Issa the Bromocriptine Gal - Pic TWO for Interested/Ghouls

[lilspaz68]

Wow I obviously was too busy to update.

Isabella was in full blown PT with her clinical symptoms. I got a month's worth of bromocriptine (pills only otherwise the compounding would've cost a fortune) for $24.40.
I was going away so gave her fluids and dex to help her until I got home. Then I started her on Sunday morning on the bromocriptine. I crush half a pill (tiny scored tablets) and put it in a spoon of baby cereal and ensure. Issa eats it right up :thumbup:

I have done up an excel sheet but I will just post the progress so far.

Jan 16/11 - 304 g - Start of Bromocriptine study. Issa in definitive PT, was given .03 cc of dexamethasone orally to keep her from regressing until the Bromo gets into her bloodstream
Jan 17/11 - no change noticed
Jan 18/11 - seems alert and agile, not limp when picked up, not too much change
Jan 19/11 - 305 g - able to eat cheerio properly, still seems a bit uncoordinated with the front paws when moving around, able to grasp and eat blocks still, able to get easily to 2nd level of FN, and onto cube to sleep
Jan 20/11 - 312 g - less coordinated (dex wearing off?), confused about water bottle spout (bowl was put in cage just in case prior to this), edge perception has lessened, still able to eat solids
Jan 21/11 - 314 g - Muscular feeling when dangled, not limp or flaccid, hind legs grip wrist instead, seems bright and agile, improving today, grooming is balanced and with 2 hands, gained weight (great sign to me!)

 

Ill be watching this thread closely

 

[smmmiley]

Very, very interesting!!

Nice to see some good progress.

 

[crumbilina]

Woohoo!!!

Go Issa!!!

 

[victoria]

Oh very cool!

Will Dr. Munn be doing postmortems as well? That would really be the only way to see the PTs and the effects of the medication.

I will ask. He actually has a call in to a lab about getting MRI's done.

We talked with my vet about MRIs when Sophie had a stroke and he said it's hard to get a clear image with brains that are so small. I also think (didn't ask my vet so I might be wrong), that in order to keep them still and because of the noise, they may need to be anesthetized for the procedure.

 

[lilspaz68]

Well it ended up being a moot point unfortunately, the clinic never bothered to call back

I asked about ultrasound but the machine costs a minimum of 40K, and to have someone come in and do one with I assume a portable one, costs about $500...and this is for dog owners.

As for necro's, Dr Munn will cover the cost.

 

[victoria]

Well it ended up being a moot point unfortunately, the clinic never bothered to call back

I asked about ultrasound but the machine costs a minimum of 40K, and to have someone come in and do one with I assume a portable one, costs about $500...and this is for dog owners.

As for necro's, Dr Munn will cover the cost.

The faculty here charges half price for small exotics, so it's about $350. Not cheap, but reasonable considering what the costs of human MRIs are.

 

[jorats]

This is looking good.

An ultrasound here cost $400. I don't even know if we have an MRI.

 

we dont have an MRI here for ratties ..the dog ones are too large, although my vet said he wishes he could get one ..they cost so very much

 

[xxchelle]

This is looking good.

An ultrasound here cost $400. I don't even know if we have an MRI.

:eeek: This made my jaw drop. Dr. G does ultrasounds for me for free. I recently got one done on a girl I thought might have internal tumors. I got to go into the back and help him as he did the ultrasound, it was really cool. He ended up taking his time and showing me internal organs and stuff, I wish I got a video of it, it was so interesting.

 

[jorats]

This is looking good.

An ultrasound here cost $400. I don't even know if we have an MRI.

:eeek: This made my jaw drop. Dr. G does ultrasounds for me for free. I recently got one done on a girl I thought might have internal tumors. I got to go into the back and help him as he did the ultrasound, it was really cool. He ended up taking his time and showing me internal organs and stuff, I wish I got a video of it, it was so interesting.

The thing with the ultrasound, it wouldn't be done by my vet, I'd have to go to another vet, referred by my vet.

 

[lilspaz68]

This is looking good.

An ultrasound here cost $400. I don't even know if we have an MRI.

