5/1 Meowzi AMPS~255, PMPS~176 ... Longtimer

Last week's post

WCR: :mrgreen:
Watch video for reason.



And she even went on to the TOP shelf a couple of times too:


although this is the more common scenario


I had initially thought it was doubling her fish oil dose that had helped her arthritis, but learned this week that SAMe may also benefit osteoarthritis. Dr M (VIN pharmacologist) had suggested it for Meowzi last September, but I didn't understand why (her liver values were normal) and then got distracted with her CP flare and didn't pursue it. I didn't even think to look it up on wiki (the Nutramax site doesn't reference joint health for SAMe). Anyway, I didn't start her on Denosyl till 2 months ago, on March 5, and only because one of her liver values was slightly elevated. We also started doubling her fish oil dose around April 5 because we could, since she was being syringe-fed. The week of April 16, she started hopping on the kitty tower and has been hopping up quite a bit since. I don't know what's helping her, it could be either the higher dose of fish oil, or SAMe, or the combination of both, but I really wish I had started looking into SAMe sooner.

And on to other good news: Meowzi has been so good about syringe-feeding that she has now graduated to not needing the klaw kontrol bag anymore. Her daddy just clips on a make-shift bib (kitchen towels) and proceeds to syringe-feed, and she hardly struggles. We are very, very proud of her

[BTW, it does look like her hepatic cyst may really be interfering with her appetite. I tried offering her different foods this last five days - small snacks of rx renal (is low carb, and she likes it) and Healthy Indulgence (low carb too, the herring, crab and chicken in gravy flavour), and she ate both quite enthusiastically, but always stopped and walked away after eating 3/8 oz. Which makes me wonder if that's all it takes for her to start feeling full (as opposed to being physically full) because the cyst is pressing against her stomach, if that makes any sense.]

Re: the ultrasound and radiograph reports, I finally got to speak to Dr S, her primary vet, this week. He agrees with our decision not to drain or remove her hepatic cyst. My one concern was a worst case scenario one: what if it burst, and would that send her into shock and kill her. He said nobody really knows the answer, but he doesn't believe it's likely, or it would have happened already. He said that for all we know, it's may already have been seeping fluid and re-sealing itself countless number of times between last year and now. And given that it's been fairly stable over the last year, he's not inclined to do anything about it.

Kidneys look exactly as expected with CKD. Pancreatic nodules are most likely benign, and he agrees with me not to test her for CP per the report's suggestion, as we already know she has it and he will write whatever scripts for meds I need if she has a flare.

Oh, and I told him she's on Denosyl and I'd like to switch her to Denamarin and he doesn't have a problem with either. And he's not surprised if it's indeed helping with her arthritis, he said SAMe is as potent an antioxidant as you can get (I didn't know antioxidants help with arthritis, but that must have been what Dr M at VIN was thinking too).

I told him how upset I was that she was boxed and gassed down for the u/s, and he has agreed to prescribe Xanax for future specialist visits, which is good. We are hopeful that she will not require any further specialist visits, though.

We also discussed her weight. Now that she's being syringe-fed, and we have full control of her calorie intake (i.e. making sure she eats enough), I'd like to very, very slowly reduce her weight. Even getting a pound of could help her joints significantly. We could never try before, because it was such a struggle to make sure she got enough calories in. He is comfortable with the idea, as we will be reducing by no more than 1/8 oz of food a week, or maybe even two weeks, and we will be weighing her regularly.

And now, a word of caution: glucometers are not designed to be microwaved. DH fried our One Touch Ultra meter this morning. He was half asleep and thought he was nuking the rice sock. ohmygod_smile It didn't explode, but its circuits are fried and it's gone bye-bye :cry: It was a good meter, served us well for over 3 years. And that BTW explains why the last three days of our ss has only colours in the PS cells; I didn't get a chance to record the data before it happened.

 

i am still giggling about the meter story from this morning! that is one i sure will remember.

"[BTW, it does look like her hepatic cyst may really be interfering with her appetite. I tried offering her different foods this last five days - small snacks of rx renal (is low carb, and she likes it) and Healthy Indulgence (low carb too, the herring, crab and chicken in gravy flavour), and she ate both quite enthusiastically, but always stopped and walked away after eating 3/8 oz. Which makes me wonder if that's all it takes for her to start feeling full (as opposed to being physically full) because the cyst is pressing against her stomach, if that makes any sense.]"

hmm..hello? hey, i know i've said that numerous times in past! there is only so much room inside a kitty and her stomach has no expansion room, the liver cyst is in the way. and u/s report kinda contradicts itself by saying that cyst not invading stomach space and then lower down report in summery saying that stomach may be caudally displaced by the cyst. displaced very much means in it's space so much that it is pushing it out of it's normal position.

100% agree on all counts, with the weight loss plan (every 2 weeks i like better than every week, k?), and the switches in meds that have been done and are in works, all good stuff...which the video proves.

gee, is she always down on hocks now 100% of time? last video i saw of her in motion she was only down sometimes and one leg more than other, looks bilateral evenly now. and watching video again just now, oh yeah (shhh don't tell her i said this okay? even if she is deaf) she has plenty of easy weight to lose.

i didn't know you where only syringe feeding now, what happened? time wise it is easier to do that than spend hours trying to coax her to eat? understandable for sure. just lucky she is so good about it. *shudders to think of the day i might have to do that to settles*

since i won't see answer here tomorrow, can you FB PM me about the "Subcutaneous gas in the interscapular region"? guessing maybe s/he was just seeing her SQuids, right? nothing to worry about?

 

I am loving this Meowzi report, and the video is priceless. Iz funny that Meowzi is going on a diet.

Bear takes SAMe, too. I think it has helped him with his cognitive dysfunction, and we are hoping for other benefits as well.

Thanks for your input on the stroller.

 

Love the Meowzi video and wishing you he best with her health sending healing vines her way :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

 

Really nice to Meowzi climb her tower. Thanks for sharing that. And the info on SAMe. I'll talk to my vet about the Denosyl for Blackie. I hope Meowzi continues to do well.

(edit) I forgot to say thanks for the info on the fish oil. I've added it to Blackies supplements in small increments since he doesn't love it. But he's been tolerating it if I mix it with enough food.

 

It was good to see Meowzi climbing. She is a beautiful cat (even with that little shaved patch)!

 

Look at the strength and determination!

Hope the racing stripes fill in soon, but that will help keep her cooler for now.

 

That Video made me feel so Happy! Meowzi is such a trooper!! Could I Please buy that steps contraption for Moonie??? I have been wracking my brain how to help her into the catnapper, which is 51" from the floor..She jumps up on a trunk we have in the corner, & vaults up into napper, usuing her nails to pull herself in!!! Little acrobat!!--
Choy Foong, if I never said it before, you are the most amazing bean with Meowzi, that i have ever seen & take such unbelieveable care of her!!! You go above & beyond in all aspects of her treatment!! You are one of my heros here...Such a gorgeous cat & such determination-Makes my heart happy!!
Moonie is on her hocks, 1/2 the time, when she has to go short distances, on toes for a longer walk :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dont tell me they arent smart!!
I give fish oil at pm meal, 8 drops of vitacoat by foster & smith-75mg omega 3--in each cat dish--and so far, cosequin--How much omega do you give her, & ever use Dasuquin?