Kidney issues in 1 yr old cat

Originally Posted by bastetservant

I've been following this and I am so sorry you and Joey are going through this. It is clear that he is very dear to you, and that you will do whatever is needed so that he recovers.

You are explaining to the vets about your current financial bind, and that you are applying for CreditCare very soon?

Lots of going out to you, your husband, and of course, Joey!

I think it's great you are going to see him so often and being so involved while he is hospitalized. It keeps his spirits up, and keeps the humans there on their toes.

Robin

Click to expand...

We have basically decided to do everything we can afford to do, even though it means cutting into our house fund. We had paid our credit cards mostly off before trying to get the mortgage so we can use a little bit on those also. We have made plans to hold off on some stuff we planned to buy for the house, we are not going to paint like we had originally planned, and some things will have to wait. I am still trying to find a pt weekend job or ways to pick up some extra money to replace what we have spent but it is worth it. I have told them we are going to apply for CareCredit this week once our mortgage is approved and they know this, but they still don't do payment plans. At least CareCredit can help with the prescriptions he will need and future vet visits. We are a little stressed about everything financially but are trying to stay positive and do what it takes to make Joey better

Originally Posted by booktigger

Fingers crossed for him. I would definitely try longer fluids even if it is at home, i don't think you should give up hope after just two days on them. Had he shown any sign of urinary issues before this?

Click to expand...

He has never had urinary issues. The thing I don't understand, is that he is urinating regularly and had been even while not eating. It was diluted a bit on Friday when they tested it, and still is but they said now it is normal bc of the fluids he is receiving via IV. They are not sure why he had diluted urine on Friday.
I definitely have no plans on giving up hope for Joey. Depending on the creatnine levels tonight, we will either do a 3rd day of IV fluids or bring him home tonight. Either way, we have a vet appt tomorrow with our regular vet to get a special diet prescription and the info on doing subq fluids at home. We plan to start those immediately and do it however many times a day/week the vet recommends.

Originally Posted by frankthetank

We have basically decided to do everything we can afford to do, ... but they still don't do payment plans. ...

Click to expand...

That is just the PITS! They don't have a promissory note you could sign? I know credit is tight everywhere, but it's crazy that they can't provide some sort of financial help - like mine did. I gave them my credit card number and info, and told them to charge my credit card a certain amount each month - they were happy to do it this way. (It's kind of like renting a car - they have your card info for "insurance" you'll pay.)

I'm paying a very small interest - but nothing like would be on my credit card. Also, this wasn't reported to the Credit Bureau.

Will be waiting, with you guys, to hear about your Vet visit tomorrow.
g

This may be out there - but any shot you could bargain child careservices to the vets' practice - the vets or the staff? I don't know if you have room in your current practice, but maybe someone needs someone totally reliable on the weekends? Your current parents could give you a reference, I would think.

I agree you don't want to endanger just getting the mortgage by opening another line of credit right this minute - but, I honestly don't think you'll ever regret not painting, etc., when you think of Joey - and your husband is a very good man for going with this plan. You'll always be able to work on the house (believe me, it never ends), but you'll know you are doing everything to give Joey his fighting chance.

You may never know what caused Joey's illness - so, as hard as it is, just do what you're doing - look to the future and just keep loving him.

I'm in awe of the strength and love you, and your husband, are showing at this stressful time. Sometime, somewhere, your loving hearts will be rewarded.

Lots of for little Joey!

I am sure an answer to why this happened would have been better since you could then take preventative measures. Also it is more peace of mind if there is an external factor triggering something like this than a systemic issue. But hope this was a one time thing and Joey, being so young, will bounce back without much lasting impact. I do somhow still feel that you cannot discount the ibiprofen angle. Members on this forum know how much of a picky eater Calvin is - I had such a hard time finding things he will eat but he is not that picky about non food items and may eat the craziest stuff. SInce ibuprofen breaks down in the kidneys, (human kidneys are also affected) that could be the cause. So perhaps he had enough to not kill him but affect his kidneys or that he is a fighter and not everyone reacts to the same toxins exactly the same way.
But it's really good to hear that he's doing well!

