eosinophilic granuloma complex --Phoebe

eva eva

eva eva

Member Since 2022
Asking for some thoughts on Phoebe and Jack.
Jack 13yo, is my FIV yellow tabby, Phoebe 13 yo, is my now diet controlled diabetic
Jack developed eosinophilic granuloma complex and is being treated with decadron injections twice weekly, revolution plus monthly, Apoquel (off label), animax, and hydroxizine dermal cream.
Phoebe is now showing the same signs--itching and sores. she is doing hydroxizine, animax, and revolution plus. thoughts are it is food allergies--have switched to rabbit and a little kibble rabbit (caution with carbs).
Does anyone have any other ideas, thoughts, treatments that are working? Phoebe's diabetes and steroids are not a good combo. at this time no steroids except the topical.
I fear for PHoebe and steroids.
they both scratch. phoebe is more aggressive and is barbering. Jack has more of the rash and he is losing little scab hairs.

@tiffmaxee
 
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Mocha has had it since a year old and she is now 7. I change her protein to a novel one that she has never eaten. It’s easiest to feed raw or make your own food for me to find single protein fooids I trust. I’ve also used Zyrtec and a strong probiotic, Visbiome. I started Zyrtec when she Leo had dermatitis and was scratching and it seemed to help with both issues. Hers is on her lips. Where does Jack have it?
 
Jack started to get terribl back in September. He has multiple areas on his face ears, lips, chin, jaw, neck, chest, back along the spine, feet and tail. he is on multiple meds, as i listed above. I try to stick with rabbit. looking at ingredients on packages they still put chicken broth or some other meat in. currently, Vital freeze dried sometimes with a little water. I also do INstinct limited ingredient.

Phoebe, my diabetic, has started over the last month, with the scratching and sores on her ears face, chest left shoulder.
I have other cats and they are fine. they get regular moist. and party mix for kibble.
I do have ceterizine--generic. Why the probiotic? Is Mocha having GI issues?
thanks for all your help
They seem so miserable.
 
I decided maybe a probiotic might help if the problem had to do with the gut and protein. I ran that theory by my vet and another internist who both said they are finding lots more about probiotics and to give it a try. Her sister developed horrible diarrhea and test g was in inclusive cage was out in Visbione and prednisolone and has been fine. I’ve got her prednisolone down to .625 twice a week and hope to stop it soon. If I were you I would try switching to pork, venison, duck, or something never eaten before. I had to change proteins every 2 years. Sounds like your cat also has dermatitis with the ears. Is it itchy? That’s why I tried Zyrtec. I give 1/2 a regular strength 10ml tablet once a day. I think that might be seasonal so currently she’s doing fine without it. Your cat’s EGCis much worse. Did it ever go away when you switched to rabbit? I am feeding Small Batch and Primal. Steve’s might be a good choice. Read ingredients very carefully. I wanted to try making my own with EZ Complete but it contains chicken liver.
I have to go so excuse any typos and ask me what I meant if it does not make sense.
 
I had a long conversation with a Lisa from the site "all about purrs" on the EGC and diet. She helped me to calculate carbs on the foods for Phoebe. With the limited ingredients I should be ok. We went through the cat food in my house. With the other cats who are not sick they have their food-- today i am starting to wean them all to a single indgredient over the next few weeks. i have fortiflora probiotic for transitioning. Should I use this more for the probiotic action and not just in helping to transition?
Answering your questions above: Both of them are itchy. Jack scratches mostly head and chews on feet. I have a scale from the Apoquel brochure on percentage--to give me some measurable numbers for the vet. night before last he was at 60. So was Phoebe. They both slepp with me and I was up in the middle of the night giving hydroxizine. Last night we slept. Last night I started to put the triamcinolone ointment on each sore. it takes a few minutes for each. but i use a q-tip and it goes faster. Phoebe will get Hydroxizine for her itching. She doesn't get apoquel. i have appt for each in 2 weeks. when i switch to rabbit it got better. but they are sneaky and will go to other cats for their foods. Hence, i am now going to get the house "clean" of all other foods. The transition will take a few weeks for the other cats.
Question: when you switch to a different protein every 2 years, are you able to go back to the original limited ingredient they did good with? Have you been able to go back to chicken or turkey?
 
