Hi Carmellia! I might have to do that, sprinkle on moistened kibble. Barney, my hyper-t kitty, isn't a lover of wet food - when I'm feeding the other two their wet food he looks at me like "hey, why can't I have any!" but then promptly sniffs it and walks away when I offer it. So he's a kibble man, he eats MediCal Mature kibble that I get from the vet - great quantities of it I think as his weight was up again at his last check 2 weeks ago. He's almost back up to his pre-hyper-t weight of 14 lbs - he's about 13 3/4 lbs now. He doesn't mind his Tapazole since they are tiny and I just tilt his head back and drop it into the back of his throat without too much trouble.

I'm thinking I may do for Barney what I'm doing for our new guy Pumpkin, we adopted him at the end of December and found out two weeks ago that he has advanced heart disease and reduced kidney function - he's 7. He's now on heart meds and you cannot pill him, he is such a wiggly worm! So I've ended up crushing his heart med into powder and smearing it on a piece of deli chicken - he hoovers it back so fast I don't think he notices there's pill residue on it! Might try that with Oscar too, he's on the same heart meds as Pumpkin (his heart disease isn't as bad as Pumpkin's if you can believe it) - he gets a smaller dose but he still doesn't like it.

Oh, our problem children! Gotta love them though!

tess

Carmellia, if Sadie will eat a canned formula of renal food, that would be better for her because it contains more water content, and the more water you can get into Sadie's system, the better. In fact, a canned food mixed into a gruel with warm water is better still.

If Sadie won't eat a canned renal food, try soaking her dry kibble in plenty of hot water until it becomes mushy, then mix that will more warm water to turn it into a gruel.

Of course, what she probably really needs is subQ flulids since it's unlikely she'll be able to take in enough water orally to keep her body adequately hydrated.

Laurie

I didn't know the renal food came in canned. Sadie sure would prefer that. She has been accustomed to Fancy Feast.

I don't know if it is my imagination, but she seems perkier and her eyes seem brighter since Wednesday. Whether it is the renal food, the Cosequin, or both I don't know, but she seems more alert and interested in what is going on around her. The food is satisfying her hunger more than the Fancy Feast did. She isn't begging all the time. I am encouraged! Carmellia

Carmellia, it seems very obvious to me that your vet is not providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions for Sadie. I can't imagine why he didn't tell you that canned formula renal diet is better for Sadie than dry, except that perhaps he doesn't sell the canned formula and didn't want to lose out on his profit from the dry. However, Sadie may not eat the canned formula (it's not at all like Fancy Feast). Many cats would rather starve to death than eat any renal diet.

Did the vet also explain that many patients don't respond to Cosequin at all, and those who do experience some arthritic relief will typically take 6-8 weeks to show improvement? Cosequin is not a quick fix for arthritis, and as far as I know has no effect on any of the symptoms of CRF.

It's great that Sadie will at least eat some form of renal food. That is probably taking some of the strain off of her kidneys and may be why she's feeling a bit better. Since she's eating a dry diet, though, it's even more important to do everything possible to get more water into her system.

Laurie

I am wondering why you are referring to arthritis and Cosequin being or not a quick fix for it. I give Cosequin to one of our cats since he has two urinary blockages.

I give it daily in wet food, sprinkle the Cosequin on top and if he eats it all, I give him more wet. All 3 of my cats were dry food eaters prior to this cat becoming blocked. They never knew what wet food was as I didn't like the smell, cans in the fridge, etc.

Perhaps you can just wet the kibble with a spray water bottle, I think the Cosequin will stick enough for your cat to eat it up. Actually, I wish I'd thought of it back then, but now all 3 cats are hooked on the wet food. UGH. They start at 5 a.m. running around my bedroom because they know the will get the wet food in the morning - the earlier the better. LOL

Well, looking forward to the arthritis clarification. TIA

Best of luck to you.

