Anyone else have a cat with autoimmune disease?

I have a little female Siamese of some variety, and undetermined age. She
was a discard, dumped in the country when no longer wanted, and she suffers
from a number of autoimmune conditions. I'd be interested in hearing from
anyone else who has faced this challenge. Even though she has cost me a
great deal of money, she still is full of life and I'm not ready to pull the
plug on her. Her heart is good, kidneys functioning fine, lungs good, her
asthma is under control. She's not suffering, in no pain, she just has to
take medication daily, which she doesn't seem to mind.

Ruth E. Russell wrote:
I have a little female Siamese of some variety, and undetermined age. She
was a discard, dumped in the country when no longer wanted, and she suffers
from a number of autoimmune conditions. I'd be interested in hearing from
anyone else who has faced this challenge. Even though she has cost me a
great deal of money, she still is full of life and I'm not ready to pull the
plug on her. Her heart is good, kidneys functioning fine, lungs good, her
asthma is under control. She's not suffering, in no pain, she just has to
take medication daily, which she doesn't seem to mind.


How have you treated the asthma? My kitty, Dudley, is on steroids for
them, but it is making him absolutely RAVENOUS. All he wants to do is
eat eat eat.

Pam

Hi Pam,

Lily Marie (or the Devine Ms L, as she prefers to be called) has been on
Dexamethizone for 4 years. This was used to treat the asthma and subsequent
Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The downside to this is that eventually, if the
dosage is high enough, for long enough, the cat has a chance of developing
diabetes, which Lily now has.

The steriods do make them eat a lot at least initially. Lily kind of looks
like a football with legs. Lily doesn't seem to eat that much now, but she
does look "fat" and weighs more than I think she normally would. She was on
Dex and Breathine until we came to Colorado and I took her to CSU in Ft
Collins. She had become borderline diabetic and CSU tried to give her a
less systemic steriod. We soon discovered that the Dex was masking severe
arthritis and she had to go back on to a higher dosage of Dex to manage the
arthritis. She has recently been diagnosed with colitus (also an autoimmune
disease) so we're back up at CSU and they are trying to find some other
medications because they don't want to increase the Dex.

Since we moved to Colorado last year she's had a tough go. I think the
stress from the trip out and relocating precipitated some of the conditions
which have shown up. I always knew she didn't feel well sometimes, but was
not in a position to take her to a teaching hospital where they could
thoroughly investigate what was going on, so in one sense the move was good
for her, even though she's had a bit of a tough go.

If you are within a reasonable distance to a vet school, you might consider
making a visit to get a second opinion. They are up on the latest medicines
and procedures and might have an alternative to steriod use. It is also
possible to get your cat tested for allergies, which sometimes is the cause
of asthma, perhaps there is an alternative treatment.


"Kitkat" wrote in message
. ..
Ruth E. Russell wrote:
I have a little female Siamese of some variety, and undetermined age.
She was a discard, dumped in the country when no longer wanted, and she
suffers from a number of autoimmune conditions. I'd be interested in
hearing from anyone else who has faced this challenge. Even though she
has cost me a great deal of money, she still is full of life and I'm not
ready to pull the plug on her. Her heart is good, kidneys functioning
fine, lungs good, her asthma is under control. She's not suffering, in
no pain, she just has to take medication daily, which she doesn't seem to
mind.


How have you treated the asthma? My kitty, Dudley, is on steroids for
them, but it is making him absolutely RAVENOUS. All he wants to do is eat
eat eat.

Pam

Ruth E. Russell wrote:
Hi Pam,

Lily Marie (or the Devine Ms L, as she prefers to be called) has been on
Dexamethizone for 4 years. This was used to treat the asthma and subsequent
Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The downside to this is that eventually, if the
dosage is high enough, for long enough, the cat has a chance of developing
diabetes, which Lily now has.

Dex is exactly what Duds is on. I am sorry to hear about Lily's
diabetes. Of course I fear this happening to Dudley.

The steriods do make them eat a lot at least initially.

So did it kind of taper off? It waxes and wanes for Dudley.

Lily kind of looks like a football with legs.

Poor Lily. That cracked me up though!!!!

Lily doesn't seem to eat that much now, but she does look "fat" and weighs more than I
think she normally would.

Yeah, Duds is a bit porky and I would really like to keep that under
control. He also has pancreatitis, though fortunately he has not had any
flare ups other than the one he had in February. He was on the dex for
that initially and I discovered that it really helped his wheezing.

Since we moved to Colorado last year she's had a tough go. I think the
stress from the trip out and relocating precipitated some of the conditions
which have shown up. I always knew she didn't feel well sometimes, but was
not in a position to take her to a teaching hospital where they could
thoroughly investigate what was going on, so in one sense the move was good
for her, even though she's had a bit of a tough go.

