I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

pearl99

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but is it okay that he gets a little wired, or should he have no notable response to the med?

*Edited to add: I just went to find him after those zoomies, and found him laying on my bed, which made me feel better. That burst of energy didn't last long. That's better.
I would think (just an opinion) that what you just described above sounds much more mellow that the crazies he had before the dose was lowered. This now may be normal morning zoomies etc. now that he feels better, and if his blood thyroid level was low and it's more where it should be now, he's more active. And it didn't continue for hours as before.
Moo does that bump in the tail thing when she's really playful and energetic, it's a positive thing to me. I also see it when kitties are doing the Kitty Crab Walk.
I'd expect to see a cat being more active (but not to the point of craziness) when on thyroid, if their blood level was low before.
The coughing- how often is it? Waffies did that the other day, I haven't seen that from Waffies before. But not since.
How's the itching and scratching with the lower dose?
 

Mamanyt1953

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Could the medication cause the zoomies? Well, not so much as a side-effect (unless the dosage is wrong), but...you COULD be seeing his normal energy levels for the first time in a LONG time! When I was finally diagnosed with a drastically underactive thyroid, my doctor sent me DIRECTLY to the pharmacy with instructions to take a pill IMMEDIATELY. I did, and within MINUTES I was ready to dance down the sidewalks. I'd felt so bad for so long that feeling normal was euphoric. He may be going through the same thing!
 

Buffster7

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This is a great question, your vet can tell you - plus s/he probably should hear about the licking, coughing and his other behavior.
Yes, I'll share this with him when I next speak with him. I find myself reluctant to burden my vet unless I'm very concerned as they are just so busy. COVID has them running behind on the daily, I think. I don't want to be the high-maintenance patient, but I'm making notes (and I think making progress on figuring Charlie out).
Moo does that bump in the tail thing when she's really playful and energetic, it's a positive thing to me. I also see it when kitties are doing the Kitty Crab Walk.
Oh my word, I love that kitty crab walk! Finn does it more than Charlie. Charlie's little bump in the tail usually happens when he's on his way to beat up on Finn. :lol: However, he's not really beating up on Finn today, just strutting around the house.
Charlie had one coughing fit this morning and then none since then. Dust is still registering high on our allergy charts. And he is licking more today than he was yesterday. Now to figure out if its dust-related or lower-dose of thyroxine related.
Could the medication cause the zoomies? Well, not so much as a side-effect (unless the dosage is wrong), but...you COULD be seeing his normal energy levels for the first time in a LONG time! When I was finally diagnosed with a drastically underactive thyroid, my doctor sent me DIRECTLY to the pharmacy with instructions to take a pill IMMEDIATELY. I did, and within MINUTES I was ready to dance down the sidewalks. I'd felt so bad for so long that feeling normal was euphoric. He may be going through the same thing!
Amazing how we adjust to varying degrees of wellness (or lack thereof) isn't it? I also don't normally notice that I'm not well until I notice how much better I feel later and think, "I must've really been feeling rotten, because I feel like a million bucks in comparison!" I sure hope that's what's going on with Charlie! I didn't see anything today that caused me concern like yesterday, so hopefully this low dose will be tolerable for him and we'll still get results.
 

Jcatbird

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Just wanted to share something. My vet is super busy too BUT I was let in on a concern. Because they had almost no business during the shutdown, they need business now. They are having to catch up on the income lost. Sadly, some patients are not able to come due to unemployment so they are very worried about losing clientele. Attending to current customers is foremost in their minds as they restructure until things recover. Hearing from us is reassuring to them according to the vet here. If they are too busy, they’ll let you know but I think they will be happy to attend to any questions you have.
 

Buffster7

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Do they accept email? That way, they can read as much or as little, and you'd have a record of it and also could refer back to it.
Just wanted to share something. My vet is super busy too BUT I was let in on a concern. Because they had almost no business during the shutdown, they need business now. They are having to catch up on the income lost. Sadly, some patients are not able to come due to unemployment so they are very worried about losing clientele. Attending to current customers is foremost in their minds as they restructure until things recover. Hearing from us is reassuring to them according to the vet here. If they are too busy, they’ll let you know but I think they will be happy to attend to any questions you have.
Yes, I have emailed them before. If I have concerns I will call (as with thyroxine dosage). I really try not to unless absolutely necessary, as he is often returning phone calls at 8 pm at night. They are still busy. If I were able to bring them in and pay for office visits more frequently it would be one thing, but as it is, COVID has been financially disastrous for me as well. I'm not going to overburden unnecessarily when I'm not paying for their time. Until I'm sure I have a reason, I just make notes. I may be making contact soon, though -