The primary use of Cosequin (glucosamine and chondroiton) is as a joint health supplement. I hadn't heard of it being used for CRF either (and I have a CRF kitty). I give it preventively to my younger dogs who raced, and to my older dog who was quite stiff/arthritic when I adopted him. He no longer needs pain meds. Very commonly used for humans too. It does take a month or so to see results.

Cosequin for urinary blockage? What could be the possible therapeutic theory behind that? Cosequin is a joint supplement, as cynthia noted.

Laurie

From an article on feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD)

"Interestingly, a drug that has recently gained widespread acceptance in the treatment of arthritis in dogs and cats may hold the key to symptomatic therapy in cats with iFLUTD. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate belong to a group of substances called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), compounds that serve as the building blocks for cartilage. Available as nutritional supplements, they are now routinely prescribed in dogs and cats with arthritis, especially arthritis affecting the hip joints. It so happens that the inside surface of the urinary tract is comprised of these same GAGs that are present in cartilage. They help to create a water barrier that protects the cells of the urinary tract, helping prevent bacteria and crystals from adhering to their surface. Studies in humans with interstitial cystitis suggest that damage to this protective layer may be a causative factor in this disease, and some preliminary data suggest that this layer may be altered in cats with iFLUTD as well. Although some studies show no statistically significant effect compared to placebo, a few individual cats in the treatment group did show dramatic improvement when given this medication, and quickly relapsed when the supplement was discontinued".

Here is a link that might be useful: uninary tract disease

Very interesting! I wonder if there are any studies being conducted to determine whether the animals who show no joint improvement on GAGs are the same animals who show no urinary tract improvement, and vice versa?

Well, just to be sure I wasn't crazy, I just spoke with my vet, and he does have the "blocked" boy on the Cosequin as a preventative from urinary tract blockage.

This cat hasn't been blocked again since we started the Cosequin at least 4 years ago, so either the Cosequin is doing what its supposed to or we have been lucky:)).

It is apparently possible that the Cosequin may be helping to prevent your boy from reblocking, but I have three boys who have each blocked once and never blocked again without ever having been given any GAGs.

Certainly the Cosequin isn't doing any harm and may be helping keep both your boy's urinary tract and joints healthier, so there's no reason not to use it.

Laurie

I don't know how much you gals are paying for Cosequin through your vets, but the feline formula sprinkle caps can be purchased through KV Vet Supply for $15.95/80 caps without a prescription.

Here is a link that might be useful: KV Vet Supply

It's even cheaper through Amazon.com.

I use the human grades of glucosamine and chondroiton and MSM for my gang. Cosequin is the only pet brand (last I knew) that had been tested to ensure the levels of supplement are as stated. Other pet brands are risky.

I use a similar product on my Golden Lab Roxy called Coseflex-DS, it works wonders

Here is a link that might be useful: coseflex-DS

Has anyone had a weird reaction from Cosequin? I have tried twice to get my cat on Cosequin and both times, she has exhibited some instability not long after taking it. My vet insists there are no side effects, but I thought it suspicious that as soon as I put my cat on Cosequin, she would no longer jump and seemed to stumble and acted really weak. (She was on it for a urinary tract problem, not arthritis). I took her off anyway and she was totally better within a day. Then she got another infection so I decided to try the Cosequin again, thinking maybe the vet was right. I gave her half a dosage (and one dosage of antibiotic - something called Benza-Pen injectable) and she was immediately glassy-eyed and wobbly again. I don't know if it's a reaction to the antibiotic or the Cosequin, but it's a very similar reaction to the first time I gave Cosequin. Anyone???

I'm late to this thread, but maybe some of y'all are still here. This really helps my 15-year old cat with arthritis, but she's picky & will eat her way around the sprinkled cosequin. When she does that several days in a row, her arthritis really flares up. She doesn't see the connection but we do, lol.

I'm going to try some of your suggestions - she loves her kibbles and I will try to sprinkle it on them & moisten them a little. (she eats lots of other wet food, so I didn't want to try the renal wet food - but boy, she really likes the kibbles)

I might buy her some deli turkey & see if that'll be the trick for cosequin.

after that, I'm going back to the winter sowing I've just started. :-)