? Should I fast my kitty before vitamin methal B test

I would really appreciate your opinions on this:

Leo has neuropathy and has been on Zobaline 3mg's for about 6 weeks and we are seeing improvements in how often he walks and how long he walks for. This could be a combination of the Zobaline and his BG's starting to be regulated.

The vet wants to give him shots of Meth B12 to help with his neuropathy, she says it's better absorbed than the oral Zobaline. She want to test him for B12 deficiency first which means fasting for 12 hours prior to the test.

A 12 hour fast will mess with his BG levels, not to mention he will start eating furniture if he goes without food for so long. I've heard you can't overdose on vitamin B12 so should I tell her to just give him the shot and forget about testing?

Thank you,

 

Ok I gave B12 injections from the vet first (no fasting required). It didn't do anything for Silver so I switched to B12 bought in pharmacy (same as Zobaline). Vast improvement in a few weeks. Perfectly normal gait again now. At one point I needed to set up a step ladder so he could get on my bed and prop up his food dish as he couldn't stand to eat. I'd forget the b12 shots and stick with Zobaline.

 

Thank you! The vet wants to do a test to check his b12 first so he would need to fast for the test then give him the b12 shot. I'm very distrusting of vets and think this is just a $ grab.

 

It's a difficult one. The B12 shots alongside the B12 tablets certainly helped my Tyler. A B12 deficiency can give probs other than neuropathy. Anemia , breathlessness etc.
Equally neuropathy can be caused by other than a B12 deficiency.

I think your vet is likely wanting to cross all the T's and so is being thorough with this. One 12 hour fast & so one missed shot is not going to do harm really. It will just chuck the depot out a bit for a while.

What the B12 shots will certainly do is help repair the nerve damage. You can give these shots yourself, there is no need for a vet to do this. It should be a once a week thing.

Yes. You cannot overdose the B12. In a way it covers all bases to help your pusscat.

FWIW I think it is good the vet has offered this and also wants to take care. Many vets wouldn't.

 

Checking his B12 levels is a little pointless. Most vets don't even believe B12 is needed to improve neuropathy. You don't need your vet's permission to give him Zobaline. Honestly, that is the better way to go and forget the shots. Then you have the control and the vet does not. The vet will give you cyanocobalamin form of B12 which is not nearly as effective in treating neuropathy as the methylcobalamin form which is found in the Zobaline.

I distrust vets too - they know more in this forum about FD than any vet. They just don't have enough training to know. TWO previous vets would have caused Silver's death had I listened to their instructions.

 

Depends on the form of B12 and why its prescribed. If its for treating neuropathy - the shots will not do any good. Only the Zobaline. Neuropathy is a side effect of diabetes.

 

I totally agree with the B12 shot, it's the testing (fasting) that I don't want to do. Yes, the skipping a shot probably wouldn't have a huge effect but I

Thank you! I totally agree with the B12 shot, as a booster, apparently it’s better assimilated by the body than the oral Zobaline which I will continue to use anyway.

It’s the fasting for the test that I’m not comfortable with. I know skipping an insulin shot may not have a huge effect on Leo’s BG’s in the grand scheme of things but I just don’t see the point of the test. I think the vet should just give us the B12 shot which we will administer and not worry about testing. The test will show he’s deficient in B12 or not. If he’s deficient, then great and if he’s not then no big deal, the B12 will just not get used by Leo’s body.

 

Thank you! I don't disagree with the shot just the test. You brought up a good point about which type of B12 they want to use. I will make sure its the methyl B12 and not the other. I'm so grateful to have found this forum. We lost a month and a half messing around with bad advice from our ex vet until I found the FDMB and started following a protocol which is actually working.

 

I don't believe methylcobalamin comes in liquid format but I could be wrong. If he is showing any signs of neuropathy then he needs the b12 and a test would be unnecessary. My vet said Silver had a brain disorder because his back legs were weak! Wrong.

 

I will check with the vet to find out what type of B12 she's recommending. He definitely has neuropathy, it started in March and our ex vet said nothing could be done about it. I learned about the Zobaline Methal B on this forum and Leo's been on it for 6 weeks with definite signs of improvement. Every day he walks further and for longer.

Wow, sounds like Silver and Leo had the same vet.

 

Well sounds like you don't need the injections. I can almost guarantee it will be cyanocobalamin and will do nothing.

 

I'll let you know!