supplements

Has anyone here tried Cushing's disease supplements for cats?

Chewy has some that are more herbal-focused. But then there are more food-based supplements like these here (scroll to bottom of page):
https://www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com/shop-by-condition/cushings-disease-dogs-cats-treatment/

I'm thinking to try this for Marvin.

 

The first step is to work with your vet and get a diagnosis. Then look at treatments. I wouldn't go herbal. That's not treating the cause of the problem, if it exists. It may help him feel better, but won't solve the problem, if it exists. Take a look at Ana's excellent response to another member with a Cushing's kitty. Read some of her posts, there's a lot in there.

 

Thank you Wendy. I just read over Ana's information in the link. I'll look over some more of her posts.

I got an appointment for Marvin on Thursday. The next face-to-face appointment they had wasn't until August 13th - but they had a "drop off" appointment on Thursday. I'll leave a detailed note with his symptoms, my suspicion of Cushing's, along with all records/bloodwork/BG readings, etc.

It's like everything is starting to make sense. In December he had a dental. He had issues recovering. Then developed chronic diarrhea that was finally treated with Prednisolone. It worked, but I wonder if that is what caused the possible Cushing's and diabetes.

 

So exogenous steroids (steroid medication that we give to our pets) could cause Cushing's syndrome (not disease) which means the kitty would exhibit Cushing's symptoms, but they go away as soon as they stop taking them. If the symptoms continue, then it's a good idea to have the kitty tested for the disease. Drop off sounds about right - every time Frosty gets his levels tested, I bring him with me to work and leave him at the animal hospital, then pick him up after (the hospital is next to my job, which are an hour away, so I try to coordinate it on a day I'm working).

Keep us posted on the results!! Are you having it done at a regular vet, or Internal Medicine specialist? The regular vets around me referred me to an IM vet because they didn't feel comfortable treating a cat with Cushing's. I have a great IM vet now that I knowledgeable and I trust. But I hope more regular vets will become more familiar with kitty Cushing's as it becomes more recognized.

 

I hope they have the know-how. It's an all feline vet and they also work with the University of Nebraska Vet faculty when they run into something challenging. Last summer they worked with the University vets for some tissue sample testing for my other cat who was diagnosed with moderate diffuse eosinophilic lymphadenitis (a mucoidal skin issue that has sporadic eruptions that are nasty - which he has to take steroids for about 1 week out of each month or two).

So I am pretty confident in this vet.

Another issue is that Marvin's cholesterol went from 141 to 294 in 3 months without any change in food. On this vet's website they mention how cholesterol levels are used as an indicator of Cushing's. So they are at least aware of it.

Marvin is in pretty bad shape. He spends 100% of the time under the bed now and there is no happiness in him. I keep hoping he'll get back to his usual self but things are in the downhill direction right now.

I hope things get better for Frosty.

 

I don't think pred causes diabetes. But it is a gluticosteroid. It does raise BG. Leo is on permanent pred because of small cell lymphoma. He gets an AM dose. I compensate by giving an extra 1.0 unit each AM to keep his BG in check.

 

It can and does. We have seen several examples of pred induced diabetes. Pred can also lead to Cushings. It's less common in cats, though it has been seen here. A good friend of mine had a Cushings dog, and his was caused by pred use by a former owner. It's called iatrogenic Cushings.

 

Thanks for the confirmation Wendy. That is good to know. So for Leo, maybe he will always be diabetic since the pred is now prescribed to him for life.