Some quick backstory: Layla began losing weight rapidly last year, despite a ravenous appetite. A trip to an internal medicine specialist revealed no masses in her abdominal cavity by ultrasound, a very low level of vitamin B12, and no problems with other digestive organs including the pancreas. Both he and my regular vet concluded that it was either IBD or intestinal lymphoma and gave me the option of going through with endoscopy/biopsy. I opted not to do the tests because I did not want to put Layla under anesthesia at 12-13 years of age. We started a low dose of Presdnisone once a day, which she has now been on for a year, along with her liver supplement, Denosyl. She also got B12 injections for several months.
She has lost a bit of weight again (down from 8 lbs 3 oz to 7 lbs 10 oz). I don't necessarily think this is a cause for concern yet, as I haven't seen any of the other signs that I saw last year (appetite increase and increased stool output). But I want to think about these things NOW and make sure I have a handle on things if and when things get worse.
I am personally not crazy about having my cat on Prednisone chronically. Her maintenance dose is very low (0.3 cc once a day), but my vet had me increase it to 0.4-0.5 cc for the next two weeks to see whether that helps her weight and her other problems (asthma, and now, most recently, a slight limp that is likely the result of arthritis or a soft tissue injury, according to the vet). The leg issue was gone within days of increasing the dose.. maybe coincidental, maybe not.
I'm not even sure what the point of creating this thread is.. I feel like her conditions are chronic, complex, and inter-related (at least the digestive troubles and the respiratory troubles).
I guess I'm just asking, in general, about the safety of having Layla on Pred so long term. All I ever hear is about how chronic steroid treatment shaves years off an animal's life, and I admit, I have always thought of steroids as a short-term solution rather than a long-term one. But maybe that's just MY personal and unfounded-in-fact bias. It is possible for I am looking for a utopian solution when the reality is that she is 13 years old and doing relatively well considering her many conditions. But at the same time.. I wonder if I can make things even better for her.
So my questions are:
She has lost a bit of weight again (down from 8 lbs 3 oz to 7 lbs 10 oz). I don't necessarily think this is a cause for concern yet, as I haven't seen any of the other signs that I saw last year (appetite increase and increased stool output). But I want to think about these things NOW and make sure I have a handle on things if and when things get worse.
I am personally not crazy about having my cat on Prednisone chronically. Her maintenance dose is very low (0.3 cc once a day), but my vet had me increase it to 0.4-0.5 cc for the next two weeks to see whether that helps her weight and her other problems (asthma, and now, most recently, a slight limp that is likely the result of arthritis or a soft tissue injury, according to the vet). The leg issue was gone within days of increasing the dose.. maybe coincidental, maybe not.
I'm not even sure what the point of creating this thread is.. I feel like her conditions are chronic, complex, and inter-related (at least the digestive troubles and the respiratory troubles).
I guess I'm just asking, in general, about the safety of having Layla on Pred so long term. All I ever hear is about how chronic steroid treatment shaves years off an animal's life, and I admit, I have always thought of steroids as a short-term solution rather than a long-term one. But maybe that's just MY personal and unfounded-in-fact bias. It is possible for I am looking for a utopian solution when the reality is that she is 13 years old and doing relatively well considering her many conditions. But at the same time.. I wonder if I can make things even better for her.
So my questions are:
- Are there any alternatives I should explore in terms of treating Layla's digestive/absorption problems? Is the Pred safe and/or absolutely my only choice? I have asked about Prednisolone but the vet said since she's doing fine on Pred, to leave her on Pred.
- Are there any changes I can suggest to my vet in terms of her diet? Supplements other than Denosyl? Diet choices are extremely limited for her as she has extreme food sensitivities. I do not want to tamper with things too much, but maybe there is a food out there that she can pull nutrients from a little better. She currently eats Royal Canin Prescription Duck & Green Pea and Natural Balance Duck & Green Pea canned. She can't eat z/d or Hill's prescription foods. EVO Duck appeared to cause a respiratory allergic reaction. I am certain that she is intolerant of fish as the main protein source of her food and the vet wants me to stay away from Chicken, Turkey, Beef, etc.
- How about B12 treatment? Is that something that can/should be done chronically? I asked my vet about getting another few syringes from him to inject her from home, and it didn't seem like he thought it was necessary.
