Mirataz questions

[Twylasmom]

I have started using Mirataz for my cat Twyla, who has CKD and is hyper-t. Right now she is off methimazole for her thyroid because it dropped her levels way too low. She has a check-up in a week and will likely need to readdress her thyroid at that time. I am doing my best to maintain her weight and keep her eating as her appetite has been up and down for months and she needs to eat lower phosphorus foods, which aren’t always what she wants. Mirataz is working really well at 1/2 the suggested dose, given about every five days. She will eat anything I give her for several days and then she starts getting finicky and not meeting her calorie goals for the day (230-240) to maintain her weight at around 11.3 pounds. I have been redosing when her food intake drops by about 30 to 40 percent of usual. My questions are:

• Should I give her the next dose as soon as she has a day where her appetite has noticeably declined, or wait and see if that is just a fluctuation? It’s better to redose before she stops eating altogether, correct?
• The tube says to discard after 30 days. That’s a lot of waste for her current dosage level. Is that because it loses efficacy? What is your experience with using a tube beyond the 30 days?
• Have you used Mirataz long term? What was your experience? Pros and cons of transdermal over the pills? I’m not having problems with her ears since her doses are so far apart. If I have to toss a tube after 30 days pills seem like a more economical option.

I appreciate any insights.

 

[silent meowlook]

I would give as soon as she doesn’t test. I don’t discard after 30 days.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Feeby (Hyper-T, CKD, 18+yo) has been on Mirataz since last November. I typically give her 1/2 dose every 2-3 days. Sometimes, she seems to need it more frequently, or a whole dose. So, I just play it by ear. I do think, based on Feeby, that going 5 days in between doses might be a bit drastic. You kind of want to keep your cat on an 'even keel' so to speak, and not a bunch of 'hills and valleys' with the eating well/not eating so well.

I use a tube for 60 days before I start a new one. I have not found any information about whether or not there is a reduction in effect once the tube gets older than that, but I do seem to think that I notice less of a positive result once the tube is nearing that 60-day mark.

The guidelines about the 30 days are because, for the most part, Mirataz is supposed to be used for a 14-day period - at a full dose, that would make a tube last about 30 days. But there is no vet I know who adheres, or sees a reason to adhere, to the 14-day limit. There are numerous cats who, once they start, use it for the rest of their lives, particularly with conditions like CKD.

I have heard of cats who become 'immune' to Mirataz, but I have no idea what might be considered the average timeline. There is another product that some use called Elura; so that is always an option should some sort of resistance occur with Mirataz. Although, I think Elura is strictly in oral form, from what I know. I have also heard it is less likely to evoke side effects like excess vocalization, but it does increase blood pressure and glucose values for a few hours after administering it.

 

[Twylasmom]

Feeby (Hyper-T, CKD, 18+yo) has been on Mirataz since last November. I typically give her 1/2 dose every 2-3 days. Sometimes, she seems to need it more frequently, or a whole dose. So, I just play it by ear. I do think, based on Feeby, that going 5 days in between doses might be a bit drastic. You kind of want to keep your cat on an 'even keel' so to speak, and not a bunch of 'hills and valleys' with the eating well/not eating so well.

I use a tube for 60 days before I start a new one. I have not found any information about whether or not there is a reduction in effect once the tube gets older than that, but I do seem to think that I notice less of a positive result once the tube is nearing that 60-day mark.

The guidelines about the 30 days are because, for the most part, Mirataz is supposed to be used for a 14-day period - at a full dose, that would make a tube last about 30 days. But there is no vet I know who adheres, or sees a reason to adhere, to the 14-day limit. There are numerous cats who, once they start, use it for the rest of their lives, particularly with conditions like CKD.

I have heard of cats who become 'immune' to Mirataz, but I have no idea what might be considered the average timeline. There is another product that some use called Elura; so that is always an option should some sort of resistance occur with Mirataz. Although, I think Elura is strictly in oral form, from what I know. I have also heard it is less likely to evoke side effects like excess vocalization, but it does increase blood pressure and glucose values for a few hours after administering it.

I believe you are right about the timing. I think Twyla would do better on every 3 or 4 days between doses. I just didn’t want to overdo. Her ear gets a bit red and warm after dosing but that subsides fairly quickly and each ear would only be getting dosed about once a week. I clean the pinnae once a week separate from dosing.

My vet suggested Elura first, but it is an oral liquid and while she is good with pills and her inhaler, it is hard to dose her with liquid. I would go with oral mirtz before Elura.