:eeek: This made my jaw drop. Dr. G does ultrasounds for me for free. I recently got one done on a girl I thought might have internal tumors. I got to go into the back and help him as he did the ultrasound, it was really cool. He ended up taking his time and showing me internal organs and stuff, I wish I got a video of it, it was so interesting.

The thing with the ultrasound, it wouldn't be done by my vet, I'd have to go to another vet, referred by my vet.

Dr. Munn has another vet come in with I assume a portable machine? $500 for the dog owner..ouch...and he knows that rat owners usually have the least money of all so it would never pay for itself for that reason

 

How is she doing?

 

[lilspaz68]

Very good. She's gained another 4 grams so has gained a total of 30 grams in 11 days since she started the bromo.

Dr. Munn sees her tomorrow for a tooth trim so we should have more of a "professional" opinion tomorrow. LOL

 

good to hear

 

[lilspaz68]

Issa gained some more, and in the last 4 days she has gone from 330 grams to 344 grams! I have figured out a way to get her pills into her with less "loss". I was told to split them at the score then crush them, but these are very hard pills and I am sure little pieces may have gone flying off. I asked and got permission to soak these half-pills in a teeny amount of water to soften it...but found out it sucks the water in like a sponge and dissolves in less than 20 mins.

I use those spoons from the chinese supply store across from my work as it has a flat bottom, unlike a regular spoon. Put a pinch of baby cereal on top of the Pill water, add a teeny amount of Ensure and plunk Issa down in front of it...*slurp* *gone*

 

That's great news!

When my vet comes back to work, I will be making an apt. just to go in and talk to him about this medication.

 

[Dazzle87]

Issa gained some more, and in the last 4 days she has gone from 330 grams to 344 grams! I have figured out a way to get her pills into her with less "loss". I was told to split them at the score then crush them, but these are very hard pills and I am sure little pieces may have gone flying off. I asked and got permission to soak these half-pills in a teeny amount of water to soften it...but found out it sucks the water in like a sponge and dissolves in less than 20 mins.

I use those spoons from the chinese supply store across from my work as it has a flat bottom, unlike a regular spoon. Put a pinch of baby cereal on top of the Pill water, add a teeny amount of Ensure and plunk Issa down in front of it...*slurp* *gone*

What are you using to split it? There are pill splitters that are covered, so pieces can't go flying. They're usually like three, four bucks.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s...id=Shopping_Feed_Products_Google_Free_Listing

 

[lilspaz68]

Issa gained some more, and in the last 4 days she has gone from 330 grams to 344 grams! I have figured out a way to get her pills into her with less "loss". I was told to split them at the score then crush them, but these are very hard pills and I am sure little pieces may have gone flying off. I asked and got permission to soak these half-pills in a teeny amount of water to soften it...but found out it sucks the water in like a sponge and dissolves in less than 20 mins.

I use those spoons from the chinese supply store across from my work as it has a flat bottom, unlike a regular spoon. Put a pinch of baby cereal on top of the Pill water, add a teeny amount of Ensure and plunk Issa down in front of it...*slurp* *gone*

What are you using to split it? There are pill splitters that are covered, so pieces can't go flying. They're usually like three, four bucks.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s...id=Shopping_Feed_Products_Google_Free_Listing

Nope we are A-okay now. These pills dissolve fast so I don't lose any.

 

[Dazzle87]

Issa gained some more, and in the last 4 days she has gone from 330 grams to 344 grams! I have figured out a way to get her pills into her with less "loss". I was told to split them at the score then crush them, but these are very hard pills and I am sure little pieces may have gone flying off. I asked and got permission to soak these half-pills in a teeny amount of water to soften it...but found out it sucks the water in like a sponge and dissolves in less than 20 mins.

I use those spoons from the chinese supply store across from my work as it has a flat bottom, unlike a regular spoon. Put a pinch of baby cereal on top of the Pill water, add a teeny amount of Ensure and plunk Issa down in front of it...*slurp* *gone*

What are you using to split it? There are pill splitters that are covered, so pieces can't go flying. They're usually like three, four bucks.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s...id=Shopping_Feed_Products_Google_Free_Listing

Nope we are A-okay now. These pills dissolve fast so I don't lose any.

Ah okay cool, glad you got it worked out.