? Atopica - Looking Comments about this Med

@carfurby, @Sienne and Gabby (GA), @Wendy&Neko @julie & punkin (ga), @Chris & China, @Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

Joy, has some severe allergies (caused by treats that got mixed up at the kennel, and then aggravated by flea issue which has been taken care of) that caused skin issues, hot spots, ear infection (Baytril Otic with dexanoethasan (?splg) and itching and the vet is recommending atopica. Since she is Coral's daughter and at the age of eight seems to be the onset of diabetes we are very careful about what meds she receives. Thanks for your help, Kathe

 

I don't know anything about Atopica. Most ear medications contain steroids and can raise BG. Since Joy is not diabetic she should be okay. I just wanted to warn you in case you are testing her BG. I hope you can get things cleared up for her. Sending prayers.

 

Thanks for the heads up. The Vet did indicate that the ear meds had steroids. I don't test her but watch her carefully for weight loss and any changes. I'm especially careful when her allergies flair up. Think we have a handle on this. Good to hear from you. Prayers, always good. Thanks, Kathe

 

Sorry, no help on the atopica. Sending healing vines for your girl.

 

Wendy and Family - What a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to Neko. Couldn't help touching the screen and giving your Neko a pet! They teach us so much. This is what I learned from Coral. Go into my profile and click on information, I'm not able to upload the file from here. Thank you for your healing thoughts, I think Joy is on the mend. Hugs to you, Kathe

 

The active ingredient in Atopic is cyclosporine. It's an immunosuppressant drug. (I'm most familiar with it being used as an anti-rejection medication in transplant patients but it has other uses.) The major concern would be that it can suppress immune functioning and make you more vulnerable to infection. So, you want to be sure that all of Joy's blood work is good and she's otherwise healthy. The manufacturer's information notes it should be used cautiously in diabetic kitties or cats that have kidney issues. The most common side effects are loss of appetite, weight loss, and diarrhea. It's not a steroid.

On the other hand, dexamethasone is a steroid!

 

@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

Sienne - Thank you for your comments. Hopefully her ear problem will clear up quickly and the steroid additive will not affect her. I'll watch her closely. She is getting 5 ml of zyrtec and that has helped the constant licking. Joy is eating, not shaking her head as much when I pet her and is a little less lethargic, the zyrtec makes her sleepy. Not so keen on the atopica. Thanks again, best to you, Kathe

 

@Kathe:

When Gabby was over grooming on her belly and a bit rashy, this is what my vet recommended:

"There are several options—there is a product called Allerderm which is applied once weekly to the skin which can be quite helpful for itchy or dry skin. Additional fish oil omega-3 fatty acids, 200-250 mg daily, are often helpful, but may take up to 2 weeks to really have an effect. Antihistamines are often helpful—we seem to have the best success with Zyrtec, which is over-the-counter, or hydroxyzine which is a prescription medication.

We have Allerderm here, but you may be able to order it online. Zyrtec dosage is ½ of a 10 mg tablet by mouth (in food…) twice daily, or about every 12 hours, try for 7 days. Watch for drowsiness or restlessness, although side effects from Zyrtec are not likely or are very mild. Use plain Zyrtec, or cetirizine, only—no combo meds. The fish oil product we use is AllerG3, or you can use human products."

Fish oil/omega-3 can be an issue if your cat is allergic to fish. @Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) found an alternative. I think Nordic Naturals is a better alternative to the brand of fish oil my vet suggested. I have a colleague who does research in this area and she recommended Nordic Naturals as it's very pure.

 

Hi Kathe,
I’m away from home this weekend, but I’ll let you know the ear med Rusty got for an ear infection early next week.Whatever it was it caused frightening reactions after the 3rd dose ( it was a transdermal). It blinded him. It was the final blow that convinced us to release him from his tribulations.
Hugs and scritches to you all, and vines for Joy.

P.s. I never found a substitute for fish oil . I simply didn’t give it again!

 

@Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

The girls have been able to tolerate Grizzly Salmon Oil. Don't want to interject too many "solutions" into Joy's world. The Z tablet is working to keep her from itching. The ear meds cause her to shake her head, normal response, so hoping this does the trick. She doesn't like me much when she sees me coming with the ear med!

@Sienne and Gabby (GA) Thanks for the tip on Allerderm!

Best to you both for the support, Kathe