Looks like Fatass has Chornic Renal Failure
 

Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year -
has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering an
IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the fluids to
go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and canned.
I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she stops
eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going to pick
up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.


Bluesman

wrote:

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.



Sounds like a plan Bluesman!

ha, that cat don't look fat

I gotta get some of mine posted, you wanna see rolly polly

I have some more info from the blood test - maybe someone can comment:

BUN 129, crea 7.4, ca14.8, phos 11.2

Can someone help me out with these?


Bluesman

wrote:
Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year
- has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering
an IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the
fluids to go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and
canned. I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she
stops eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going
to pick up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I
can't beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.


Bluesman

How long she lasts depends on how advanced her renal failure is. DH & I had
a cat that had mid-range, but it was advancing. She lasted 8 months on
"fluid therapy" & special food (Prescription Diet K/D, plus whatever else
she would eat, cheap canned stuff, just to get *something* in her).

Some weeks were good - some were bad. She peed frequently, a lot of times
not in the litterbox (one time on the bed & pillow right next to my face!).

There were a couple of months where she *seemed* to be getting better - but
actually she was just *acting* better. When I get up for by 3am potty-run,
I would toss a fake mouse for her to play with. She would fetch it and
bring it back to me, with a loud MEOW (she was normally a quiet cat) to
proclaim her catch. I would pat her on the head and praise her, toss it
again on my way back to bed. One time she did that, and I didn't re-toss
the mouse. I stepped past her in the doorway, and my bare foot brused the
mouse. It was *WARM*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked down, and sure
enough, our CRF kitty had caught (and cleanly killed) a REAL MOUSE! About
that time, DH came by on *his* way to the bathroom, and I showed him! He
was shocked. We *really* priased her, and flushed it down the stool.

There are several Feline CRF "support groups" out there, here's one link
(I'm sure you can find more by typing in Feline CRF for a google search):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-CRF-Support/


--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

in article ,
at wrote on 6/2/05 8:10 PM:

Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year -
has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering an
IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the fluids to
go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and canned.
I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she stops
eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going to pick
up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.


Bluesman

What a grand dame! Hopefully she will respond to the fluid therapy. You
never know how long they have with this. It could be more than months since
you are doing the fluid therapy at home and if she likes the food. When she
starts not wanting it, get whatever she *does* want to eat. At that point it
is more important that she eats than what she eats. But hopefully, she will
like the food.

You should check out this website: felinecrf.com. Also, you should join
the yahoo group feline crf support (groups.yahoo.com). There are lots of
people there dealing with the same thing you are. Lots of real good advice.
My cat lived with crf for over 5 years.

Good luck.

Sue
wrote in message
oups.com...
Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year -
has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering an
IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the fluids to
go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and canned.
I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she stops
eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going to pick
up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.


Bluesman

I've read that eating litter is a sign of anemia.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year -
has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering an
IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the fluids to
go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and canned.
I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she stops
eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going to pick
up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.


Bluesman

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have some more info from the blood test - maybe someone can comment:

BUN 129, crea 7.4, ca14.8, phos 11.2

Can someone help me out with these?


The BUN/Cr should come down some with rehydration. When a cat is
dehydrated, urea diffuses back across the renal tubules and raises the BUN-
so the numbers may not be a true indication of actual kidney damage. Fluid
therapy should also promote diuresis which will help eliminate renal toxins
and excessive electrolytes and also lower the BUN and Ca/P.

Because the BUN is so high, you might want to speak to your vet about
diuretics- these will stimulate urinary output and the excretion of uremic
toxins and should lower the BUN a lot a quicker.

I think you should also speak to your vet about a phosphate binder asap.
When the calcium x phosphorus product is over 70 the cat is at risk of soft
tissue calcification- which promotes renal damage. Phosphate binders can't
reduce serum phosphorus alone-- so you must also feed your cat a low
phosphorus diet.

A low protein renal diet (k/d or g/d) will also help lower the BUN. If your
cat won't eat a renal diet, choose a low-phosphorus diet --- *low phosphorus
takes precedence over low protein*. Some good low-phosphorus
non-prescription diets are Wysong, PetGuard and Innova Lite (in that order).

Just remember treat the *cat* not the numbers. The BUN and creatinine
aren't as important as the degree of improvement after the cat is rehydrated
and in diuresis.

Don't forget to speak to your vet about a diuretic and phosphate binder
ASAP.

Best of luck,

Phil

wrote in message
oups.com...
Background, 16 year cat, was my mom's until she passed away last year -
has been drinking a lot and eating litter.

We went to the vet today - she is dehydrated and the blood test
revelaved elevated kidney values and a high calcium level. She also
has a heart murmur. (which I did not know about.)

Anyway, they gave her an IV of NaCL for the dehydration, and I will do
this fluid therapy at home going forward. It involves administering an
IV with an 18g needle. It takes less than 10 minutes for the fluids to
go in.

I also picked up some Science diet k/d and IVD modified dry and canned.
I guess as long as she eats, she is doing ok, but when she stops
eating, there won't be much that can be done. I am also going to pick
up some nutri-gel or vita-gel to supplement her nurtition.

The whole deal, food, blood work, exam, and the fluid IV ran me a cool
$257.25...

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...ture%20306.jpg

Any input from the experienced is appreciated.



Fatass is beautiful and she does not look sick. I remember how
you took care of her while she kept your Mom company in her last
years.

I'm so sorry she's sick. I've never had a cat that has this, so I can't
help with advice. My heart goes out to you--you were a good son
and I know Fatass is in very kind and capable hands. Please give
her a little scratch for me.

wrote:

She eats a bit, plays, purrs, and generally is her usual self - I can't
beleive she only has months to live.

Here is Fatty chillin' on the window sill with her cool look:

She's cute! My late cat lived for over 2 years with CRF (that's not
even what he died from) and I've heard of many others who lived longer.
Some do really well with the sub-q fluids and go on and on. She may
surprise you.

I'll second what Sue said. Check out this website, it's got excellent,
easy-to-understand and very helpful info on making your cat's life
better.

www.felinecrf.org

Best of luck to you both and keep us posted.

Candace