 from another lab. The range is specific per lab and should be on your last blood work. In house labs, if equipment not calibrated regularly, might not be as accurate as labs sent out.

If you read the Tanya's page I linked, you will see there are secondary reasons for low potassium, including diabetes and hyperthyroidism. Going off of food, could also mean not getting enough potassium, from a recent experience.
Click to expand...

I have noticed there are a few different ranges you are right!
I noticed on her page both hyperthyroidism and diabetes… both of which Chloe has, diabetes in remission now.
What do you mean by going off food, like changing food? She did stop dry food at the beginning of Feb, not sure if that may have any impact? I never thought of that.
 
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