I'm really wondering again if Charlie is affected by seasonal allergies. The dust. I have scrubbed my house, vacuumed the drapes, changed the filters, tried everything to reduce environmental allergens inside the house. But the dust outside is at a 10 on the allergy index again, and Charlie was chewing like crazy today. He had a coughing spell earlier and Finn jumped and hustled over to him to investigate. Every time it happens, Finn gets really concerned, it's actually quite sweet. Today he just sat and watched Charlie for a minute or so after the coughing spell was done. Then he hopped back up on his chair and self-soothed with his purr toy. Jcatbird Jcatbird this is why I thought Wanda may be permanently attached to hers! I've noticed that whenever Finn needs a little comfort, he goes and kneads his chair til his toy starts purring, it's pretty adorable:
"Dude, you okay?"
Post Cough.JPG

"Don't just stand there, Mom, do something"
post cough1.JPG


The equivalent of kitty thumb-sucking:
 

Furballsmom

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Charlie was chewing like crazy today. He had a coughing spell earlier
I may be making contact soon, though
Attending to current customers is foremost in their minds as they restructure until things recover. Hearing from us is reassuring to them according to the vet here.
I believe that what Jcatbird Jcatbird is saying is that yes, their days are long and they're calling late at night because they want to be and need to be this busy and in communication with their clients, so that they have some chance of making up for the lost time earlier this year when they had zero patients and zero income.

Additionally, any good vet wants to hear from clients even in normal times because the more s/he knows, the better the treatment decisions.

You are a client of theirs. Communication outside of actual visits is part of providing information to your vet, building and growing the relationship, and also finding out more information for yourself so that you and your vet are a team for Charlie.

Maybe something here will be of use;

(apologies for any broken links);
Financial Assistance – Day By Day Caregiver Support Inc.

Financial Aid for Pets

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

About Waggle | Vet Financial Assistance | Financial Aid For Pets

5 Ways to Pay for Vet Costs
 

pearl99

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But the dust outside is at a 10 on the allergy index again, and Charlie was chewing like crazy today. He had a coughing spell earlier and Finn jumped and hustled over to him to investigate.
Poor Charlie. Maybe there's a happier medium between giving him too much crazy acting zoomies and chewing like crazy with the thyroxine. Half tab one dose and whole tab the other dose???

What purr toy are you using? That sounds cool.
 

Buffster7

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I believe that what Jcatbird Jcatbird is saying is that yes, their days are long and they're calling late at night because they want to be and need to be this busy and in communication with their clients, so that they have some chance of making up for the lost time earlier this year when they had zero patients and zero income.

Additionally, any good vet wants to hear from clients even in normal times because the more s/he knows, the better the treatment decisions.

You are a client of theirs. Communication outside of actual visits is part of providing information to your vet, building and growing the relationship, and also finding out more information for yourself so that you and your vet are a team for Charlie.

Maybe something here will be of use;

(apologies for any broken links);
Financial Assistance – Day By Day Caregiver Support Inc.

Financial Aid for Pets

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

About Waggle | Vet Financial Assistance | Financial Aid For Pets

5 Ways to Pay for Vet Costs
And what I am saying is that my vet never closed and never had zero patients or zero income. They have stayed busy throughout.

As for building and growing the relationship, my vet has been my vet for nearly 20 years. And I do a darn good job of taking care of my animals and making appointments with my vet and decisions for Charlie. When I have a concern, I keep him apprised. I do not need to make contact every single time I make an observation.

Thank you for the links, I'll check them out. I'm not at the point of seeking assistance to care for my boys, but I am being frugal to avoid reaching that point. Not at the expense of their health, though I think that is pretty clear over the last years worth of posts. Charlie has been one his current treatment for a matter of days. I'm observing him closely. If he does not show improvement over the next couple/few days, then I will contact my vet.
 

Buffster7

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Poor Charlie. Maybe there's a happier medium between giving him too much crazy acting zoomies and chewing like crazy with the thyroxine. Half tab one dose and whole tab the other dose???

What purr toy are you using? That sounds cool.
I thought about doing that, too...perhaps giving him a full tab for his afternoon dose. I thought about the fact also that the first couple days he was on the Thyroxine, we had had rain and the dust levels had dropped to 1 or 2. Now they're back up to 10. So I may try to up his afternoon dose tomorrow and see if that helps.

Finn absolutely loves this purr toy. I brought it to him after I'd trapped him and he was at the vet's for neuter and observation. I put it in his cage and he visibly relaxed. Ever since then, he starts kneading any time he hears it and now has figured out how to knead it and turn it on himself. So sweet. :loveeyes:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MQYWGXC/?tag=thecatsite
 

Jcatbird

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Yes, I have emailed them before. If I have concerns I will call (as with thyroxine dosage). I really try not to unless absolutely necessary, as he is often returning phone calls at 8 pm at night. They are still busy. If I were able to bring them in and pay for office visits more frequently it would be one thing, but as it is, COVID has been financially disastrous for me as well. I'm not going to overburden unnecessarily when I'm not paying for their time. Until I'm sure I have a reason, I just make notes. I may be making contact soon, though -

