diagnosis frustration

Even when the answers are bad, I like ANSWERS. Where my little
Carey-kitty is involved, we never seem to have any. She's been "sick"
for the last 3 years and we've never been able to figure out just
what's going on with her. I'm trying to not add up the costs, as they
just keep mounting.

Carey is an almost 12 year old tortie with numerous problems over the
3 years, related to behavior, urinary issues, weight loss, and early
on, paralysis as well. We've had tests out the wazoo, have seen
standard general practice vets as well as a neurologist, tried various
medications, and we still have no real answers.

I'm hoping those come soon, but the preliminary aren't great choices.

After raising her Elavil level to combat inappropriate urination, she
tore her ACL. That appears to be healing slowly. She's been at the
vet numerous times in the last few weeks and we started seeing a
different vet, closer to home this week.

That was after she projectile vomited 2 meals, and was passing bloody
urine, on Monday. After a few small puddles of that, her urine was
not bloody and she was back to eating without problem. All day
Tuesday was fine. Saw vet on Wednesday, and x-rayed her bladder, and
embarked on more tests (last full bloodwork was last August). She has
a HUGE palpable thyroid gland, yet her thyroid tests (free T-4 still
waiting) have all been normal. She weighs 7# and is skin and bones,
and has been for quite a long time. She eats well (1 full can of
Trader Joe's cat food and 1/2 can Fancy Feast daily) and plays with
the other cat, loves on the dogs, etc.

5 minutes after coming home from the vet on Wednesday, she squatted on
the floor and let loose a large puddle of bloody urine. No blood in
urine since. Her urinalysis shows no issues.

Her kidneys look fine on x-rays, but her test results show renal
insufficiency, but not failure.

We're still waiting for more test results, but so far, we have no
answers. Does anyone have any thoughts?

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

In article ,
enlightened us with...

We're still waiting for more test results, but so far, we have no
answers. Does anyone have any thoughts?

I'm sorry to hear Carey has been so sick.
My first thought was not a good one -- cancer.
My second was that if the tests showed renal insufficiency, 70% of her
function is already gone. So that might be a real problem.
I can't offer too much here, other than well-wishes and purrs for her.
Maybe Phil will have some insights.

--
--
~kaeli~
Never mess up an apology with an excuse.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

On Fri, 13 May 2005 08:57:31 -0500, kaeli
wrote:


I'm sorry to hear Carey has been so sick.
My first thought was not a good one -- cancer.


Thanks. Unfortunately, that's what my vet has said as well. Having
dealt with it with a few pets now, it didn't hit me quite like the ton
of bricks as the first time I heard that diagnosis, but it still is
hard to hear that it's a potential.

The last 2 days, she's been galloping and eating and acting like "hey
- I'm ok - no problem - don't worry about me!". She's a tough little
cat, but obviously not a well one.

She's adored by all beings in this household, so we'll do whatever we
need to for her as we find out (or not) more. Right now she's curled
up with her kitty-"brother" and seems happy as she can be.


--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

Janet B wrote:
Even when the answers are bad, I like ANSWERS. Where my little
Carey-kitty is involved, we never seem to have any. She's been
"sick"
for the last 3 years and we've never been able to figure out just
what's going on with her. I'm trying to not add up the costs, as
they
just keep mounting.

I completely agree. Undiagnosable, untreatable problems are incredibly
frustrating. Thanks for hanging in there.

Your comrade in not-knowing-what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-her-cat,
Jennifer

In article ,
enlightened us with...

The last 2 days, she's been galloping and eating and acting like "hey
- I'm ok - no problem - don't worry about me!". She's a tough little
cat, but obviously not a well one.

Yeah, the massive eating while being bone thin was what made me think of the
big C.


She's adored by all beings in this household, so we'll do whatever we
need to for her as we find out (or not) more. Right now she's curled
up with her kitty-"brother" and seems happy as she can be.

And as long as she isn't suffering, you get to enjoy her company and she
still gets to enjoy life. I bet she's just happy she has such a loving
family.
Purrs to your furkids.

--
--
~kaeli~
What's another word for thesaurus?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

On Fri, 13 May 2005 11:13:50 -0500, kaeli
wrote:



Yeah, the massive eating while being bone thin was what made me think of the
big C.


Well, this seems like the most likely thing now. Urine culture
perfectly normal, still no thyroid issues.

And as long as she isn't suffering, you get to enjoy her company and she
still gets to enjoy life.

Yep. I have opted to not do an ultrasound to find a
[possibly/probably] existing tumor in her bladder or kidney(s). I
will not do surgery on her at this point - there are too many things
wrong and risk is too high, prognosis not big enough.

She hasn't had any more blood in her urine and went almost a week
w/out inappropriate urination. I'll take what I can get!

We're switching her to Prozac from Elavil, and going to add Pred back
in. We're also doing a course of Baytril, just for the hell of it,
even though no infection has been found.

We'll take each day as it comes. Right now, she's happy,
affectionate, and eating well. I ordered her a ramp so she can get up
on her counter (where the cats usually eat, she's been eating on the
floor now), but someone gave me the idea of building steps with
cardboard "bricks". Would have never thought of that, so I'm off to
design that and hot glue gun away!

And she gets to clean the plates after dinner every night while the
dogs look on in envy. She knows she's the queen!


--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album