Prednisolone not available??

[denice]

They also can't make taurine like animals that aren't obligate carnivores can.  They have to consume the taurine in meat from animals.

 

[ldg]

Technically, since cat's CAN be fed vegan/vegetarian diets, I wouldn't classify them as obligate carnivores; just carnivores.

OK, on this one, I am going to insist on a reference. This is simply wrong and inaccurate.

I've already provided the references, but clearly you don't read... much.

Cats have obligatory requirements for dietary nutrients that are not essential for other mammals. The present review relates these idiosyncratic nutritional requirements to activities of enzymes involved in the metabolic pathways of these nutrients. The high protein requirement of cats is a consequence of the lack of regulation of the aminotransferases of dispensable N metabolism and of the urea cycle enzymes. The dietary requirements for taurine and arginine are consequences of low activities of two enzymes in the pathways of synthesis that have a negative multiplicative effect on the rate of synthesis. Cats have obligatory dietary requirements for vitamin D and niacin which are the result of high activities of enzymes that catabolise precursors of these vitamins to other compounds. The dietary requirement for pre-formed vitamin A appears to result from deletion of enzymes required for cleavage and oxidation of carotenoids. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) requirements have not been defined but low activities of desaturase enzymes indicate that cats may have a dietary need for pre-formed PUFA in addition to those needed by other animals to maintain normal plasma concentrations. The nutrient requirements of domestic cats support the thesis that their idiosyncratic requirements arose from evolutionary pressures arising from a rigorous diet of animal tissue. These pressures may have favoured energy conservation through deletion of redundant enzymes and modification of enzyme activities to result in metabolites more suited to the cat's metabolism. However, this retrospective viewpoint allows only recognition of association rather than cause and effect.

From http://journals.cambridge.org/actio...7588&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0954422402000070 (Morris 2002, Idiosyncratic nutrient requirements of cats appear to be diet-induced evolutionary adaptations ). Morris is from UC Davis.

So inaddition to everything pointed out by the others:

Cats cannot downregulate protein catabolism
Cats cannot convert LA into AA
Cats cannot convert ALA into EPA and DHA
Cats cannot convert beta carotene into vitamin A
Cats do not synthesize vitamin D from exposure to the sun

ALL of these essential nutrients MUST be provided PREFORMED. The omega 6s and 3s in plants are not appropriate for cats and cannot be converted to the essential fatty acids or beneficial omega 3s to be properly metabolized by cats.

Humans and dogs possess five different pathways to metabolize carbohydrates: cats possess ONE. So yes, they retained the ability to convert the (predigested) stomach contents of their prey (seed/grass eaters) into nutrition, but that represents (naturally) less than 3% of the diet.

 

[jdeshone]

I too have a cat on Prednisolone for IBS/ small bowel cancer.  My vet also told me that cats cannot convert prednisone to prednisolone and would have to take 3 times the dose and it is hard on the kidneys.  They do make a chewable prednisolone tablet but the size of the tab is very large and they make a liquid which my cat takes.  I have checked with many human pharmacies and they also told me they cannot get it right now.  No one seems to be able to tell me why it is on backorder.  Your vet can get the liquid though, so ask him to do it.

 

[denice]

That no real answers is what is so odd about.  This has been going on for awhile now.  All I can find online is a generic shortage of raw ingredients statement.  I didn't have any problems at all and all the sudden there is all these shortages.  My kitty has done well with the dex as a substitute, as long as there are no shortages of it we're okay.

 

[ldg]

I too have a cat on Prednisolone for IBS/ small bowel cancer.  My vet also told me that cats cannot convert prednisone to prednisolone and would have to take 3 times the dose and it is hard on the kidneys.  They do make a chewable prednisolone tablet but the size of the tab is very large and they make a liquid which my cat takes.  I have checked with many human pharmacies and they also told me they cannot get it right now.  No one seems to be able to tell me why it is on backorder.  Your vet can get the liquid though, so ask him to do it.

Actually, it's not hard on the kidneys. The difference is that some cats aren't efficient at converting prednisone to prednisolone, and this conversion is done in the liver. There's no set formula for how much prednisone is needed vs prednisolone, as it it is individual to each cat's metabolism. The use of prednisone vs prednisolone doesn't cause liver damage, but prednisone is contra-indicated for cats WITH liver damage - in that instance, prednisolone should be used.

From VeterinaryPartner: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=622

Prednisone is activated by the patient's liver into prednisolone. ...These medications are considered to be interchangeable though it seems that some cats are not efficient at the conversion and do better on prednisolone.

From PetMD: http://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/prednisone-prednisolone#.UpzRdeLOQrk

In your pet’s liver, prednisone is converted to prednisolone. Pets with severe liver problems are not able to make this conversion, and many believe that these pets should only be given prednisolone.

Lazlo was on prednisolone until there were supply problems. We've switched to prednisone, and he's had no issues.