I'm really wondering again if Charlie is affected by seasonal allergies. The dust. I have scrubbed my house, vacuumed the drapes, changed the filters, tried everything to reduce environmental allergens inside the house. But the dust outside is at a 10 on the allergy index again, and Charlie was chewing like crazy today. He had a coughing spell earlier and Finn jumped and hustled over to him to investigate. Every time it happens, Finn gets really concerned, it's actually quite sweet. Today he just sat and watched Charlie for a minute or so after the coughing spell was done. Then he hopped back up on his chair and self-soothed with his purr toy. Jcatbird Jcatbird this is why I thought Wanda may be permanently attached to hers! I've noticed that whenever Finn needs a little comfort, he goes and kneads his chair til his toy starts purring, it's pretty adorable:
"Dude, you okay?"
View attachment 346338
"Don't just stand there, Mom, do something"
View attachment 346339

The equivalent of kitty thumb-sucking:
Awwwwwww! Photos and video are soooo precious! That purr toy is like a security blanket for kitties! Yep! I think Wanda Heart is going to be hooked on hers too.

You have scrubbed everything! Let’s hope Charlie is still just getting his blood levels evened out on his new meds. It takes time. :redheartpump:
 

Buffster7

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I believe that what Jcatbird Jcatbird is saying is that yes, their days are long and they're calling late at night because they want to be and need to be this busy and in communication with their clients, so that they have some chance of making up for the lost time earlier this year when they had zero patients and zero income.

Additionally, any good vet wants to hear from clients even in normal times because the more s/he knows, the better the treatment decisions.

You are a client of theirs. Communication outside of actual visits is part of providing information to your vet, building and growing the relationship, and also finding out more information for yourself so that you and your vet are a team for Charlie.

Maybe something here will be of use;

(apologies for any broken links);
Financial Assistance – Day By Day Caregiver Support Inc.

Financial Aid for Pets

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

About Waggle | Vet Financial Assistance | Financial Aid For Pets

5 Ways to Pay for Vet Costs
Furballsmom Furballsmom I have to apologize. For some reason your post struck me wrong yesterday, as though my not contacting my vet right away indicated that I wasn't being diligent and keeping Charlie's best interest at heart. Yet I think you may simply have been trying to make me feel better about reaching out to vet in general. That is one of the downfalls of typed text; it can so easily be misinterpreted. All my fault - please accept my apology. :hugs:
 

pearl99

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I thought about doing that, too...perhaps giving him a full tab for his afternoon dose. I thought about the fact also that the first couple days he was on the Thyroxine, we had had rain and the dust levels had dropped to 1 or 2. Now they're back up to 10. So I may try to up his afternoon dose tomorrow and see if that helps.
I'm not trying to give medical advice (not that you think I am) just threw out a thought. Later I thought "maybe I shouldn't have said that..." :headshake:.
Thanks for the purr toy info! Waffles is such a snuggler maybe he would enjoy that.
 

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Interesting to watch Charlie this morning. He still displayed the morning feistiness even though I did not give him his thyroxine. So the behavior is definitely there without the med. Now it's mid-morning and I gave him his dose with his lunch. It definitely makes him act weird and a little wired. (He just did a couple zoomies through the room) I can tell when he starts feeling it because his tail gets a little arch in it right where it comes out of his body. That's excitement, right? So...waiting until later is definitely better - but is it okay that he gets a little wired, or should he have no notable response to the med?

*Edited to add: I just went to find him after those zoomies, and found him laying on my bed, which made me feel better. That burst of energy didn't last long. That's better.
There might be something to the idea that the medication is amplifying his morning activity. If it was me (and as long as it's not causing him too much discomfort) I'd keep doing it that way at lunch instead of first thing in the morning for a while and see if it makes a consistent difference.
 

Buffster7

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I'm not trying to give medical advice (not that you think I am) just threw out a thought. Later I thought "maybe I shouldn't have said that..." :headshake:.
Thanks for the purr toy info! Waffles is such a snuggler maybe he would enjoy that.
You were making a good suggestion! He has already been cleared for the 0.1 mg dose, so no medical advice given. ;) I had thought the same thing. He's doing well today, so I kept him at his 1/2 dose. Go figure; dust index still at a 10, still at half dose, yet no licking today. Trying to figure out what's causing this is like trying to put my finger on mercury. Will keep watching - thankful for a good day, though!
 

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OK, Charlie, now listen. You gotta help your mama and keep having LOTS MORE GOOD DAYS ...

Oh, say, he isn't still getting under that bed you mentioned a little while back?
 

Buffster7

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There might be something to the idea that the medication is amplifying his morning activity. If it was me (and as long as it's not causing him too much discomfort) I'd keep doing it that way at lunch instead of first thing in the morning for a while and see if it makes a consistent difference.
Agreed. He did really well today - no crazy eyes and no ghosting or assaults on Finn. I'll be starting back to clinical next week, though, which means I'll feed them when I get up at 4 and another small meal before I leave the house at 5:30. A little nervous about that, but hoping once I leave the house they'll settle down and sleep. :paranoid:
 
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