After a diagnosis of kidney failure - in need of moral support

Hi, I'm logging back into this site after a few year hiatus, seeking help and support for CRF/kidney failure.  I've found my way to the CRF resources thread and am working my way through it slowly.  I think I'm in decent shape to handle this, but do need the moral support of fellow cat people - if you're not a cat person, it's hard to understand why I want to do as much as possible to help my skinny little guy, even if it does cost $$$$ and he's peeing on the bed. 

Last October, I adopted my beloved Castiel, a mellow 8 year old guy, with the intentions of getting a good cuddle companion for my feisty 8 year old first cat Squeaky, whom I adopted 4 years ago.  While no blood has been shed, or fur tufts rent asunder, it's been a bit of a rough adjustment for Squeaky, going from the Queen to having to share the spotlight.  A few weeks ago, I think the wall was finally breached and they came to a quiet peace.  This morning, they even snuggled on my lap.  Finally, I thought, we can settle into a cozy little cat family where we all love one another.

Which made this Friday all the more difficult.  Cas had been losing weight, was picking at his food and had stopped using the litter box, so I took him in to the vet.  The diagnosis was that he had advanced stage kidney failure.  After that, my brain was kind of in a fog, so I don't remember all of the numbers, but I got the impression it was very severe.  The vet didn't offer any life expectancy numbers, as we're still in crisis mode, but it's devastating to me to think that I will only get to have Cas with me for a few more months, instead of the many long years I had hoped.  

I'm trying to be optimistic - I'm giving him subQ fluids daily, which he takes very well.  Today was my first day doing it at home, and after an abortive start where I leaked the fluid all over the couch, he was very calm and collected through the whole process.  Didn't complain at all.  We're getting him on one medicine on Monday, with more to come after we re-run all the tests to see how he's responding to the fluids.  At this point, we're just trying to get him to eat, so he's still eating his regular food (california natural wet), and if/when he gets a little meat on his skinny little body, we'll look at low protein foods.  I have to shove the food dish under his nose every 15 minutes to start him eating again, otherwise he'll give it a few half hearted licks and ignore it.  I moved a litter box upstairs and ordered waterproof blankets to put on the couches and bed, in case he has any further peeing accidents.  I'm very lucky that the vet tech has cared for a few of her cats going through this, and is supportive of my wanting to do the best I can for him.  

I hope he's one who can live for years with CRF managed.  It's possible right?

Hello rahma, just wanted to say I am sending to you and Castiel good healing vibes with his CRF, there are many many  on here who manage kitenz with CRF and can answer your questions...

Prayers for little Cas to feel better soon!

Yes!  It is possible to live with CRF for many years.  Doing the sub-qs is great, glad to see you've already conquered that.  Most people find that to be the hardest thing to do, other than accepting that their cat has CRF

What meds are you going to be putting him on?  My Sven was diagnosed at 13 with CRF, and lived for 3 years, but the only meds he was on was Pepcid A/C (over the counter) until the very end, and then he was on an additional antacid which was RX just because it was stronger. 

As far as low protein food goes, the new way of thinking is that we should be focusing more on low phosphorus food rather than low protein food.  CRF cats really need GOOD protein to build themselves back up!  They lose so much weight and muscle mass from not eating, then when they DO eat, they need to eat good stuff, and for cats, protein is the best.  We had actually just started to feed our guys raw (with our Vet's blessing) when Sven passed away.  It was too late for him, but hopefully it will save all our other cats from future diseases

I know you are already wading thru the CRF resources thread, but you can go directly to this site (contained within the resources thread) http://www.felinecrf.org/nutritional_requirements.htm  and it should give you just about everything you need to know, except maybe where to order your supplies, and we can certainly help you out there too.

I'm so sorry you and Castiel are facing them, but once you get thru this crisis mode, there is no reason to think he can't live for many more years. 

