tuckers mom said:
There are two folks on here that I know of who have done really well with feline weight loss, just off the top of my head. "Steph and Cuddles" with her cat Cher and "Dale" with ??? I wish I could remember the name, but I'm at a loss. Dale is also using a special bed to help with circulation because the kitty could not walk well when adopted. I want to say a magnet bed or a heated bed.
I could PM them and ask them to peak at your thread if you'd like.
You could get a human egg crate mattress, probably much cheaper at a Walmart type store and cut that to size, cover with a pillow case. Buying an egg crate mattress for a cat or dog will be much more expensive. Using the human one, you could have extra to replace if it ever gets soiled or just too flat over time. If you think pinched nerve or arthritis, you might want to add a step or box near the couch to help with getting up and down. Less stress on the joints. For my Henry(GA) we added ramps and steps in different locations for him.
ETA: I think Dale's kitty is Silci
Tucker's mom: Yes, that would be great if you could PM them for me! Any ideas from anyone who has been successful would be much appreciated. Rats, I ran out last night and bought an ortho bed at Walmart. It's one of those memory foam mattresses, and so far, it seems to be helping! She got right up on it, and slept soundly without any leg movements! She is lying on it right beside me now, and she is sound asleep, except for her front paws are moving (dreaming of running, I think. :smile: ). I love the human egg crate mattress idea though! I may still pick up one. I could cut it down to fit on her porch chair, where she spends lots of time in good weather. I've been looking for the pet stairsteps, and just found one in Pet Edge catalog which I'll probably buy. Thanks so much!
Jill, that's an idea--I'll have to look into it locally. Amazing that they can do that to cats and have it help them. Someone else on Lantus forum uses a chiro and swears by it.
(((Cheryl))) No, you haven't overstepped at all! I really appreciate your concern and your input. I am conflicted by the vet's opinion on bupe, too. I don't want an addicted cat, and she said only use it when she's obviously in pain, but we all know how they mask pain, so ...? I don't think giving it for 5 days is a bad thing either, especially during a flare up. My problem is, like today, she seemed really, really good. Spent almost the entire day on the porch (her favorite spot), and not once did I see any leg problems. Also, her PMPS was only 223 tonight, which is quite low for her, so it makes me think she was not in pain today. I won't hesitate to use it when I can see that she's hurting, but it is tricky to see sometimes. When I said she was better in 20 minutes, I mean that she relaxed, and just seemed more comfortable. Obviously if she was having muscle spasms, or just arthritis flare up, it helped. The pancreatitis is more difficult to tell, other than high BGs. I just don't want to give it if I'm not sure she needs it. It's also kind of expensive--$45 for 6 syringes of .15ml.
My quesiton is: Do people whose cats have p'titis really give bupe on a regular, ongoing basis, even when there's not a flareup?
Linda, thanks for asking about her fur. She does let me brush her every day, even the haunches, very gently, so her fur is in pretty good shape. Her backside, now that's another issue! :roll:
Thanks for the links, Gayle. I had read them after someone on Lantus had given them to me after Tessie was dx'd. Both are good, esp jojo's.
