CRF/Epogen/Hi Tor

Sam started Epogen when his hemoglobin dropped to 3.5. My parents couldn't afford nearly $2000 for transfusion. After three weeks his hemoglobin had risen to 12. He lived for a full year on twice weekly shots, before his kidneys quit responding to it. When Cleo was first diagnosed with CRF, I tried the Hi Tor Neo diet. Neither Cleo, nor Maggie would touch it. Nutritionally, it is almost identical to Hills k/d (phosporus and protein), but it looked sort of gray and fatty. I think I gave most of it away on the CRF support site.

My parents had him PTS a few months after his 19th birthday. He was diagnosed with CRF when he was about 15. He did pretty well up until the final year. The last year was pretty rough. Even though he had CRF, his numbers really weren't that bad. Unfortunately, the anemia was what got him in the end. He quit responding to the Epogen, and there just wasn't much more that could be done.

I am keeping your sweet Coco in my prayers.

Mews, sorry, I have such a bad memory, is she still getting pet tinic every day? And if she is how much?

I hope that works for you and if you try it I hope the Hi Tor works. Boo hated the K/D and loved the Hi Tor, but every cat is different. Like I said it is kind of gritty like grits when you mush it in your fingers so you may want to add some warm water and mush it up real good if she has sensitive gums/mouth.

I also cannot pinpoint exactly why, but Boo's PCV was 11, then 13% at the old vets, when I took him to the new vet he had been on Hi Tor for awhile and it was 19%. Could just be a difference in tests, I am not saying the Hi Tor had anything to do with it, but maybe it might help that too? Is it possible, does anyone know?

Also Mews, (AUGH it took me forever to figure out the link they broke) Download this brochure and print it out, they changed the website and no longer just have the info on there, it's very small to read on the page. My vet had no clue what Hi Tor was and neither did my New One and she's really researchey-type person. http://www.triumphpet.com/hitor/hitor.pdf

Or (Doh) Here it is from the page:
Neo for Cats *(Canned, they do not carry Dry Neo Cat food, but do carry dry neo dog food.)

Crude Protein Min 8%
Crude Fat Min 10%
Moisture Max 78%
Ash Max 1.90%
Calcium, Min .015%
Phosphorus Min .10%
Magnesium Max .02%
Taurine Min .05%

INGREDIENTS: Sufficient Water for Processing, Meat By-products, Chicken,
Animal Liver, Beef, Poultry Fat, Ocean Fish, Rice Flour, Guar Gum, Potassium
Chloride, Carrageenan, Potassium Citrate, Brewers Dried Yeast Vitamins
(Vitamin E, A, D3, B12 supplements, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, d-Calcium
Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid,
Biotin), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Manganous
Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Vegetable Oil,
Taurine, Iron Oxide

Still thinking of you and Coco

I am so sorry to hear that Coco is not doing too well. I hope the new med helps, I know you are trying everything. and many for both you and Coco.

Oh Jacky.... Just dropping you a Hug... I know how much you love your little girl.... Just keep on loving her.... She knows

I am so sorry Mews. I understand being afraid to order it. Praying for Coco

So even after the tranfusion and starting on Epogen she's still got the same 2 week to 2 month timeframe? I was hoping these actions would give her a longer timeframe. Maybe they will anyway! You just never know about these things. that they will help her and her numbers will be better than you think.

I am sorry Jacky, and I don't understand the TF either, but whatever...
Listen, I had spoken to you about how in Brazil they are currently doing Stem Cell treatment on Terminal CRF cats for trial research, with great results... In there it is done by universities and the results are fantastic.

The goal is, of course to develop it enough to get it to humans... They went from rats to cats and dogs. It restores functionality of the kidneys from a 20% function to a 50% function (giving a dialysis free life) in a matter of a month and half...

Here, the University of Colorado got a grant for a Study funded by the Wynn Foundation - why don't you try contacting them and seeing if there is something for Coco? Maybe the study is still going and you can enroll her? In Brazil it is free since it is still a study....

Anyways, here is the info:

Mesenchymal stem cell transfer for treatment of chronic renal disease in cats
Steven Dow, DVM, PhD; Colorado State University; $15,000
Chronic kidney disease remains a leading cause of death in cats. The only effective treatment option at this time is kidney transplantation, which is expensive, technically complicated, and not widely available. Recent studies using rodent models suggest that stem cell therapy has the potential to actually improve kidney function in animals in kidney failure. However, such an approach has never been attempted in cats with naturally-occurring kidney disease. Therefore, in this study the researcher will investigate the safety and potential effectiveness of injections of stem cells as a treatment for improving kidney function for cats with kidney failure. The stem cells will be grown from bone marrow samples obtained from each cat enrolled in the study and will then be injected directly into the kidney using ultrasound to guide the injections. The study will enroll a total of 9 cats, which will be divided into 3 groups of 3 animals each. The 3 treatment groups will each receive increasing numbers of stem to determine whether injection of more cells leads to greater benefit. Kidney function will be assessed before the injection and at one and three months after the stem cell injection to determine whether the injections improve kidney function. If these studies show that the approach is safe and stimulates improved renal function, then stem cell transfer may represent a powerful new method for managing chronic kidney disease in cats. http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Page...ss_Release.pdf

Click to expand...

So, based on your statement that they don't want to start the Epogen until she gets to 20%, does that mean until she DROPS to 20%, or until she gets UP to 20%? I guess it really doesn't matter, but I'm hoping she is currently over 20%. Did you see that thread about Renafood...I think that's what it was called. THAT also sounded very interesting. It was just a new post about a week ago.

No, no...Renafood. It's a supplement for kidneys, not a kidney food. Sharky stated that she feeds it to some of her cats, and one poster said she actually took it for her OWN kidney failure and it "cured" her! I googled it and it's pretty interesting. I know Coco's main issue now isn't CRF, but that's still part of her problem, right? You might want to check into this product. Just google it.

Thinking thinking of you and Coco