Denamarin or milk thistle?

Ladyrosee

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Hi! My little guy Morton is doing so well..youd never suspect he was nearly dead from dka/pancreatitis in August. he's had some bumps until now like mycoplasma and fevers but it seems we have figured it out for now and he is doing fantastic and playing like a kitten 😭
I just got his 3 week labs in and his platelets are in the 300 thousands (still in ITP remission woohoo!) Everything is great but his ALT. He took doxycycline in the middle of September and within 4 days it shot his ALT to about 900. Hes been off of it since September 20 and on milk thistle about 155mg for his correct weight and it has gone down to 245 tested this week. It seems to have gone down quickly by at least 200 at a time but now that it's almost normal it seems to be going down slower as 3 weeks ago it was in the 300s.

I know none are doctors here but just was curious on some advice. If the milk thistle is working would you up it just a tad or abandon it and go to denamarin? He's never had denamarin before. He's also on b12 shots every about 12 days I give him and a multivitamin and just a micro dose of prednisolone I'm still tapering off slowly. He's doing so good I cry thinking about how great he looks. He's almost 10 lbs now!
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! Quoting, more or less, the conversation I had with my vet a couple weeks ago, the milk thistle is about half of what's in the denamarin. The other is, according to my vet, comprised of SAMe which can cause stomach upset. Plus you'll need to give it to him in pill form. If your vet is currently happy with how your baby is doing, and you definitely are :), maybe stay the course :).
 

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I would ask the vet how much time is expected for things to go back to normal to check if the speed is normal. My own cat has liver issues as well and when she was hospitalized and released in January, vet asked us to come back to re-check the situation 3 months later.
 
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Ladyrosee

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I would ask the vet how much time is expected for things to go back to normal to check if the speed is normal. My own cat has liver issues as well and when she was hospitalized and released in January, vet asked us to come back to re-check the situation 3 months later.
Well the problem is I'm not on the same page. My vet believes my cats liver enzyme increase is from bacteria. When the first time it's gone up in his life was instantly when he was on doxycycline. The vet denied doxy could damage the liver even though a simple google search reported about 20 to 30 percent of animals on doxy will get liver damage. I get his labs checked every 3 weeks to one month depending on how he is doing. Since the blood work is free for me why not.
 
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Ladyrosee

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I would ask the vet how much time is expected for things to go back to normal to check if the speed is normal. My own cat has liver issues as well and when she was hospitalized and released in January, vet asked us to come back to re-check the situation 3 months later.
I'd have to ask his holistic vet. My vet isnt sure because he is convinced it's from bacteria when I know for sure the doxy instantly caused a sky rocket in normal liver enzymes. I give it to him in a capsule, so I dose it out for his weight. It says 0.5mls a day for his almost 10lbs. I just got a little over whelmed because even though his enzymes are going in the right direction he suggested antibiotics, denamarin etc. He jumps the gun a lot so I usually take his health into my own hands unless it's something very severe
 

MissClouseau

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Hi there. I know it’s an old thread but if you see this, may I ask how your cat is doing and how the medicine went after the last update?
 
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Ladyrosee

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Hi there. I know it’s an old thread but if you see this, may I ask how your cat is doing and how the medicine went after the last update?
My sweet baby died a few months before his 3rd birthday this Jan 1... it was awful and traumatizing. The milk thistle did end up bringing his levels back to normal. I think the damage was already done from the icu visit that his body must couldnt make it too long
 

MissClouseau

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My sweet baby died a few months before his 3rd birthday this Jan 1... it was awful and traumatizing. The milk thistle did end up bringing his levels back to normal. I think the damage was already done from the icu visit that his body must couldnt make it too long
Oh no, I’m so sorry for your loss! He experienced love in this world thanks to you.

Thank you for the response 🤎
 
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