cosequin sprinkles - leg weakness / giving out after starting

[Cat.mama]

Hello
I started cosequin sprinkles the last two days in two of my almost 9 year old cats (littermate sisters). One cat is just over 10# one is 14.8#. The recommended dosage is 2 pills for their weight.
Because my girls are such extremely picky eaters im starting out with one pill.. it’s a lot of powder!

My girls have no issues with mobility, at all! They are showing signs of flinching on their backs. With petting and without. I had a dedicated vet visit with one cat for this and she confirmed the flinch was arthritis. My most active girl who literally kick flips off every surface with crazy 360s, I only just realized after another poster pointed out in her cat, she only sits with her legs straight out. I don’t ever want to see the day she is not doing a back flip off my leg..

Yesterday was day one and I was pleased to see there are with no problems with eating! I gave their probiotics in the evening as to not overload with powder.
Yesterday we didn’t do our normal morning play. I have several tunnels they run thru as they chase a string toy, then eventually chase each other around. It was a cold lazy day and everyone kept to themselves.

Today I decided to mix in the probiotics, no problem, both cats ate their food with no issues!
The twins played for a long time this morning. They were chasing in circles around the kitchen island, exploring more of the house as far as running room vs just the living room. (New house they are still getting used to) I noticed when the larger cat ran back to the living room to run/crouch into her tunnel, she completely fell. Seemed like she tripped forward and fell towards her face. Kind of like when they snag a nail. (Nails are freshly trimmed) She ended up just sitting there for awhile. I didn’t really think anything of it. I thought maybe she tripped over a ball or a wand and really I had started to get busy and was a bad parent about it.

I’m sitting on the couch now and she just jumped up to her blanket next to me. The same thing just happened. It looks like her front paw gave out and she just fumbled forward. Immediately after there was kind of a stutter in the paw. It shook a couple times as she pulled it out from under her.
To give some medical history on these girls. They do have a currently unsolved (most likely genetic) chronic gastric issues that comes and goes. Sometimes causes diarrhea. She is currently not in a flare as her pancreatic values were all normal on very recent blood work. Just throwing that out there in case food tolerance could be a thing..

I don’t know if she just hurt herself playing or does this sound like a reaction to the cosequin?

I just this morning booked her tooth extraction for about 2 weeks out. I also hesitate to contact the vet regarding this as we had miscommunication about what supplement to get. It took a long time to get a response. I had already made my decision to go with cosequin based off so many helpful comments here before hearing back from her with the recommendation for dasuquin advanced which is only avail from the vet. I already fell like it will be uncomfortable moment after making a big deal that I never heard back from them about it, then I went with a different one…

I am going to take this pretty cautiously and very seriously. I know this is two different things but my late pup of16yrs, had severe arthritis was put on Chloramphenicol for gut bacteria.. this caused neuropathy after less than a week. I didn’t know any better.. forever changed his path and made for some pretty rotten last days. And a guilt that haunts me deeply. While I know that is a much stronger medicine I am more sensitive now when seeing this happen.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Given that most of these joint supplements, like Cosequin, usually take 4 or so weeks to begin to see any kind of benefit from, it would seem odd that your cat would be having a reaction to it in just a couple of days. That might happen if she has some sort of sensitivity to either glucosamine or chondroitin, which I don't know how common that is. I wouldn't hesitate to ask your vet about it, even if you are concerned about not using the product they recommended. The two products are not that different in ingredients, so obviously there would be a tendency to go with an over the counter, more than likely less expensive, option. And I am sure that would not surprise your vet. And, when I compared OTC Dasuquin to the prescription version, it looks like the only difference is that the latter has a bit more glucosamine in it - hardly worth, IMO, bothering with getting it over any of the OTC ones.

If she aggravated something during the earlier fall, the second fumble you saw could very well be just the result of that aggravation brought on by the first incident.

Btw, I have a 12-pound cat that I never gave the 'recommended' starting dosage to for any of the joint supplements I tried with her. I was hoping to avoid possible diarrhea as I have heard that can be a side effect of most of them. I suspected the higher dosage might be the reason.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I cannot find that particular side effect attributable to Cosequin. I'm thinking it's a a result of the earlier fall too. But obviously if you see this continue, do mention it to the Vet either prior or when you take her in for that dental.

Also, warm is a friend of cats with arthritis. Warming beds are particularly nice.

 

[Cat.mama]

Thank you both for the info. I had her walk around yesterday and did not see a limp or anymore falls. I decided this morning to give the full dose as a final go if I saw any reactions. (I wish I would have seen your post first about diarrhea) I’ll see how the day goes.

 

[Cat.mama]

Given that most of these joint supplements, like Cosequin, usually take 4 or so weeks to begin to see any kind of benefit from, it would seem odd that your cat would be having a reaction to it in just a couple of days. That might happen if she has some sort of sensitivity to either glucosamine or chondroitin, which I don't know how common that is. I wouldn't hesitate to ask your vet about it, even if you are concerned about not using the product they recommended. The two products are not that different in ingredients, so obviously there would be a tendency to go with an over the counter, more than likely less expensive, option. And I am sure that would not surprise your vet. And, when I compared OTC Dasuquin to the prescription version, it looks like the only difference is that the latter has a bit more glucosamine in it - hardly worth, IMO, bothering with getting it over any of the OTC ones.

If she aggravated something during the earlier fall, the second fumble you saw could very well be just the result of that aggravation brought on by the first incident.

Btw, I have a 12-pound cat that I never gave the 'recommended' starting dosage to for any of the joint supplements I tried with her. I was hoping to avoid possible diarrhea as I have heard that can be a side effect of most of them. I suspected the higher dosage might be the reason.

I stopped the Cosequin after giving them the full dose that day. I know it would be rare for two cats even if sisters to have a reaction but their backs flinched like crazy most of the day. They would not be touched. One was vocal when I would try to touch her and was drawing blood. It could see how it could be the cold weather but I have not given it again and I am only seeing the “normal” amount of flinch. And they are playing. The cat that was being vocal and drawing blood is allowing petting. Her sister would still prefer not. So many things are meshing together.. the second one had her urine tested and had been sensitive to the touch on her stomach since she came back from that. Not allowing me to touch her tummy. That’s been since around the 10th she had all that blood work/ urinalysis/ arthritis exam and came back saying don’t touch my tummy. She just seems like a bottle of nerves, or a bottle of pain. I’m really torn now on getting her teeth extraction. I feel like I should have spoke up about her stomach sensitivity right away. I did not mention it when I emailed the vet about the Cosequin. I have tried giving her a heat pad but she does not prefer to sit on it. I’m afraid to put it down for the other cat as she biscuits like crazy.