Polyps/Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome

[Rysiek]

I think I will start gabapentin today, as he had a small attack yesterday...

I was advised to taper steroids and I am unsure if this has made symptoms worse? He was on 1mg of Prednicare only...

Don't know what to do anymore...

 

[fionasmom]

Pred is definitely an anti-inflammatory, so you may be correct about the reduced dosage.

As I said before, I don't personally have an issue with the use of gabapentin. You just don't want him to be so groggy that he does not eat as the point would be to see if he can eat once he is on it.

 

[Rysiek]

Pred is definitely an anti-inflammatory, so you may be correct about the reduced dosage.

As I said before, I don't personally have an issue with the use of gabapentin. You just don't want him to be so groggy that he does not eat as the point would be to see if he can eat once he is on it.

I only started gabapentin today. I did not give him 0.75 as suggested but 0.50. I prefer to start at the lowest possible dose to manage his symptoms. The attack was short lived yesterday but he was a bit unsettled afterwards...
Someone from Fops Facebook group said that it is better to give him, as he may self-mutilate and hurt himself ..
I generally think his autonomic nervous system is oversensitive...hence, the neuropathy...

He was sleepy today, but generally ok...

I will monitor him re: steroids, as I am still unsure if this was a good idea, but the vet said to taper them and he said he was on a minimal dose so they should not be any rebound if symptoms...
I am unsure...generally people in the medical profession do not believe in withdrawal symptoms...I have seen people withdrawing from antidepressants, it may be similar with the steroids...but if course, I do not want him to be on steroids for too long ...

 

[fionasmom]

Tapering steroids is the usual way that they are handled and the best way. I have never let a pet just stop taking them without tapering. Keep in touch with your vet about the use of these medications if you have misgivings.

I would definitely not want to start up with self mutilation. Again, just me talking, but if I thought that were going to happen I would use the gabapentin.

 

[Rysiek]

Tapering steroids is the usual way that they are handled and the best way. I have never let a pet just stop taking them without tapering. Keep in touch with your vet about the use of these medications if you have misgivings.

I would definitely not want to start up with self mutilation. Again, just me talking, but if I thought that were going to happen I would use the gabapentin.

This is the reason why I started this, as in a more extreme situation he could have hurt himself...
He is sleeping a lot, what is expected...but was overstimulated today morning...
I think his response to the meds will get balanced in few days...
I will cancel Solensia shot and will monitor re: steroids.

I am in touch with both vets over the email...

I will decide closer to the time if his dental appointment is really necessary, as this is a huge stress for him...

Difficult time as I don't know what to expect at the moment...

 

[fionasmom]

Gabapentin works quickly, but does clear the body although more slowly in a pet with liver or kidney issues. You should see relief with any kind of discomfort. Don't stop it abruptly though. If you feel that you want to stop giving it, call the vet and ask if you need to taper off.

 

[Rysiek]

Gabapentin works quickly, but does clear the body although more slowly in a pet with liver or kidney issues. You should see relief with any kind of discomfort. Don't stop it abruptly though. If you feel that you want to stop giving it, call the vet and ask if you need to taper off.

I do not intend to stop it...
He has been much calmer... sleeping a lot...but not over-drugged...

I just hope that whatever had happened to his tongue at his first general anaesthetic, this will heal...
He still has problem with food falling out of his mouth...but manages wet/soft food well...

 

[Rysiek]

Spoke to the vet today, he said that we will review after two weeks...
If he still had problem with eating, I need to go ahead with his dental appointment in the end of month...

 

[Rysiek]

I feel like crying now. I need to do something with my level of stress. I eventually gave gabapentin to him from the siringe, got him into a towel, burrito cat...but I am shaking now, as if I was doing something bad... because I know he does not like it...
As I feel so guilty, my house is full of cat treats, as I feel I need to "pay it back to him" for the suffering of being medicated...
I also worry, he may stop trusting me...
But I see he is different in a better way...

 

[marshmallow2013]

Please don’t feel guilty. He will not lose trust in you. I had to wrap my cat in a towel to give him antibiotics. I gave him hugs and kisses afterwards. Your cat loves and depends on you.

