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  1. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Thank you so much for all of your replies and comforting words. I am feeling less guilt and better about my decision, little by little. In case this is of any help to someone who finds this thread in the future, here's a link to an article about the outcomes of cats experiencing acute on...
  2. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    @silent meowlook, thank you so much for this reply. You are absolutely right. I need to be firm with myself so I have the energy to take care of my others pets, Phoebe’s littermate Calvin and my dog. Calvin has the exact same coloring as Phoebe. It is comforting to see him.
  3. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    @silent meowlook, thank you for this message. I'm needing to re-read it because I'm of course second-guessing my decision. Phoebe was euthanized on Tuesday at noon. In my heart, I think I made the right decision. After I got home, Phoebe was willing to eat a little, but continued to drink...
  4. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Thank you for your wise message, @silent meowlook. I am at peace with my decision to euthanize Phoebe. Given the progression from 1.7 to 2.2 between August & the end of October, it does seem like her kidneys were rapidly deteriorating. Even though an abdominal ultrasound in October only...
  5. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Sadly, Phoebe was very lethargic late last night & having trouble walking. I took her in today. Her RBC are up, but her creatinine is back up to 7. I wish I had noticed the kidney symptoms earlier. I think it's too late. I've decided to let her go tomorrow. I also have her littermate...
  6. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Do you think I should restrict her to one room? I’ve already closed off the downstairs since she seemed wobbly on the stairs. The upper level is only 900 square feet. There is water in every room and 2 litter boxes, which she has been using. I have been hand-feeding and she is eager to eat...
  7. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    The vet gave Phoebe iron & B12, and put her on a ESA, darbepoietin, for anemia. Does anyone have anyone have experience with this treatment and how long it takes to work? It breaks my heart to see her so weak.
  8. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Thank you all for your support! She is of course exhausted & mostly sleeping, but eating in between her naps. Despite all of that time on the IV fluids, her thirst drive is still quite high. Both times that I visited her, she meowed at me for the water in my bottle, and I've seen her drink...
  9. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Phoebe is now home! After 3 nights of hospitalization, Phoebe's creatinine is now 5.7. Not great, but given Phoebe's nervous nature (the nurses said she seemed terrified the entire time she was there), the negatives of continued hospitalization seemed to outweigh the potential benefits. She...
  10. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    I'm pleased to report that after IV fluids since Thursday night, Phoebe's creatinine has gone down from 9 to 6.6 as of this morning. Hopefully there will be further improvement over the next two days, and it will stick after she's taken off the IV.
  11. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Hi @stephanietx, I did try to switch Phoebe & her littermate brother to wet food only several years ago. I did it very gradually, but she went on a hunger strike and started losing weight, so I gave up. She does seem to enjoy wet food more these days, maybe due to the resorptive lesions that...
  12. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Thank you, @Joxer, for the suggestion. They have taken her off of the Prednisolone for now. The specialist also mentioned the possibility that it is what triggered the current crisis. I presume that the IBD treatment regimen will be adjusted. Since Phoebe's only symptom this entire time has...
  13. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    I had a nice long visit today with Phoebe. She is looking much better and eating well. The specialist said we will just need to see how well Phoebe's kidneys will recover. Her goal is to get the creatinine down to less than 5 before discharging her. She said this could take 3-5 days. As...
  14. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Hello all, thank you so much for your replies! I'm still waiting for an update from the internal medicine specialist and will visit Phoebe later this morning. I also thought the 2-day timeline and recommendation was too strong given that Phoebe hadn't even started supportive treatment. I have...
  15. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Thanks so much for your reply. They said her kidney disease was early stage and no treatment was necessary yet. I had to change her kibble last fall because her appetite became finicky. She now eats Hills Adult Chicken Age 7 plus kibble. Also eats some of her brothers urinary rx wet food. I...
  16. cowkittymom

    Need help understanding cat's rapid CKD decline & vet saying euthanize if no improvement in 2 days

    Last August, my nine-year old cat Phoebe was diagnosed with Stage I/II kidney disease. Her creatinine was 1.7. On October 31st, before an endoscopy to diagnose potential IBD, her creatinine was 2.2. After the endoscopy she was started on 5 mg prednisolone/day for advanced IBD per the PARR...
  17. cowkittymom

    Cat suddenly very picky about food & losing weight

    @fionasmom, Phoebe is doing very well. She is hungry and gaining weight. So far, I'm having success with putting the pill in an empty capsule and giving it to her in a lickable treat. We'll see how long that works. :) @waddle, thanks for letting me know. I hope the same for Phoebe. She's...
  18. cowkittymom

    Cat suddenly very picky about food & losing weight

    Just wanted to update this thread, in case it is helpful to someone in the future, wondering whether it makes sense to take their cat to a specialist for loss of appetite with no other GI symptoms, sooner rather than later. We saw an internal medicine specialist & Phoebe went through the full...
  19. cowkittymom

    Cat suddenly very picky about food & losing weight

    @emocatowner thanks for the additional guidance re: how deciding what to feed. These are my first cats, so I don't know much about food options. I will check out both senior and early renal foods. She is eating some of the Tikicat mousses and her Hills Science Diet dental kibble. @waddle...
  20. cowkittymom

    Cat suddenly very picky about food & losing weight

    Hello, thanks so much for your helpful replies about my girl Phoebe. @emocatowner, I see that you also have a cow cat! Good point about the food. I did ask the vet specifically about whether it was OK to let her eat the urinary food and she seemed to think it was OK, but I'll look into that...
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