Following are selected posts to the Holisticat (TM) Mailing List on the subject of prescription drugs and cats. There's a lot of information here, and the posts are arranged in ascending chronological order. If there is a particular word you're looking for, it's probably best to utilize the "Find in Page" function in your edit menu!

Happy hunting :)

From: s_arora@ (Sandy )
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 01:06:41 EDT

On Fri, 23 Oct 1998 13:45:35 EDT GoForaSail@ writes:
<<it is cancer and recommended Fudge take steroids to get her to eat and make her feel better. She also (natch) wanted to start Fudge on chemo. >>

Ugh, purrsonally I'd never have chemo myself or subject my cats to it. W/ humans chemo is rough cuz it kills the good stuff along w/ the bad. Supposedly, w/ cats they use injections and it is better than for humans but I ain't convinced.

Emily, I think Vick said what I feel about steroids.  Main concern w/ Fudge being on steroids would be that they lower the immune system which is the last thing a cat w/ cancer needs:(  I don't like that

Incidentally, is  cyproheptadine the generic for Periactin?  If so, I'll look for a file I had on it detailing all the bad stuff.  May have lost it in my last crash but I think most of what I had was from the PDR on CD-Rom.

But like Vick, if I *had* to pick, I'd go w/ Periactin over Prednisone any day.  The vet who diagnosed Boo Boo told me he probably got kidney failure from the Pred:(

I got a prescrition filled for Periactin but after I read about all the side-effects etc. I threw it away.  I owe Marty an email anyway so will ask her to refresh my memory.  She was giving it to Trisha about a yr ago, and Trisha at first ate well but later she crashed real bad due to the Periactin.

Fudge's blood test results should be back soon.  Boy, I'm sure worried about her!:(  Sending good wishes to all kitties.

Sandy, owned and operated by the mountain cats

From http://www3.islandnet.com/~rinfocan/ - pharmaceutical site for humans. "Diltiazem Hydrochloride can cause severe liver damage and should be taken with caution if you have had hepatitis or any other liver condition. Caution should also be exercised if you have a history of kidney problems, although no clear tendency toward causing kidney damage exists."

"Possible side effects include abnormal heart rhythms, headache, fatigue, nausea, rash, and fluid accumulation in the hands, legs, or feet.

Less common side effects are low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, changes in heart rate (increase or decrease), heart failure,
light-headedness, nervousness, tingling in the hands or feet, hallucinations, temporary memory loss, difficulty sleeping, weakness,
diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, upset stomach, itching, unusual sensitivity to sunlight, painful or stiff joints, liver inflammation, and increased urination, especially at night."

"DRUG INTERACTIONS
Taking Diltiazem Hydrochloride together with a beta-blocking drug for high blood pressure is usually well tolerated, but may lead to heart failure in people with already weakened hearts.

Calcium channel blockers, including Diltiazem Hydrochloride, may add to the effects of Digoxin, although this effect is not observed with any consistency and only affects people with a large amount of Digoxin already in their systems."

Tracy wrote:
<<Well, she gave us prednisone, and said that Kierkegaard should take one a day for 5-7 days,>>

I would not use prednisone if you can avoid it. One of the side effects of prednisone is diabetes. I lost my cat to diabetes
after my vet prescribed this drug.
Best ever,
Kate B

Tracy  wrote:
<< Anyway, I'm still concerned.  She has still been coughing, maybe every other  day, several coughs in a row.  The vet said that it could be asthma,>>

How do the coughs sound (dry, wet?), and what is her posture during the coughing episodes?  So her heart looked fine on the X-Ray?  Cuz the 2 things that come to mind are cardiac problems or asthma.  But if her heart/lung area showed fluid around it, your vet would have mentioned it. Hmm..did the vet actually diagnose it as asthma yet?

