No seizures since the "group" in the beginning of May that precipitated the small dosage increases in both the phenobarb and the Keppra. Seems - fingers crossed - to be working. I do feel that my theory about the sudden return of Milk's appetite (well, partially, at least) and the appearance of multiple seizures was right - it had to do with the reduction (for unknown cause) of the level of phenobarb in his blood. It was very difficult to bring myself to increase the amount again, even by as little as 1/4 of a pill - about 4mg- SID, but it seems to have worked. The last couple of days, he's been wobbly, though. (It's been three weeks or so from the increases, so I don't know what that means, and I really really hate to put him through more blood-drawing - the last time, they couldn't get enough from his thighs and had to use his jugular. ) And not eating as much. I thought I had more canned EVO in the pantry and could start giving him a bottle of it now and then, but it turned out to be the 95% stuff. I'll get more tomorrow. He does seem doped; he spent most of today sleeping. Usually, he's up and wandering around, snuggling with me or the other cats and watching the bird feeder. I can't decide if he seems dehydrated or not. When I give him his pills, I am squirting extra water into him. Not that that'll be enough, of course.
On the Keppra front - still haven't received a bill from Auburn. (And haven't gotten around to calling them, either - "I've been sick, " she whines.) And the 5-21 standards/levels do turn out to be the human levels - I didn't think that Auburn had said that they have enough data to set feline levels. I don't know how significant that is - I was so depressed that he was way over the human standards - what will I do if he's over the cat ones???
Two people (including the epileptic vet tech at my vet's office who takes Keppra herself) have mentioned recently that there is some regulation that generic drugs only have to contain 80% to 100% of the drug in order to be acceptable, and that with drugs that affect the brain, maybe that's a little too much variation? I never priced the brand-name Keppra at the Canadian Universal DrugStore where I buy the generic Keppra on-line. I guess I'll check next time I order. (Mylan Labs, in which I own a big 12 or 13 shares of stock, is supposed to release a generic version of Keppra in October. Big deal.) Just opened the second bottle of Keppra yesterday, so we'll have a month or so to go. I wish the stupid pills came in a shape that you could actually chop up to give varying doses. (Yes, I KNOW that's not what the drug companies want, but it's still annoying.)
The kittens - or a portion of them - I have NO idea what I'm doing with little Toot - will be moving to Rochester, New York on Saturday. I considered taking Milk with me, but I think the stress of being in the car, with all the assorted car noises and strange cats and Dian and Beverly - not the quietest of passengers - for such a long trip would be very hard on him. I just hoping that we can arrange the time so that I get back for his 6:00 Keppra.
Nothing's ever simple.
