07/05 Texas Gizmo PMPS=193, +2=143, +3=120, +4=118 *vet update*

07/04

AMPS=205

Dose increase to 0.75U

Vet Visit (scheduled) at 11:00am this morning.

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

I hope the vetty visit goes well and the dosecrease brings his numbers down. Sending prayers.

 

Good luck with dose increase and vet visit!

 

Sending good vetty vines!

 

Vetty vines for Gizmo

 

Thank,. a bit hot, as you know, but not bad -nice breeze - mornings are great.
Hope your day goes well, as in a great vet visit.

 

I hope you got a good report from the vet. Was this just a routine visit?

 

PMPS=193

History:
AMPS=205, +2=182, +4=154, +5.5=167, +8=290 (back from vet), +11=204

Ok, long update.

Vet visit was a routine, 6 month BW/urinalysis/exam follow up (one month early because I am off this week). I had a list of things I wanted her to check – of course an emergency came in at the same time I arrived but we got most everything covered.

Teeth look good. Heart sounds good (no issues) – did not do blood pressure as she didn’t think it was necessary. Physical exam showed no abnormalities or any concerns. Temperature normal. Good hydration! And he has gained almost a pound!! 12.2#’s up from 11.4#’s. He got his nails trimmed. Gizmo was his usual terror and had to be muzzled and bagged (for his safety as well as the techs).

Blood work panel has changed – she now sends to IDEXX for Preventative Care Feline fPL (vs. senior panel). Should have results back tomorrow.

So, obviously something has changed regarding his BG. He has been back on food that I know gives him good numbers for 5 cycles now. The only think I can grasp is the insulin. I started a new cartridge on 06/25. I did not get rid of the vile I was using as I had no reason to think it was bad (I have been using for almost 5 months, but it was still giving good numbers). I switched back to using the vile tonight. We will see.

I got two prescriptions to get filled though Diamondback.
Ondansetron Tabs (4mg) – rx is ½ tab by mouth as needed for nausea.
Cyproheptadine (4mg) – rx is ½-1 tablet by mouth once daily for appetite stimulation.

I also got a vile of Adequan. Tagging @Wendy&Neko for her input. RX is 0.12 mL under skin (subq) twice weekly through August 1st, 2017 and once a month for maintenance. @Bronx's dad – cost was $145 for the vile (100MG/GL) 5 ml (from the bottle). +$14 for syringes (1ml 25x5/8) 20ea. Scared to shoot these long needles. I am thinking my schedule will be Wednesday evening and Saturday evening.

Not sure to hope that the switch back to the vile works or not – 5 cartridges ($$) is a lot of money to throw away (and then to replace it locally as I can’t have it shipped to Texas in this heat).

 

Paws crossed for good b/w results.

I never used Adequan, in Canada we use Cartrophen. Similar but we couldn't get a vial. Or rather I could, but I would only use a tiny part of it on a cat before it expired as the vials were so big. Adequan was available for over $400. So I did refilled syringes of Cartrophen. I got the vet to load it into insulin syringes. @jayla-n-Drevon is one of many that get the vial and I think just used insulin syringes.

 

Thank you! Did you worry about where you gave the shot in relation to where you gave the insulin? Did you administer the Cartrophen similar (build up then maintenance)?

ETA- How quick did you see results?

 

What is Adequan for?

 

Arthritis.

Dr. P said 80% of all cats Gizmo's age have some degree (he is 14). Said it won't hurt to try it. We will either see much improvement or nothing but no adverse side affects.

 

It sounds like the vetty visit went well. I hope you get good b/w results back and the Adequan helps.

 

I've tried adequan on Yum. I'm not sure it helps, but hope is everything. They charged me $45 for the last pre-filled syringe. I complained about the enormous needle. They use large gauge needles because the adequan is thick and difficult to draw. Maybe large gauge needles are always long? I have shoved the whole needle into Yum in the past and she winced for sure. They explained to me this time I only need to get the tip under the skin. Not easy to do of course. I pull her skin up same as I do for insulin. Hope it helps Gizmo.

 

Thank you.

 

+2=143!!!

It does look like it may be the insulin. Elated and sick about the $$.

 

He yeowled at the shot. I tried but this is something hubby is going to have to give.

