Methyl B12 and neouropathy

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dana moore

dana moore

Member Since 2015
I was reading how you could help neuropathy in cats with methyl b12? I definitely need to try this so I can just go to any pharmacy and get it?

How much should I give my cat?He weighs about 14 pounds and I really want to help with his neuropathy,its really sad.

I thought that him sitting down was because he was constipated but I was reading that neuropathy causes cats to drag their back behind legs and sit.

RILEY has been doing that and he keeps jumping up on high things and then he jumps down, of course. I think he's making it worse I can't stop him from jumping up on stuff.

You know how cats have to be on the highest thing in the house.
 
It is a specific form of Vitamin B12. You do not need a prescription. You just need to read the label and make sure there are no sweeteners in it.
 
@dana moore some folks get Zobaline, which was specifically made for cats. You can get it at this website - some people here have told me the shipping is pretty fast. It suggest 3 mg once per day and also has 200 mcg folic acid. You could check the label of the Zobaline and compare to what you might find in a pharmacy to be sure it will be safe for Riley.

I was trying to find methylcobalamin in Canada but all I could find were lozenges and sublingual tablets sweetened with sorbitol or xylitol. As BJM says, avoid those. I know in the US you can find just plain tablets you can crush up as well.
 
you can also use this one from vitacost.
you need 3 -5 mg or 3000 -5000 mcg....
what I liked about this one is that it is a capsule that you can just pour on the food and stir it in. it turns pink so
you know it's been eaten.

it's a b vitamin so it's water soluble and the body just pees out what it doesn't use. It just takes what it needs.
 
It does seem like a miracle after seeing them get so bad. I have saltillo tile throughout the house and Merlin was slipping all over the place. I had to lay down rugs all over the place so Merlin could get better traction. After awhile, Merlin didn't want to move and just wanted to stay in my daughter's bedroom. So I moved his kitty litter, food and bed into her bedroom and there he mostly stayed. He, too, could only walk a couple of steps before he sat down and his front legs looked like they were bending downward, almost deformed. I first bought Methyl B12 at GNC and crushed the pill. I called their office to confirm that they did not add sugar and they confirmed that there is no sugar. After about three months, I changed to Zobaline (which a little more expensive but easier to crush) and used it for about another four months. I didn't think it was helping but soon, Merlin began to walk better and better. I think the Methyl B12 and improved BG numbers was the key. Today, about 18 months after diagnosis, he is normal and you can't even tell that he has had neuropathy at all. It is truly a miracle.
 
That's great news! I can't wait to see Riley come back from this. I hate seeing him limping and sitting all the time. How much do you give? Is is 3mg a day or twice a day? Did you put it in Merlin's food?
 
I'm glad it made you feel a little better, Dana. There are more videos of neuropathy success stories on YouTube. This diabetes mullarky can be very scary at times. We all need a bit of hope. :)
 
@Merlin Cindi, what a handsome boy your Merlin is! And Dx 2013, still going strong at 18 ! I am so glad to hear he recovered from the neuropathy - his SS looks good (and you backpacking the AZ trail, to boot - wow! :woot:.

Anyway, I was waffling a bit last week as I couldn't find a Canadian supplier that could offer Methyl B-12 without sweeteners, but some lovely person here gave me links for Zobaline and also Vitacost (who have a capsule I can just open) which are both in the US but will deliver to Canada. I can't wait to get Genghis started!!
 
I would crush the pill and mix it with Merlin's food twice a day. It is a bright pink but it must have tasted ok because he would eat it. I think I would give him anywhere from 3mg - 5mg per day. I started out with GNC Methyl B12 which came in 2500mcg (2.5 mg) tablets so I gave him a tablet in the am and one in the pm which equals to 5mg per day. Then I switched to Zobaline which I believe it came in 3mg tablets so then I was only giving 3mg per day.
 
I am giving b12 injections to my cat who developed nueropathy now. He was given an injection once a week for a few weeks and is now getting them every other week. I keep seeing these success stories and wonder if Zobaline can be given in addition to the injections. If so, how should that be done? Thanks!
 
@underdawg My understanding is that Methyl-B12 is a water soluble vitamin and excess is excreted so it is pretty hard to overdose your cat. That said, not sure "double dose" would cause "double" the improvement. I'd say use one or the other. There is talk in humans that oral administration is preferable to injections for efficacy - not sure if that also relates to cats.

I'm curious if the B12 injections your cat (I'm assuming it's Bo?) is getting are methylcobalamin or the more usual cyanocobalamin version. As I understand it, it is only the methyl-B12 that improves neuropathy. Does he still show symptoms of neuropathy? He would need to be reasonably regulated in addition to receiving the methyl-B12 for it to work.
 
Brashworks,
Yes it is for Bo. Poor thing! We are having the devil of a time trying to regulate him. When he showed symptoms again after being OTJ. I was reluctant to start shots and then began very low doses. Part of the problem was that I taught a night class during the spring semester and had to adjust his shot time up and back every week. That did not help. Then at the end of the semester we had the windows replaced in the house and the stucco redone which stressed him a lot so I didn't see a lot of him during that time. The next thing was that i started seeing him walking lower on his hocks. He still does. Every now and then it looks like one leg wants to get better but then I look again later and he is walking low again. He also has some arthritis in his back which doesn't help. This summer he had a very bad case of pancreatitis for a few weeks. We finally got that under control. I am giving him b12 injections but it is not methyl. So I was wondering if anyone has given both kinds to their cats. The vet seems to think the injections are best for him and that too much b12 may cause diarrhea. After the pancreatitis, i dont want that. When I tried to give pills for pancreatitis he was not cooperative. Had to eventually give injections for pain because he would not take pills and would not take oral meds. Cats usually have to have their mouth pried open to take a pill but he looked like a dog drinking water out of a waterhose snapping at it. If I try to put something in his food, he may think I am trying to poison him. All four of mine are like that. It just breaks my heart seeing him walk like that. He used to be so strong looking and would run fast whenever he chased his siblings. Now he slides and slips. Thankfully he is good with his BG tests and insulin shots. I just keep thinking I need to do something else for him.
 
@underdawg - If it's any way reassuring to you, Saoirse had a course of weekly B12 jabs (cyanocobalamin) when she had a pancreatitis flare last year. It gave her a real boost in general. Also, even though she never had a plantigrade stance or obvious weakness, she started jumping up onto chairs and windowsills again not long after starting the B12. It didn't upset her tum then, and any injections she has had since didn't either (although they do sting her a bit). I hope that B12 will work its magic for Bo.
 
Thanks for the info Larry and CritterMom. We finally got the pancreatitis flare to go away. Hopefully we will keep that at bay with the b12, pumpkin and probiotics. Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Diabetes does not play fair! There is so much to learn about this disease and then all the twists and turns will drive you crazy trying to figure out how to respond. Along with having a great vet, the wealth of experience on this board is absolutely life saving!
 
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