Samantha is sick

jennielove

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My best friend and kitty Samantha has been with me since I was born. She and I are both 20 years old. Ever since I moved out (2 years ago), she had slowley started to lose weight. My mom and I figured it was becuase she WAS so old and she's was starting to show her age, and she didnt have worms...I wasnt sure about it since Sam has never looked as old as she really was. I visit my mom often and noticed that she had gotten a cold, but not to long after pulled through and was her normal self, except she was still getting thinner! My mom noticed that this wasnt just Sam getting old and noticed an abscess WAY in the back of her mouth and it had poped! We have delt with abscess's before, but with it being in such an odd place and understanding her age we took her to a vet to get it cleaned out. The vet we took her too said it was her tooth...and not an abscess! My mom wasnt to sure about it, but took the vets advice and had Sammy put on an IV. After three days being there on an IV and $200 a day, my mom got fed up and said either you remove this "tooth" or let me take her home. The vet said that she wouldnt do anything for her because of her age and thats she may die during the surgery. My mom was pissed, and basically gave the lady the finger! GO MOM! Anyways, my mom rushed Sam to an emergency vets and they said it was indeed an ABSCESS! Just like we thought...they pointed out that Sam had lost her site and that her kidneys were shocked! There had been no such problem before we took her to that first vets!!! They put her under anesthesia, cleaned out the abscess and she was ready to come home. They said that she can either have her on fluids for the rest of her life and blood tests have done everyweek, or we keep her at home and when it looks like shes not having a good quality of life, we can have her put down. My mom and I dont want to put her through all that...having shots everyday and GRRR! Just thinking about all this is not fair. After hearing about Samm, my boyfriend had told me of his Grandpas old dog, and how he took him to the first vets we took sam to and three days later...what do you know, the dog looses his eye sight and his kidneys start to fail? The vet had given him some sort of medication from what I heard. And looking back, when I had taken on of my rats to her, she said that he had a respiroty infection and that she keep him in an oxygen tank for about 2-3 days and died right after...now that I have had rats for over 6 years, all she needed to do was put him on baytril and he would have pulled through just fine. Something fishy about this and I plan on looking into it some more!!!


Anyways, sorry for going on but I just needed to vent! lol

Sammy is eating (the have her one formula food to help the kidneys), drinking, talking (kitty talk
) and is moving about. My mom says that she has gained a TINY bit of weight. My mom says that as long as she is comfortable and isnt in pain we will keep her with us and see if she can pull through. She has threw up once or twice but otherwise looks like she slowely getting better. The vet had said she is loosing protein so she may start loosing her hair.


My question is, is there any certain foods that can help her gain weight as well as help her kidneys and get protein. I really dont want to lose her. I understand that she is 20 years old, but she has never had any problems in her life, never like this. She has ALWAYS been a healthy active cat, and I think that its not just her getting old...something happend at that first vets office. But anything that may save her, I would really appreciate it. She is such a strong cat, I only hope she can pull through. Shes big sister and life will never be the same witout her.



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libby74

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Your Sam looks just like my Mimi; I got her when I was 3, and she passd at age 21, so I understand how very attached you are to your Sam. I've never tried it, but I understand kitten food is good for helping a kitty gain weight.
I'm sorry your first vet trip was so bad. Hopefully, Sam will continue to improve and be with you for a long time.
 

yosemite

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I'm glad to hear you are going to follow up on that first vet - doesn't sound too good to me.

I agree with the above poster - kitten food might help put on some weight for your special kitty friend.

It's wonderful that you've had so much wonderful time together. Makes me wish all kitties in the whole world could have such loving companionship their whole lives but I guess that's like wishing for world peace unfortunately.
 

debskats

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Sorry, I don't have any advice on a higher calorie diet for kidney kitties. I just wanted to tell you that Sammy is such a beautiful old girl. She reminds me a lot of my Katy. 20 years together . . . you've both been very lucky, and very loved.
 

cloud_shade

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Did the vet mention medications that might help her kidneys and improve her quality of life? Whether they would be effective and useful will depend on her bloodwork values, but there are a few different things that may be helpful, such as calcitriol, potassium, phosphorus binders, and benazepril, so you may want to ask the vet about what medications can help.

This website has tons of information on chronic renal failure in cats, including information about the medicines I mentioned and tips on how to give fluids. One of my friends has a 20.5 year old kitty with CRF. She figures 3 minutes of possible discomfort each day is well worth 23 hours and 57 minutes of feeling better--fluids don't take long to give and they can make a world of difference.

http://www.felinecrf.org/
 
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jennielove

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Shes on antibiotics and special food to help her kidneys function a little better. Shes accually doing and looking alot better now! Thats the thing, my mom doesnt want her to suffer being on fluids and have her bloodwork done ever week. Having the fluids done everyday have been VERY stressful on her and after having it done she only got worst. Now that shes been off them for about 4 days now, shes done a whole lot better. We are hoping now that shes feeling better and more like herself again, she will start to gain wieght. The vet had said she went blind, however we have noticed that she's moving around and jumping on things she couldnt possibly know was there, so we are guessing that maybe she isnt completely blind or can she maybe see shadows. We do have a blind cat in the house along with Sammy. We have had her for about 9 years now. She gets around just fine, but you'll once in a while see her bump into a wall or two. Haha
 

happy cat

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your samantha looks exactly like my cricket, 4 years old. i'm very sorry to know that your kitty is showing signs of aging. I guess that's one of the catch 22's of advanced medical care, our pets are with us longer, but sometimes, the length of their life isn't always quality, especially toward the end.
but you know, I was thinking, for 20 years this little girl has been loved and kissed and pampered, so when she does go to sleep, all her thoughts will be positive.
so many living things can't make that claim, sad to say
 

libby74

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Has Sammy been going to the vet's for fluids, or having it done at home? Administering fluids at home really isn't a big deal, and SO much less stressful for the kitty.
It does sound as if she's doing quite well, considering her advanced years. Please give your beautiful girl a good ear-skritch for me.
 
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jennielove

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No, they would be done at the vets from what my mom told me. Yeah, shes doing alot better then she was. Im just hoping that she gains some weight, shes so thin.
lol, I'll tell her you say
!
 
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