Did he have a UTI too?  Is that why he was peeing on the bed?  You should probably get all his kidney values so you have them for a reference point, ie BUN, Creatinine, phosphorus.

David's Steph, thank you for your prayers.  We need all that we can get!

mrsgreenjeens, I'm very blessed that Cas is such a mellow, calm cat.  He doesn't complain or wiggle at all during the SubQ.  Hopefully he won't get tired of it, if we're going to have to be doing this for the rest of his life (which I am hoping is long)!  I'm definitely going to ask the vet to send me all the numbers, and then keep track of them in a spreadsheet.  Not sure what the medicine was - so much of what the vet said didn't penetrate the fog I was in after I heard kidney failure.  There was definitely one they were ordering to start him on asap, and then we were going to reconvenge and reassess after the crisis passes (fingers crossed).

I think the subQ is working.  Cas is currently fighting with my laptop for space on my lap.  And, when I came home, he kind of jogged into the kitchen and was excited for dinner, more like normal.  However, he did pee on the couch while I was gone today.  Good thing I put garbage bags on before I left!  Will ask the vet about UTI when we have our phone call tomorrow.  I think I may order kitty steps, as I think he's having trouble jumping up and down.  He tried to jump up onto my lap 10 minutes ago and and didn't make it up.
 

I'm so sorry to read this. I spoke to a holistic person about my cat who has kidney issues. He gave me the names of a few products that are supposed to really help. Renavast, Azodyl, and feline renal health. He also advised I switch her food to Abady Apex 2. She seems to like it. I add a little mothers milk and it gets her appetite going. Maybe you can try some of these. Good luck

Rahma, I was in your shoes over the Summer with my Prissi.  I'll try to keep this brief and stick to the bullet points, and hope something I write can help you.

Within a couple of days of her just not looking right one morning, she was in a near-death state.  Diagnosed with advanced renal failure.  A couple of days earlier she projectile-vomited loads of liquids, and I was told this was a sign of such.

She was down to 7.5 pounds (from 10+) within a day or two, and wouldn't eat.  Thank goodness, they noticed she had sores on her mouth and her tongue that were a product of whatever the chemical reaction was from the kidney problem (it seems this was associated to the phosphorous number, but I can't remember for sure).  She was put on large doses of antibiotics immediately and another substance (the one that combated the mouth sores) a day or so after.  The mouth sores healed slowly, so they still had to use a feeding tube on her that was snaked down her throat and that they could plug a syringe into any time during the day.  She was on this system for maybe 3 days before she started to nibble on foods on her own.

She was pretty much holed up at the vet for a full week in intensive-care mode.  The fact is, she was better off there under her care than she was with me likely making her more stressed.  The feeding tube was a first for them - they'd never done such a thing for this condition.  It worked perfectly, and it didn't irritate her in the least.  With her mouth sores (and perhaps even with not), it was the only way she was going to get food down her.

I'm sorry I can't remember specifics with medicine names and such, but I just wanted to give you a couple of other things to make sure they look for and to try.  Even with full-time vet care, my bill with the feeding tube, meds, and LOTS of love from the fantastic vet staff, was less than $500.

If she just isn't eating, consider the feeding tube.  That was the key to sustaining Prissi until the meds started working.  When she came home, she was still on the med to get that phosphorous number down, for a few weeks.

For what it's worth, Prissi eats like a litle piggy now, and is happier and healthier than ever.  I was told that cats can show no signs of renal failure even after losing 70% of their kidney health.  So when they show signs, it means they're REALLY sick. 

Best of luck with your kitty.  This is such a hard time, I'm sure.  If you need any more specifics with my situation regarding meds, please get back with me and I will contact my vet for better details.

Robert

mrsgreenjeens said:

<snip> http://www.felinecrf.org <snip>

Click to expand...

This is a really really good website - pragmatic rather than dogmatic, and very carefully thought about.

I found this site about Renavast, check it out. Im purchasing my first bottle or my girl today. Hoping it keeps her stable.