Looks like Jordan has cataracts in both eyes

I'm still waiting to hear from the vet on his blood test, but I noticed this morning that he is developing a cataract in his right eye. He has had one for a few months in his left eye, but now he is developing one in his right eye as well. I find it very concerning that he has bi-latteral cataracts at 5 years old?? I was excited to reduce his prednisone, but now I'm worried that maybe the pred is slowing the growth of something in his body that without the pred will run rampent.

One of the side effects of pred is cataracts.
My vet told me that when Coco was on it before.

Oh poor Jordan

Prayers and for little Jordan

Originally Posted by mews2much

One of the side effects of pred is cataracts.
My vet told me that when Coco was on it before.

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Thank you. My vet never told me that. I also wonder if it has to do with having feline herpes in his eyes, or the elevated blood calcium for over a year.

Originally Posted by Bella713

Oh poor Jordan

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I know that's what I thought too. My poor cuddle bug has had a ruff year. He really is doing very well over all. He is back to eating whatever I put in front of him, playing, chasing the other cats around and running out the door when I get home. So I'm hoping we can get his pred dose down.

Its hard to say but pred can cause alot of problems.
I wish the vet had told you about the problems it can cause.

OK, so my vet finally called me back. He is back to his non-commital self. Jordan's blood calcium is down to 9.9, it was 10.4 last time. So the vet said I could try droping his pred dose again, but the last time we did that his blood calcium spiked. Then he said these things usually don't just go away. I'm just so torn about what to do. On the one hand I really want him off the pred, but on the other hand I'm afraid of his blood calcium spiking again. He was just not himself when his calcium was super high. I don't know???? His current dose is 5mg a day. I just don't know what to do and the vet is just not going to give me any advice.

When Damita was on pred while we tried to figure out what was wrong, turns out it was the best thing we could've done. She was dying of what we truly think is cancer & the pred slowed the growth. I took her off it & she was gone within a week.

We really truly do not know what she died from, but I do believe the Pred was what gave her a marginal quality of life in the last 6 months of her life.

OK, that was morbid, but given Jordan's past health issues.... I don't know what to tell you. If lowering the Pred causes his blood calcium to spike, then maybe he will just have to be on it as is. Try to think about quality of life, not quantity. I mean, Pred has some nasty side effects & may shorten his life, but what happens when you lower the dose?

You are really stuck.
If it helps him he will have to stay on it.

I just want him to be better. It has been so good to see him feeling so good lately. When this all started the vet thought for sure he had lymphoma, now that it's been well over a year and it looks like that is not very likely. I guess I will just think about it for a while and try to decide what I think is best for him. So far I haven't been wrong. I decided not to do exploritory surgeory to look for lymphoma and that turned out good. I just have to keep in mind what is best for my cuddle bug.

You are doing a good job.

I guess I decided that it might be good to leave him on it for another couple months and have his blood calcium retested. The vet did mention that if it continued to improve he might be able to come off the pred all together. So, I'll just keep on the track he is on for now. Pilling him was starting to get harder until I discovered the Greenies pill pockets. Those things work like a charm for him.

I am glad they work for you.
Coco bit into a baytril pill in the pill pocket and now she willl not touch it.

I was supprised that they worked. Jordan's a smart cat, but he obviously hasn't tasted a pill yet because I've been using them for his pred & his 500 mg L-Lysine pills.

Coco is smart in that way also.
They would still be working if she had not bit the Baytril Pill last time.
The blood presure med I had compounded and that goes down easy.
I am glad your cat takes the pills easy.