Muscle breakdown

[tiggerwillow]

The vet said on the phone today that the blood test showed Tigger's muscles are breaking down

Is this something to worry about?

She's going back into the vet on the 1st June cause she's off the meds and its causing pain flare ups again, during a flare up she cries if her lower back is touched, then will hide to stop hurties from happening

 

[Furballsmom]

Is this something to worry about?

I would think so. Did the vet say anything regarding ways to help maintain or improve the situation?

 

[tiggerwillow]

I'm not sure, my phone messes up voicemail messages, so if I can get through on the phone tomorrow I'll try and phone back.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I presume the vet means she is losing muscle mass - common in older cats, especially those with medical conditions, like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, just to name a couple. Although, I am not exactly sure what values in blood work specifically depict that.

Clarify with the vet if that is what they are referring to and ask what values in the blood work show that. Not much to stop it other than high protein foods and maybe some B-12 injections to help with any malabsorption that could be happening. Get your vet to explain in detail, and as mentioned above, what they suggest you do help slow down the process.

 

[tiggerwillow]

Does losing muscles mean she's going to die?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am sorry, I don't recall how old she is, but nonetheless, she will not die from muscle mass loss alone. Other than old age causing it, the diseases that might be attributing to it might shorten her life, but it won't be from the muscle mass loss itself. You need to make sure that is what your vet is talking about, though.

 

[tiggerwillow]

she's about 11 years old we think, although her previous owner wasn't sure of her exact age when she gave her and loads of other pets to RSPCA

Simply due to the sheer number previous owner handed in, thats why her age is just a guess

 

[tiggerwillow]

So apparently she really REALLY wants some milk, I had the carton out to make myself a hot drink and Tigger was literally screaming at the milk carton and trying to climb my legs to get to the milk carton. This is the first time she has *ever* shown any interest in milk, up until this point she would react as though something had done a wee (if she got the smell of milk). It's semi skimmed cows milk, which is the one I get normally cause skimmed is not easy to find where I live, and whole milk is disgusting.

 

[tiggerwillow]

And she had the look of excitement that's normally reserved for mousies and birdies.

 

[Furballsmom]

See if you can obtain some cat milk, its available at brick and mortar pet stores.

 

[tiggerwillow]

A few years ago I did try both Tigger and Willow with cat milk - both of them decided something had wee'd in the dish I put it in, ended up having to chuck the cat milk out cause I kept trying to coax them into using it up but they kept refusing it and it ended up going off

Is it worth trying Tigger with some again, being as she's literally screaming at me for semi skimmed cow milk?

(Sorry if I put a mental image in your head cause of the wee comment)

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't know what the current obsession with milk would be, unless she is not eating her food as well as not drinking much water. At a minimum, buy lactose free milk.

 

[tiggerwillow]

I just thought: could the muscle breakdown the vet said about, be contributing to her flare ups of pain?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not aware that muscle mass loss specifically attributes to pain, per se. But some of the underlying reasons for the loss might. Again, you need to clarify with the vet what they mean by 'muscle breakdown', what they think is behind it, and at that time you can ask if there could be pain associated with it.

What meds is she now off that you think is contributing to pain flare ups?

 

[tiggerwillow]

She was on metacam but the vet doesn't want her to be on that med long-term, her bloodwork shows at the moment her kidneys are not struggling, but the vet is worried that her kidneys might (as time goes by) start to struggle, if she's on the metacam

she's on a different med now, gabapentin or something? sorry i'm not sure of the spelling

 

[tiggerwillow]

She's feeling sorry for herself today, she decided to chew the tablet this evening instead of swallowing it whole, she's good about taking tablets normally, she just found out the hard way chewing up a tablet that meowmy put straight in Tigger's mouth means nasty taste happens in her mouth, she's feeling sorry for herself over it now