*-*-*Experience with Cell Forte and/or Milk Thistle?*-*-*

jayla

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Hello,
My 11 year old tabby was diagnosed with liver cancer, and Cell Forte and Milk thistle were recommended to me. However, I am not sure how much to give my cat. The Cell Forte is in capsule from, and the milk thistle is in liquid form. If any of you have experience with these products, please let me know as soon as possible. Thank you!!!
 

skimble

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I am so sorry.
I do not have experience with cats and liver problems. I do have a dog with Cushing's Syndrome and her liver enzymes are off the chart. She takes SAMe, milk thistle in powdered form and melatonin. I have her on a high protein, low fat diet. She is stable but not expected to make it more than two years. We are almost at the 2 yr mark, but she is hanging in there very well right now.

I have a close friend whose 13 year old cat has cancer. She is using a supplement similar to Transfer Factor. He has his good days and bad days but as long as he is eating and not in pain she is happy.

With any supplement it is always best to check with your vet. Many of the supplements for humans may have additives that are not good for animals. I had a supportive vet and ordered products made for animals or with no additives.

So sorry I have nothing to offer. I hope someone has experience that they can share. for your baby.
 

katgoddess

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What brand is the liquid milk thistle? Is it a tincture that contains alcohol? If so, I would avoid using anything with alcohol for cats, especially if they have liver problems. There are ways you can evaporate the alcohol such as pouring boiling water over the tincture, but in all honesty, I would just avoid alcohol tinctures.

Here is some information about milk thistle & cats, written by a vet. I would still double-check with your own vet though.

While moderate use of milk thistle is very safe, there is some experimental evidence to suggest that long-term ingestion of very high dosages of milk thistle will eventually suppress liver function.

Dosage and administration

The standard dosage of milk thistle extract is based on a silymarin content of around 80 percent; most supplements contain anywhere from 50-500 milligrams (175 mg is typical). As with many supplements, it's probably better to buy a milk thistle derivative rather than a silymarin-only or other fractional supplement, since there may be other compounds found in the whole herb that significantly enhance the effects of what science has decided is the main player.

Because of its excellent safety record and lack of adverse drug interactions, when I'm treating a very sick animal with advanced liver disease, I do not hesitate to use the full human dose--up to 200 mg per 10 pounds of body weight--of milk thistle extract daily. For most purposes, however, one-third to one-half of that dose is more than adequate. (Animals with liver disease typically will not eat, but it's a simple matter to open up a capsule, mix the appropriate amount of powdered herb with a little blenderized food or baby food, and feed by syringe.) Too high a dose can cause an upset tummy, gas, or mild diarrhea; these are easily resolved by giving less.

Human research studies have shown that it is more effective to administer this herb in three or four small portions over the day than in one large daily dose. When it is not possible to split the daily dose and administer the fractional portions three or four times a day, give it at least twice a day.

The capsule form is easy to find – any health food store, and even most pharmacies and grocers, will have them in stock. The herb also comes in a liquid extract, but most human products contain a fair bit of alcohol. If you prefer a liquid preparation, get one specifically intended for use in animals.

Source: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...ow=volume4no07
 
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