 

[fionasmom]

Gabapentin is bitter, so you will probably see a reaction to that. It is possible to find compounding pharmacies which will sometimes be able to put it in a different form if this were to become a longer term administration. It sounds as if you are seeing some improvement with the medication?

Try to make yourself comfortable with the idea that you are helping him. Think about the less pleasant options we have discussed such as self mutilation and what that will require that you do to support him at home and the number of times you will need to take him to the vet. This is really the lesser of all those evils.

I have never owned a cat, no matter how affectionate, who did not act as if I were committing grievous bodily harm if I approached them with a pill or syringe.

 

[Rysiek]

Please don’t feel guilty. He will not lose trust in you. I had to wrap my cat in a towel to give him antibiotics. I gave him hugs and kisses afterwards. Your cat loves and depends on you.

I spoke to him afterwards, explaining what has to happen. He got some treats. As he is not really cuddly, I cannot do this ...but I played with him a bit...

He seems to be somehow better, less nervous, perhaps less pain...
Still problems with ratings as some food just falls out of his mouth...we have a dental appointment scheduled in the end of this month...

 

[Rysiek]

Gabapentin is bitter, so you will probably see a reaction to that. It is possible to find compounding pharmacies which will sometimes be able to put it in a different form if this were to become a longer term administration. It sounds as if you are seeing some improvement with the medication?

Try to make yourself comfortable with the idea that you are helping him. Think about the less pleasant options we have discussed such as self mutilation and what that will require that you do to support him at home and the number of times you will need to take him to the vet. This is really the lesser of all those evils.

I have never owned a cat, no matter how affectionate, who did not act as if I were committing grievous bodily harm if I approached them with a pill or syringe.

Thank you. You are so right, if he was auto-mutilating himself and hurting himself it would be far worse...I never thought about this, thank you ...

He seems to be better, happier, perhaps less pain...playful in times...
He is not sleeping all day long anymore, just only after the meds...

 

[fionasmom]

That is great news. He may even somehow connect that what you are doing is helping him.

 

[Rysiek]

I don't know what is the best way of giving this to him. He figured it out when I mixed this with food. So I have to give it using a syringe straight to his mouth...this is the only way I can make sure that he gets a full dose...
I feel guilty and I want to cry as it almost feels like "abuse"...he is now really weary of the place and the towel I wrap him in...

I also feel guilty as it all started after the dental cleaning, so hadn't I taken him to the vets he might have still been ok...
Is it possible that dental cleaning actually damages the nerves and they become irritated?

 

[heatherwillard0614]

I don't know what is the best way of giving this to him. He figured it out when I mixed this with food. So I have to give it using a syringe straight to his mouth...this is the only way I can make sure that he gets a full dose...
I feel guilty and I want to cry as it almost feels like "abuse"...he is now really weary of the place and the towel I wrap him in...

I also feel guilty as it all started after the dental cleaning, so hadn't I taken him to the vets he might have still been ok...
Is it possible that dental cleaning actually damages the nerves and they become irritated?

I have had to hold my girl by the scruff of her neck with one hand and syringe meds with my dominant hand. It doesn't hurt her and she doesn't even run away.. but I still feel bad. I just have to remind myself that If I had meds to give her to help her feel better and decided not to then that would be neglect/abuse. What we do for our pets to get meds in them, as long as we are not using unnecessary force and we are not physically hurting them, then we shouldn't feel bad. We do because we love them but what we are doing is to help them. You are doing what you need to do to try to get him feeling better. There is nothing wrong with that.
Just try to be gentle with him as to not hurt him. It will be well worth it to him and you if the meds help. It will be ok keep your head up and remember he knows you love him and he might not understand why you are doing what you are doing (medicating him) but he needs it, it is out of love to make him feel better.
You can do this. You gotta look at the positives of the outcome being him feeling better. Hold onto that as you medicate him. Then when you're done give him love and a treat and play with him.
You got this!

 

[fionasmom]

That might be one of those things which is theoretically possible, but very unlikely. A cleaning which is improperly done to the point of damaging the mouth could cause problems, but you might have seen other symptoms of that like an actual injury to the gums or bleeding.

