One of the side effects of Tinsel's kidney problems is a decreased appetite. In her case, it's a wildly fluctuating appetite. For quite awhile now I've had to practically stand on my head to get her to eat on some days.
Fortunately our vet recommended an antihistamine which has the side effect of stimulating the appetite, along with clearing the nasal passages! It turns out that Tinsel is super sensitive to this medication: It works wonders! I give her a half pill (which is actually a half dose) whenever her appetite starts to wane, wait an hour, and there she is begging for food! For Tinsel, the medication continues to have an effect for several days and she can go for quite some time before needing another dose.
Normally you'd want to determine the exact cause of the decreased appetite rather than mask it with medication, but the vet has been unable to do so in Tinsel's case, as her kidney numbers are not low enough to explain it. This tiny dose is doing the trick for now, and I'm very grateful for that!
Normally you'd want to determine the exact cause of the decreased appetite rather than mask it with medication, but the vet has been unable to do so in Tinsel's case, as her kidney numbers are not low enough to explain it. This tiny dose is doing the trick for now, and I'm very grateful for that!
But here's the funny thing: Not only does this medication stimulate the appetite, it stimulates her personality, too! For the first few hours after taking it, she meows repetitively, becomes super friendly, rolls around, gives head bumps, and transforms into quite the daredevil! I kind of like the Overstimulated Tinsel. But the best part is that she's eating well!
4 comments:
You're such a good mommy, Janet. Happy Valentine's Day to you!
Aww, thanks, Krissy! Hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day, too! ;)
It sounds like the medication is working and that's what is important!
Aw, so glad she is getting the very best care. She is lucky to have you! Although seeing her way up there would put me in fits! ;)
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