? Urgent Help Needed! Seeking Short Term Steroid Recommendation for Flea Irritation

Freaking out here. Struggling with a flea problem and despite having a spot-on treatment yesterday Saoirse has started pulling all her fur out; there's a big bald patch on her back and she's intent on doing further damage. (Cone of Shame, here we come again ... )

Is there anything I could do for her today? I can't use Dermallay spray because the skin is too irritated. I have coconut oil but I don't know whether that might make things better or worse.

Can anyone recommend a short-term steroid that might help her? I want to get her into the vet tomorrow and I need to know what steroid (or other treatment) to ask for, what impact it may have on her BG levels and how to manage around it so that I can argue the case with the vet. Saoirse's currently running on a 7-day average in the high 7s (mmol/L on Alphatrak) with only a fat zero SID dose of Lantus. (Spreadsheet's not up to date - lowest nadirs are in the 5s.)

I am desperate to do something to help my girl. Panicking here. Again.

Dear Universe - please give Saoirse a BREAK!!!



Mogs
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Have you tried the oatmeal treatment? Won't kill fleas, but may soothe the skin. I have flea problems here too. One thing that helps is a flea trap
http://www.amazon.com/Victor-M230-Ultimate-Flea-Trap/dp/B000668Z96
For you and scritches for Saoirse

 

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for replying - very good to hear a friendly voice right now. My anxiety levels were stratospheric before this latest issue but they're even worse now.

The Dermallay is the oatmeal spray. I read the instructions thoroughly and they specifically say not to use it on inflamed skin. I'm desperate not to do anything that might potentially make her worse.

Thanks for the trap suggestion. I'm going to get my carer to help me treat the whole house this week. (It's awful needing help to do everything. ) I've also got a UV-C system which might help going forward.


Mogs
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I don't know about a good steroid, but it wonder if the prednisone pills would be an option. Since you have to give them everyday maybe that means they don't stay in the system for too long? I remember years ago using them, and giving full dose for a couple days them weaning them off it. Not sure if it's a good option or not. That's strange that the oatmeal can't be used on inflamed skin. Seems like that's where you need to use it! Here's something I found on the coconut oil
http://www.livestrong.com/article/294373-how-to-use-coconut-oil-for-inflammation-of-skin/

 

Oh no, Mogs, I'm sorry to hear this. It's all you need...
I've no idea about steroids but I just Googled 'natural flea treatment for cats' and a few things came up that look plausible... Lemon, apple cider vinegar, some kind of dry earth... might be worth a quick look to see if anything of that kind fits the bill?
Hope you (both) find something that helps asap.
Hugs
Diana

 

Oh Mogs! It just never stops does it! I don't know of any creams or lotions you could use if the skin is that irritated. If Saoirse will hold still for bit, you could try very cold compresses (gel ice packs or a bag of peas wrapped in towel) as that might help ease the itching/discomfort. I was thinking perhaps an antihistamine but with her high BP anything available OTC would not be advisable as they can elevate BP.

 

Tell me about it, Linda. I just feel like I can't win, no matter what I do. Saoirse was brilliant for the first couple of days after the dental till she overgroomed the site where the vet removed the skin tag. Steroid cream made that worse and Cone of Shame depressed her and got in the way of her eating properly. Coconut oil helped the soreness but it is taking so long for the scab to fall off. Her little recovery shirt solved the Cone of Shame problem but I think that might be why she now has the flea issue and skin irritation. Frankly, I'm even more gutted because the scab from the original hot spot will be off in a few days and Saoirse would have been comfortable again. It's crushing to have yet another thing go wrong and I feel like I'm failing her again.

There are only 3 bite areas that I can see, Linda, but the skin is red and broken at those points. I bathed the area with a little salt water to clean it and that was enough to cause her discomfort (which, of course, made me feel even worse).

