Milbemax drug reactions

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Janet Costidell — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:23:09 GMT

Thanks for this, Doolally, I was going to update when I got the notification email that you had already done it. I'm gutted that it;s my fault. I live in a very rural area, few cats are vaccinated, and my kittens did go out of the house on reflection, but for less than 10 mins while I mopped the floor and the floor dried. How awful that they could have contracted it so quickly and so easily, entirely my fault, I should have been more careful. I'm fairly confident the disease isn't in the house, as I hand reared a litter a year ago, they were here for 3 weeks until they could eat solid food, and went back perfectly healthy, if the disease was in the house, they would have succumbed very quickly with no antibodies from their mother. Still, no unvaccinated animals will be coming anywhere near this house in future. Thanks for the info everyone.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Doolally — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:00:50 GMT

[quote user="Janet Costidell"]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread as my first posting (Hi all!), but I am interested to know if there were any conclusive results from these PMs?

I had the devastating experience of losing my own two 10 week old kittens last weekend after dosing with Milbemax (by the book), and experiencing exactly the same symptoms as the kittens in the original posting. One died the morning after dosing with Milbemax, the other two days later after support for shock. The kittens had never been outside, and had been regularly wormed with Panacur paste before the Milbemax. I am doing some research on the drug as you can imagine, both kittens are in for PM at Novartis' expense, but I am still very hungry for info.

[/quote]

I hope Janet doesn't mind me posting this, indeed she may not even see it unless she gets emailed when there is a new post.

Janet posts on a horsey forum I go on, and the PM results have come back as Panleukopenia.

Obviously the loss is still devastating but felt I had to post the update so that we can feel confident in using milbemax still. And it highlights the fact that although rare these days due to vaccination, cats and kittens still do die from panleukopenia if not vaccinated

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:36:45 GMT

I guess for two little kittens a sweet tasting puddle might have been a draw... either way it is awful. I hope you do get your answers.

We have continued to use Milbemax since it was proven not to be the wormers and I have to say have had no other problems we are aware of...

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

PHA86 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:24:48 GMT

A very coincidental thing happened to me at work today:

I read this thread yesterday with some scepticism, seeing as we use Milbemax as our main wormer and I have never heard of any problems. However, the first client I spoke to today had brought in a kitten in for cremation, having been given a wormer by a cat charity.

The lady went on to say that it was a wormer that our practice uses and that following administration it began with awful vomit and diarrhoea. I'm cannot be 100% it was Milbemax or whether she'd given the right dose but it's still really worrying!

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Janet Costidell — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:49:18 GMT

What happened to these kittens in the original post is so similar that it has set cogs turning in my head. The kittens did actually go outside for a very brief period while I mopped the floors. There is absolutely no anti-freeze anywhere outside my house, but there is just a chance that one of the cars parked in our driveway could have a leak. However, if it did leak, the anti-freeze would be very dilute, and with the amount of rain we have had in Wales, even more dilute than when it first left the car. In cases of ethylene-glycol poisoning, is it assumed that the chemical was neat or dilute? I know that it only needs a teaspoon or so to kill a kitten, but if that were dilute, would that be the case?

I have two collie dogs and an older cat, who incidentally have never shown any signs of poisoning despite being in and out all the time. I can't believe two kittens, who had never stepped outside before, except for this short time while the floor dried, would have gone straight to a puddle which may have contained anti-freeze, when there was so much else to explore?

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Vicky RVN — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:30:43 GMT

So sorry to hear about your loss Janet, take care xxx

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:42:09 GMT

Firstly Janet - I am so so sorry for your loss.

Novartis also paid for the PM on these cats, but they did come back conclusive for Ethylene Glycol, as did all the other tests.

Please keep updating us on what happens with your kittens - even if my case was just a fluke then we need to be vigilant.

Big hugs to you in the meantime

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Janet Costidell — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:35:47 GMT

Sorry to resurrect an old thread as my first posting (Hi all!), but I am interested to know if there were any conclusive results from these PMs?

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:20:27 GMT

[quote user="Sandra Taylor RVN"]

I think if it is/was Ethylene glycol, you would not have the older cat either, unless it is suffering from something else and it's just coincidental.

Did you do a micro on the urine to check for casts and calcium oxalate, also did you check the Ca blood values?

[/quote]

That was what Bristol were saying was the top possibility after the toxicology tests so far, but they have further tests to do.

We have struggled to do any tests on any of the cats, we have had them all at a late stage and they have all been hyperaesthetic, meaning getting bloods have been so stressful we have risked causing more fits so tests have been really limited, as much as we wish we could have done more.

It has made us all feel so useless, we are just hoping Bristol can give us a final answer. Axiom vet labs are also doing an ethylene glycol test on bloods from the second cat that we took a few days ago but the owners asked us not to send.

Once we have an answer for definate I will let you all know. Thank you for your interest, and support.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:11:21 GMT

I think if it is/was Ethylene glycol, you would not have the older cat either, unless it is suffering from something else and it's just coincidental.