Just got back from the animal hospital getting Joeys latest kidney test results...his creatinine levels are within NORMAL range!! The vet said she had to look at his printout a couple times and even asked the others around to verify it was the right one, as they did not expect his levels to fall back down to normal range. She said that typically if a cats levels do not go down in the first day, they won't drop so much in the 2nd either, so they were pretty shocked that it went from 7.6 to normal. He is still at the animal hospital, they want to wean him slowly off fluids for about 8 hours and I am picking him up in the early morning.
We still have an appt tomorrow at 6pm at our regular vet to check his
levels again after he has been off fluids for a almost a day. We are also going to discuss a special diet, and find out how often they want to check his levels so we can figure out if this is something that will need continued treatments.
I talked to the vet again tonight about the ibuprofen thing, because they said if his levels are fine, continue to be fine, then it looks more like some sort of toxin got in him...so she was telling us how it is usually lilys and antifreeze that causes this. Well we have no flowers inside, and no antifreeze inside so it couldn't be that. Joey is indoor only. I asked about the ibuprofen and she said cats typically won't eat something like that and if he did eat it the outcome would have been worse. Also she said typically in a situation where the cat had some sort of toxin ingested, the kidneys would have been in the large range and not the normal range. So we still have no ideas what caused it, but as a precaution I am still making sure the medicine is put in a different cabinet.
I will update again tomorrow after his vet appt where we check his levels again and hopefully get some more info. Joey definitely wants to come home, he was very mad that we left him and is getting restless in the cage there. The tech said everytime they walk by he reaches his paw out and snags her shirt and meows until she stops and gives him attention. They have all told us how much of a joy he is and what a wonderful cat he has been while there which is always great to hear. The vet asked that I call and update them once we go to our vet just so they know how he is doing.
Thanks everyone for the vibes and all the awesome advice!!

Oh I am just BEAMING for Joey and for you!

That is FABULOUS news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like he's still at the hospital though?

Continued

Fantastic news!!!! Whooo!!!! Go Joey!!!!

This is such good news!

Just another consideration - stress sure doesn't help him get well - I hope he won't have to have a lot more doctor visits.

I'm am so happy, and continued for Joey and his mommy and daddy.
g

I am so pleased he has proved the vets wrong and his levels are normal again. Fingers crossed he can come home and his levels are fine after the fluids have been stopped.

It is about 5am here and I am leaving in about 30 minutes to get Joey!!!! Last night the poor thing wanted to come home SO bad!! He kept glaring at me like he knew that he was doing better and didn't know why he wasn't allowed to come home. I called the Vet at 430 and they said he is doing well, still eating well....he had another bout of diarrhea (last night when we visited he had had one also a little bit before we got there...but it was the first time he pooped since Thursday so I was just happy he was pooping again!!) so they said he was a bit messy and they would try to get him cleaned up before I picked up, but to watch him for more diarrhea. My husband is taking a half day at work so he can be home to keep an eye on Joey...I am home too but with the daycare kids here it is a little harder to keep an eye on them, so he comes home around 1030am which will be nice.
Thanks for the continues vibes. I am hoping tonights vet visit goes well and his levels stay down. I am not sure how often they will want to check his levels to make sure they don't go back up....I am hoping not super often as long as he seems to be doing well, just because he gets upset when he has to go to the vet.
I am still just amazed still that his levels went down to normal and I think the vet was also. It was so discouraging on Saturday when they told us that usually if they don't go down at all the first day, they won't the second day...so I am trying to stay positive that he will continue to have normal levels although I will confess I am a little worried that tonight his levels will have gone up...so please hope for continued low levels.

This picture was from Sunday evening after finding out his levels went down. He was so ready to come home but had to stay about 10 more hours.


Joey was finally up to exploring the room....sick of being in a cage!


My husband holding Joey, he likes to climb on us and be held especially when he could tell it was almost time for us to leave him again.


Taken Sunday morning after he had been finally eating normally for about 18 hours. He liked to stretch out and sleep while I petted him.

Thought I would add a couple pictures of sweet Joey that were taken over the weekend.

I did want to add another post...since my original one did mention financial concerns.
When we took Joey to the first vet, once he said "kidney failure" we freaked out. I bawled, and we basically told him that we don't know if we can afford a whole weekend of hospitalization etc. At that time, he had treated Joey for nausea, gave SubQ fluids, tried to feed, cleaned his ears, treated ear mites, did bloodwork, an exam, a fecal sample and I cant remember but I thought there were a couple more things. The original bill was going to be around $450. The vet let us know that because we were going to have to take him to the 24hour hospital, he took off some of the things he did such as ear cleaning, mite treatment, nausea medicine....the bill we paid when we left the first vet was $239 dollars.
When we got to the 24hour hospital after we decided on IV fluids and all the treatments for the first day, our quote was from $660-850 for the first 24 hours. To get treatment, we had to pay $660. When we went in on Saturday, the quote for a 2nd 24 hours of fluids etc, was quotes at $117 (because we still had a credit from the deposit) and on Sunday when we went in, they said another 12 hours of hospitalization to bring him off fluids was around 30 dollars. So we expected another 200ish due today.
When I checked out this morning, she told me my total...$96! IDK how...I questioned it, she double checked and said they must have estimated high....but I was just thrilled. Because we still have to pay a vet appt tonight and more bloodwork tonight for Joey so we were definitely stressed about money...SO even though they don't do payment plans....I have had some awesome vets helping us out to make it so we could really afford treatments for my baby.
Right now he is resting at home and eating well, I just havr to watch his poop bc he has had diarhhea...and if he throws up or becomes lethargic we have to rush him back to vet, otherwise, we just have to go tot he appt at 6 tonight to make sure his kidneys are still okay.

I'm so glad Joey's ok! Your vet sounds like a gem. I hope everything goes well at the checkup tonight. Joey

Oh, I'm so happy for you - and it sounds like Joey really had all the staff around his little paws.

I know you're already doing all this, but maybe quadruple check anything you use to wash the floors, or dishes, tables, clothes, heck, whatever you use to disinfect the kids' toys from day care. I'm thinking no one will ever know exactly what trigged this crisis, but I'm guessing you're going to have the 'greenest' most 'kid' and 'pet' friendly home in your area!

And I bet those vets and their staffs are going to get the most heart-felt thank you cards they've ever received - with pictures of a happy healthy Joey, please God.

Oh what sweet pictures! You can just see in that first pic he's saying, MOM, BRING ME HOME!

But that's also great news about the bills! I know it was still a lot of money - but a lot less than you were expecting, and you really needed and deserved that!

his levels stay normal!!!!!

Very happy for you and Joey!! This is great news that his levels went back to the normal range!! He is a beautiful boy, loved the photos. I know how expensive the care can be and how wonderful that the costs were a bit less than anticipated. Expensive still, but not as much as you originally thought Continued for Joey...

Just checking in to hope Joey is doing well - and also that everything goes well with your mortgage loan and the house closing!

No big news after our vet visit. The Vet basically told us that it was too soon to check his levels bc they would not be aaccurate yet since he stopped the IV fluids just overnight. I was a little disappointed because they could have told me over the phone yesterday when I scheduled it that we would need to wait...because todays visit I had to pay a visit fee just to have the doctor tell me to come back. He did give me prescriptions for food, two different brands to try. We got three cans of each to see which he likes best. One is Hills renal something, and the other is Royal Canin for renal something. My memory is shot so sorry I don't remember exact names.
We have to go back Wednesday...I expressed my concern over yet another visit fee and I think he told me that they would ONLY charge for the BUN and Creatinine test for kidneys...esp since if those are elevated again, we need a urinalysis to check and see how diluted it is. So he is definitely working with us to save as much money as possible.
Poor Joey shook the entire way there and burrowed his head in the blanket he was wrapped in while we walked through the store into the clinic. He has had diarrhea bad since yesterday and went to the little sink in the exam room and started howling and scratching frantically (he is ALWAYS so good about using the litterboxes so we knew that meant he had to go) but I guess they don't keep litterboxes there, because the vet said to just let him use the sink as a litterbox, so poor Joey now has a poopy tail again. We did get a prescription for his diarrhea that we are going to try to give him tonight.
Anyway, we go back Wednesday to check his levels unless he starts throwing up again, acting lethargic or stops eating, if any of that happens we rush him back.
Thanks again for continued vibes for low levels!

thinking of Joey and you tomorrow. for good lab results.