Boo-Boo's getting his Epogen! (Health updates)

Boo has his Epogen all ready at the pharmacy, but I can't get it until Friday. I didn't realize it also went under the names Procrit and Epoetin .. in any case, it's 53 bucks and hopefully I will be able to pick it up Friday, and also will be taking Boo by to see her to show me how to inject and use the Epogen. He's been doing very well. I caught him making a poo earlier this morning, and it was just the most beautiful little poo

Was a big one tho!

Now Chickster is getting irritated when I touch her hiney, and she has NOT pooped so I am wondering about giving her a touch of miralax. She is eating the Purina One, but won't eat wet food.

Anyway, Boo's doing great. He almost won't come out of that tent and hollers for me to come upstairs to sit here in the comp chair beside him. Moving the tent on my bed did NOT work and he went back to the empty corner and sat there looking around, waiting. So, my feelings are hurt, but I'll get over it. At least I can see him in the tent from here.

Sub-q's didn't go so well, it's been butter for the past few days, but today I caught the worst of several places. The first place was fine, I thought, until he started growling so loudly that I immediately stopped. Barely got anything in there. It was the fourth stick that finally worked.

Anyone had experience with that feeling like you've gone between skin layers instead of UNDER the skin? Like maybe you're between 2 and 3 or 1 and 2 instead of UNDER 3?, and if you move it around, you'll feel the needle sort of pop or move out of something? It wasn't in a muscle, bone or lung or anything, it was something in his skin. Perhaps I am not going in at enough of an angle? I noticed once or twice that I was going in a bit too horizontally.

Anyway. Things are really good right now. Just hoping that I can get that Epogen on Friday. Thank you all so much <3 <3 And the World's Best Cat Litter works like a CHARM. I am so AMAZED. It may be 18 bucks for a bag, but it's lasted me, what, nearly a month? I was having to buy a 28 lb bag of clay litter every 2 weeks, for 4 pans, and that stuff gets heavy when it's wet not to mention it ruined the entire room with dust.

This stuff is light. Only con is if you leave it in a bag (I save up 2 used bags then throw them away, sometimes I am lazy) they get condensation in them and start smelling spoiled. (I use grocery plastic bags, so they don't seal nicely all the time)

Was interesting to me. Poop is even worse. Like the worst curdled milk you could ever imagine. In any case. Things are great right now!!! I Wish it was not 91 degrees outside or I'd take him out, and he didn't feel like going out this morning (Went straight to his tent)

<3 <3

Yes, good news! By the way, did you ever get the name of the other drug (the $150/month one) so Mews could see if she could locate it for you cheaper? We could all look around for you, but Mews seems to have lots of experience with pharmaceuticals (for cats)!!

Maybe Boo just isn't sleeping with you right now because it's hot out. My cats have an entirely different sleeping pattern in the summer than in the winter. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Stinkpot sleeping on my head right now, and I believe I am quoted on this very site that I wasn't looking forward to summer and having a fur coat on my head. What's the old saying? Be careful what you wish for? It's true!

Epo is usually administered by hypodermic syringe (standard type) or by one of those injector pens - at least for humans. When my son was on dialysis he had to inject himself with Epo.

Not sure which you will get but the vet will have to show you how to use it.

Epo does a good job of boosting the red blood cells and is used as standard treatment in ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) in humans i.e. those on renal dialysis.

Boo will feel a lot better once the red blood cell count comes up.

From what Dr. Pierce told me and what I am reading on Tanya's CRF site, the Epogen will be given by syringe and sub-q'd. No veins yay!!!! I am not a vein girl.

This is the link where I have learned about Epogen: http://www.felinecrf.org/anaemia.htm..._eprex_procrit
Epogen is what my vet called it, but we also talked about .. erythropoietin and when she called me to tell me she had found it at a pharmacy for 53 bucks, she mentioned the name of the Poetin stuff. Come to find out, it's basically all the same thing (Epogen, Procit and Erythropoietin -- just under different names and/or made by different companies in the USA. So as for the 150 buck one, I am not sure on that one and will have to talk to her again. The 53 dollar one is the Epogen and it is waiting for me at the Pharm. I can't get it until I get paid Friday AM and then will make an appt today to take Boo tomorrow AM after I get the Epogen and I guess drop it off there first so it can stay refrigerated while I go and get Boo. This whole thing will take most of the morning. The Pharmacy is across town from the vet who is across town from me, so it's a HUGE triangle I am going in. She was so sweet to offer to pick it up for me but I did not want her to go out of her way, she is already been so helpful. I am only concerned about the syringes, I guess I will have to buy a whole new set for the Epogen. Which is fine, I hope they are not much, because the Terumo needle tips for his Fluid lines were sooooo inexpensive.

But we will see.

Boo is sleeping in a red velvety type domed tent. My mom turns on the fan at night (not pointed at him, just in the room) and the windows are closed. Since it's upstairs it never really gets cold up there, but he won't even set foot on my bed for nothing, and I only have one sheet and a thin fuzzy blankie on it Oh well. Back to work, almost quitting time! Hugs and loves to you and your furbabies!!

This is what I was replying to in the old thread before I realized I was in the old thread (To mrsgreenjeans) Actually, the Dental and then Separate procedure he had for his lower canine extraction, both times put under, the new vet said was concerning as far as his CRF. He was in fine health then, and we had done a senior blood panel as far as I can recollect, and everything was fine before that. That was in April of 09. Then March of '10 he crashed hard. I don't know. I am the type that would love to point at the Dental and Extraction and say, that is what it is. The Amforal didn't cause it, b/c he already had CRF/anemia and was given that about a month ago, but the Amforal was one med that should NOT have been used in a kidney-compromised cat. Ever. This is the info I have from the new vet.

