Arthritis in old cat?
Recently, my twelve year old cat was limping so I took him to the vet. After an X-ray, they said he has arthritis. They gave him Cosequin (pill) and Derm Caps (liquid) to give him everyday. I gave both to him on his food everyday, but he soon started throwing up. I started giving it to him every other day, which has been fine, but I’ve noticed his personality is changing. Instead of being easy going and willing to be held and petted, he is walking around wide eyed and meowing all the time. He is much more active than he has ever been, even as a younger cat. Could this be caused by this medicine, if so, what else can I give him to help with his arthritis?
The answer is provided by :
rrm38 :
Talk to your vet about whether or not s/he would be okay with you mixing the Cosequin with water and giving it to him with a syringe. If you could get him to take it this way and not feed him for about an hour or so before or after, it may settle a little better. It may also help to divide it into two doses a day. Cosequin is a great supplement that works well, as it’s a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin. It worked wonders for my 14 year old when he was diagnosed with arthritis. The change in behavior could be a sign that he’s still experiencing pain from the arthritis, and getting him to a full dose of the Cosequin may help with that. Derm caps is typically used to treat skin problems. If he doesn’t have dry skin, you might ask about removing it so he’s not getting so many things at once. Or, you may be able to switch to a food containing Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. Switching to a wet food diet and adding cool mist humidifiers to the home can also help with dry skin. Again, please speak with your vet before doing any of these things. I’ve had cats for many years, but am nowhere near as educated on the matter as a vet.