Diana, thanks for the search suggestion. I think I found the same article. Had a look but there was nothing that leapt out at me that I would feel comfortable trying. I think the acidic treatments would not be a good idea for a CKD cat and the DE sounds like scary stuff.

Thanks for the link about the coconut oil, Sharon; I've applied some to the area to see if it might help (and I'm praying and crossing everything that she doesn't have a coconut oil allergy ... )

If there are any prayers and healing thoughts going begging, I'd appreciate a few for my beloved girl. She's looking miserable in the Cone of Shame again.


Mogs
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I'm just so sorry, Mogs, have been thinking... Tea tree oil any good maybe...?

 

Sending a boatload of prayers and healing vines across the big pond now! for you Mogs and scritches for Saoirse!

 

I thought Tea Tree oil was toxic to cats or do I have it mixed it up with something else!

 

No, you're right Linda. It's great for people, toxic to kitties, unfortunately...
.

 

Ohhhh..... Sorry if it is, I wasn't aware. Forget that idea then :-(

 

Hi Mogs,

I have recently bought a lotion for irritation and itching, and it works well for Capoo.
It's made by Beaphar laboratory, and it contains Calendula and zinc oxide.

 

My old civvie girl, Sophie, is currently being kept alive by steroids (prednisolone). She literally wouldn't be able to eat without this medication. It has been a lifesaver for her.
But my understanding is that steroids are contraindicated if there is any suspicion of pancreatitis. So (if that is the case - and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong) would that not be OK for Saorise given that she is prone to p'titis flare-ups....?

Hugs to you (((Mogs)))

Eliz

 

Should have expressed myself better in the previous post, Sharon. It said not to apply it on severely irritated skin. My bad.


Mogs
.

 

Mogs, just looked for Sophie's suggestion - it's available from Amazon and looks good... Contains aloe vera too.

 

Mogs, I had a cat who had a very bad skin reaction to a topical flea product, and I was told to put vitamin E on the spot to soothe it. It worked like a charm. I just broke open a capsule and massaged the site gently and briefly with the oil. I don't think it is harmful in any way, but you might want to double check with her vet. My cat did not have any broken skin. I hope poor Saoirse gets some relief soon! Nothing worse than an itch that won't go away!

 

It's the opposite, Eliz; corticosteroids may be beneficial in the treatment of standalone pancreatitis/IBD/triaditis:

From the IDEXX pancreatitis treatment guidelines:

You've done me a big favour in pointing me to the guidelines, Eliz; it has the names of some drugs that might benefit Saoirse. I would very much welcome a steer from any members who have used them in cats with comorbid diabetes to get input on any pros and cons people have experienced in their cats so that I might be better placed as to what to request from our vets. (They are very anti any steroid intervention for diabetic cats.)


Mogs
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Simple aloe vera gel (bottled not straight from the plant) might help and should be readily available in nearby shops.

If it helps, my geriatric guy was on oral prednisolone for awhile and one of my concerns was the possibility of inducing diabetes. My vet was of the opinion that while injections of steroids is often a trigger for diabetes, it doesn't seem to be the case with low dose oral administration. My old guy has remained fine through his therapy and since.

 

@Squalliesmom -

Lucy, have you got the name of the vitamin E product you used? Vitamin E should be fine (it's an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and Saoirse gets it in her supplements). If I could find something similar locally a friend might be able to pick some up for me tomorrow.


Mogs
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I worry about anything with aloe vera, Linda, because I've heard mixed reports about toxicity (including reports of feline fatalities from a very well-respected UK health supplement supplier). I know from Diane (Bailey's mum, bless his little spirit) that if one does use aloe vera it has to be a very particular preparation otherwise it's not safe. Do you have any more information on safe aloe vera products for cats?


Mogs
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Got a link by any chance, Diana?


Mogs
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Sadly, Mogs, I don't know what the product's name was. My neighbor's husband took vitamin E daily, and she gave me some of his capsules. They were liquid-filled gel caps, I just pierced them with a knife tip to release the contents.

