Today was Cow Mau’s second acupuncture treatment.
Last week, he was given acupuncture as well as a combination of three injections for pain management. While acupuncture takes time to work, the combination of the three injections (Ketamine, Convenia and Vetacortyl) was so very effective that Cow Mau immediately perked up after that and could eat very well with minimal pain.
However, the perking up only lasted about five days. By Monday, we were back to square one on the pain again.
From a celebratory 4.2kg (from 3.52kg at the vet’s), he dropped to 4kg and since Monday, the pain had come back in full force. Using the vet’s scale today, Cow Mau weighed 3.9kg, which the vet says is still good as it is an increase from 3.52kg to 3.9kg.
So the next step now is to try laser treatment and our vet recommended a clinic that provides this. So while waiting with Cow Mau for the 15-min acupuncture treatment today, I had already made an appointment to take him there next week (the earliest slot I could get). According to our vet, the laser treatment is non-invasive and most importantly, does not require sedation. We shall know more next week.
Meanwhile, today, Cow Mau had his second acupuncture treatment with 11 needles and was later given another Ketamine jab. This jab is for the pain, but the vet decided to give an even lower dosage than last week’s as she is trying to minimise the side effects on Cow Mau’s liver and kidneys. The Convenia and Vetacortyl is only give once in two weeks.
The vet also managed to open Cow Mau’s mouth to check and there is a lot of inflammation. Cow Mau cannot be given fish oil as an anti-inflammatory because he is already on blood thinners. I also asked about the mesenchymal stem cell therapy which Indy, Tabs and Ginger had, but the vet remembers that it may not be suitable for heart patients. However, she will double-check this for us.
The severe gum inflammation that Cow Mau has is called gingivostomatitis. Vincent had it too, and his manifested more as severe ulcerations. Cow’s is mostly severe inflammation. For Vincent, he couldn’t eat but Vincent was super tough. He endured hunger until I finally figured out what worked – cut up smooth raw chicken meat which he swall0wed whole. Feeding him that, he finally could eat again and he gained weight. Vincent eventually succumbed to chronic kidney disease but we bought him another four months of quality life. Vincent wasn’t even FIV-positive. Life is such, isn’t it?
I’ve tried the raw cut-up chicken for Cow Mau. It doesn’t work at all. All his life, Cow Mau doesn’t know how to pick up pieces of meat. I don’t know why, but he just doesn’t know how to do it. He only knows how to eat kibble or blended food. Kibble is completely out of the question now. It’s only blended food.
As for the treatment, it’s the laser treatment for Cow Mau next week. I found an article about it: https://www.doctorvetlaser.com/en/applications/chronic-feline-gingivostomatitis/
Acupuncture today, with 11 needles. Cow Mau was cooperative. I stayed with him for 15 minutes and we didn’t require the top cat vet assistant of the clinic today! Whenever the vets need the expert, he would be called in. He’s really good with cats.
The vet was very compassionate with Cow Mau and she agreed that being able to eat is the priority now. This is especially so when Cow Mau WANTS to eat; he still has a good appetite. So we agreed that even if Cow Mau wanted food that he isn’t supposed to eat, if that is the only food that he is willing to eat or can eat, we can give it to him in moderate and controlled amounts. In other words, “as long as they eat”, which is my principle in palliative care and elderly cats.
I bought RC’s Recovery liquid food. I did check with the vet if Cow Mau can eat it and she said in moderate amounts, it’s okay. But this food is meant for tube feeding and for recuperation so the fat content is high and it gives a lot of energy too. I bought a bottle to be used only when all else fails.
The thing with Cow Mau is that he is also choosy with food. He doesn’t want Cindy’s pureed food even though that is a liquid which is so suitable for him. But what can you do if the cat doesn’t want to eat it, right? So far, he wants Hill’s KD, which is a good food for him now that he has early kidney degeneration. But the texture is so, so bad for his mouth. It’s sticky. I’ve already blended it with water, but Cow Mau doesn’t like it that way. He also likes Coco&Joe’s and the texture is also sticky and dense and causes him pain, but that’s what he wants. Adding water or blending it just makes him walk away. In any case, when the mouth pain is so bad, nothing works. Even plain water causes pain.
I found what works is to make sure the food is cold from the fridge. Not thawed or warmed. When it is cold, I can scoop small lumps, where Cow Mau can take into his mouth more easily. This reduces the stickiness of the food, if you know what I mean. So when feeding Cow Mau, the food has to be taken freshly out of the fridge. This seems to help.
Just like last week, he wanted to eat after the trip back from the vet’s. This is Hill’s KD from the fridge. Those are the bite-size lumps I scoop out, just nice for one mouthful.
I normally hold up the bowl so that it is easier for him to eat.
He definitely looks perkier now. You can tell from the eyes. His eyes are so much brighter now. But the vet says the effect of ketamine only lasts 24 hours. And yet, Cow Mau cannot be given too much ketamine too often.
I also opted for oral Tramadol instead of the transdermal cream as the vet says the oral tablet works better. But she did worry about how I’m going to feed it to him as it is VERY bitter. The cut-up tablet is in a capsule now. I said I still have to feed him the Amlodipine in the morning and Clopidogrel in the evening, so I will put all into the same capsule and plonk it in, hopefully without getting bitten.
Please wish me luck!
As for the clinic that does the laser treatment, it is located quite far away. Cow Mau gets stressed travelling in the car, but it looks like we would just have to do it.