Long Post (Sorry!) - A million questions!!

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by LuvinThisPig, Jan 18, 2018.

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  1. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    Okay, I hope this is the right spot, but I needed to ask a few questions.

    Let me start of with a little history as that always helps. Pig is a Manx and as such he has no tail. He also suffers certain things as a result of this. Consider this, a cat's spinal column typically extends to the tip of their tail, but with Pig his actually ends at the base of his hip bone. As a result, there are some neurological issues that he has had since birth such as a malformed, shaky, and wonky back leg. He also has always had small little butt spasms as in his muscles are always clenching and unclenching. He has always done this. Furthermore, this front legs tend shake when he is in a sitting position and this is also something that he has done his whole life. Additionally, his digestion has never been 'normal', but he has never been diagnosed with IBD. However, he does tend to cycle between runny and solid output. I have also noticed that it is runnier with stress and more solid in a quitter environment.

    Fast forward to several months ago. I noticed Pig was not feeling up to par. I take him to one of the local country vets who ran blood work, said he was fine and blamed it on arthritis. It was not, I could tell. I took him back to his vet which is over 2hrs away. She prescribed Adequan. I took him back because I noticed that there was a 'lump' in his abdomen that they missed. We did radiographs and found out that he was constipated from top to bottom and this was not allowing him to pee properly and what I felt was his enlarged bladder. Vet prescribed MiraLax, but I never really saw and great movement with it. Yes, he had explosive diarrhea, but the more solid pieces were not moving. After much convincing, I finally got him a prescription for Cisapride. This seems to help some, but he always seems so uncomfortable when moving more solid pieces, which are not ever really solid or large. However, despite all of this, his bladder is STILL enlarged.

    What does all of this mean? It means he leaks urine everywhere. I do not mind the clean up, but I want to figure this issue out as it has to be very uncomfortable. Now, when his numbers are lower he will simply get up and go pee, but he is an Acro and I am struggling to lower his numbers. So, here is how a typical day looks. I blend his food in a blender with water and give his morning meds of .25ml Cisapride, .5tsp Miralax, and 16u of Lantus insulin. He feels fine and grooms himself. Shortly after he lays on his side. Sometimes he goes under the couch, sometimes on top of the stairs. He will lay there for so long that his bladder contents just slowly leak out causing a massive puddle under him. His fur is sticky with his sugar pee. I can literally touch is bladder and it will just drip out. I am at a loss. I have asked and asked my vet and she just attributes it to higher BGs and constipation. Now, she is a very good vet and I trust her, but I do not trust my ability to communicate the issue at hand. I get very flustered and emotional when discussing these things.

    Adding to this is the neuropathy. He does not have it bad, but he does tend to favor his hind legs. He can still jump on beds and counters and climb the stairs, but he doesn't like to. I am giving 25u of b12 every week, but it is cyanocobalamin and not methylcobalamin. I feel that his neurological issues from the Manx syndrome, decreased energy from elevated BGs, and the neuropathy are giving him a triple whammy. What to do about it, though? That I do not know. His appetite is always fantastic and his blood work is clean save the glucose and IGF-1. His energy levels are terrible. He always seems so miserable about 15 minutes after eating. What am I doing wrong?? Has anyone ever had this issue?? I am really at a loss and have asked everyone I can think of, so I turned here... I apologize for the long post.
     
  2. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    I was wondering... I give cyanocobalamin as a b12 injection 2x a week. I know that cyano will break down some of its parts to methylcobalamin once in the blood and that it is the methylcobalamin that can cross the blood brain barrier, thus helping with neurological issues. I also know this take a tremendous amount of energy for the body to convert. The cyano helps his digestion, but I need help with nerve damage. I do have Zobaline supplements on hand. However, I also know that the Zobaline will not do much if his numbers remain high (working on that). I am curious if you guys think that it would be safe to dose the Zobaline (methylcobalamin form) b12 alongside the cyanocobalamin??? I am trying to find an internist for him, but have also been advised that it is not necessary. I need help with his bladder and nerve issues. He seems so unhappy... :arghh:
     
  3. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    @Wendy&Neko what are your thoughts on this? Is this typical for an acro? Is the bladder part of the enlarged organ thing?? I just do not know...
     
