the Sasha saga continues

I'll stick to the facts and try not to go into "small novelist" mode...

I took him to my old Clinic back in Etobicoke and got a second opinion. The Queen West Clinic was nice enough to transfer Sasha's file over so they could update theirs.

• Yes, Sasha is in the early stages of CRF
  
• He's not in critical condition as of yet but needs to be put on a kidney diet asap
• Most of his recent litter box woes may be attributed to stress (Tiggy's arrival among other things) and senility...yep, Sasha's at that age!
• One thing that was downplayed by the first Vet (since I took the Urine sample from the plastic runner on the floor) is that there was bacteria in the urine...was it from the floor or from Sasha? The Vet I saw today didn't want to chance it and gave Sasha a shot of time-released antibiotics. She did say to discontinue the Torbutrol. She did concur that anti-inflammatories would have damaged his kidneys though.
• I've been given different brands of kidney diet food for Sasha to try out (IAMS, Nutri-Cal, etc). I was instructed to isolate the cats while I'm at work; this way I can monitor the food intake and the litter box usage. Sasha has his own water fountain, litter box and food in the bedroom...and loves sleeping in my bed!
• Sasha is NOT constipated (though cats his age can get occasional constipation) and had a BM as soon as I got home!

First and foremost Sasha needs quiet. Isolating the cats while I'm at work should help, and I do have the Canadian equivalent of that pheromone stress relieving plug-in in the bedroom.

Unfortunately, no medication can treat senility...but he still has full sight and hearing (many cats his age become deaf or blind) and I'll do my darnedest to keep him a healthy geriatric cat.

and PM me if you need anything...

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke

• One thing that was downplayed by the first Vet (since I took the Urine sample from the plastic runner on the floor) is that there was bateria in the urine...was it from the floor or from Sasha? The Vet I saw today didn't want to chance it and gave Sasha a shot of time-released antibiotics. She did say to discontinue the Torbutrol. She did concur that anti-inflammatories would have damaged his kidneys though.

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THANK YOU for taking him for a second opinion....
All this time it was beyond me how this vet found blood in the urine, and all he was doing was treating/masking the symptoms, and not the cause for the bladder inflammation/UTI... That's is why I kept saying that (to run away from him)... I am so so glad he is on antibiotics now.
Some inflammatories, like Metacam can in fact damage the kidneys, which is why I also refused to give it to my Kitty Bugsy when he had a LOT of blood in his urine and couldn't pee a few weeks ago. He got antibiotics and pain killers, but the pain medication for only a couple of days, because of the side effects - exactly the side effects you were having with Sasha. He also got an inflammatory, not metacam, but I don't remember which...
Don't be too alarmed about the CRF - it is very very common in older kitties, and for him to be in early stages at 18 is not bad.... He is doing great!
Thank you thank you again
Good luck with the kidney diet... There is one Called Hi Tor, canned, it is very well liked... Do you have it in there in Canada?

Originally Posted by sharky

and PM me if you need anything...

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Thanks, I appreciate that!

Originally Posted by Carolina

[/list]There is one Called Hi Tor, canned, it is very well liked... Do you have it in there in Canada?

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Good question, I'll ask the Vet (she wants me to follow-up with her tomorrow and see how Sasha is responding to treatment)...I'll tell you this much though: he attacked the plate of IAMS prescription food I served him!

She did say that if push comes to shove; I should feed Sasha whatever he'll eat, but ideally he needs a low protein, low magnesium and low sodium (and I forget which other mineral) diet.

As far as the first Vet goes...I'm over my anger. Doctors are human beings as well; and without any malicious intent, they can make mistakes like everybody else.

To his credit, he was very courteous and had wonderful bedside manners; it's just that the course of action he chose wasn't the best one for Sasha.

I nearly blurted out at him (over the phone) "You haven't a clue do you? You're proposing the most expensive course of action at each turn!" ... what I actually said was "Give me a few minutes to mull things over" ... and called my old Veterinary Clinic.

Not my old Vet, but her treatment makes more sense to me somehow!