Our poor little furballs, they get so stressed so easily. Dudley has not
had an easy go of it...we got him a year ago from a friend of the family
who's mother had passed away. He is both deaf and blind and he is going
to be 13 years old in September (we believe...if not 13, then 14...vet
records are not definitive.)He also had terribly rotted teeth and gum
disease, but since he had his dental, he has been MUCH better in that
respect. But, he is a terrible patient...since he doesnt know what the
heck is going on at the vet's office!! Imagine if you were both deaf and
blind...and weird people were poking at you and prodding at you! I'd be
****ed off too! I am so hesitant to bring him back and forth for this
test and that test...you know? It is so hard, knowing exactly what is
the right thing to do and what is just too much (on him.)

If you are within a reasonable distance to a vet school, you might
consider
making a visit to get a second opinion. They are up on the latest medicines
and procedures and might have an alternative to steriod use. It is also
possible to get your cat tested for allergies, which sometimes is the cause
of asthma, perhaps there is an alternative treatment.

Thanks for your long, informative post. I appreciate it and will
consider some of your suggestions.

Pam

Lily Marie (or the Devine Ms L, as she prefers to be called) has been on
Dexamethizone for 4 years. This was used to treat the asthma and subsequent
Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The downside to this is that eventually, if the
dosage is high enough, for long enough, the cat has a chance of developing
diabetes, which Lily now has.

The steriods do make them eat a lot at least initially. Lily kind of looks
like a football with legs. Lily doesn't seem to eat that much now, but she
does look "fat" and weighs more than I think she normally would. She was on
Dex and Breathine until we came to Colorado and I took her to CSU in Ft
Collins. She had become borderline diabetic and CSU tried to give her a
less systemic steriod. We soon discovered that the Dex was masking severe
arthritis and she had to go back on to a higher dosage of Dex to manage the
arthritis. She has recently been diagnosed with colitus (also an autoimmune
disease) so we're back up at CSU and they are trying to find some other
medications because they don't want to increase the Dex.

Since we moved to Colorado last year she's had a tough go. I think the
stress from the trip out and relocating precipitated some of the conditions
which have shown up. I always knew she didn't feel well sometimes, but was
not in a position to take her to a teaching hospital where they could
thoroughly investigate what was going on, so in one sense the move was good
for her, even though she's had a bit of a tough go.

If you are within a reasonable distance to a vet school, you might consider
making a visit to get a second opinion. They are up on the latest medicines
and procedures and might have an alternative to steriod use. It is also
possible to get your cat tested for allergies, which sometimes is the cause
of asthma, perhaps there is an alternative treatment.

"Kitkat" wrote in message
m...
Ruth E. Russell wrote:
Hi Pam,

Lily Marie (or the Devine Ms L, as she prefers to be called) has been on
Dexamethizone for 4 years. This was used to treat the asthma and
subsequent Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The downside to this is that
eventually, if the dosage is high enough, for long enough, the cat has a
chance of developing diabetes, which Lily now has.

Dex is exactly what Duds is on. I am sorry to hear about Lily's diabetes.
Of course I fear this happening to Dudley.

The steriods do make them eat a lot at least initially.

So did it kind of taper off? It waxes and wanes for Dudley.

Lily kind of looks like a football with legs.

Poor Lily. That cracked me up though!!!!

Lily doesn't seem to eat that much now, but she does look "fat" and
weighs more than I
think she normally would.

Yeah, Duds is a bit porky and I would really like to keep that under
control. He also has pancreatitis, though fortunately he has not had any
flare ups other than the one he had in February. He was on the dex for
that initially and I discovered that it really helped his wheezing.

Since we moved to Colorado last year she's had a tough go. I think the
stress from the trip out and relocating precipitated some of the
conditions which have shown up. I always knew she didn't feel well
sometimes, but was not in a position to take her to a teaching hospital
where they could thoroughly investigate what was going on, so in one
sense the move was good for her, even though she's had a bit of a tough
go.

Our poor little furballs, they get so stressed so easily. Dudley has not
had an easy go of it...we got him a year ago from a friend of the family
who's mother had passed away. He is both deaf and blind and he is going to
be 13 years old in September (we believe...if not 13, then 14...vet
records are not definitive.)He also had terribly rotted teeth and gum
disease, but since he had his dental, he has been MUCH better in that
respect. But, he is a terrible patient...since he doesnt know what the
heck is going on at the vet's office!! Imagine if you were both deaf and
blind...and weird people were poking at you and prodding at you! I'd be
****ed off too! I am so hesitant to bring him back and forth for this test
and that test...you know? It is so hard, knowing exactly what is the right
thing to do and what is just too much (on him.)

If you are within a reasonable distance to a vet school, you might
consider
making a visit to get a second opinion. They are up on the latest
medicines and procedures and might have an alternative to steriod use.
It is also possible to get your cat tested for allergies, which sometimes
is the cause of asthma, perhaps there is an alternative treatment.

Thanks for your long, informative post. I appreciate it and will consider
some of your suggestions.

Pam