Cat diagnosed with CRF

uhadmeatmeowoof

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Hello everyone. I'm here because yesterday my 8 year old female, indoor/outdoor(yard) cat was diagnosed with CRF. Here's the story:
It all started in mid-January when I noticed my cat, who once was told to be overweight at 10 lbs, started losing weight. She looked skinnier, but her healthy attitute was still there: eating, drinking, pooping and peeing normally, playing, sleeping, etc...Also, it's still summer over here (Chile, Latin America) and some days have been terribly hot, I thought it could be related to that. I called her vet and asked if it was normal she had dropped from 9 lbs to 6 lbs during this time, and he said yes. Since she was her normal self, I didn't worry that much. But this last monday or tuesday (can't really tell) she stopped pooping, still peeing though. She pees and poops once a day normally. Wednesday she stopped eating. She started looking lethargic. So her vet came to see her Thursday and said it was probably a hairball that wasn't allowing the poop to come out. I wasn't satisfied with his answer, so I looked for another vet, a new one, recommended by him, since he was out of town. I took her there Friday and the vet was really worried, said she was extremely dehydrated and that it was probably CRF. I couldn't believe it. I kept my cool while being there, but when I got home I cried because I've read info about CRF and it doesn't look very good. Also, she's only 8, most cases I've read are about much older cats. Anyway, he started IV treatment on her, took blood samples and removed her poop. Also, he told me she has gingivitis and periodontitis and treated her with antibiotics.
Yesterday I went to see her and she looked very good, her eyes were bright again, she looked like her old happy self, but with an IV. Vet even removed a rotten tooth. But the vet didn't have good news: she was diagnosed with CRF.
Her creatinine and BUN levels are high, which he tells me means she has kidney failure. He prescribed Hill's k/d (dry or/and wet), which she was eating and seemed to love, and told me she could mantain a healthy life even with this condition.
I can't deny the blood tests results, but he told me that cats with CRF pee a lot, and my cat didn't pee that much, only two or three times a day in the last two days. Also, I understand that cats who pee a lot change places to pee because their litter is dirty with pee. Not the case here.
Does any of you guys have a cat with CRF? What are your experiences or thoughts? I was also reading about cats who eat toxic plants that experience high levels of creatinine. Perhaps my cat lost weight because she had a rotten tooth? Any ideas?

Anyway, I'm bringing her tomorrow at noon and I don't know what to expect. Of course I'm asking the vet, but I'd love some feedback from CRF cat owners.
Thanks so much.
Danny
 
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mrsgreenjeens

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Well, first of all, let me extend my sympathy that your furbaby has been diagnosed with CRF.  I've been there
.  My Sven lived for 3 years after he was diagnosed, but he was 13 when diagnosed. 

Here is a website that has so much information that you may feel overwhelmed, but just take your time and go thru it, then ask us questions as they come up. http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm   There are, unfortunately, many, many of us here at TCS who have or have had cats with kidney disease. 

As far as kidney cats peeing lots, they normally do, but that's because they normally drink buckets full of water, and what goes in must go out
.

I never had an issue with Sven changing litter boxes, although we always had more than one anyway, simply because we have more than one cat.

As far as the constipation, that is a common issue with kidney cats, even though they drink tons of water.  Not sure why, really, but it just seems to be.  For our guy, we gave him a small dose of Miralax in the am and another one in the p.m., right into his food.  Some folks add a tiny bit of pumpkin into their food.  (this is probably addressed in the above website)

Some of her weight loss could indeed have been due to her dental issues, but it could also be due to the CRF.  It's very common in CRF cats, sadly.

Now, has your Vet talked to you yet about giving sub-q fluids at home?  This is something that most of us do, and although it may seem intimidating at first, it's really quite easy.  We can help you all along the way with tips on "how to" and even the best places to order your supplies, although you will need a prescription for the fluids.  You may or may not need to do this at this point.  We didn't for the first couple of years for our Sven because it hadn't progressed that far.  But if your girl is getting IV fluids currently, then she may need them on-going every few days at home...that's for your Vet to determine.  Don't worry, it only takes about 5 minutes !

So...you are not alone, and even though CRF is a terrible thing, it is not an instant death sentence.  Cats can live many years with it, and sometimes just a simple change in foods is all that is needed in the beginning .  And, yes, BUN and Creatinine are the values to keep track of.  High is indicative of CRF
(unless she is eating a raw diet...then they would naturally be on the high side, but not extremely high)

When you bring her home tomorrow, I wouldn't expect much difference in her, really.  She may be peeing more simply from the IV, she may be eating more because of the tooth extraction, OR she may be eating less because of a sore mouth
.  Now, cats with CRF sometimes have over acidic tummies, which can be addressed with 1/4 tablet of Pepcid A/C.  (also addressed in above website, I believe)  If she acts nauseaus or doesn't eat, or throws up froth, that's probably what is causing it.  But be sure and ask the Vet about the Pepcid A/C before just giving it.  And that could be way down the road, hopefully
 
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uhadmeatmeowoof

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Thank you for your kind answer. I'm picking her up from the vet in a few minutes, hope everything is ok. I wonder about Miralax. I live in South America and I don't think I've ever heard or seen it here. When she became constipated we used vaseline, which worked the first time she became constipated (this was the second time in 8 years) but not this time. Is that similar to Miralax?  I googled and it says it's made of polyethylene glycol. I hope I can find it here since it seems to be very soft. If I do find it, what's the dose? a tea spoon?