<<discussion of prednisone here, but I don't recall anything specific.  I seem to recall, however, that prednisone is not necessarily a good thing.>>

Very bad, actually.  I found a website long time and posted it (will see if i can find that post of mine) - it cited some studies that showed pred can cause diabetes. And the vet who diagnosed Boo said his kidney probs were a result of the Pred.  Among other things, this drug suppresses the immune system.  It is bad news, IMO.  The appetite stimulation effect of this drug comes at a very hi price indeed.

<<So, my question is, what should I do now?  I think I may like to consult a  holistic vet, to discuss this, the calcium, cholesterol and creatnine.  I  would probably have to do a phone consult -- do you all think that this is a  good option?  Since we just had the x-rays, exam and blood test, I'm wondering if a phone consult would be enough?>>

Yes, it should be just what a homeopath would need to have more info as to what might be wrong.  U are w/in your rights to request a copy of all the bloodwork, x-rays etc. and then can mail it to the holistic vet.

<<What do you all recommend for the creatnine?  Her level was 2.1, which was  in the test's normal range, but I understand that this is still a bit high.  Are there supplements I can give her now to hopefully prevent future  problems?>>

U can start her on CoQ10 and dandelion anytime.  The dandelion u can mix into her food (open a capsule or add a few drops of diluted tincture). Don't give every day but maybe 3-4x a week or so.  And Vits B and C are always good plus E and A less often than the water-soluble ones.

Good luck w/ Kierkegaard; she sounds like a really precious kitty to be so good at the vets..awww:)

Sandy, owned and operated by the bratty mountain cats

<<Macleod's book, but I believe a potentised hormone would be the hormone in a homeopathic form in tablet or pellet.  *I* would prefer to try that on the kits rather than the Ovaban as I believe I've heard of harsh side effects w/ Ovaban, and homeo. remedies don't carry that risk as far as>>

So glad u mentioned this Susan.  I know of at least 3 cats who developed diabetes after being on Ovaban:(  I dunno the other cats personally but have read on other lists about some who had other even worse side-effects from Ovaban.  It's bad news.

Sandy, owned and operated by the mountain cats who will hopefully have a Persian brother again soon

<<Diabetes . . . that's a new one to me.  Megan was on Ovaban on and off for about 5 years and developed a benign mammary tumor in 1992.  That's when I started going holistic with the cats.  Still, last September she had a malignant mammary tumor removed and none of her vets (holistic, allo or surgeon) dispute that the Ovaban is responsible. As I recently said elsewhere, if a human drug caused the side effects of Ovaban, the FDA would have had it off the market by now.
Susan>>

Elavil, Buspar, and Valium have all been implicated in liver failure in cats.  I know there is info on this on the web, and allo vets
admit to this as well.  I don't have the info at my fingertips  but a net search should yield a lot.

I have yet to see an allo med of any type that doesn't have nasty effects:(

Hope kitty's human is open to other ideas <fingers crossed>

Sandy, owned and operated by the mountain cats who hate allo meds as much as mama does

<<You may want to try the following web site.  It has a bunch of info on Elavil and includes all of the side effects that can happen.  I didn't realize that this drug could be used on cats.  Interesting.  The web site is http://www.fairlite.com/ocd/medications/elavil.shtml>>

noreen wrote:
<<The vet wants to put him on Elavil, seems there has been some documented  cases of this reducing bladder inflammation and pain in women and in  cats.>>

Hi Kidz,

Here's what I dug up on Elavil.  Its generic name is amitriptyline an antianxiety and tricyclic antidepressant generally prescribed for compulsive behavior and fear.  It works in the central nervous system and inhibits the normal function of the neuro-transmitters.  The drug is used in the treatment of behavior problems because ceratin undesirable behaviors cannot be managed by behavior modificatio techniques alone. In such cases behavior modification is prevented due to severe anxiety
or fear, a strong hormonal component to behavior or a neurochemical imbalance in the brain.  All undesirable behaviors have a learned component.  Treatment of any undesirable behavior requires behavior modification.  Drugs are only useful for certain specific types of behavior problems abnd they should *only* be used as an adjunct to behavior modification.

