Vitamin B-12 Options?

[javannalynn]

Theo had his blood work done recently and his kidneys are still going down hill slowly. His thyroid is great. But the vet mentioned he is anemic. He said usually B-12 helps. I haven't had a chance to talk to him about how to give him b-12. Does anyone have any good options? Maybe something he could eat? He loves food. Monday he's getting some or all of his teeth pulled so i'm looking for something we can start adding to his diet after that. Any suggestions?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Maybe daftcat75 or LTS3 would have thoughts for you

 

[AbbysMom]

My cat goes every three weeks to the vet for a B-12 shot. I know some members give the shots themselves at home.

 

[daftcat75]

B-12 is best administered as a subcutaneous injection. If it is needed, then the ability to absorb it from food is already impaired. It's not as scary as it sounds though. The biggest trick is to be assertive and decisive. Prick and push in almost the same motion before the cat flinches. Otherwise, you will end up squirting more on him than in him. Thankfully, there is no problem with trying again except that Theo is already on to you by then.

Cost to buy the bottle, the supplies and disposal, and to learn how to do it: $76. Cost for the vet to administer a single shot in the office: $85. Buy the bottle and learn to do it yourself. A typical B-12 schedule might be once a week for four weeks, once every other week for a month, and then once a month after that.

May Theo be as well-behaved as this cat. (Krista wasn't. But the difference it made for her was worth the extra effort.)

 

[AbbysMom]

Cost for the vet to administer a single shot in the office: $85.

Yikes! I pay less than $20 for a B-12 shot.

 

[daftcat75]

Yikes! I pay less than $20 for a B-12 shot.

I haven't scanned the receipt yet so I can't say for sure. There was a $70-something line item and an $80-something item. Either way, it wasn't $20. The vet said it would have been cheaper (maybe no cost?) had I brought in my bottle from home. I figured I was already bringing Krista in for a checkup so what's an extra needle prick from the vet vs. another stressful struggle with her now that she's wise to these shots. The B-12 makes her perky which made giving the shots to her harder as her levels got back to normal.

 

[LTS3]

I give B12 (cyanocobalamin) 1000 mcg injections at home. I pay $15.89 for two 1 ml vials which I need to buy every other month because a vial can't be used more than once. Leroy's dose in 0.25 ml once a month.

Giving an injection isn't hard nor does it harm / hurt a cat. The vet can show you how to do it and how to properly measure the dose. You basically pull up the skin at the nape of the neck and poke the needle in and press the syringe plunger down. My cat doesn't notice.

I am not ware of any other form of B12. A quick online search comes up with a liquid B12 supplement that can be put in food but there is no information on the B12 strength (is it the 1000 mcg typically given to cats? Or something else? Does it contain other stuff?). I would not use these "alternative" B12 products.

 

[javannalynn]

I already give him subcue fluids. So he's a master with needle pokes but I was hoping to try maybe a food product first. The vet made it sound unimportant so I figure it's something we can try to supplement first with food or additive. He said he's a little out of range.

 

[daftcat75]

B-12 is plentiful in animal products and also supplemented in all foods. So little is needed. So if he’s out of range, he’s having trouble absorbing it or he’s been depleted. And ironically, he requires B-12 to absorb B-12. If he needs B-12, the difference it will make is huge. If he doesn’t, he’ll pee it out. The risk-reward is so low and the bang for the buck is so high. Buy a bottle from the vet and give him the shots.