Hi there. I've been doing a lot of reading on the site lately because of my 1 year old, spayed female, Speck, who's been diagnosed with Primary IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia). When Speck got sick on 10-21-14, her Hematocrit level was 9 and she had NO platelets. After a transfusion, a couple overnight hospitalizations, a ton of drugs, special food, and good old TLC, her Hematocrit level was 28 and platelets are within normal range on 11-6-14 (reference range 29-48) after 7 days of 25 mg of Atopica in the pill form every 24 hours.
My poor kitty has been thru hell and back and we still have no idea why... She's negative on everything; FIV, FELV, FIP (although she's been exposed), and Heinz bodies. WBC's are normal (still we put her on doxy), liver enzymes, kidney counts... Her radiographs and ultrasounds came back clean. The only thing that's strange is she has a slightly small liver. Like abnormally small. Speck (and her full sister Spike, who I also own) was bottle fed at 4.5 weeks old after losing her mom. Not sure if that makes a difference. She's a small cat at 8.25 lbs full grown.
ANYWAYS, Speck has been on Atopica for a little over two weeks now and it's such a PITA to give. The pills were a horrible experience for both of us. She fought tooth and nail to not swallow those. Normally pills are ok, because they're small. Not this one! It was rather large and sticky. Ugh.
Now we've been doing the liquid for 10 or so days (.25 ml every 24 hours) and it's slightly easier to give than the pills, but it smells and tastes horrific. I accidently got a taste and couldn't get it out of my mouth. The smell gags me now too. Currently, I bribe her with packaged salmon. She goes nuts over it. She gets a few bites, then I dose her, hold her mouth shut towards the ceiling, and after a few minutes I give her more salmon.
Speck also takes 5 mg of dissolved Prednisone, .80 ml of doxy, and 800 micro grams of folic acid (per vet instructions) both AM and PM. The Atopica is PM only. I give B12 shots twice a week. Oh and pepcid AM/PM to help prevent ulcers.
So does anyone have advice to cover up the taste of the Atopica and the meds? Even though I'm holding her mouth shut, now she drools like crazy. I've tried mixing it with food and you can still smell the Atopica over it.
I'm afraid the little stinker isn't getting her full dose since she drools so bad.
Sorry for the novel. TIA everyone.
My poor kitty has been thru hell and back and we still have no idea why... She's negative on everything; FIV, FELV, FIP (although she's been exposed), and Heinz bodies. WBC's are normal (still we put her on doxy), liver enzymes, kidney counts... Her radiographs and ultrasounds came back clean. The only thing that's strange is she has a slightly small liver. Like abnormally small. Speck (and her full sister Spike, who I also own) was bottle fed at 4.5 weeks old after losing her mom. Not sure if that makes a difference. She's a small cat at 8.25 lbs full grown.
ANYWAYS, Speck has been on Atopica for a little over two weeks now and it's such a PITA to give. The pills were a horrible experience for both of us. She fought tooth and nail to not swallow those. Normally pills are ok, because they're small. Not this one! It was rather large and sticky. Ugh.
Now we've been doing the liquid for 10 or so days (.25 ml every 24 hours) and it's slightly easier to give than the pills, but it smells and tastes horrific. I accidently got a taste and couldn't get it out of my mouth. The smell gags me now too. Currently, I bribe her with packaged salmon. She goes nuts over it. She gets a few bites, then I dose her, hold her mouth shut towards the ceiling, and after a few minutes I give her more salmon.
Speck also takes 5 mg of dissolved Prednisone, .80 ml of doxy, and 800 micro grams of folic acid (per vet instructions) both AM and PM. The Atopica is PM only. I give B12 shots twice a week. Oh and pepcid AM/PM to help prevent ulcers.
So does anyone have advice to cover up the taste of the Atopica and the meds? Even though I'm holding her mouth shut, now she drools like crazy. I've tried mixing it with food and you can still smell the Atopica over it.
I'm afraid the little stinker isn't getting her full dose since she drools so bad.
Sorry for the novel. TIA everyone.