Is my cat's B12 or Prednisolone treatment feeding his cancer?

Hello. I am so sorry about Bugger's cancer. No, the prednisolone did not actually allow the cancer to grow. Prednisolone is a steroid, & acts as an anti-inflammatory. It is often used in conjunction with some protocols to treat cancer, but it is not a cancer medication by itself. So, the cancer was going to advance & grow regardless of the prednisolone. I have no idea what kind of cancer Bugger has, but the use of surgery & an actual anticancer protocol might have been curative. This being said, the prednisolone may have contributed to Bugger surviving these past 4 years & allow him to make it to this wonderful old age. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

B12 will support nervous system, GI system and immune system function. It may also stimulate a cat's appetite to some degree. B12 may be of benefit to cats with intestinal lymphoma. Since it is a water soluble vitamin, it is considered very safe to use. Discuss use and a dose with your veterinarian or a veterinary oncologist familiar with your cat's medical history and health status.

I'm sorry to hear that Bugger has been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. Unfortunately, it is illegal for me (or any other vet on PetCoach) to make any specific dosage or medication recommendations for Bugger since I have not examined him in person. It's really important that you get Bugger established with a new vet for ongoing care, particularly since he has an ongoing chronic issue. He will need monitoring not only to track the progression of his SCC, but also to monitor his heart, liver and kidney function, and to be sure that he doesn't develop diabetes as a result of chronic steroid treatment. This article has more information about prednisone (prednisolone is equivalent, but in a form that is more bioavailable for cats): https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/prednisone/. I hope that everything goes well for Bugger!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. With IBD, I would also recommend using B12 supplementation such as Cobalequin. Cobalequin is available online and is easy to get. This is basically a B12 supplement and is extremely bioavailable even in the presence of GI disease such as IBD. A different diet such as a hydrolyzed protein diet (a prescription diet) may also be helpful. You will need a prescription for a hydrolyzed diet and your veterinarian can provide this for you. I would try these things and see if they help at all with the soft stool / diarrhea / poor appetite. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be happy to help you further.

Poor Kitty! Since she is already 17 years old and she is having such a tough time with her inflammation in her GI tract, I think steroids will be the best choice for her. If her blood work looks okay now, then I think she can tolerate the steroids. Unfortunately, if you don't put her on steroids the lymphoma or IBD may continue to get worse. It is true the steroids will not CURE lymphoma, but it certainly give her a better quality of life right now. It could keep the IBD under control and eventually you may be able to decrease her steroid dose to a lower dose. The concerns of long term steroids are much lower since she is already geriatric. If she was 4 or 7 years old, then I would be much more worried with starting her on long term steroids at that time. At the age of 17, our goal is to give Kitty are good quality of life. If you want more options about the lymphoma and interested in seeing an oncologist, I would ask your vet for a referral for a oncology consult. I hope this helps!

Usually we do end up giving some sort of supplementation to cats with severe IBD. However if their intestines are not absorbing things normally often we have to get the supplementation as injections. This is something your veterinarian could do or even teach you how to do. I recommend contacting them to set this up.

You definitely seem to have done plenty of research for Zise. Well, nobody likes putting their pets or themselves on corticosteroids. As you already know, there is a long list of side effects and they can sometimes outweigh the benefits of the drugs. In this case, if IBD has been diagnosed definitively, prednisone is typically the best course of action (in combination with dietary change to a low fat, high quality protein formulation). One of the theories behind using corticosteroids in the treatment of IBD isn't only to reduce inflammation. Many researchers believe there is an autoimmune component to the disease process. Prednisone is an immunosuppressive drug, and will therefore help with this condition. I would suggest following the advise of your vet for now and seeing how things go. You can always take Zise off the drug if you feel the benefits are not outweighing the side effects. Often times, some cats will not experience any sides effect and simply benefit from the drug's effects. In terms of stem cell therapy, I don't know much about this as a treatment option for IBD. Regenerative medicine is fantastic and I have seen it work miracles on many orthopedic patients. I am sure there is definitely a way to make if work for IBD patients as well, but you would have to speak with a person who specializes in this area to find out the details. I wish the best for you and Zise. Let me know if you require any more consultation on IBD and how to manage the disease.