Thursday, April 12, 2012

You've Come A Long Way, Budball!

After 10 months of trying, we finally hit on a new medicine which licked Buddy's skin monster allergies. You may remember when he came to the Casa, he had multiple wounds - so many that I couldn't pick him up without contacting an open sore (you can see here and here but be warned, it's not for the squeemish and these pics don't even show all of his wounds - his tummy was full of them).

Poor boy also had an hellacious ear mite infection and anemia. Doc immediately identified that most of the wounds were likely self inflicted and began treating him for allergies.  Prednisone helped initially, but when we tried to wean him off, we found he still needed a hefty dose to maintain progress. Even then he worried two spots with fair frequency. And poor Buddy was grumpy - really grumpy.  I guess I would be, too, if I itched all the time and we knew the prednisone wasn't helping with the grumpiness. We tried other things but the only med that seemed to work was the pred... Buddy was at the point where he shouldn't keep taking it and Doc was running out of ideas for alternate treatments.

Fortunately, a new med recently hit the market and Doc stood in line for it (OK, not literally!).  Within the first week on Atopica, our Budball was visibly more relaxed and the remaining wounds. Now, at a month, he's totally healed.

So here's what Buddy looks like today (with my lovely niece, Shelly!):

One drawback is that he hates the taste of the Atopica.   I mean hates.  With the heat of a thousand suns, he hates it.  It's a real challenge to dose him but so worth it.  (We will start weaning him off after his upcoming vet visit. Yay!) The other is that taking the Atopica can increase his risk of infection because he's FIV+.  Doc and I agreed that because Buddy was so miserable, and needed to come off of the prednisone, the slight risk was worth it for his quality of life.

It's so nice to have our boy decidedly less grumpy (happy, even!), healthy and itch free.  Doc Andrew and Atopica, I thank you and, let me tell you, the residents of the Casa thank you even more!!

20 comments:

  1. Yeah!!!! We agree - a life less grumpy and itch free is worth the risk.....we are so glad you found this (and may send this post to our relatives - they have an itchy cat at their house).

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  2. I sure am glad that problem seems to be licked LOL! He sure is a handsome dude!

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  3. My girl is itchy too and pulls a little furs. I will bring this up to the Vet when and if she gets worse. My girl Admiral who passed away last December 15th had to have Prenisilone every 7 weeks. She was miserable and we hated for her to have it so much but the alternitive was disaster too. Thank you.

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  4. Love the photo with Shelly! Buddy certainly seems more relaxed! :-)

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  5. Awww, yay for Buddy! I'm glad he's feeling better, and kudos to you and the doc for doing so much for him.

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  6. Buddy looks great! What a long haul for this poor boy. We're glad there's a new med that really has done the trick (paws crossed), even if he does loathe the taste of it.

    (Our mom wants to know why, with all the advances in pet meds, things can't be made to taste yummy and be easily mixed in with canned food. Would be ever so much easier for all concerned!)

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  7. You look GREAT Buddy! Keep taking your medicine - even if it does taste yucky - 'cause it's working. I'll send some purrs your way this afternoon. Okay?

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  8. Lookin' good Buddy!

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  9. Yay for Buddy!!!!! And Doc Andrew, of course, and those who made the new medicine. And you for your patience, love and caring!

    Re taste - you or any kitty guardian who has to give nasty tasting medicine - check with a compounding pharmacist - they are in most large cities. They may be able to put chicken or tuna flavoring in. My Cagney, who is turning age 18 this week, has been on pred for some time - we order it in tuna flavor and now she licks it off the spoon with gusto!

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  10. Yay for Buddy, he can finally enjoy a little love!

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  11. OH Buddy!! You've come such a long way from that bruised and blistered Buddy of last year to such a handsome gorgeous healthy boy!! And your furrs are shiny and all glossy! Yay for everyone who helped you - big big hugs to you all!! And yay for this medicine too!

    Take care
    x

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  12. Poor Buddy! You've had a hard time of it, haven't you? But yay for new meds!!! You keep getting better - no more health problems!

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  13. Might this help?
    http://www.iherb.com/Empty-Capsules

    Buddy looks wonderful, I'm glad atopica works for him.

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  14. What a total and absolute miracle! What a joy to see the boy looking sov ery very well!

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  15. Yay for Buddy! Maybe now he'll stop sitting in the litter box. I'm so happy he's feeling better, and hope it continues.

    By the way, Buddy, Bitty and Sophie are all on the LOLSpot today.

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  16. Oh so happy that Buddy is doing better! those itchies really stink!

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  17. Such terrific news! We knew someone whose kitty licked herself raw from stress, and nothing worked except antidepressants. I'm sure Buddy's skin condition is not related, but my point is that it's such a relief when something finally works to make the discomfort go away, no?

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