ETA: The vitamin E gave him IMMEDIATE relief.

 

Errrrr.... I don't know how to link using an iPad (which is all I've got). But I just Googled 'Beaphar Calendula' and the Amazon link came up. Try it... Although if you're worried about aloe vera it might not be ideal after all...?

 

@Capoo, @Diana&Tom -

Is this it?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Wo...dp/B00RQYGAMA?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

.

 

Mogs

When my son had measles I used Vit E oil on his skin and it cleared up the itch and some rashes that looked like they might end up scarring from all his scratching.

You can use standard Vit E capsules and just pierce the capsule to get the oil out. I would probably use a lower dose capsule such as 200 IU.

 

That's the one I found, yes - worth a try?

 

Mogs,

It's not the one you posted, but this one :

https://www.amazon.fr/Beaphar-Lait-...=1463929190&sr=8-3&keywords=Beaphar calendula

Unfortunately, it seems only available in France (I'm looking for it on amazon uk and us for more than 30 minutes without success), and I don't know if you can order it from UK on Amazon.fr.

Anyway, the one that you found seems quite good.

 

Mogs, it was my understanding that it's the outer layer of the plant leaves that contain the toxin. The clear, greenish gel substance in the leaves is fine but the whitish sap in the outer layer of the leaves is the problem. If you just took a plant leaf and squeezed out the gel, it would contain some of that sap from crushing. With processing any extracted sap is supposedly removed. Now that said, I suppose some products are likely purer than others and unfortunately, (or rather fortunately for me) I have never had occasion to need it for my furbabies. I have seen aloe vera in detangling shampoo etc for pets but again perhaps it does depend on the processing or source. The toxicity concerns always talk about ingestion of the plant so I didn't think topical use would be an issue as long as the cat is not licking the stuff off and ingesting it that way.

There are people touting the benefits of giving aloe vera gel in oral form to cats for FIP etc. and I tend to think that would be the source of any fatality reports but if Diane ran into a problem using it topically, I'd certainly think twice about it too.

 

www.allnaturalpetcare.com seems to reckon aloe vera is ok - at least, aloe juice and gel ok; products containing 'aloes' (extracted latex) are not.

Diana

 

I don't personally have any recommedations although I have used viatmin e oil (and capsules) on my own eczema to stop the inflammation and itching and it is one of the few things that works, although I did not know it was cat-friendly, so may be something to look into for Carter as well...

Just wanted to say I hope Saoirse starts catching a break and feeling better, and you as well!

 

Diane gave a specific aloe vera product to Bailey internally with great success (massively decreased the swelling in his pancreas) but when I made my own enquiries I was put off by the supplier telling me they had knowledge of fatalities; just a risk I'm not comfortable with - especially with all the glitches we've had recently. So frustrating that there might be something to help but I can't take the risk.

Saoirse would be able to groom it off if I applied it in the affected area. Additionally, aloe vera has the property of penetrating deep into the dermis when applied topically (have used it myself in the past and the doctor who prescribed it said one needs to be careful about having clean skin before application because the aloe vera can carry other chemicals down into the dermis along with it).


Mogs
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Check with your vet if you can give Benadryl. I used to have a dog with severe allergies and it helped. I think cats can take it in a smaller doses.

 

Merci bien pour votre aide, Sophie. The supplier says on the listing they don't ship to the UK. I've tried a general web search, too, and came up empty.


Mogs
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When I have an eczema flare-up, I use compresses with cold water.

 

Thank you for the suggestion, Lisa. I'd hit the blood pressure issue with it.


Mogs
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Merci, Sophie! Definitely going to try this; about as side-effect free as it gets.


Mogs
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I'm really grateful for all the suggestions - including the ones I'm too worried to try.