 

Poor Gizmo ... I hope it helps.

 

I hope someone chimes in with a better needle solution. It was the stick not the solution.

 

My vet has me use the insulin syringes for Shoes adequan injections. I give in the scruff. He doesn't feel anything.

 

Vet said different measurements. Units vs. mL. We could probably figure out equal measurements - just not sure how.

Thanks for the tip on where to shoot. He gets his insulin on his side's (sholders).

 

I have used adequan for a few years now as a prevention for arthritis. When I started the arthritis was very minimal so after the loading dose they got 1 shot a month for maintenance. As time has gone by and they are now true seniors (18 and 19) they get a shot every 4-7 days.

The loading dose for adequan is a shot every 4 days for a total of 8 shots. After that depends on the severity of arthritis. I can tell you from my experience it absolutely works. Sometimes the proof of it working is that you don't see them aging as fast. We have 4 flights of stairs and Rico leaps 2 at a time. Dre has some knee issues but he does very well too.
I use a 1ml syringe for dosing-
If a cat is 10 pounds you double it so 20 and the dose is 0.2
Rico is 15 he gets 0.3
Dre is 19 he gets 0.4 (round up to 20x2=40-0.4)
I have always been told to round up if a odd number.
I personally do not give at the exact same time as insulin but as long as it is not the same spot I don't think it really matters.
There is a canine and equine version. Most cats use the canine as it has preservatives in it and most cats do not go thru it fast.
Good Luck!

 

I just saw the price they gave you....that is much more than you should be paying.
Will they give you a script so you can get it online?
My regular vet charges about 70$ for the same vial the cat "specialist " charged 129$
Adequan should not be thick--it is a water like consistency and does not burn, even Rico my drama boy could care less. I use a VERY tiny needle. Terumo 25 gauge by 5/8

 

https://www.kvsupply.com/item/canine-adequan-injection-5ml-vial/P00408/

 

Thank you very much!

Gizmo doesn't seem to have any issues coming down the stairs (runs down or does the teeder/todder) but going up he is a bit slower. He will also jump from the floor to the back of the recliners and on to the beds with no issues and smoothly but it took him quite a while to get back there after the neuropathy.

 

My vet converted the dose for the insulin syringes. Hope u can find smaller needle for the adequan.

 

Yes, she will write me a script. She did for the other two. Not sure why she didn't for this. Live and learn.

 

Hubby has a plan. He is going to measure dose out using the mL syringe and then shoot it into the insulin syring and figure out what it would be. It will be close enough.

 

That's exactly what I did when I got the first preloaded harpoon size syringe. I just transferred the liquid into an insulin syringe.

 

Sorry, meant to answer the other questions. I shot cartrophen into the scruff, as did the vet. Timing was away from the insulin, not by design, but because I didn't want to poke twice. We did a similar build up, once a week for a month, then longer. I have used it with three cats now, three different vet's and slightly different loading dose timing.

Neko, nor Theo liked the shot. I had to warm the liquid a little bit before the shot by holding between my fingers.

 

OMG - we just caught an orb on our webcam! It is kinda spooky. It is a MP4 video - not sure if I can upload it here (may be too big) - do you guys want me to try? I was looking to see what Gizmo was doing and it just showed up. I told hubby and he went into the room and I was telling him where it was (I was watching on my phone). He ran his arm right through it and it was warm (per him) and then it zooms off. It has not been back!

 

Thanks Wendy Good to know we are on the same page as far as transferring dosage.

ETA-did you keep it refrigerated? Vet said it didn't need to be.

 

Orb?

You can upload videos to YouTube for viewing here.

 

if too big to post here, you might be able to load it to google drive and post a link

 

Cartrophen needed to be refrigerated, but is a slightly different product than Adequan.

 

OMG freaky!

Seems like Gizmo is working the juice tonight! Let's see some green buddy!

 

I know right! And I don't believe it this stuff - lol. I was watching the feed when it showed up and I told hubby "hey, we have a ghost" he came over and was looking at my phone and said "I'm going to go in there - tell me where it is when I get there" - the rest you can see.

Yeah, he is working the juice - apparently the new cartridges are not any good. I went back to the vile I was using (tonight's shot) and this is the results.

 

that is eerie for sure!