New to Phenobarbital

[Angellw]

My cat Si is approximately 11 years old. Last Monday he had 2 seizures. After 2 separate emergency vet appointments he is now on phenobarbital, clindamycin and steroid prednisolone. Since starting the meds he is just not himself at all. Yesterday was 1 full week of treatment and all 3 meds are liquid.

He is not purring and now starting to cough some is this normal? (This has been happening for about 4 days now) I called my vets office and they are not helpful at all. I am now actually looking for a new office as they said I need to go to a neurologist because the dr cannot look into his brain. Yes the receptionist said that me...and when I asked about the coughing she said the Dr. Just said I don't know.

Also I read that you should never just stop treatment and the receptionist said per Dr just stop for a 2 days and then go back to full dosages of phenobarbital.

I am concerned with his coughing but he is on the medications that would help with that which is the antibiotic and steroid.

He had blood work and exam at both ER vets and everything was normal and 1st ER vet said he was very healthy for his age with the exception of the seizure.

I did not get a MRI as 1 the cost is so much and 2 they can not get him in for 1 until May unless I drive him 3 hours from home to the University which I cannot do.

So the treatment plan we are on now is to treat this as hopefully an infection.

I just want my Si back he seems to be having these sounds like raspy breathing but it at times when he would be purring as when I am petting him and loving on him.

Any insight or advise is greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure I am doing everything in my power to right by him. He is my heart kitty that I hand raised from just a couple days old. I am a mess and bit all over the place. I hope this all makes sense. Thank you.

 

[Antonio65]

Hi and welcome to TCS!

My cat Freya is on Phenobarbital too, and nothing else. She's been on the med for the last 13 months and I can tell you that the first weeks are the worst because the cat has to adjust its system to a new condition.

Can you tell us what dosage of meds your cat is on?
My cat takes 6.25 mg of Phenobarbital twice a day, 8 am and 8 pm.

HERE you can read my diary about the last 13 months of treatment for my Freya.

As for the coughing, I guess your Si has some URI? You say he's taking an antibiotic and cortisone.

 

[maggie101]

My cat Si is approximately 11 years old. Last Monday he had 2 seizures. After 2 separate emergency vet appointments he is now on phenobarbital, clindamycin and steroid prednisolone. Since starting the meds he is just not himself at all. Yesterday was 1 full week of treatment and all 3 meds are liquid.

He is not purring and now starting to cough some is this normal? (This has been happening for about 4 days now) I called my vets office and they are not helpful at all. I am now actually looking for a new office as they said I need to go to a neurologist because the dr cannot look into his brain. Yes the receptionist said that me...and when I asked about the coughing she said the Dr. Just said I don't know.

Also I read that you should never just stop treatment and the receptionist said per Dr just stop for a 2 days and then go back to full dosages of phenobarbital.

I am concerned with his coughing but he is on the medications that would help with that which is the antibiotic and steroid.

He had blood work and exam at both ER vets and everything was normal and 1st ER vet said he was very healthy for his age with the exception of the seizure.

I did not get a MRI as 1 the cost is so much and 2 they can not get him in for 1 until May unless I drive him 3 hours from home to the University which I cannot do.

So the treatment plan we are on now is to treat this as hopefully an infection.

I just want my Si back he seems to be having these sounds like raspy breathing but it at times when he would be purring as when I am petting him and loving on him.

Any insight or advise is greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure I am doing everything in my power to right by him. He is my heart kitty that I hand raised from just a couple days old. I am a mess and bit all over the place. I hope this all makes sense. Thank you.

If he has not been diagnosed with epilepsy yet,consider using pet medical insurance though the down payment is a lot. The caughing,no idea. phenobarbital is the very first drug I used for seizures decades ago since you don't know which one,if any,is causing the coughing stay on it. As Antonio65 suggested,see a neurologist and give a call for suggestions. In cats it can cause respiratory problems, can you ask your vet to give you a call?

 

[Angellw]

He is on 10mg/ml phenobarbital I give him 1 ml every 12 hours. 9:45 AM and PM

 

[Antonio65]

I suggest you to keep a diary of how your Si feels and acts since day 1 of phenobarbital and inform your vet and the neurologist about this and every symptoms or odd signals you will see in your cat.
If you have read my thread, you know that you have to check the level of phenobarbital in Si's blood after 4 weeks of treatment.
This could be the right moment to let your vets know and update them on how Si feels.

 

[Angellw]

Thank you! Now I need to find a neurologist where I live.

 

[Antonio65]

In my case, the neurologist prescribed the phenobarbital after a visit that assessed the focal epilepsy.
A neurologist should know the side effects of the med. And they should also prescribe the right dosage of phenobarbital.
I believe it is necessary you find one.