I am glad I am not seeing them anymore either, but like several people mentioned, Boo is the victim here.

As for the stones, she only did an ultrasound, so we have no idea if he does have cancer/lymphoma (Possibility, which other vet completely denied), and when or exactly why the stones happened. It could be because his urine is so dilute now, it could be cause his struvite crystal issue went the other way (But that is the old vet's theory that it could happen so I am not apt to believe it, but who knows)

All I know is ... the past two days, yesterday and today, he has been feeling SO GOOD. I have no clue why. Maybe the Pet-Tinic is starting to take a bit of effect on him you think? He's been on it for what, about two weeks now or so? Funny I keep all these receipts and keep guessing at dates (The folder is downstairs and I am tired, I am not going to get it right now LOL)


I have got to go rest, but not before letting Boo go outside before it hits nearly 95+F today and feels like 100+ with the humidity, but I passed out at work and slept for like two hours. EEK!!! LOL .. Anyway. Boo and I thank you so much for your concern and vibes and care!!!

I'll be watching for updates on how the epogen goes.

Originally Posted by Snickerdoodle

From what Dr. Pierce told me and what I am reading on Tanya's CRF site, the Epogen will be given by syringe and sub-q'd. No veins yay!!!! I am not a vein girl.

Click to expand...

Pretty much the same as with humans. My son had to inject his Epo into his thigh. Tiny needle, no more than 1/2 inch long and very thin.

Boo will need regular blood tests as Epo needs to be monitored and the dose adjusted if necessary.

It will take several weeks for his red blood count to come up but he should feel much better - be livelier in a relatively short space of time. I always used to know when my son needed his Epo increased - he would get very lethargic and would look even more anaemic than he normally did.

Hoping everything goes well for Boo. Keep us posted of his progress.

Just want everyone to know Boo got on the bed with me this evening for a bit and got lots of petting, even though I was struggling to keep my eyes open. But that is the first time in 3 months. I was so happy

Originally Posted by Snickerdoodle

Just want everyone to know Boo got on the bed with me this evening for a bit and got lots of petting, even though I was struggling to keep my eyes open. But that is the first time in 3 months. I was so happy

Click to expand...

YAY!!!!!!

Must not be the weather that was keeping Boo from sleeping with you. Whatever it was, glad he's back!! Yippee

I do not know what is going on or if the Pet-Tinic helped him, but at today's vet visit we decided to wait on using the Epogen. Once we start we have to commit to it, you can't just stop it or he could become, basically, immune to it.

So! His PCV is 19% !!!!! She didn't use an ISTAT handheld machine or anything, she used a tiny little stick with his blood in it in one end and fluid in the other, and a small lamenated chart to show me where his anemia was at. I asked her if it was because he was dehydrated. She said when he was getting 200mL it could have been lower because of that, but his skin is saggy because he is old (I am so glad she said what I was thinking!!) and she checked his skin "tent" as she called it and said it looked pretty good, so she doesn't think he is dehydrated. He has also had TONS of energy and has not collapsed ONCE. Also he is not sleeping in his tent. He is sleeping everywhere else and curled up when we got home on the back of the lounge chair on my coat, and really slept great.

So I have the Epogen in the fridge and it will last until February of 2012 so it's all good. We have the option there, and I know how to give it now, she showed me without giving it to him or opening the bottle. But we want to wait until his PCV goes back down. She also advised me to just let him eat whatever it is he wanted. She said the C/D really wasn't that bad for him to eat and it is really fattening. The only bad news was that he lost wait. He weighed 6.4 last time and today he weighed 5.8 which she said wasn't seriously concerning but it was something I need to keep an eye on. She said if he DOES have cancer, which we are not sure of, it could cause his appetite to go down. I told her his appetite isn't being bothered, he just prefers to eat Purina One and C/D dry more than he prefers refridgerated Hi Tor!!!

I need to buy him some more Hi Tor come to think of it.

I really love his new vet, she is so great. Boo doesn't get so stressed out on the drive, he just lays down and chills out. But then tries to hide once we get there. He had a bit of a whining, crying, grumpy thing going on when they tried to take his blood (From the thigh, which is odd, they always took it from the neck at the old vets, any ideas/experience on that?)

So... there it is. Everything is going great right now. IT has been a very very very long day and night so I am going to go pass out, and I will update Boo's weebly blog later on.

Thank you guys so much!!

OH! I also got a free Weight Watchers scale from my reward points from my bank card, and I am trying to figure out how to get it to weigh him. It acts like it won't register it, so I am going to try a few more times and see if we can get it to work. I may just have to try to find a baby scale, .. but I really want to know why the 2 different vets got 2 VERY Different weights...

So you are saying I have to weigh myself, then grab him and weigh WITH him in my arms, then figure the difference?

No wisdom to impart, just wanted to let you know I'm still following Booboo and you!

So, I'm guessing PCV of 19% is good? I don't know what that is, and checked Sven's labwork and don't see that on his to get a comparison. Anyway, I weight ALL my cats weekly on my Wii. And I DO have to pick them up and hold them to do it.

No. A PCV of 19% is still severe. Anything under 30%, from what my vet said and what I've read on Tanya's CRF Site (www.felinecrf.org) is "severe". But she said if it's jumped from 11, to 13, to 19, we could wait and take another test in a week or two to see if it's gone up even more. If so, we may not need to use it, but better to wait to use it if it's not going down.

His energy has just skyrocketed lately, I am amazed. He is scratching on his 2x4 with a lot of vigor and doesn't get tired out from it. He starts his motor at 7am when I get up (or home) and takes naps through the day.

I will get the scale and weigh him today, later on.

(On blood work paper it might say "Hct", this is PCV)