I had my old girl Shep in at the vet on Saturday for bloodwork and urine testing. She has had chronic stomatitus (inflamation of her mouth) for the last year, and she has had a skin problem the last few months. A cortisone shot helps the swelling in her mouth and assumed it would help her skin, but her skin problem wasn't clearing up totally, even with follow up medicated ointments. While early for her annual geriatric profile, I wanted to see if there was underlying physical problems that were affecting her skin. I was actually suspecting something unrelated such as beginning diabetes or renal problems due to her age.
Her test results indicate that healthwise, she is pretty much normal for her age (wonderful news). Her glucose was a little high, but not indicative of diabetes. The vet recommended another cortisone shot for her skin (the last helped somewhat), but suggested that we do not give her cortisone unless we do a blood glucose test (similar to a diabetes stick test) just before the injection. Cortisone can raise the glucose levels in cats and he will no longer give cortisone unless he ensures that her levels are normal.
So the information that I would like to share for all of you with aging cats or diabetic cats - be wary of any cortisone type drugs and ensure that their glucose levels can tolerate the added steroid. Have your vet run a glucose test before starting any medicines. This would include ointments such as cortaid.
btw.....my vet is convinced that her skin problem is allergy related. Barring months of skin cultures and testing for allergens, he couldn't find any alternative treatment for her. If this doesn't clear up soon we will need to find a specialist.
Her test results indicate that healthwise, she is pretty much normal for her age (wonderful news). Her glucose was a little high, but not indicative of diabetes. The vet recommended another cortisone shot for her skin (the last helped somewhat), but suggested that we do not give her cortisone unless we do a blood glucose test (similar to a diabetes stick test) just before the injection. Cortisone can raise the glucose levels in cats and he will no longer give cortisone unless he ensures that her levels are normal.
So the information that I would like to share for all of you with aging cats or diabetic cats - be wary of any cortisone type drugs and ensure that their glucose levels can tolerate the added steroid. Have your vet run a glucose test before starting any medicines. This would include ointments such as cortaid.
btw.....my vet is convinced that her skin problem is allergy related. Barring months of skin cultures and testing for allergens, he couldn't find any alternative treatment for her. If this doesn't clear up soon we will need to find a specialist.
