Things continuing pretty much as usual with Milkshake. This week was the sixth anniversary of the arrival of the first seizure, back in 2007. I still wake up sometimes in the middle of the night, thinking that I hear him having a seizure. The other day, I actually watched the video I had made that first year, and it still makes a knot in my stomach to see (and hear) it.
Toward the end of December, 2012, I started him back on the cyproheptadine. He gets 1/4 of a 4mg tablet, once a day. I had discussed it with the vet, who felt that there were no significant concerns about using it, and who agreed that keeping the weight on Milk was a good idea. I give it to him in the morning, with his phenobarbital, Keppra, and Marin, and wait a half hour or so to let it "settle". He grazes during the day - and attempts to hop up on the countertop for Temptations treats every time I go into the kitchen. It doesn't seem to make huge difference in his appetite, but he does seem to be more motivated to eat small amounts on a frequent basis. Which is good.
His last phenobarb level was somewhat surprisingly low - 22.5. Instead of sending it to Auburn, we just used the Antech lab in New York that is the vet's regular resource. I don't know if that's significant or not. Another question may be that the blood was taken almost 9 hours after he got his pill. He doesn't seem any more coordinated or alert or in any way different because of that lower level, but I don't know if I want to see it get any lower. Otherwise, he still is showing occasional agression to the smaller cats, particularly if they're laying in what he considers to be "his" spot. And he spends hours curled up on my right arm, which interferes with my knitting, but is just where I like him to be....
Toward the end of December, 2012, I started him back on the cyproheptadine. He gets 1/4 of a 4mg tablet, once a day. I had discussed it with the vet, who felt that there were no significant concerns about using it, and who agreed that keeping the weight on Milk was a good idea. I give it to him in the morning, with his phenobarbital, Keppra, and Marin, and wait a half hour or so to let it "settle". He grazes during the day - and attempts to hop up on the countertop for Temptations treats every time I go into the kitchen. It doesn't seem to make huge difference in his appetite, but he does seem to be more motivated to eat small amounts on a frequent basis. Which is good.
His last phenobarb level was somewhat surprisingly low - 22.5. Instead of sending it to Auburn, we just used the Antech lab in New York that is the vet's regular resource. I don't know if that's significant or not. Another question may be that the blood was taken almost 9 hours after he got his pill. He doesn't seem any more coordinated or alert or in any way different because of that lower level, but I don't know if I want to see it get any lower. Otherwise, he still is showing occasional agression to the smaller cats, particularly if they're laying in what he considers to be "his" spot. And he spends hours curled up on my right arm, which interferes with my knitting, but is just where I like him to be....
