Medication Question About A Cat With Cancer

[oyster]

I have another thread about my cat but wanted to ask separately about medication. He was diagnosed with lung cancer after a CT scan yesterday. They asked us if they should give him an antibiotic to relieve any breathing issues and inflammation. I was told it would be Convenia.
I have read up on it and I am so mad with myself for not stopping them but I didn't know what I know now.
Our cat, Biscuit, is hiding under the bed and won't come out. He only comes to eat and goes right back under the bed. He responds when I call him so he isn't giving me that blank look nor is he lethargic. His breathing has also gotten a lot worse where I can hear him from another room. However, there is no rapid, shallow breathing--it's just loud.
I called another vet to ask if they would give him prednisone and they agreed but now I am wondering if I should give him that within 24 hours of receiving Convenia.
Please, please help because I really don't want him to suffer. I have come to terms with him having cancer but I cannot bear his suffering.

 

[babiesmom5]

I have another thread about my cat but wanted to ask separately about medication. He was diagnosed with lung cancer after a CT scan yesterday. They asked us if they should give him an antibiotic to relieve any breathing issues and inflammation. I was told it would be Convenia.
I have read up on it and I am so mad with myself for not stopping them but I didn't know what I know now.
Our cat, Biscuit, is hiding under the bed and won't come out. He only comes to eat and goes right back under the bed. He responds when I call him so he isn't giving me that blank look nor is he lethargic. His breathing has also gotten a lot worse where I can hear him from another room. However, there is no rapid, shallow breathing--it's just loud.
I called another vet to ask if they would give him prednisone and they agreed but now I am wondering if I should give him that within 24 hours of receiving Convenia.
Please, please help because I really don't want him to suffer. I have come to terms with him having cancer but I cannot bear his suffering.

I have a cat who recently got an injection of Convenia while on Pred with no ill effects. I am well aware of the reaction some cats can have to Convenia, so it is a calculated risk. My cat was subdued too after receiving the Convenia shot, but am not sure whether it was due to the shot or the respiratory infection she had at the time. She has since fully recovered.
I think your Vet would be the best to advise about concurrent Prednisone and Convenia shot.
I am so sorry about your cat being diagnosed with lung cancer. Last spring, a small lung tumor was found on X-ray, (incidental to something else) in my cat. She had a lung lobe removed followed by 5 months of Chemo; thus far it has not returned. I have heard that steroids may help decrease inflammation in the lung and thus help breathing, so that is an avenue you may want to pursue. I wish you and your kitty all the best.

 

[pushylady]

My cat has also had Convenia, and it did wonders for him. He wasn't on any other meds at the time, so I have no experience of drug contraindications for Convenia. If you have two vets saying it's OK to give the pred, then personally I would do so.

 

[oyster]

Update: I started Biscuit on Pred yesterday and he seems to be responding well. He was up on my bed instead of under it. He let me stroke him and purred. The vet gave me a 10 day prescription and asked me to come back for a refill if I should need it.
My question is how long can I give this to him? Since his cancer has metastasized (as we were shown in his CT scan), is it all right to keep medicating him till we see a decrease in quality of life? Or do I need to wean him off pred after the next 10 days?
We are looking into holistic treatments for him too but haven't found anyone in our local area yet. We will go that route once we have found someone who works with animals.

 

[babiesmom5]

Update: I started Biscuit on Pred yesterday and he seems to be responding well. He was up on my bed instead of under it. He let me stroke him and purred. The vet gave me a 10 day prescription and asked me to come back for a refill if I should need it.
My question is how long can I give this to him? Since his cancer has metastasized (as we were shown in his CT scan), is it all right to keep medicating him till we see a decrease in quality of life? Or do I need to wean him off pred after the next 10 days?
We are looking into holistic treatments for him too but haven't found anyone in our local area yet. We will go that route once we have found someone who works with animals.

I am glad to hear that Biscuit is feeling a little better now. The Pred is kicking in.
I am a bit surprised that your Vet did not give you more complete dosing information regarding the Pred. Normally Pred is given for the duration to at least help breathing and quality of life.
If I were in your shoes, I would consult a good Vet Oncologist to find out what options you have to give Biscuit good quality of life for as long as you can.

 

[oyster]

Our vet has sort of washed her hands off the whole thing. She says the pred will keep him comfortable and that's about all she can do. Well, that was her office. She is on vacation. We don't have a vet oncologist near us. The animal hospital we took him to was about 75 min. away and I was not impressed with them. They were callous to say the least.
Our local vet's office instructed me to give one tablet (5 mg) daily for 10 days and come back for a refill if I needed more. The thing is that Biscuit is doing well with Pred but I give him the tablet in the evening so he is able to sleep better. But during the daytime, he is a zombie. He hides under the bed, rarely comes to me, eats but goes right back under the bed. He is so different. I am thinking of splitting the tablet in half and giving him half in the evening and the the other half in the morning. Or should I just give a whole tablet (5 mg) in the evening and another one in the morning? I can't get a straight answer from our vet's office.

 

[babiesmom5]

I really think you should look hard for a good Vet who has a more helpful attitude toward your dear Biscuit. Can you ask around or check Vet reviews on the computer?

That said, steroids are normally administered in the evening as this is closest to a cat's natural hormone cycle. Since the cat's adrenal glands function primarily in the morning hours, it is best to give steroid medications in the evening as the dose will begin to wear off as the cat's adrenal glands are ready to "kick in". If it were my cat, I would give the one (5 mg) tablet in the evening, not split the dosage.

Part of the cat's daytime lethargy may be due to effect of Convenia shot. Lethargy is a side effect of Convenia sometimes, but when the effect of the shot wears off a bit, the energy level usually returns. At least that was the way it was with my cat. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[mewcatmew]

Is it prednisone or prednisolone? It should be prednisolone. Cats have issues converting prednisone effectively. Basically, prednisolone is prednisone after the liver synthesizes it. My cat had high grade lymphoma and was on it for ~5 months until she passed, it is fine for long term. You run the risk of diabetes, but in your case, that risk HIGHLY outweighs the benefit. I have not dealt with lung cancer, but for feline asthma they give albuterol and flovent. Flovent is a more locally acting steroid for just the lungs.