thanks again
 
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Thank you for your kind answer. I'm picking her up from the vet in a few minutes, hope everything is ok. I wonder about Miralax. I live in South America and I don't think I've ever heard or seen it here. When she became constipated we used vaseline, which worked the first time she became constipated (this was the second time in 8 years) but not this time. Is that similar to Miralax?  I googled and it says it's made of polyethylene glycol. I hope I can find it here since it seems to be very soft. If I do find it, what's the dose? a tea spoon?

thanks again
 
In Canada I think it's call Restoralax and also Peg 3350 so know it can be called other things, not to mention that you can use the generic form!  Don't know what it's called in South America, but I'm sure you could just ask a pharmacist. 

Dosage that we used was between 1/8 and 1/4 teaspoon mixed in about 1/4 teaspoon water, then stirred into his food.  This does not turn into a gel like other fiber stuff does, not does it get sticky or oily.  You cannot even tell there is anything in the water.  Completely tasteless too!  And it works differently that any regular laxative type medication.  It's kind of like a stool softener.  Was a life saver for my guy...he had it every day of  his life for the last couple of years he was alive...otherwise he strained and strained to go


So I guess you've got her home now.  How's she doing?
 
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uhadmeatmeowoof

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thanks again for your answer. Should I put this daily in her food or maybe once a week? She came back home today and started walking around, like recognizing territory or something. She drank water and peed a bit. Then she pooped by her own, which made me very happy. She has peed like 3 more times after that. She hasn't eaten here but she had eaten at the vet's so she might be hungry later. Now she's trying to sleep, but seems a bit restless, moving from one place to another. Hope this goes to normal tomorrow (normal is resting all day, as most cats)

The vet recommended giving her extra water through a needleless syringe, about 50 ml every day, mixed with small dosis of sugar. I just gave her 5 ml and she doesn't really enjoy some being opening her mouth...
I don't know how we're supposed to give her 50 ml 10 times a day.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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That's the problem giving it by mouth...it's sometimes stressful to the cat.  But, if she's eating canned food at all, try stirring extra water into her food!  50 ml is a lot to add to her food, but at least you can get SOME extra into her that way.

As far as using the Miralax (or whatever it is down your way), maybe wait and see how it goes. If she doesn't have any problems, no need to use it.  If you see her really straining, then use it.  Or you could try just adding a little pumpkin (maybe 1 teas. per meal) to her diet.  That helps too.  Just use plain pumpkin in a can, NOT pumpkin pie mix.  You can freeze the excess in an ice cube tray and just thaw one cube at a time for daily use.  (though she may not like it...cats either love it hate it)

Your little one has been through an ordeal and wondering what has happened to her.  This may be the first time she has been hospitalized too.  Hopefully she will get back into her routine quickly.

 
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uhadmeatmeowoof

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She's beginning to behave like herself, but I don't wanna get my hopes too high. Anyway, she ate with enthusiasm, which also makes me happy,I hadn't seen that since last Tuesday. She has half a can of k/d wet food available, I'm adding that when she feels the need to eat again. She still seems a bit weak, I suppose it's because of being hospitalized, first time she's been through that. She doesn't seem that thirsty though. Now she's resting. I notice her breathing is a little faster than usual, especially after activity. She's also on antibiotics to continue treatment for gingivitis and periodontitis and to prevent urinary infections. I guess she's just feeling weak after this ordeal, like you say. Thanks again!
 

lizzimi

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My 13 yr old lost a ton of weight and was throwing up daily. when we had her blood tested her levels were almost off the charts and she was diagnosed with CRF. The vet said she had two days left tops, she could do an IV  which may extend her life by a week or two. My cat haaates the vet, this vet turned out to be horrible so I'm in the process of switching now, and I just couldn't afford the IV since I'm a student I just lost my job and am paying for everything... We didn't get the IV. They didn't prescribe anything,  refused to let me give her sub-q, didn't tell me what type of food I should give her, nothing. They said if I didn't get the IV then I would just have to wait for her to die, they wouldn't treat her. I read like every page on the "Tanya's CRF" site instead. I put her on an all-wet food diet and she improved almost instantly. She started running around the house like a kitten again. It has now been 6 months and she is still doing fine. We never went back to the vet. I found a new one and I'll be taking her there for a checkup soon.

I can't imagine trying to shove water in her mouth. She's a very grumpy old lady, she would eat my face.
 
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uhadmeatmeowoof

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Thanks your sharing your experience. Yesterday I made the decision to make her eat all wet food, since it's 80% water and dry food is only 12%.

She never vomited or had diarrhea, not before going to the vet nor after, but she was still very dehydrated. She began losing weight around mid-January.

Now she's recovering, I still give her 50 ml of extra water through syringe. She doesn't really look forward to it, but I have to keep her away from dehydration.

I wonder how much did it take for your cat to gain weight again. I don't expect her to weight 10 lbs like she used to at her heaviest, but 7.5 is my goal. (she's currently at 6.5)

And I know what you mean about money, the vet cost me $255
. I guess you must always be prepared, it's just like having a kid.
 
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