Most psychotropic drugs used in veterinary medicine are not licensed for use in animals.  There are a few controlled studies in animal establishing dose, efficacy, or safety.

Amitriptyline (Elavil) should be avoided where liver disease, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, seizures, heart failure, abnormal heart
rhythms, or those on thyroid medication.

Possible side effects are drowsiness, vomiting and diarrhea.  Possible (rare) side effect: urine retention and hyperexcitability.

It says the drug is best given in the evening with food, cats 5-10 mg once daily.  Should be gradually discontinued by reducing dose over a 2-3 week period.

Hope this helps with your decision Noreen.

"Jane " wrote:
<< Noreen, about 10 years ago I was put on Elavil for depression..not a  bladder problem, according to my drug book, its function is an  anti-depressant..I remember basically for the time I was on it, all I did was eat, sleep & barely function at the office..the book also says it helps  with bedwetting?? and sometimes pain relief..it is in the family of  tricylcic antidepressants(the book is for people/not cats)..it also says  this kind of medication "probably affects part of brain that controls  nmessages between nerve cells".  The book I'm using as a source is Complete  Guide to Prescription & Non-prescription Drugs by H. Winter Griffith MD  Please be careful, but if you do give it your baby will gain weight, I put  on over 20lbs..>>

From what OUR vet has told us in regard to my problem peer Carrie, as well as Kirika, our newest kitty, the Elavil would be a sensible choice.

We have had Kirika, our interstitial cystitis kitty, on Elavil twice now.  Although our vet says the Elavil acts in cats as a sedative, the purpose for which it is prescribed for most interstitial cystitis (IC) cats is its side-action of decreasing histamine response  (this almost verbatim because we visited the vet for Kirika's checkup two days ago). The thinking is that the body sort of reacts against the cat's own urine *as if* it were foreign material, and the histamine response is triggered to try to destroy the material, but in fact attacks the cat's bladder lining.  UGH!  (Though I would caution against equating every human drug effect with the same in cats!)  The "horror stories" you recall, Noreen, are probably in connection with the possible liver involvement.  If you give Elavil over a relatively long period of time, you need to keep a close eye on a cat's liver functions, because in some cats, (is it ones with cardiac problems? I don't know for sure) Elavil can elevate the liver enzyme levels.

Elavil is commonly used for territorial marking, because the thinking is that the cat gets anxious about invasion of territory.  (This didn't help my Carrie, though).  There was a conference our vet went to last week, at which some of the presentations suggested a possible link between IC and anxiety triggers, which *I* believe based on anecdotal evidence.  (Kirika has not had any IC problem since we've given her reign over our bedroom and attached bath, and kept the other cats from any contact with Kirika! ;-})

When we talked about trying to ease Kirika's anxiety about our other cats, and told our vet we would prefer an alternative to the Elavil, the vet suggested Nutricalm.  I'm just learning about it, but it's from Nature's Sunshine, and it looks primarily like vitamin/nutrient therapy with a bit of herbal added (hops, I think valerian and chamomile too??) -- B vitamins and some C.  I can't tell you how well it works really. Kirika seems a lot friendlier, but she's only taken the Nutricalm about two days so far!

The good news about the Elavil is that, theoretically, you would NOT have to keep giving it to Cletus forever.  I guess this assumes that Cletus' illness has not ingrained in his mind that litter box=pain.  I am afraid that before Carrie was my cat, she formed a pretty strong link between "cat sighting" and "emergency!" so I just have to watch her behavior at all times and be sure she is sequestered when she spots "an enemy."  Noreen, it works, but it's very nerve-wracking, to put it mildly!  We have not yet looked at whether it could possibly be that Carrie also has aftereffects from an IC episode(s) in her past.  She is PERFECT in using her litterbox provided *WE* make sure she is alone with little choice BUT the box!
Cheers,
Linda