Qs re: cobalamin/folate deficiency

Got pretty good news from the vet's today after Quincy's 3-month check up earlier in the month (see signature file - he has lymphoma and IBD). All Quincy's lab work is back. The complete blood panel and urinanalysis results were all within normal levels, and the urine culture showed no signs of infection. The one abnormal result was the folate/cobalamin test - it showed that Quincy was below normal limits. I don't have the exact number, though. I spoke with the vet directly, and he said Quincy was lower than he should be, but he didn't consider him to be critically low or that he was in danger of getting critically low. At first, he wanted me to bring Quincy in so he could give him injections of B-complex and B-12 there. I think that was in part because he didn't think Quincy needed routine treatment and also because of the pain issue. I really don't want to bring Quincy back, though, as it's such an ordeal, so we decided the vet would order me my own bottle of B-12 so I could do those shots at home, and that when Quincy comes back for his next check up (in about 10 weeks, if all is well), the vet would give him a B-complex shot while they're doing all the other bad things (e.g., blood draws). My vet said even the B-12 shot has some level of pain, but admitted than the B-complex one was the one that really smarts. I mentioned that I knew others who did B-12 shots at home without problem... I hope that's my experience too!

We didn't go over the dosing amount/frequency yet - will get that when I pick up the medicine. He mentioned something about starting with 0.1 cc 2x a week. I didn't go through it all, in part because I was on another call at work. Will find out soon enough I guess.

If anyone else has gone the B-12 and/or B-complex route with their kitties, would definitely appreciate any input you can share re: dosing amount, dosing tips (shoot the same as insulin?), whether it bothered your kitty, how long it took to notice any differences in GI issues, etc., would be helpful. I'll post on the general health board too.

I'm kind of glad we picked up a little deficiency, as it suggests something relatively benign that I can try that might actually help Quincy.

 

Texas A M University GI Lab says:

The doses we currently recommend for dogs and cats are given in table 1. The dose regime is typically one dose weekly for six weeks, one dose every two weeks for six weeks, then dose monthly. Remeasure serum cobalamin concentrations one month after last administration. Unless the intestinal disease is totally resolved, it is likely that the patient will continue to require regular cobalamin supplementation, the frequency necessary is assessed by regular measurement of serum cobalamin concentration.

Table 1 says 250 ug for cats.

See for more details:
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/gilab/research/cobalamin.shtml

 

B12 injections do not bother Tucker at all. I do have B-Complex but was told to give that to him when administering SubQ fluids, add it to the port so it doesn't sting.

Tucker shows improvement with just the weekly B12 so that's what I stick with.

 

Thanks Jennifer! When you wrote, shows improvement, what do you mean by that? Normal BMs? Less vomiting?

 

When Tucker's IBD acts up he tends to block, but before blocking he will sit at the edge of one of his many cat beds with the bolster part under his belly, sort of like he's trying to comfort his belly. If I remember to give him the weekly B12 injection this does not happen. (note to self- figure out way to remember to do this each week)

Also, Tucker's BGs are always lower for a few days after the B12 so in general he feels better.

On a side note, when my father in law was not well before he passed, the doctors gave him B12 injections and he always perked up for a few days right after. I think it helps the whole body in some way.

 

What kind of syringe does one use? Seems like it's a lot more liquid than an insulin shot. Would be nice to deliver the dose all in one shot, and maybe a U100 syringe isn't big enough? Is it something I can order through a place like Hock's?

Thanks

 

Tucker takes only the B12, we use a U100 syringe, one of his insulin syringes. I brought it to the vet and let her tell me how much using that syringe.

 

One standard concentration of B12 is 1000 ug/ml. With a dose of 250 ug that is ""25 units" in a U100 syringe. I use 1/2 cc insulin syringes for Bailey's B12 injections since I have them and they are not accurate enough for cat insulin injections.