A few weeks ago I took Oscar to the vet to have her look at his left back leg. It was stiff and he seemed to have a bit of trouble with it. Her verdict was arthritis (he is 16) and she sent me home with some Tramadol for the pain and Cosequin. It has been a bit of a struggle to get him to eat the Cosequin. It is a powder that I need to sprinkle on his food and I don't know how he knows but he knows when I sprinkle it on and he turns his nose up at it.
I have also been trying to make him comfy so he doesn't make things any worse ... Is there anybody out there who has helped their senior feline be more comfy with arthritis? Even just simple ideas I could use to help my little orange guy would be appreciated. I think Oscar would appreciate it , too.
Thanks peoples!
Warmth really helps,whether that's a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel,a heated bed,or a heat reflective bed pad. Our old girl ,Pippa, likes me to gently rest my hands on her hip,as she like the heat and comfort. Pippa has daily steroids (Prednisone) which help so that we don't have to use the Tramadol so frequently. We give her PAWS Osteosupport. It can be sprinkled on food or placed in and on a pill pocket. It's a completely natural product made from green lipped mussles...it reeks of fish,most of our cats love it. It's available at our vets,as our vet swears by it.She sells the one made for dogs,it's identical to that made for cats but much cheaper.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps.
Jane xx
I suggest you put the cosequin in the middle of the food so he doesn't see it. If you are putting it into soft food perhaps you could warm the food just for 10 seconds in the microwave before he eats it. My Lily has arthritis and I just make sure she has lots of cushion where she loves to sleep, keep the area warm for her (we use our wood-stove in the cold weather and a heated pad that goes in the microwave to warm it up, during the warmer weather. I also have elevated her food dishes so she doesn't have to bend down so far to the food dish. If there is arthritis in the legs it could also be in the shoulders, too. This change I believe she appreciates very much. I'll ask others that I know and get back to you if I have any good suggestions for you.
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest a little sprinkle of FortiFlora on the canned food with the Cosequin mixed in. Most cats love the taste of FortiFlora, and there's no need to use a lot of it, just a wee bit. Or some other tasty probiotic or other supplement, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteAnd ditto on a warm pad of some sort. When I use a heating pad for myself, the boys usually will move to it as soon as I get up.
All good suggestions for your baby! We use a heating pad under a sleeping pad in his wicker basket for Leo as the warmth does him good. I also have a little space heater that I run close to his favourite bed which he also loves. It's like being in front of a wood stove or fireplace for him :) I mix meds in Fancy Feast or something he usually doesn't get but would love (baby food works too) just a teaspoon to ensure he eats it all and then I give him the remaining food.
ReplyDeletelove,
the critters in the cottage xo
Poor baby. Skipper uses a heat pad and has Metacam for her leg pain (liquid)she has it every day.
ReplyDeleteI am with Deb about warming the food. I do that for all of Cody's food that has to be refrigerated (when the can isn't done), anyway. I often have to add pumpkin to his food and I warm the food and mix the pumpkin in so he can't see it. You could mix the meds in instead of "sprinkling" it on top. As for arthritis, my heart goes out to you but I don't know. My Angel Bobo passed at age 18 from complications due to heart issues, never had to deal with arthritis.
ReplyDeleteI read this article recently:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-health-tips-medical-cannabis-thc-capsules-hemp
and this is the website that sells the stuff: http://www.cannaforpets.com/
Our Kona loves her heated cat cup!
ReplyDelete