  4. FurBabiesMama

    FurBabiesMama Well-Known Member

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    Jul 6, 2017
    Poor little Pig has a lot of issues. :( I am sorry that I cannot be of any help with the specific issues you describe. I would definitely try to see an internal medicine specialist, if that is an option for you.. not sure who told you that 'it is not necessary', but it sounds like there is a lot going on and the solutions you have been given are not really solving things satisfactorily. If you get flustered and have trouble getting everything across when you get to the vet, I suggest typing out notes ahead of time. You can read over them and adjust them as needed until you feel like you have everything you want to cover included in as concise a manner as possible. Then take it with you to the vet. You can use it as a guide for your discussion and maybe even hand them a copy to read over. I do this just to make sure I do not forget something that may be important, and I find that it helps.
     
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  5. Mom2Maverick

    Mom2Maverick Member

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    Dec 15, 2016
    Pig is so lucky to have you! He might be still full of poop. Would he allow you to express his bladder while in the litter box? What is the dose of Cisapride that is prescribed? I just started these drops. https://www.petwellbeing.com/products/maris-for-felines. You can also find it on amazon, it took a while to ship from the actual company.
    My cat isn't a manx, he has acro and megacolon. He has a really hard time having bowel movements, to the point that he strains so hard he vomits. But he definitely clears out.
     
  6. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    Yes... That would most likely help. Its just like I keep screaming about things and No one hears me, but I know there has to be something that can help him... I will write things down and document everything. Maybe even a video or two...

    Tomorrow I find an internist. Thank you!!
     
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  7. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    I feel so bad for him... He gets .25ml of Cisapride with Mira Lax in every meal... His stools are always so runny, but he is still full of poop...

    I will try these drops if it helps. I am at the point of trying anything. This Megacolon thing is hard.

    Actually, I will pick him up when he starts leaking and take him to the liter box. Then I will gently massage his bladder until he climbs in and pees. But, sometimes he doesn't empty all the way. I can't decide if he can't or if he doesn't want to, as in the arthritis and neuropathy bother him to much.
     
  8. Larry and Kitties

    Larry and Kitties Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    My MurrFee was an Aero cat. He also had trouble jumping. I gave Cosequin and it really helped for about a year.
    Based on the relatively high BGs in Pig's SS I would increase his dose. Sine the SS shows yo are using some R, I would add some more R. I myself used N and Levemir. The Levemir is not supposed to sting at high doses. I used N since when I started I already had a vial of N. At the end he was on about 25 units Levemir and 25 units N. I used N since it was a lot less expensive than Levemir
     
  9. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    I agree that he needs a higher dose and I am working that way for sure. But, I am trying to maintain him on a tight schedule. His next unit dose raise will be tomorrow morning. I am looking into raising the R as well. I want to take it slow and safe. Your right, though, he needs more insulin and another treatment. IMRT or SRT to be sure. Perhaps cabergoline.
     
  10. Vader723

    Vader723 Member

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    Dec 12, 2017
    Poor Pig. :( I agree, he is lucky to have such a dedicated mama. I think an internist is definitely worth trying. Think of how little our typical vets know about diabetes, let alone adding everything else into the mix. If anything, maybe an internist could get you guys on the right path and your regular vet could help maintain.
    I know pets and people are not the same, but I went from working 20 years in a family practice/general med clinic to working internal med and the difference is astounding, which is something I would never have believed prior to seeing it first hand. Family med docs, just like general practice vets, have to know a little bit about everything and though they practice the best medicine they know, some things are just out of scope for them. Just my opinion and personal observations, and by no means to be taken as gospel! Hoping that whatever path you take, Pig can start feeling better soon!
     
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  11. LuvinThisPig

    LuvinThisPig Well-Known Member

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    Dec 8, 2017
    You are entirely right... I never thought of it that way, but is spot on. I put a lot of faith in my vet because she has gotten us through some pretty tough times. However, even she admits this is out of her expertise... Well, let us hope that there is a reputable internist near! I need to find some answers here. Pig is only 11 and if his 10 year old brother can run like a kitten, well, so can he. And he will if I have anything to do with it!! Chins up!
     
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  12. FurBabiesMama

    FurBabiesMama Well-Known Member

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    Jul 6, 2017
    Amen! After my first specialist vet visit, I knew there was no looking back for me. There is simply a different level of knowledge and care. They are more expensive for a reason. It is completely understandable that not everyone can afford to go to them, but if you can, in my experience, it is worth it
     
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