Anyone Have Experience With Giving Chlorambucil To Cat With Kidney And Heart Disease?

[bootsm]

So my 17 year old man has a lot going on, heart disease, kidney disease, and he has thickened intestines which we arent sure are IBD or cancer. So my vet prescribed chlorambucil and he has taken a sharp turn for the worst. For a week or 2 he was fine but then his appetite decrease, even with an appetite stimulant (though we should have given him possibly more doses) and then he had a seizure last week (though he had one last year, we weren't sure though if it was a seizure or a an arrhythmia micking a seizure. Well his appetite came back but he is very very weak and peeing on top of the litter box inside of inside it. We are getting him a new box too. But this point is he is very very weak now. I read on pet md and my vet now suspects that chlorambucil can weaken kidneys. Anyone have any experience? I hope we didn't just send him to an earlier death

 

[kimberlyg]

Hi Bootsm,
We did chlorambucil. I'm really sorry that you're having to go through this. The symptoms youre describing are normal for chemo meds. The weakness etc shouldn't last longer than 10 days though. I really hope your baby comes right quickly.

 

[bootsm]

Thanks for your reply Good to know that weakness is a side effect, vet hadnt mentioned it :/ I too hope he perks up soon. So u guys didnt have any issues? Did your cat have any other conditions going on?

 

[KarenKat]

We are treating IBD/cancer with liquid chlorambucil every other day as well. We also administer B12 shots every two weeks and 5 mL of Presnisilone every day (30 min before the chemo on those days). We started about 4 days ago, and he’s had 2 treatments so far. We haven’t noticed anything negative, and his diarrhea seems to be better after the chemo. But probably not enough data points yet.

 

[kimberlyg]

Hi Bootsm, We did intense chemo 7 years ago which caused my boy to develop kidney and heart disease. Hopefully your vet is checking his bloods especially WBC ? We did B12 shots like Karenkat as the chemo does really take a toll on the poor wee babies.
Karenkat, your chemo protocol sounds well thought out. Best of luck to you both/all .

 

[KarenKat]

Thanks, kimberlyg - I can't take much credit as this is the vet's recommendation. We really like and trust this vet office!

B bootsm - good luck, know you are not alone in this!

 

[bootsm]

thanks KarenKat He can't do Presnisilone because of his heart disease but im disappointed my vet already hasn't given him B12 shots. If he doesn't perk up tomorrow we will bring him in for one. and kimberlyg wow, good to know. he already had these conditions but all of the sudden his kidney level went way up. and the vet want him to go off his heart meds because she thinks that might be hard on his kidneys too but he's taken the meds for three years and im very suspicious to do that. im sorry to hear your guy went through that thanks everyone for the well wishes, it's so good to get others experiences.

 

[KarenKat]

Trin reacted well to the B12 (also called cobalamin). You can do a special blood test to check if the levels are low, and we have gotten quite good at giving him the shots at home. They are subcutaneous, and pretty easy.

 

[kimberlyg]

Bootsm, is there another vet nearby that you could seek a second opinion from ? I think you're right to be a bit suspicious of taking him off the heart meds.
Hugs to your boy

 

[bootsm]

kimberlyg There is, this vet I'm at now used to be good until the founder left and sold the company to a big corporation and most of the vets left and it's gone downhill from then. He's perking up so that's good but yeah, I think I have found another nearby vet with good ratings.

 

[kimberlyg]

Excellent. I'm really pleased that he's perked up a bit. Best of luck to you both both .