Zoot!'s TLI is equivocal. Looking at next steps now.

So no definitive news on Zoot!, but his TLI came back equivocal.

His Serum Folate was high at 21.8
His Cobalamin was very low at 154

We will discuss next steps with our Vet on Saturday as there are treatments for the B-12 and Folate values.

Fingers crossed we can get Zoot! healthier soon!

My previous post:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...pancreatic-insufficiency.227715/#post-2551608

 

Hope that Zoot! gets the medications he needs for the cobolamin levels. B12 shots are easy to do. You can even do them at home, once you get the meds. It's as easy as giving an insulin shot.

Do you still give him Zobaline?

 

That is good to know. Zoot! has never been on Zobaline, he has no signs of neuropathy. Does Zobaline address other issues?

 

For the low one does injections like Deb&Wink stated. I would just get vial (usually they are 100 ml) and use insulin syringe.
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/research/cobalamin-information/
For high folate see:
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/research/folate-information/

 

I haven’t been a regular here for a while, but I wanted to say I’ve been giving my cat pancreatic enzymes for a year and it has made a huge difference with him. While googling about pancreatic insufficiency, I read that B12 deficiency often goes hand in hand with the condition and supplementation is thought to help. I also give Jackson B12 sprinkled on his food. I use the Vitacost brand for people, which is pretty cheap and used by many here, or at least was recommended to me by another user here.

I give the biocase brand mixed into his food. My vet recommended enzymes, though Jackson was never tested for pancreatic insufficiency. I think the test might be expensive and rare? I don’t know why it wasn’t offered. Anyway, the only side effect I could find to the enzymes was mouth sores from enzymes that weren’t well mixed. I would love to hear anyone else’s experiences with testing, this condition, or with giving enzymes.

 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Yeah I think the TLI is the "expensive and rare" test ) it certainly was a financial ouch! moment for us) only done at Texas A&M. So thank you for the info on the two supplements. We are anxious to get he on the right track. what is the Vitacost mcg you use? Same question for biocase. Right now informational but we are talking with our vet tomorrow so want to have suggestions (yes, we love that our vet is open to suggestions). Especially good to know about the mouth sores so we can avoid that problem.

 

Thanks! I don't have any problem with giving injections and Zoot! is good with them so hopefully we get that asap. Thanks for this info - I am checking it out!

 

@Cinnie Cole Hi there from one N.J.neighbor to another I use the Vitacost brand
Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin -- 5000 mcg - 100 Capsules
It's 17.99 just be sure this is the one you buy
The only difference is the Zobaline has 200 mcgs of folic acid
So I buy the folic acid at the supermarket and crush it up and add it to the B-12
If you can't find the 200 mcg get the 400 mcg and cut it in half and crush that up
The Vitacost brand is a capsule so just open it and pour the powder on the wet food
Has no taste, no need to crush it up

 

https://www.amazon.com/Bio-Case-oz-Powder-340/dp/B00KXHRG20
Here’s an amazon link to the biocase. There is a range of dosages listed on the container. I give 1/8tsp per 1/2 can more or less. That’s 5.5 oz cans. Biocase plus contains b12 in the mix, but I haven’t tried it yet.
my vet initially recommended Pancrezyme, but that costs twice as much and seems to be identical to the biocase. It’s just pancreas, I think.
One more question or comment: I read one veterinary study that said incubating the food was unnecessary, so I haven’t been letting it sit for 15-20 minutes after mixing in the enzymes. I just give it a minute or two, occasionally I do it in advance. Just wondering what other people’s experiences have been.
Best wishes to Zoot! I’m interested in your vet’s input.

 

Where are you - I am in Closter (Bergen Co). And Thanks for the info!

 

I am in Lyndhurst ( Bergen County.) 5 minutes away from Giant Stadium, Meadowlands Racetrack. From Lyndhurst to Closer is probably about a 35-40 minute drive @Cinnie Cole

 

Practically next door neighbors!

 

Yep! We are neighbors I have been to River Barge Park and De Korte Park a few times for birding and with Hackensack Riverkeeper. Some beautiful areas there.

 

@Margie and Jackson @Deb & Wink @Diane Tyler's Mom @Larry and Kitties Just a follow up on Zoot!'s vet discussion. We are starting with B12 shots as soon as we can get it delivered from our CVS and we are taking Zoot! back in for a current CBC/Chem test on Monday (his last was from Jun-2019) to rule out any other issues before we start treatment for the high Folate (he has recommended that we up the amount of probiotics we give Zoot. More to come....

 

Yep we are neighbors, all the years I have lived here I never went to De Korte Park, will have to go when all this crap is over with

 

Good to hear about the B-12 shots and getting a current CBC/Chem, I'm sorry I forgot is this to see if he has
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), I looked back on your previous post
What is this exactly
Is this because he is loosing weight and his poops

 

Yes, he had had chronic diarrhea for months and months, and he is losing weight. Today he is 17 lb and three weeks ago he was 18 lbs. He has ashen poops and he eats 2Xs as much as the other cats on our household and it seems he does not metabolize a lot of it. However his TLI shows his value as 11.9 (just shy of the 12=normal) and that is considered equivocal, ruling out EPI (we may retest in a month if we don't find other issues to address). So Dr. Pomerantz had ordered B12 shots, and will check other values in a new CBC/Chem they wiil take on Monday.

 

Thanks for explaining that to me, I pray they find out what's going on, please keep us updated