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The first year I had them I fed many proteins but mostly fancy feast kitten which was turkey and toward the end of that year some chicken added. So when I switched I on,y fed the one new protein and when the EGC returned switched to another new protein. This last time I went back to pork which she had very little of originally. I don’t know if that protein is working for that reason or if the probiotic is helping because I was feeding her lamb and continued that plus the probiotic and Zyrtec and it went away. I suspect pork works for her. I have been afraid to rock the boat and give her chicken or turkey.

Good luck.let us know how it goes.
 
Hello to all following. It has been a road of transition. Here is what has occurred: Jack got really bad a few weeks ago when he got Salmon. Phoebe didn't get half as bad-but still got worse. I had been slowly weaning the Apoquel. I went full strength 5.4mg twice daily for 5 days, animax to sores, and hydroxyine for breakthrough. then down to 5.4 am and 2.7 pm x 5 day, then down to 2.7 twice a day x 5 days. Phoebe I attempted to Apoquel but that was next to impossible. so she got the animax ointment and hydroxizine. I got Phoebe Jack and Snickers over to Rabbit, frozen raw, freeze-dried, and rabbit canned. threw out Zero mature and Freely dry rabbit kibble. fed them twice a day. Jack has cleared up and improved physically considerably. I took him down to 2.7mg once a day and he started to break out. went back to twice a day apoquel. he continues with dexamethasone twice weekly. He is looking very good. Phoebe is healed up not itching with just the animax and as needed hydroxizine. I haven't given the hydroxizine for a week. My other 2 kitties--Momma kitty and Tigger--ferals. are still on friskies moist and a little raw rabbit and the freeze-dried rabbit.
Unfortunately, Jack Phoebe and Snickers are getting tired of the rabbit and I have started topper of lamb. Still not working on eating it. no break outs. I have given Phoebe a little kibble (fancy feast-- I know--terrible for dm. but only 5-10 pieces once a day here and there. no breakouts--no itching. I am throwing out more rabbit than is getting eaten. I go through a bag of frozen every 3 days. and freeze dried every 2-3 days.

my questions are: should I try them on the FF turkey kitten? A little at a time? As I am going broke and having to spend alot on the rabbit --that I am throwing out?
The probiotic, fortiflora, they like sprinkled a bit on their food.---should I increase how much I sprinkle on their food?, not only to get them to eat but to help their gut?
I have tried freeze-dried lamb. i crumble it on their rabbit. No break-outs. Highly expensive. Or try another protein? I know i should only do one thing at a time for a few days.
I feel they need moisture, but the freeze-dried dry seems to stiil be liked. occasionally I mix with hot water and mush it up. They eat. They also have 2 large bowls of water in the house, away frm their food. One of them is throwing up --- I think it is Phoebe. They are eating portions of my plants (spider plant) as I see it in the throw-up. But I don't know what to do with the protein..... Maybe try pork and switch with rabbit to give a variety? I need some help on how to do this carefully and yet be able to afford doing it...... not over feeding and yet keep it as simple as possible--for especially when I go out of town.

I have had both to their vets. They are holistic Vets, I believe. Jack will probably be on the sub q steroid for a long time, maybe life. the animax ointment will be a as needed item. I actually found a pharmacist to compound some zyrtec as the vet felt the hydroxizine may not be working or Jack has other allergies. I haven't used it yet. But I am in Wisconsin and it is already getting warm. That is an unknown at this time for both of them as I haven't had to use it with the diet change......I am a bit exhausted and yet thankful as my friend still feeds them when i leave town. Any thoughts would be highly appreciated.

@tiffmaxee
 
When you make a protein change you need to stick with the new protein for at least 3 weeks and not days. It’s best to give only that one protein during that time. If they don’t like rabbit, lamb is a good choice and higher in calories so you need to feed less and more economical than rabbit. Pork is good but not as high calorie. It’s hard to find single ingredient pork. I bought some Steve’s Real Food which Chai likes but I think it’s too high in carbs. It’s for both dogs and cats and since less protein less expensive. The company said they made some changes to the recipe so fit for dogs and cats. They added taurine and something else. I’m not sure what I think about that. Their Quest freeze dried is cats only but of course more expensive. I have not yet tried it.
 
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