Mogs
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Mogs
You might want to try Pet Alive products the phone number is 800 683 1235 or 877 289 1235 or in google search type pet alive.
Im not going to recommend which product but please check into it. My son's Jack Russell has horrible allergies to fleas and grass and a ton of other things about4 years ago I came across this product line and his dog is so much better. Hope you find something that will work forfor Saoirse.

 

Mogs, Benadryl is not recommended for anyone with high blood pressure. I'd definitely want to consult with a vet before administering any antihistamines given Saoirse's BP issues.

 

I have an aloe vera pet shampoo bought at Pets at Home (own brand), which I used successfully for a flea allergy. I also bought https://www.amazon.co.uk/GOODbehavi...ia_yo_t_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=QGNZAN52VHT52CWB59VH which was good in breaking the cycle of scratching and licking. Urea creams are very good for itchy skin as well and come in combination with lactic acid but do check the other ingredients as well for safety. Provided her skin is not too bad I think you should be ok to use the oatmeal spray you have.

 

Cool compress just applied (damp flannel enclosed in a resealable baggie). Received well - Saoirse started purring almost immediately!

 

Great news!!!

 

@Alexi

Thanks for the additional suggestions, Alexi. If she hadn't been really sore when I was bathing the affected area earlier I might be inclined to give the Dermallay a punt but I'm going to hang fire on it for now (particularly worried about the perfuming ingredients).

Re the pheremone collar, I've got some Feliway spray in the house. Do you think that might help her a bit if I spray it onto something and leave it near her?


Mogs
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Feliway should help, I think it is the wonder drug . I have a plug in on the go at the moment because of a bit of an upset with a strange cat appearing recently, the spray is good for short term measures but the collar was very effective in stopping the continual licking bald behaviour long after the original problem had gone.

 

Yes, indeed!

I've just prepared another compress and I've popped it into the fridge to cool a little.

.

 

I'm very grateful for this tip, Alexi; it's something I'd never have thought of in a million.

Feliway spray now deployed. <crosses fingers>


Mogs
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Is Saiorse any better for the Feliway spray, Mogs...?

 

@Diana&Tom -

Hi Diana,

Thank you for checking in on us. Between the cool compress and the blankie sprayed with Feliway beside her Saoirse seemed to become less tense. She then had a good sleep and seemed to become more relaxed over time. She just woke a short while ago. The Feliway seems to have boosted her appetite; an unexpected but more than welcome development. She's fed up of the Cone but she doesn't look quite as miserable as she did earlier before I kicked off this thread, and I'm grateful for small mercies.

Hope your day is going much better.


Mogs
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Small mercies sound good to me, Mogs! Def going in the right direction. Hope you can relax a bit now.
Hugs

 

Hi Mary Ann,

Hope your day is going well. I couldn't find any 200IU capsules free of iffy ingredients. I've ordered these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product..._act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AR5M4EJ5HWXDK

I'm thinking of mixing the contents with an equivalent amount of coconut oil to reduce the concentration. Do you think that'd work?


Mogs
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Glad to see something is helping her Mogs! That poor girl and you so need a break!

 

Oops, so sorry I got that completely wrong, ha-ha! Thanks for the correction.

xxx

 

Thanks Mogs...trying to catch on sleep..neighbours down the street were partying outdoors until 4AM which is the time I am up anyway, so not much sleep last night

I have read mixed reviews on using coconut oil especially if there are any raw spots so I couldn't make a judgement call on that. You could mix it with some human grade mineral oil. There is nothing in that that could hurt Saoirse and even if she licks at it mineral oil is sage for ingesting

 

You could mix with a small quantity of vaseline which would make it a bit more 'sticky' to target the bad areas. Vaseline is fine for sore skin.

 

Hey Mogs....sorry to hear Saoirse isn't 100% again...that little girl sure is lucky to have such a wonderful and caring bean!!

I saw that you're worried about using DE......while you're right that pool grade DE is bad stuff, the kind we use around our pets is Food Grade....that's very important! It's great stuff, especially for treating around the house (both inside and out)

Here's a neat little article about it http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

There are even some links to where to buy it in the UK at the bottom of the article.

