Cortisone shot

amyscrazy · Mar 20, 2009

When we moved to our new place Zeus started pulling out his hair. I didn't know if he had fleas or if something was wrong with him so I took him to the vet. The vet thought it was stress and gave him a cortisone shot. Since the shot he doesn't have watery eyes or a stuffy nose...at all. It has been so nice and I can tell he feels so much better. He runs all over the house like a normal kitten. Why would this be? Can they continue to give him shots as needed? He nose gets really stuffy and he has a really hard time breathing.

mews2much · Mar 20, 2009

Sounds like it was allergies.
I would be careful with how how many times he gets the shots.
Coco used to get them for her asthma and allergies untl she had problems from the shot. Is it Depo Medrol?

violet · Mar 21, 2009

How old is Zeus?
If he has no history of these symptoms, they started when you moved to your new place and they come back when the shot wears off, you'll have to start suspecting environmental allergy. If he doesn't go outside at all, the source is inside the home. If he goes outside, then you'll have to think about inside and outside sources.

Relying on cortisone shots long-term would be an extremely dangerous thing. You would need to find safer ways. And, of course, finding/identifying the sources (especially inside the home) would be the first, most important thing you'd have to do.

Info on steroids:
http://www.newmanveterinary.com/steroids.html

catnurse22 · Mar 21, 2009

If it was due to stress, then you shouldn't have the problem again. The shot just got her over the hump until her body calmed down. If it was allergies, which the symptoms fit as well, then it will most likely happen again. And long time use of cortisone can present some pretty serious health issues. So if that's the case, I would definitely try to go another way. Ever had problems like this before?

amyscrazy · Mar 21, 2009

Zeus is about 7 months old. He has always had stuffy nose and runny eyes. I just chalked it up to being a Persian. I feed him a grain free food with filtered water. What could he possibly be allergic too? It was amazing how fast his symptoms cleared up after the shot though.

laureen227 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

What could he possibly be allergic too? It was amazing how fast his symptoms cleared up after the shot though.

maybe one of the meat sources, or grain substitutes - many cats don't do well w/alfalfa, & a lot of the grain-frees have that. or maybe it's pea, or potato - which grain-free do you feed?

carolina · Mar 21, 2009

Soy, fish, wheat and corn are know allergens.
I have a question though: Has he been tested for herpes? (for his running eyes and stuffy nose). L-Lysine therapy can be very helpful, and it helps with skin conditions as well. While he is ok, a daily dose of 250mg is good, and during flare ups, 500mg... Have you tried it? It won't hurt, and it might save you from Cortisone shots. Bugsy also had his first cortisone shot a few days ago, but I will try everything else instead of keeping him on it long term. The majority of cats do fine, but many have very serious side effects, that include liver, kidney disease, diabetes, etc... I would advise to try everything you can too, to keep him off cortisone. Short term should be ok (some cats have side effects short term too), but I would not risk it long term.

amyscrazy · Mar 21, 2009

I feed Taste of the Wild now but we were eating Wellness Core. I feed Wellness wet (grain free varieties) but since finding out Keller was pregnant have thrown in some wet kitten food that contains grains. He had the issues before I introduced the wet kitten food.

laureen227 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I feed Taste of the Wild now but we were eating Wellness Core.

TOTW ingredients:

Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Wellness Core ingredients:

Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Rosemary Extract.

amyscrazy · Mar 21, 2009

I'm not so good at knowing what is good and what is not. Wellness Core seems to be better to me...is that correct?

laureen227 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I'm not so good at knowing what is good and what is not. Wellness Core seems to be better to me...is that correct?

don't know about 'better' - it is slightly different. has white potatoes as 1st non-protein source - TOTW has peas & sweet potatoes, which i think are supposed to be a better choice... but if he's allergic to peas, for example, then the Wellness would be better.
otoh, if he's allergic to rosemary, flaxseed or kelp, then TOTW would be better.
[i mention the rosemary & kelp mainly because I'M allergic to those, btw.]

carolina · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

I'm not so good at knowing what is good and what is not. Wellness Core seems to be better to me...is that correct?

Yes, it is - look at the first 5 ingredients - 4 out of 5 on Core are meats, while only one from TOTW is (not counting chicken fat).

laureen227 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Yes, it is - look at the first 5 ingredients - 4 out of 5 on Core are meats, while only one from TOTW is (not counting chicken fat).

except those 1st two don't really count, since they're fresh meats, not meat meals.
also, i think Sharky likes the salmon meal better than the whitefish meal - altho i most certainly could be mis-remembering!

carolina · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by laureen227

except those 1st two don't really count, since they're fresh meats, not meat meals.
also, i think Sharky likes the salmon meal better than the whitefish meal - altho i most certainly could be mis-remembering!

In that case, TOTW has not meat - but: why doesn't fresh meat count? Isn't this logic supposed to be for wet food, and not for dry?

catnurse22 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

Zeus is about 7 months old. He has always had stuffy nose and runny eyes. I just chalked it up to being a Persian. I feed him a grain free food with filtered water. What could he possibly be allergic too? It was amazing how fast his symptoms cleared up after the shot though.

Anything! Various things found in his food, any type of pollen, maybe even you (human dander)!! Cats can be allergic to almost anything, just like us.

laureen227 · Mar 21, 2009

Originally Posted by carolinalima

In that case, TOTW has not meat - but: why doesn't fresh meat count? Isn't this logic supposed to be for wet food, and not for dry?

nope, other way 'round. a meat meal is dried prior to adding to the food. fresh meat is added, then the whole product is dried. since the majority of the fresh meat is moisture, it falls down on the ingredient list after the product is dried.
TOTW's 1st ingredient is chicken meal - this is actually the 1st ingredient.
Wellness's 1st ingredient are fresh meats - go to the 3rd to see the actual 1st ingredient [i.e. the one there's the most of in the food].
i would still consider it a slightly better food, since it has 2 protein meals before a starch - but if Zeus is allergic to one of the other ingredients in Wellness that isn't in TOTW, then he'd do better on the latter.

Cortisone shot

amyscrazy

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mews2much

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violet

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catnurse22

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amyscrazy

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laureen227

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carolina

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amyscrazy

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