Did you do a micro on the urine to check for casts and calcium oxalate, also did you check the Ca blood values?

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:11:24 GMT

Ethylene glycol is looking the most likely, we ensured no lilies when we first spoke to them. No lead or mercury we know of as yet. We have them turning the place upside-down.

We have asked them to bring the older cat in, I think they were taking it in tonight but they are struggling for money now they have spent so much on the two they have lost.

We are praying we get no more cases. Its killing me off!

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Steph Worsley — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:45:50 GMT

any lilies or herbicide/pesticides/ethylene glycol they could have nibbled on? sounds like it could possibly be severe acute renal failure just with you saying the renal values were off the scale.

or any evidence of lead or mercury wound the environment?

hows the older cat? would it be worth running full bloods on that and even possibly getting on ivft to flush its system through

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:47:56 GMT

[quote user="Vicky SVN"]

How is it doing today?

[/quote]

Second kitty was euthanased last night when it took a turn for the worse.

Early PM results are inconclusive, but 2 6 month old kittens belonging to a neighbour are now ill, very similar signs, one having died this morning.

All the cats go in the garden rarely and mainly stay inside, the owners have turned their house upside down looking for causes so hence the Milbemax focus - and I started this to look for any other Milbemax reactions, not to cause a witch hunt so please don't think that. I use Milbemax on my own dog!

Thankfully, it looks to be environmental and we are now scrabbling to find whatever is making these cats ill and praying we get no more. Thank you all for the help and reports - I have been feeding them back to the vet and we have, throughout, been looking for other causes.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Vicky RVN — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:53:07 GMT

[quote user="Emma Kerry"]

Latest news, second kitty is very poorly.

Managed to get blood off it today, renal values off the scale. Now very flat again. All very worried.

[/quote]

How is it doing today?

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:01:32 GMT

WE had this in a staffie pup a few months back.. it died, and we use Milbemax, it was investigated and found that it was not the milbemax.., cant remember the in's and outs of the case, as I was on hoilday when it initially happened so only heard second hand when I got back. But I will definitely be asking about it tomorrow when I am back at work.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:48:00 GMT

[quote user="Sal (the 1st) Holesworth VN CMH Chyp (M)PNLP"]

better safe than sorry yes and if an alternative is available then maybe use that until it established what has caused the problem. but we dont know definitively that milbemax is the problem yet.

[/quote]

True, I really hope it's not! mine are due for worming soon but I think i'm gonna go with Profender this quarter!

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Sal the 1st — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:45:00 GMT

better safe than sorry yes and if an alternative is available then maybe use that until it is established what has caused the problem. but we dont know definitively that milbemax is the problem yet. Any further information on this will be helpful to everybody, but its important not to just fix on one product unless it is the proven cause - it can stop other potential causes being investigated and the real cause being missed.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:37:12 GMT

suppose it could be coincidence that two young kittens and three young cats have been affected in the same way with the same symptoms from the same drug. but you would have thought they would have been similar breeds or in similar environments. but two were moggies and two were pedigrees and one a different breed pedigree than the other two and I think all were indoor cats. I'm definitely interested in finding out what the problem is either way! but certainly jumping to conclusions would help us narrow it down and prevent any further illness/death if it is in fact the Milbemax that's the problem. Better safe than sorry until proven i say!

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Sal the 1st — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:00:53 GMT

lets not jump to conclusions until it is proven - but it is good to be aware of a potential problem

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:57:37 GMT

It's really starting to look like a Milbemax problem :( another case with some pedigree kittens at another clinic. :(

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Sal the 1st — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:45:19 GMT

[quote user="Emma Kerry"]

Latest news, second kitty is very poorly.

Managed to get blood off it today, renal values off the scale. Now very flat again. All very worried.

[/quote]

can I just ask if all of these cats have access to outdoors or are they indoor cats

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Steph Phillips — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:02:37 GMT

omg!! can't believe i missed this post!!

How awful.. :( we've never seen a reaction with milbemax.. the only thing i can think of was that a client had purchased a cat one, and kitten one.. but gave the adult one to the kitten.. when she realised she brought her straight down, thankfully kitty was fine.. rang drugs info line and also rep for advice - both said that you'd have to give 10x the recommended dose for it to do any harm??!

Hope Kitten makes a recovery xx

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:52:15 GMT

Latest news, second kitty is very poorly.

Managed to get blood off it today, renal values off the scale. Now very flat again. All very worried.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Emma Purnell — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:45:57 GMT

[quote user="StephB"]

were these pedigree kittens and was it a litter of three 9 wk old kittens? If not I think i may know of another case! Let me know.

[/quote]

Nope, 3 moggies, 2 siblings 9 months old and one much older cat - completely unrelated. I will send you a PM.

Re: Milbemax drug reactions

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:20:49 GMT

were these pedigree kittens and was it a litter of three 9 wk old kittens? If not I think i may know of another case! Let me know.