7/8 Jazzy (question)

Hi everyone, I have my first (of many) acro-related question. I have read here that many acros have headaches. Jazzy definitely has days when she is grouchier than other days and I’ve wondered if something is painful. What do you do when you think your acro has a headache? She's in good health, though she does have a touch of arthritis so that could be making her grumpy too.

Jazzy is a foster kitty who has been here about a month, and she is often growly and hissy because she doesn’t like the other cats. She follows me everywhere but doesn’t make eye contact much and doesn’t interact much. I assume that is because she has been tossed around so much that she doesn’t feel like bonding with people. Could be discomfort, though.

As soon as I got her dx, she started throwing surprising numbers in the morning, it figures… I guess she is asking for a dose reduction, but I have really liked this dose on her. Jill teases me because with Lucy, I wanted to hold each dose longer than anyone she has ever seen before I would finally reduce it. I find myself feeling the same way here, it is a lovely dose, can’t I keep it? LOL. I know I have to be more conservative with Jazzy's numbers than I was with Lucy's, but it is not easy to switch my mind from working with a cat who I needed to be aggressive with, to letting Jazzy run higher and flatter.

Discuss pain control with your vet - to some extent, it depends on the symptoms that Jazzy is presenting.

Norton got Prednosolone for his headaches, because his were caused by tumor growth -- it was pressing on adjacent areas of the brain and making him walk in circles. The pred reduced inflammation/swelling of the annoyed tissue and reduced the pain and circling. He was much more interactive and had "happy tail" (straight up in the air). When he was feeling bad, his tail would be low - practically dragging along behind him.

Some use aspirin (I think it can only be given once every 3 days to prevent toxicity issues)

some use Buprenex (sp?) and Dasaquin (sp?) for pain + arthritis

I can't remember but I had thought it was Carolyn who used aspirin with Leo? Try asking her and Lorna about headaches.

I wish I knew the signs so I could watch for them in Oliver.

signs of headache --

squinchy eyes
meatloaf position with head down
depressed / lethargic
crabby

sometimes Norton would walk up to something and lean his head into it, and just stand there, like the washing machine (he almost never went into the laundry room)

I think maybe Fletcher also gets headaches. Libby, is Jazzy getting any supplements for possible arthritis? Acros can get spondylosis, too, sort of arthritis of the spine. KB has it, more noticeably towards the tail area, but his strength and mobility has improved with some of the supplements (I think) and periodic adequan (not recommending without xray, though). Cosequin, Dasequin both can help with discomfort, too.

I use buprenex when I see them coming on. He gets .1mL as needed.. which is usually once or twice a week. He avoids light, keeps his eyes closed or half-closed, ears at half mast. He also hides under furniture and generally looks miserable - tail dragging, lethargic, lack of interaction.. not doing stuff he normally does. Leo also has very stiff joints. He gets aspirin twice a week but for his heart (HCM), not for pain. I do not notice it helping pain symptoms at all since he's been on it, the buprenex really does the trick for him. Aspirin should not be dosed more than twice a week, and it's toxic to the kidneys, so I would not recommend using it as a pain reliever at this time. Certainly dosing should only be advised by a vet.

thanks everybody. I'll talk to the vet, and I'll keep a closer eye on her to see if I can determine what hurts. Yesterday she was happy, happy but the day before she was a witch, so it definitely comes and goes.

Thanks for the info on spondylosis, Nina. She is not taking anything for her arthritis yet, but that was going to be one of my next requests for her. Part of the challenge is that because she belongs to rescue, they have to preapprove med requests. They are good about making sure the cats are comfortable so it's not an issue, just a bit of paperwork.

Jazzy always looks miserable, but I think that's just her personality. ;-) She's a diva and she is not queen of the castle (Lucy is) and that is not the way she thinks things should be.

Cody does take a baby aspirin every 3 days for his heart, and he is almost always much perkier/better numbers during the day following an evening dose.

I have looked into pain meds, and tried bupeprinex, but I hate how it makes his eyes hugely dialated, and I'm afraid he's gonna fall off his countertop perch b/c he's "high".

Because he takes aspirin, many/most of the other options are not available because they are in the same NSAID category.

SO, the next thing I'm thinking of trying ( I was hoping to find his Lev dose first) is Gabapentin, which is an antiepileptic?, anti chronic pain, especially neurological type pain, drug. It is pretty cutting edge, vet won't have used it, I think Ele and Blackie use it VERY successfully (for arthritis ?- non acro, renal or liver disease) . She divides a 100mg capsule into 3-4 sections with a razor blade and doses daily. My vet is willing, but wants me to get it compounded ($$$). It supposedly has no side effects and I think is used by some kidneys or liver disease kitties because it is not an NSAID. If you want more info, search "Gabapentin in cats for pain- nancy and cody" on health. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=14418&hilit=+gabapentin+pain+in+cats

What is a meatloaf position?

Nancy and Cody said:

What is a meatloaf position?

Click to expand...

Imagine placing Cody in a meatloaf pan - that's the meatloaf position. :mrgreen:

in LOLcats, the monorail kitties are sometimes in meatloaf-type positions -- laying on tummy with feet tucked under and tail wrapped around, and head down -- like nose to ground