 

Hi Mogs. I don't have any advice to add, but I did want to say I'm sending healing vines in your direction! Hope you can get things sorted out.

 

@Tuxedo Mom, @Alexi -

I've got Vaseline. I'll try mixing the vitamin E with that.

@Chris & China -

Thanks for the link about DE. I had a read through of it. With my health problems I don't think I'd be able for the work that goes with use of the DE in the house. Might be worth considering for outdoors, though.


Mogs
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@Elle & Squeak - Thank you!

 

Do you know whether some Vaseline on Saoirse's back overnight might stop her worrying at it till I can get her to the vet?


Mogs
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Hope you manage to get some better rest today, Mary Ann.


Mogs
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Itching is often caused by the skin being dried out from the oils being depleted, which licking can do both from the saliva and roughness of the tongue. I think a small layer may help as it replaces the oils, worth trying more Feliway as well?

Seems to be flea season started - I have just found one so everyone is getting a treatment in the morning. Fortunately I have hard floors at home so not as big an issue as with carpets but I get flea allergy too! Vaseline is also great for killing any live fleas you may find as it blocks all their breathing holes.

 

Thanks for the reply, Alexi. I'll try the Vaseline tonight plus more Feliway. I'm going to have to leave the Cone in place and that upsets me because she hates it.


Mogs
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Do you have a web page link, Deb? The only thing I could find was a website in South Africa and I'm not sure whether they're the product range you're referring to. (I'm in the UK, BTW.)


Mogs
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I noticed Amazon carries some of the pet products. The website is www.nativeremedies.com they are all natural. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they worked for my son's little Zoe (Jack Russell) she was miserable before now all the symptoms are gone and one happy dog & son

 

Thanks for the link, @DebG.

 

{{{Mogs}}}

I'm so sorry poor Saoirse is dealing with yet another issue. I just wanted to chime in regarding the Prednisolone. My Harvey became diabetic because he was on 5 mg bid for his intestinal lymphoma. The oncologist cut him back to 2.5 once a day, and his numbers have come down to "normal" range, and his dose is down to 1 unit from 2. Not ideal for a cat with FD, but if it makes her feel better, isn't it better to increase her insulin for a while until she's better and can be weaned off the Pred than to let her suffer? Just my two cents' worth.

Sending anti-itch and healing vines and s.

 

Absolutely my thinking, too, Tricia. I need something that will help her round the clock and that will knock the irritation on the head. My well-intentioned vet is so wary of steroids for diabetics that I need to make the case with him for how it will benefit Saoirse and how I am I'm only too willing to work the insulin around the steroid treatment; her wellness is what matters and if she needs a larger insulin dose to make that happen that's OK. Thank you so much for posting details of your experience with Harvey's prednisolone treatment; it is really valuable information. Am I correct in understanding that you gave the medication orally?


Mogs
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Yes. Still giving it. 5 mg pills, cut in half now. I put them in a gelcap to make it easier going down and prevent his tasting anything.

 

Thanks, Tricia, for the additional info. Thank you, too, for the hugs 'n' vines; both very much appreciated.


Mogs
.

 

I give Fritz oral prednisolone in liquid.
You have to make sure in pill form it goes down you don't want it sitting in the esophagus. You can have it compounded from a compounding pharmacy.
With Fritz I put it in his wet raw food he doesn't mind it in there. Also if you do choose liquid it comes with syringe that you shake & tip the bottle upside down insert syringe and draw the amount you want out.

 

Thanks for the info, Deb.


Mogs

 

As far as I know, Prednisolone in the UK is only available in pill form for cats. But the pills are very small. They do however taste horrid, at least to human taste buds ( ).

