My cat was on Pred for 15+months and we never had a diabetes issue, and my vet said that it's a fairly rare side effect. Perhaps more common are side effects from a suppressed immune system like new infections, but my cat didn't get that either. A cat on pred should have regular exams and blood/urine work done, mine went in every 3 months. Cats with IBD need to gain or maintain weight, so i wouldn't[t worry too much about over feeding her so long as she doesn't become obese.
That’s great to hear that, StephenQ!
I always hope to reduce the dosage of the pred for her, I’m afraid of the side-effects. But you are right, the pred helps her a lot! Actually, she wants to eat more food!! If I feed her more, she would be so happy! But one of the side effects of the pred is diabetes. I guess I shouldn’t feed her a lot, right?! I feed her around 300kcal per day. She’s around 8 lbs, so 240kcal per day must be good for her, but she needs to gain some weight, so my vet told me that’s okay. Thank you again for your help!
Tapering Pred over time is a worth goal, but one that can't always be achieved, there is usually a dose below which your cat starts to slide into trouble again. Nothing cures IBD, Pred can at best control it, so you are looking for a dosage that controls it.
I can't say this enough to people with IBD cats. you can catch your cat's current condition or decline faster than by going for regular vet visits by spending $45 +/- on a baby scale and weighing your cat weekly. If your cat is stable weekly, and then you see even a few ounces loss (even though the cat is eating the same etc) then you have caught a decline before the vet and you can then go to the vet for early intervention. That loss is due to a decline in your cat's nutrient absorption ability and that's what the vet needs to intervene on, possibly with an adjustment to pred, or other diagnostic work.
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