I don't know if I'm looking for advice, just wanting sympathy, or just need to get the situation down in writing to help me think more clearly. Right now I'm feeling very stressed, as I have a decision to make by tomorrow afternoon.
Purdy has had elevated liver enzymes and has been on Denosyl for a year or more. That helped, but his enzymes were up some even on it last time. In addition, his kidney enzymes were up quite severely last December and again a few weeks ago. He had sub-q fluids administered a couple of weeks ago and again on Monday. He had lost a full pound (from 10 lb to 9 lb) during those few weeks. (However, during that period he was lost for about 36 hours and likely didn't eat for that day or so, which might have accounted for part of the loss.)
The vet told me that I'd know when Purdy next needed fluids when he started vomiting again. Well, he vomited the white foamy liquid again this morning - after only two days. So the vet told me that at tomorrow's appointment he would teach me how to do sub-q at home and dispense the materials. Though that was my idea on Monday, at this point I'm wrestling with the question of whether I should go through with it in spite of the stress, or if it is time to fold my cards and just have Purdy put down.
Part of my confusion is that I don't feel I really know if Purdy really needs fluids for the kidney problem this soon or if the vomiting might have been from IBD instead. We have been suspicious that Purdy has had IBD for years, but he has never been tested for it. But recently he has had diarrhea all the time, in spite of the fact that constipation is more common with kidney problems. And financially I cannot justify the expensive testing for IBD at this point with a cat that already has kidney and liver problems. I'm retired, and have had to go into debt to cover all Purdy's vet expenses this past month as it is.
I know most people who had a cat with all those problems would say it is just time to have him put down. But except for the time just before his sub-q administration a couple of weeks ago, Purdy has been a lively, playful kitty. Even this morning, though he refused to eat, he still kept jumping up on my desk begging me to let him go out to play. (I finally did get him to eat a little tuna; he refused all the cat food.)
So what do I do? What do I do? Decisions, decisions.
Purdy has had elevated liver enzymes and has been on Denosyl for a year or more. That helped, but his enzymes were up some even on it last time. In addition, his kidney enzymes were up quite severely last December and again a few weeks ago. He had sub-q fluids administered a couple of weeks ago and again on Monday. He had lost a full pound (from 10 lb to 9 lb) during those few weeks. (However, during that period he was lost for about 36 hours and likely didn't eat for that day or so, which might have accounted for part of the loss.)
The vet told me that I'd know when Purdy next needed fluids when he started vomiting again. Well, he vomited the white foamy liquid again this morning - after only two days. So the vet told me that at tomorrow's appointment he would teach me how to do sub-q at home and dispense the materials. Though that was my idea on Monday, at this point I'm wrestling with the question of whether I should go through with it in spite of the stress, or if it is time to fold my cards and just have Purdy put down.
Part of my confusion is that I don't feel I really know if Purdy really needs fluids for the kidney problem this soon or if the vomiting might have been from IBD instead. We have been suspicious that Purdy has had IBD for years, but he has never been tested for it. But recently he has had diarrhea all the time, in spite of the fact that constipation is more common with kidney problems. And financially I cannot justify the expensive testing for IBD at this point with a cat that already has kidney and liver problems. I'm retired, and have had to go into debt to cover all Purdy's vet expenses this past month as it is.
I know most people who had a cat with all those problems would say it is just time to have him put down. But except for the time just before his sub-q administration a couple of weeks ago, Purdy has been a lively, playful kitty. Even this morning, though he refused to eat, he still kept jumping up on my desk begging me to let him go out to play. (I finally did get him to eat a little tuna; he refused all the cat food.)
So what do I do? What do I do? Decisions, decisions.