My (civvie) Sophie can't be pilled directly because of her sore mouth, so I crush the pill and mix it into a tiny amount of favourite soft food. There always seems to be a point where she clocks that maybe the food doesn't taste quite right, so at that point I sprinkle some crushed Thrive/Cosma treats on the top. I make sure she's left with a nice taste in her mouth.
In her case, there was improvement within about 36 - 48 hours of taking the Pred.

Keeping fingers, paws, and everything else crossed that you find something that works for your Saoirse, (((Mogs))).

Eliz

 

Mogs, do you have empty gelatine capsules? If you wish I can send you some size 4 capsules to try.

Eliz

 

Hi Eliz,

Saoirse's OK to pill and I use the same technique as yourself with pills in food. Thanks for the offer of the capsules. If the vet does issue the Rx I will see how the pilling goes and if there's a problem I'll get back to you.


Mogs
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PS:

Thanks for the info on timescales, Eliz.


Mogs
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Just had a look at the side effect profile for prednisolone. It's got a caution about using it in patients with high blood pressure and risk of glaucoma. I don't know what to do. Saoirse's blood pressure is normal again today (anti-jinx) and she hasn't had any benazepril for several days (HDO monitor values: 146/111 optimised; 138/103 non-optimised; heart rate 144). I do wonder how much intermittent stress is a factor in the higher BP values. I think the Feliway may be helping a lot (@Alexi - thank you for this suggestion). She seems in better form for it and I think it may be having a subtle but positive influence on her appetite, too.

I'm finding this really hard going. (Anxiety levels are through the roof.) I just want Saoirse to be happy and comfortable.


Mogs
.

 

As do we all, Mogs... Really hoping things look up soon.
Diana

 

Thanks, Diana.

I posted for help on L&L last night in the hope that someone there who doesn't post much on FH might have some ideas. Sienne recommended a product called Allerderm. I've asked the vets to order some. Vet is coming out to examine Saoirse tomorrow; he's worried about using steroids to try to help her.

On a positive note, Saoirse's opthalmology check-up went well today.


Mogs
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Looks promising, Mogs... Stay positive. You're doing everything you can. Maybe you can discuss your concerns about some of the suggestions made when you see the vet tomorrow.
I know how desperately you want to help Saiorse but I'm sure you're giving her extra TLC and she's with her mama so she is as happy and comfortable as she can be.
Hugs
Diana

 

If Saiorse is doing well with the Feliway then do consider a plug-in, they last a month or more and don't have any smell to them - at least not to a human nose! You don't have to run it all the time, I tend to use it for a few days at a time until everything settles down again. Steroids for a short time are very effective for itchy inflammation, even as short a period as a few days can be enough to break the itch-scratch-itch cycle, so don't discount them if your vet is happy to give them a go.

 

Hi @Alexi,

I got a diffuser refill today and I have it running at the moment! Thanks for the tips on how best to use it.

Re the steroids, it's me trying to convince our vet that they might help (he's very wary of prescribing them for diabetics). I'm desperate to do something to help break the cycle; Saoirse is absolutely miserable in the e-collar. It's making mealtimes very difficult, too. Her mood has deteriorated a lot this evening and even though she's hungry I'm having difficulty getting her to eat enough.


Mogs
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Hi Mogs,

What are the news today?

 

I've been wondering too...

 

My cat had this a few years ago and responded immediately to dexamethasone.

 

Thanks for the recommendation, Sonya.


Mogs
.

 

If you end up opting for dexamethasone just be aware that this steroid can raise BG levels quite a bit, so you would have to adjust your insulin. I use dexamethasone in one of the tests for Cushings's and Tuxie's numbers were through the roof for several days. But if it will help with the skin problem you are more than capable of altering doses for a few days.

 

Hi all,

Vet came to examine Saoirse today. He was reluctant to prescribe the prednisolone tablets. Instead he has given me Cortavance, a topical steroid spray with active ingredient hydrocortisone aceponate (7 days on, 7 days off). It's only licensed in the UK for dogs but he says it's OK for cats and that the manufacturers probably just haven't bothered to apply for the feline licence. He's also ordering in the Allerderm spot-on and I should get that tomorrow. I'm hanging fire on the steroid spray until I try the Allerderm first. After Saoirse's painful reaction to the Isaderm I'm very nervous of using another topical steroid treatment for fear it may hurt her but what can I do? (Wondering if I could test it on myself?)

I don't know whether the vet truly realises what a huge issue it is for Saoirse to have to wear the cone. It is completely screwing with her mood and her eating. I had to resort to giving her another crumb of cypro to get some food into her; none of the other tricks work when she's like this. I'm going to look into another pet recovery suit for her (US one recommended on the other thread by Tricia) and I think I'm going to have to order another of the ones I already have in the meantime and try to work out some way to replace the bulky tail with something more comfortable for her. I'm wondering whether I could secure it round her rear legs if I was to use knicker elastic to make some straps?

I'm wrecked and quite frustrated with how this is panning out. One steroid jab sorted Lúnasa out when she had the flea reaction. I'm having to go all around the houses to try to find a solution for Saoirse which means she's experiencing discomfort for longer than possibly necessary. Surely a temporary adjustment to her insulin dose would be a faster and less stressful treatment option for Saoirse? Or is there some huge risk of long term problems that might arise from the short course of steroids of which I am unaware?


Mogs
.

 

Mogs, oral steroids can raise BP in humans. I assume the same would be true for felines. Prednisolone is also not recommended for anyone with eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts etc . While a short course might not cause BP or eye issues, the potential is there, so your vet may just be erring on the side of caution given Saoirse's history. Fingers and paws crossed the Allerderm makes Saoirse more comfortable. for you and for Saoirse!

 

True? My cat was prescribed that for glaucoma (eye since removed).

 

Interesting. The concern in humans is because of the fluid retention caused by steroids leading to possible increased ocular pressure (IOP) but it's quite possible cats are not effected by steroids in the same way as humans. Just speculation on my part of why the Mogs' vet might be so reluctant to give a short course to Saoirse.

 

It's not the eye he's got the bee in his bonnet about; it's "insulin resistance".

 

I'm sorry to hear your kitty lost an eye, Sonya. Saoirse also lost one (due to uveitis) earlier this year.


Mogs
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When weighing up whether to use steroids for Sophie I came across quite a few potential risks of long term use (which I since seem to have put to the back of my mind!).

But, all meds carry some degree of risk. It's a matter of trying to weigh up the potential risks and benefits of using them, and then doing whatever we think best.
In Sophie's case it was actually very simple; it was either trying the steroids for a while or facing having her PTS in the very near future (within days).
But, in fact, not only are the steroids keeping her alive (for the moment), but her quality of life has improved enormously.
We'll just have to deal with any side effects that the steroids might cause in the future (if she lives long enough to get them!). And if the steroids cause something that we can't fix then at least she'll have had this extended time of living, and of living well. And for that I'll be ever grateful.

I do so sympathise, Mogs. It can be very hard indeed sometimes to work out what to do for the best, especially when the kitty is older and has multiple health issues.

Hugs to you,

Eliz

 

Thanks, Eliz.

I'm really glad to hear that the treatment is doing so much to help Sophie.

I'm so frustrated at the moment. It's the protective devices that are causing Saoirse the biggest problems.


Mogs
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(((Mogs))) hang in there...take things day by day and hopefully Saiorse will soon feel an improvement.
Diana

 

I don't think he ever noticed (it's been about 6 years now). I think he felt alot better as he suddenly didn't have a constant headache. He damages his other eye frequently as I think his depth perception is off, and he gets twigs and stuff in it, but I have a wee stash of antibiotic eye drops. At 17 he still jumps to high places, eats exceptionally well, despite the hyperthryroid, CKD and skin cancer (diabetic in remission).