Bear Man's first week on Aranesp

Bear's PCV on July 15, just before his first shot of Aranesp, was .18. His BP was OK, and his heart rate was 240. We opted for the max dose of 6.25 mcg. He also got a shot of iron dextran.

Although I did not expect to see results so soon, he seemed more active and social in the first few days after the shot. Instead of just lying in the bathroom bed beside his water dish, he walked from room to room a bit and lay in some of his old favorite beds.

On July 22 his PCV was rechecked, and was .20. BP was good, and heart rate was just above 200. We repeated the dose of 6.25 mcg. The desirable rate of increase in PCV is 2% per week, so we seem to be right on target.

I did get some feedback from a feline anemia support group (just before the second shot) saying that 6.25 mcg was way too high a starting dose for a cat

The poster shed some light on why I am seeing so much variation in suggested doses. The high dose of 6.25 mcg that Bear is on would be analagous to the higher dose recommended for human patients on chemotherapy. The lower suggested dose of .45 mcg/kg would be more in keeping with the dose for human CRD patients. I discussed this with my vet, who wanted to go with the 6.25 mcg dose she is seeing on VIN. His BP and PCV seemed to support that, so we repeated the dose. The next recheck and shot will be July 29. I am buying the Aranesp from my hospital pharmacy in preloaded syringes of .4 ml. We are injecting .25 ml, and have been discarding the rest.

 

It's great to hear he's moving around so nicely now, so how is it that the dose is way too high? Could it be that maybe Bear is fine with that high of a dose?
If the dose really were too high, what signs would you see and how soon after these shots?

If Bear is happy on that dose and the vet does not think there is a problem why not continue with it?

I sure hope he continues to do well.

 

Gayle,

As understand it, the danger of an antibody reaction is not related to the dose of Aranesp, so that is reassuring. If the dose is too high, he could build red blood cells too quickly, leading to an increase in blood pressure and possible stroke.

It is a bit weird going with my vet's advice on this. It's new to her, too, so I have been trying to do my own research. Having been throught the diabetes journey, I know that sometimes vets don't have all the answers, but I have a good vet, and I trust her.

 

yes, and the results look good (both the whole cat report and the ensuing numbers).
very nice to see, linda!

 

I'm happy to see such a positive update. Go Bear Man! Kudos to you, Linda, for going the extra mile for him.

 

Glad to hear Bear Man is doing well on the aranesp. I'm sorry, I missed what was causing his health issues?

laur

 

He has a lot of health issues, including severe IBD (takes steroids), CP, hyperthyroidism, iatrogenic Cushings (from the steroids), neurological issues of unknown cause (circling, focal seizures), high blood pressure, chronic pyelonephritis, and renal disease. It appears that his kidneys are damaged to the point where he is not able to produce enough erythropoietin, and he has become anemic. He has been quite lethargic and unwell in the last month, and repeat blood work showed that his anemia had worsened to the point where he needed treatment for it.

 

Bear Man is quite the warrior; I sure hope the shots continue to help him.

 

I am so glad to see that Bear Man is doing better, moving around more, etc. Gayle put it right -- Bear Man is one hell of a warrior. I am very impressed with his tenacity and sheer grit. Linda, you are doing a wonderful job of supporting him through his many illnesses. I'd sure like to see some photos of him, if you have any to share.

laur

 

I may have one or two, since you asked Also see Bear's video in my signature.
Clickable thumbnails:

Not feeling well (anemia) - just lying in the bathroom next to his water dish.


In better days:


Enjoying the sun on his face and a breeze through the window (he is blind):


In a sunbeam:


Cuddling with his beloved brother, Teddy:


Kangaroo Man: