Urgent CRF diagnosis. Vet recommends euthanasia. Devastated - Page 2

Have you tried an appetite stimulant or anti-nausea meds, or both? These can work wonders for sick kitties who don't want to eat, but really really need the nutrition, like yours. Shouldn't be hard to obtain from your vet. And I would think that the benefits of him eating would outweigh the risks of putting his kidneys through the meds it takes to get him to do so, but correct me if I'm wrong, Arlyn.
Vibes.

Absolutely correct, eating is paramount right now.

 

See if you can get your vet to give you some Nutri-cal paste, it's caloric-ally dense and most cats (providing they can smell it) will readily eat it.

If his nose is stuffy, try sitting in the bathroom with him and run a really hot shower to steam out the sniffles.

Syringe feed him wet food instead of giving him water with a syringe - he will get water this way, but most importantly, he will get nutrition. He HAS to eat his regular food intake. Tiny bits won't cut it.
Get yourself some good, large feeding syringes from the nearest pet supply stores (the ones from the vet are too small) - they usually have it by the puppy session or the small animal session - four paws is a good brand. Mash some food with water. The good syringes are 1/2 oz - I have great ones that are 1oz too..... Feed 1 - 1 1/2 oz per meal, several meals a day.... Don't add much water to the food, just enough to go through the syringe. The more water you add, the more you have to feed..... Fill all syringes for that feeding before you start, to make it easier, so buy several sets.....
It is absolutely necessary to feed your baby
Good luck hun, hope he starts getting better

I agree the steaming in the bathroom (have the cat in the room with the shower running for 5-10 minutes at a time) is a good idea if he is stuffed up. Cats with a stuffy nose often do not want to eat because they can't smell their food.
 

My cat Sneakers is on a bunch of medications but she has several issues some of which are related to the CRF but your cat might not have, so may not need these medications.

 

Here is a list of what my cat is currently on(and what they're for)--

 

Lactated Ringers(sub-q fluids) with B vitamins added

Amlodipine- for her high blood pressure

Benazepril-  for high blood pressure

Prednisolone- anti-inflammatory

Metoclopramide- for nausea/GI tract motility

Mirtazapine- appetite stimulant, given every 3 days

Epotin/Epogen- for anemia (injection given once a week)

Epakitin- for high phosphorus (powder given on her food)

Pepcid- for stomach upset

Azodyl- Renal support supplement

 

When she was first diagnosed she was also on Baytril but is not any more. She was also very lethargic and didn't want to eat anything at first, I actually had to syringe feed her when she first came home from the hospital after being diagnosed. However she started eating on her own after that and now her appetite is very good and her strength is much better. If they are on fluids they sometimes might not drink as much water since they are being hydrated subcutaneously. As others mentioned a water fountain is a good idea too.

 

Sneakers is currently getting the Royal Canin Renal prescription food, but she's gotten tired of the Renal wet food so I've been giving her some other types of wet food lately. I try to give her a lot of small meals of the wet food as many small meals a day as I can and then I leave the dry food in case she gets hungry in between or at night.

 

I also highly recommend these websites for info on CRF as well as treatments and things, it also explains more about the medications:

http://www.felinecrf.org/

http://www.felinecrf.com/

 

 

 

I'm so sorry you and your baby are going through this. But the improvement in his numbers is so promising! Given he's apparently fighting an infection as well here, it's not surprising he wants to sleep and looks and feels lethargic. Poor baby has been through a lot recently.

Proper nutrition, hydration, and rest will do a world of good for your baby. Our little boy is fighting cancer - lymphoma - what was a large mass in his stomach. There have been a lot of ups and downs on this journey (he was diagnosed the end of July). I don't know anything about CRF first hand - just watching others here fight it with their kitties. I do know that it's VERY hard to see our babies not feeling well. It's hard not to question and wonder... and the one thing I've learned is that it really helps not to focus on "THE" question ( is it time? ). Focus on what you need to do to make your baby feel better, love on him, and just do your best to make him comfortable. The rest will fall into place.

Great, thank you.  I had my cat on Epakitin for the first month after initially being diagnosed, then had a second blood test and his phosphorus levels were up so the vet said the Epakitin is no longer necessary.  Though I seen a different vet before the second guy and they said he will need to be on Epakitin for the rest of his life.  Are you giving your cat Epakitin for the rest of it's life?

 

My cat is also anemic and I was looking for something to help with that - I will mention the Epotin/Epogen to my vet. And also the Azodyl.  Thank you. :)