Arthritis treatment

[VadGTI]

This is a bit of a follow-up to my thread re: constipation (Recurring constipation despite multiple vet visits - Any ideas?). As an update on that issue, we've now had several days of regular poops, so knock on wood.

However, despite the fact that she's pooping regularly, she still cries in the litter box and while walking around. She is also often licking/grooming her hips. Back in March, when we had our first bout of constipation, she was diagnosed with hip arthritis. We've tried making things much easier for her around the house (bridges to her favorite spots, bed stepstools, etc.) but she still sometimes forgets about these aids and tries to jump to areas that she can no longer reach. At least twice, this has resulted in a fall from a decent height.

She was prescribed gabapentin in March, a 0.1 to 0.3 ml dose "as needed." We've been giving her 0.1 ml of gabapentin every other day as well as Antinol gel caps daily, but so far seemingly without success. Does anyone else have any ideas about other medicines/treatments? Should we up the gabapentin dose?

She's the calico on the right in this pic:

 

[Tobermory]

Iris, who will be 18 on Sunday, has very bad arthritis at the base of her spine and in her hips. (She used to walk around waving her beautiful tail in the air but now holds it straight out behind her when she walks. )

I have her on Cosequin and fish oil, both twice a day. Additionally, the vet has prescribed gabapentin: half a capsule in the morning (50 mg) and a whole capsule in the evening (100 mg). All of these powders and potions are mixed in with her wet food which, fortunately, she gobbles down with no problem! (She gets other stuff, too, but not related to arthritis.)

Of course, I’ve also set up aids around the house to help her navigate to her favorite spots better, but the Cosequin has really seemed to help and the gabapentin takes the edge off of her discomfort. The gaba made her woozy at first, but she has adjusted and it no longer knocks her out. I wouldn’t increase your kitty’s dose without talking to your vet.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I'd bump up the gabapentin - with vet approval as mentioned above - to start with at least double what you've done - 0.2 ml. My vet prescribed it for Feeby at 0.5 ml but not yet willing to go there. I am having a hard time getting her to take it (at about 0.25 ml) so I can't attest to whether or not it is helpful for her.

I had Feeby (17+ yo) on Glyco Flex Plus for 3 years before she tired of the taste. Combo of glucosamine, chondroitin, green lipped mussels, MSM, and DMG - in a big chew that can be cut up into multiple pieces. Feeby stopped limping completely when on this supplement but has gotten the limp back since she won't eat them any longer. I am tempted to try again with her since they seemed to help so much! I am using Cosequin, but not seeing much of a difference and there must be something about the smell, as when she isn't feeling her best she won't take it when mixing the capsule's content with a lickable treat. There is also Dasuquin which a friend of mine gives her cat - just about the same as Cosequin. She mixes it with human canned tuna 'juice' (the in-water version) with a tuna bite 'chaser'; been doing it for years now.

I use footstools and solid hard boxes for Feeby to use to get to places (vs. regular cat steps which I think are really too small). And she uses them religiously. So, it may just take your girl sometime to get used to using them all the time. I just added a small box to the outside of Feeby's litter box and she immediately knew what it was for and has used it since Day 1.

 

[Tobermory]

I am using Cosequin, but not seeing much of a difference

How much are you giving her, FeebysOwner ? Iris is at the max of one full capsule morning and evening.

 

[FeebysOwner]

How much are you giving her, FeebysOwner ? Iris is at the max of one full capsule morning and evening.

I am lucky to get one capsule down Feeby when she is willing to eat it. No way I am going to get two down her in a day! And, she has no meal schedule to speak of - in other words I get her to eat when/what I can get her to eat. Makes it hard to add anything to her food and know exactly how much she gets because there is always a portion of food that is tossed out. Meds/supplements currently part of her regime - Falimazole twice a day, Phos-Bind, B12, Cosequin, and some gabapentin if I am really lucky. Adding too much of anything to her food must change the texture enough that she 'knows' something is in there!