Dental cleaning in itself should not damage nerves.

I have found with cats who refuse to eat any food that has medication in it that it is best to just administer it in pill or syringe form. It eliminates all of the suspicion of the food, the possible avoidance of meals which becomes a whole other problem, and is over much more quickly than trying to coax the food into the cat. I gave my SCL cat her meds in pill form in a purrito and my last elderly, sick cat her gabapentin in a syringe.

 

[Rysiek]

I have had to hold my girl by the scruff of her neck with one hand and syringe meds with my dominant hand. It doesn't hurt her and she doesn't even run away.. but I still feel bad. I just have to remind myself that If I had meds to give her to help her feel better and decided not to then that would be neglect/abuse. What we do for our pets to get meds in them, as long as we are not using unnecessary force and we are not physically hurting them, then we shouldn't feel bad. We do because we love them but what we are doing is to help them. You are doing what you need to do to try to get him feeling better. There is nothing wrong with that.
Just try to be gentle with him as to not hurt him. It will be well worth it to him and you if the meds help. It will be ok keep your head up and remember he knows you love him and he might not understand why you are doing what you are doing (medicating him) but he needs it, it is out of love to make him feel better.
You can do this. You gotta look at the positives of the outcome being him feeling better. Hold onto that as you medicate him. Then when you're done give him love and a treat and play with him.
You got this!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am gentle with him, I don't use unnecessary force, but need to wrap him into a towel and press gently, then open his mouth... oh...
You know we'll what I mean...
Perhaps we will get used, it is only his first week...
I will go on Friday for his appointment, without him and ask for compound pharmacy, maybe they can make something tastier..
I think he already appears better...

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am gentle with him, I don't use unnecessary force, but need to wrap him into a towel and press gently, then open his mouth... oh...
You know we'll what I mean...
Perhaps we will get used, it is only his first week...
I will go on Friday for his appointment, without him and ask for compound pharmacy, maybe they can make something tastier..
I think he already appears better...

I understand and I know we can't help but to feel bad but it really is in their best interest just keep that in your head.. you are helping him. Let that be in your head over and over as you are medicating him. Hopefully they can compound it for you.
Keep your head up, stay positive, and just know you are helping him. He will be ok it isn't going to hurt him. It is going to help him.
You got this

 

[Rysiek]

That might be one of those things which is theoretically possible, but very unlikely. A cleaning which is improperly done to the point of damaging the mouth could cause problems, but you might have seen other symptoms of that like an actual injury to the gums or bleeding.

Dental cleaning in itself should not damage nerves.

I have found with cats who refuse to eat any food that has medication in it that it is best to just administer it in pill or syringe form. It eliminates all of the suspicion of the food, the possible avoidance of meals which becomes a whole other problem, and is over much more quickly than trying to coax the food into the cat. I gave my SCL cat her meds in pill form in a purrito and my last elderly, sick cat her gabapentin in a syringe.

That might be one of those things which is theoretically possible, but very unlikely. A cleaning which is improperly done to the point of damaging the mouth could cause problems, but you might have seen other symptoms of that like an actual injury to the gums or bleeding.

Dental cleaning in itself should not damage nerves.

I have found with cats who refuse to eat any food that has medication in it that it is best to just administer it in pill or syringe form. It eliminates all of the suspicion of the food, the possible avoidance of meals which becomes a whole other problem, and is over much more quickly than trying to coax the food into the cat. I gave my SCL cat her meds in pill form in a purrito and my last elderly, sick cat her gabapentin in a syringe.

Yes, he got kind of unsure about food and now avoids the one I was mixing medicine with...also when I give it with a syringe I know exactly what he takes...
He could not eat any pill, as he cannot eat any harder food...

I will get over this but today it is somehow just too much...I see a kind of fear in his eyes, a bit of protesting and a kind of shock of medication in his mouth ..I still gently keep his mouth shut...
He does not really like strokes or to be held, so I let him run away and quickly go to kitchen myself to offer him a treat...
I feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment...