So upset - nearly 18 year old hyperthyroid cat is suddenly on the decline

katiekins · Mar 9, 2015

Hi all,

Up until this past weekend, my nearly 18 year old cat was doing really well on her Tapazole to treat her hyperthyroid condition. She was diagnosed last summer. She was eating and drinking normally, and everything was great.

But this weekend, rather suddenly, her appetite went downhill and she stopped drinking as often. She started sleeping in places she has never slept before, has become lethargic and today, for the first time in her nearly 18 years, she urinated in the living room and not in her box. All of these changes are very uncharacteristic for Katie.

I have been syringe feeding her ever since this started and I have a mobile vet coming tomorrow (she's quite tolerant of the syringe feeding and will even lick the syringe to eat it). Katie has major anxiety (she has fainted from an anxiety attack in the clinic, hurt herself jumping off an examination table, and her regular vet is the one who suggested a mobile service for that reason) and even the mobile vet visit will be traumatic for her. The vet will examine her, draw blood and do whatever else she needs to do to see what's going on.

From my experience, this seems like a renal issue - what are your thoughts? Could this be CRF from your experiences? The vet has advised me to stop her Tapazole for now so I will not give her tonight's dose or the one tomorrow morning. My guess is that she wants to see if her appetite kicks in?

A couple of months back she was really lethargic for a day and I syringe fed her then, but her appetite was back by that evening. I am so worried that this time it's not just a low phase

I rescued Katie when she was 8.5 weeks old, along with her brother who unfortunately died at 6 months. I am just heartbroken that she has declined so suddenly.

I'm not ready for this - I'm not ready to lose her. But I made a promise to her long ago that I will always do what is best for her and weigh her emotional and physical health and put her quality of life above all else.

If you have any thoughts, support or experiences to share, I'd really appreciate it!

Katie's Mama

cprcheetah · Mar 9, 2015

(((HUGS)))) It's so hard, I have a 15 year old who has CRF and I want her to live to be 20+. It's not easy watching them get older and start having issues. It's hard to say if what your cat is experiencing is CRF or not, my cat is still just stage 2 so her only signs are drinking and peeing more often. She has recently had some appetite issues but a lot is picky/finicky eating. So I have to sometimes give her an appetite stimulant from the vet to get her eating again. She has chosen some different spots to sleep although her favorite is on a heating pad I keep on for my cats. My kitty doesn't get anxiety she just gets grumpy and mean when she's at the vet.....even though one of her vets (he's retired) is her human grandpa lol. She was so naughty when they drew her last blood draw it took 3 people to hold her........I hope the mobile vet can provide some answers for you.

miss mew · Mar 9, 2015

I'm so sorry that she is quickly declining. Praying that the mobile vet has some answers for you

katiekins · Mar 9, 2015

Thanks so much for your support and experiences. It really does help to know others understand!

The mobile vet contacted me and said she's bringing a helper to help her with restraining Katie. Even though Katie is terrified when people come over, I think the bloodwork and examination can be done much faster that way.

It's so hard making decisions when it seems they all suck, lol.

She is so grumpy tonight - I can't blame her since she doesn't know what's going on and mama has been fussing over her all day.

I am really praying that this is something minor that can be fixed, but I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst too.

Thanks again and I'll update tomorrow. She comes at 1pm EST.

that guy · Mar 9, 2015

Check her gums to see what colour they are, if they are lite pink or white then dehydration is setting in and this is part of renal failure. Dehydration is usually easy to address with a sub-q and making sure she is eating wet food or syringe food like what you are doing. Many things can cause animals to do odd things like going outside of the litter box or not wanting to hang out like usual. As was mentioned above they do get old and at 18 years old she has made it well past the average life of a cat by a third. She may bounce back and keep on going if she has been acting normally before this so lets hope for it. Try to listen to her stomach for noises and feel her chest for her pulse and make sure it seems normal. Also check her belly and make sure it is warm and not cold which is an indication of the cat going into shock or a dropping core temperature.

You have to understand you have been exceptionally luck to have a cat live 18 years but it doesn't mean the end until you are shown there are no other options. Get the tests done and see what they say and try to monitor her weight to ensure it is not dropping too badly. Check the gums or stick your finger in her cheek pouch and check for moisture because at her age the skin test is not really accurate. I wouldn't worry about what you do if it looks bad for her because you will know and it would be harder to keep her going than doing the right thing. I just put my guy down at 19.75 years old and he had been with me since he was born and it was not a happy time but the decision was fairly easy given the alternatives. We should always do whatever we can afford (time, stress, money, energy) but in the end we are doing this for them and their quality of life so we need to let go when the time is upon us. Keeping them going beyond their time is not fair for them just as giving up right away is not fair either.

At this point I would not worry about what could be and keep positive and do as much as you can for her now just like what you are doing. Keep yourself calm and help her calm down and make sure you are there when she is being checked out. The only time I was away from my guy was during x-rays or ultrasounds otherwise I was right there with him. Keep talking and make sure you are in her line of sight which will help her out a lot. You can also drug her up a little to help calm her down for these kinds of visits. My guy had arthritis and pain meds really made a difference in his life for those last few years and it may be an idea.

18 years old is an amazing age for a cat so hopefully this is something you can address and she may have a few more years in her. I always kept in mind that my guy was old and would have bad days but as long as the good outnumber the bad then it was all good.

Best of luck and hopefully it all works out for the better/

2bcat · Mar 9, 2015

I'm sorry to hear that. You're on the right track seems to me, have the vet check things and go from there. Obviously something has changed. I wouldn't be surprised if it is kidney function as you say.

When my nearly 17-year-old Amber had this a few years into her methimazole treatment, it did turn out to be kidney function. I dug through tons of CRF info (CKD is the newer abbreviation) in preparation for her having some rebound once she was getting regular fluid and such. Sadly she never really did. She didn't take to the syringe feeding and didn't really feel better after fluid treatment. I suspect this is because she was also suffering from congestive heart failure. It would have manifested in some breathing trouble, which was not obvious to me but it would explain her continuing lack of interest in eating. She died at home a couple months after her first CKD diagnosis, and that wasn't what I was expecting. I still expected to turn a corner with the CKD, but the CHF or similar complication had other ideas. She lived her entire life with me from about 8 weeks old.

What gives me hope in your case is that your kitty responded well to feeding by syringe and is apparently not in discomfort the entire time. Cats with CKD can live for months or years depending upon what stage and various factors. The sub-q fluid treatment helps keep her hydrated (trust me, you can actually learn to do that yourself even though it's a bit weird if you've not done it) and feeling better and as long as she will eat or otherwise get food into her that's about it. Quality of life is a consideration if she's not able to eat on her own, use litter box on her own, and just overall judgment of how she seems at home, but it's not clear if you're truly at that type of decision yet. I think not, but then looking back on my experience I wonder if the forced feeding had gone too far when she didn't really respond.

Keep in mind that being off the hyperthyroid med will exacerbate any heart problem she might have. It can be a tricky balance trying to treat for all the different things. I hope you find the answers you need in the next couple days and that they will be things that you can treat and have more quality time left. Hang in there.

katiekins · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks guys.

Katie had a better night: she ate some wet food I left out and she peed twice (in the box) and pooped too! Her gums are wet and pinkish and she growled at me when I tried to touch her belly. I'll leave that to the vet. Her head was wet this morning, which means she was drinking from her fountain (she always gets her head wet). So things are a tad better today. At least she's showing some interest in food. She will still eat certain treats without issue so her appetite isn't non-existent.

The vet prescribed a sedative for her so she's not as anxious during the examination. I think that's a great idea and will give it to her two hours prior, as prescribed.

I have had cats with diabetes in the past and had to give them insulin, so if she needs sub-q injections, I'll be fine to administer it to her. I've had cats all my life so I'm not afraid of pilling, injecting, etc., thankfully.

That Guy and 2bcat - thanks so much for sharing your own experiences. I know I'm very fortunate that Katie has made it this far, especially since she was a sickly kitten (lots of URIs) and my goal will always be to maintain her quality of life. I am definitely not one of those people that will put her through any kind of suffering or hang on longer than I should. It's hard when you're in it, though, to know if it's a bad phase or the beginning of the end. Hopefully the vet will be able to tell me more.

This mobile vet service is amazing. They specialize in geriatric and terminally ill pets only. They have extensive specialization in pain management and bereavement training for the pet parents. They also do in-home euthanasia and memorials for your pet if you so desire.

I'll report back this afternoon. Thanks again!

katiekins · Mar 10, 2015

The vet visit went very well. She said Katie is doing okay and was only slightly dehydrated. Her gums were moist, her eyes looked awesome, no temperature, and the rest will depend on what the blood work and urinalysis tells us.

She did give Katie some fluids and an appetite stimulant. Right now she is eating! She thinks I'm correct in suspecting renal issues, but we won't know until we get the blood work back. The sedation prior to the appointment was amazing. She was calm and was not stressed out at all. The vet tech that came with the vet was an amazing woman too, and so kind. They were both incredibly gentle.

It took a few tries to find a vein, but we did eventually. She was down in weight a tad, but we hope to get that back up. All in all, she said Katie is in good shape right now and that I've been doing a good job nursing her.

I'm so relieved that at least she's okay right now. The rest will depend on what the blood work tells us.

2bcat · Mar 10, 2015

That sounds promising for Katie, and a really great vet service to have available, wow. If her weight is not down too much and she is eating, that is a huge part of the battle right there! A big problem with CKD (if that's what it is) or really any number of other conditions that make a cat feel poorly is that they often don't have much interest in eating. I know that was the most agonizing thing to me, pleading with the cat to eat something.

Here's hoping for continued better days ahead.

katiekins · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks so much! Yes, her not eating has been extremely stressful for both of us. I can't imagine dealing with that long term, but we will cross that bridge if/when she's headed in that direction.

After she zonked out, she woke up and inhaled some more food, used the litter box and is sleeping again. She's still really drugged, so I've been helping her get up on things, but at least she's eating on her own right now! Phew.

pharber-murphy · Mar 10, 2015

I'm glad to hear that Katie is doing better. Mr. Grimsby (somewhere between 15-17 yo) was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about five years. He couldn't tolerate Tapazole, so I was forced to go the radioactive iodine injection route. He recovered very well. Your Katie may be too old for this treatment. I recall a vet who hadn't examined Mr. G. telling me that he would only live another couple of years anyway, so why waste my money. Boy, was he ever wrong! Thank goodness I didn't listen to him!

I hope Katie hangs around for a long time to come. Having just been through a stressful period with Mr. G. (apparently, it was arthritic inflammation in his spine that was keeping him from eating), I know what you mean about quality of life over quantity of life. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments.

BTW, another vet put Mr. G. on sub-q fluids two weeks ago (not sure if he really needs them, according to the "second opinion" vet). I had also given insulin shots to a cat, so figured it would be easy. But giving sub-q fluids is absolutely nothing like it. It takes a lot longer, the needles are absolutely humongous, and I understand that the saline stings so it can be pretty uncomfortable for them. Katie may or may not adjust well to the constant poking and prodding - Mr. G. did not like it at all.

Good luck with the results of the blood tests. We're hoping for the best for both of you!

katiekins · Mar 11, 2015

PHarber-Murphy said:
I'm glad to hear that Katie is doing better. Mr. Grimsby (somewhere between 15-17 yo) was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about five years. He couldn't tolerate Tapazole, so I was forced to go the radioactive iodine injection route. He recovered very well. Your Katie may be too old for this treatment. I recall a vet who hadn't examined Mr. G. telling me that he would only live another couple of years anyway, so why waste my money. Boy, was he ever wrong! Thank goodness I didn't listen to him!

I hope Katie hangs around for a long time to come. Having just been through a stressful period with Mr. G. (apparently, it was arthritic inflammation in his spine that was keeping him from eating), I know what you mean about quality of life over quantity of life. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments.

BTW, another vet put Mr. G. on sub-q fluids two weeks ago (not sure if he really needs them, according to the "second opinion" vet). I had also given insulin shots to a cat, so figured it would be easy. But giving sub-q fluids is absolutely nothing like it. It takes a lot longer, the needles are absolutely humongous, and I understand that the saline stings so it can be pretty uncomfortable for them. Katie may or may not adjust well to the constant poking and prodding - Mr. G. did not like it at all.

Good luck with the results of the blood tests. We're hoping for the best for both of you!

Thanks so much!

I know what you mean about the needle used for the sub-q fluids!! I got a look at that yesterday when the vet administered it and was trying to teach me. She left the bag here so I can give it to her next week, but she forgot to give me needles. I need to mention it to her when I talk to her today. I think I could do it, but Katie may not sit still for that. She only tolerated it yesterday because she was very drugged. I have a feeling she'll be like your Mr. G and not like it. If that's the case, I'd rather syringe her with water even though it's not the same. She's been handled so much and poked and prodded so much in the last few days that I just want to leave her alone. Her nails need clipping, but I'll wait a bit. I should have done it last night when she was still drugged! LOL.

Actually, it scared me how long acting the drug was (it was Gabapentin, only in a higher dose for the sedative effect). She could barely walk last night and was extremely uncoordinated. I couldn't leave her unattended because she fell off a bench. She's better this morning, and ate on her own, but I'm anxious to get the test results back. I don't like her not being on her Tapazole. The vet said we'd discuss dosing after the results come in. I know she's trying to balance the hyperthyroidism with potential kidney issues, but it's making me nervous and she's starting to swear-meow at me again!

Yeah, Katie is not a candidate for the iodine treatment due to her age, her intense anxiety, and likely her kidneys. She did well on the Tapazole (her dose was even reduced and she was on 3.25mgs a day for maintenance).

Thanks for your input and sharing about Mr. G. I'll report back as soon as I hear from the vet.

pharber-murphy · Mar 11, 2015

When I was told that I had to give Mr. G. sub-q fluids, I did a ton of research, just like you. I found a couple of things that might be helpful with Katie:

There's something called the clothespin trick - attach three clothespins in a row down the nape of the cat's neck. It sedates them (or terrifies them - the posts weren't very clear on which was happening) and they lie perfectly still. You can read more about it on this thread from 2007: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/136624/binder-clips-to-soothe. And you can see it in action here: http://cats.wonderhowto.com/how-to/...crazy-cat-seconds-using-simple-trick-0145983/.

I've also been told that I could wrap him in a blanket or towel to hold him still. I'm not sure how that would work since you need a tent on his back to insert the syringe, but you might want to do some research on that.

I asked hubby to hold Mr. G. while I gave him the fluids; I think that made it worse for Mr. G. I soon discovered that if I sat on the floor/bed with him on his heating pad pillow facing me, he would remain calm long enough for me to get 30 CCs into him (better than nothing, eh). The advantage to this approach is that he could bury his head against my legs, I could hold his body in the "thunder jacket" pose, and the needle was facing towards me so I had a little better leverage on the plunger (it is quite difficult to push the plunger down, BTW). I also talked to him the whole time, telling him what a good boy he was and how this was going to make him all better (I think cats understand our intent, if not the words).

Another note is that the solution is chilly. If the saline is at body temperature, it's supposed to be more comfortable. It might help to warm it in a bowl of hot water before beginning. Don't use the microwave, though - it will get way too hot and the temperature will be uneven.

If Katie manages to get the needle out, discard that needle and use a new one. These needles are very fragile and the sharpness deteriorates quickly. Besides, using the same needle more than once runs the risk of introducing infections through the puncture site. If she does squirm away, let her go after the second attempt. You can always give more fluids later in the day.

Oh, and be sure to use a different patch of skin with each injection to prevent scar tissue building up . It's easier than you might think. The vet said to pinch a "tent" in Mr. G.'s skin to insert the needle (be sure to insert the longer edge first). I found a video that showed a "saddle" approach. Think of Katie with a saddle on her back - the area covered would be between her shoulder and her hips and mid-way down her ribs. Now, instead of making a small tent by pinching the little fold of skin at her shoulders, you can grab a trough of skin along this corridor. I've read that all of this area is less sensitive. This gives you more area to work with, and makes it less likely that the needle will go all the way through the other side of the "tent" (I did that a couple of times on Mr. G.). Hold the needle almost parallel to the spine so you don't hit muscle, too.

One last thing (I know, this is a long post!) - I saw a recommendation to practice on oranges before starting on your cat. The skin of an orange has about the same consistency as the skin of a cat.

Good luck with Katie. Let us know how it goes at the vet today.

katiekins · Mar 11, 2015

PHarber-Murphy said:
When I was told that I had to give Mr. G. sub-q fluids, I did a ton of research, just like you. I found a couple of things that might be helpful with Katie:

There's something called the clothespin trick - attach three clothespins in a row down the nape of the cat's neck. It sedates them (or terrifies them - the posts weren't very clear on which was happening) and they lie perfectly still. You can read more about it on this thread from 2007: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/136624/binder-clips-to-soothe. And you can see it in action here: http://cats.wonderhowto.com/how-to/...crazy-cat-seconds-using-simple-trick-0145983/.

I've also been told that I could wrap him in a blanket or towel to hold him still. I'm not sure how that would work since you need a tent on his back to insert the syringe, but you might want to do some research on that.

I asked hubby to hold Mr. G. while I gave him the fluids; I think that made it worse for Mr. G. I soon discovered that if I sat on the floor/bed with him on his heating pad pillow facing me, he would remain calm long enough for me to get 30 CCs into him (better than nothing, eh). The advantage to this approach is that he could bury his head against my legs, I could hold his body in the "thunder jacket" pose, and the needle was facing towards me so I had a little better leverage on the plunger (it is quite difficult to push the plunger down, BTW). I also talked to him the whole time, telling him what a good boy he was and how this was going to make him all better (I think cats understand our intent, if not the words).

Another note is that the solution is chilly. If the saline is at body temperature, it's supposed to be more comfortable. It might help to warm it in a bowl of hot water before beginning. Don't use the microwave, though - it will get way too hot and the temperature will be uneven.

If Katie manages to get the needle out, discard that needle and use a new one. These needles are very fragile and the sharpness deteriorates quickly. Besides, using the same needle more than once runs the risk of introducing infections through the puncture site. If she does squirm away, let her go after the second attempt. You can always give more fluids later in the day.

Oh, and be sure to use a different patch of skin with each injection to prevent scar tissue building up . It's easier than you might think. The vet said to pinch a "tent" in Mr. G.'s skin to insert the needle (be sure to insert the longer edge first). I found a video that showed a "saddle" approach. Think of Katie with a saddle on her back - the area covered would be between her shoulder and her hips and mid-way down her ribs. Now, instead of making a small tent by pinching the little fold of skin at her shoulders, you can grab a trough of skin along this corridor. I've read that all of this area is less sensitive. This gives you more area to work with, and makes it less likely that the needle will go all the way through the other side of the "tent" (I did that a couple of times on Mr. G.). Hold the needle almost parallel to the spine so you don't hit muscle, too.

One last thing (I know, this is a long post!) - I saw a recommendation to practice on oranges before starting on your cat. The skin of an orange has about the same consistency as the skin of a cat.

Good luck with Katie. Let us know how it goes at the vet today.

You are a gem and so sweet - thank you! This is all great information. I'm going to save all of this and put it in a folder.

My mobile vet emailed saying she's about to head to another client, but she wanted to tell me quickly that her kidney function is the same as last summer! So, she's still in the normal-ish range right now. However, her thyroid numbers were very elevated so she wanted me to give her a half a pill ASAP, which I just did. She said she'd be in touch by the end of the day to go over the test results and to figure out a plan.

Thanks again - I really appreciate you taking the time to respond in such detail. This is immensely helpful and supportive

2bcat · Mar 11, 2015

It's weird, Amber wouldn't hold still for much else, but the sub-q was not a big deal for her at all. The routine we established was the same place each time, in a comfy bed (more on that in a sec) and it helps to have 2 people but once the routine was established I could do it alone easily. The second person is just to give her attention from the front; I was the one who did the sub-q most of the time and I sat mainly behind her.

The fluid should be warmed up a little if possible. We submerged it in a bowl of water the best we could and it warmed up well. You leave the IV tubing attached (at least if you're using 1 liter bags) and you don't really want that getting wet I thought. My solution to that was to put the whole contraption inside a large Ziploc bag and submerge the whole bag.

The speed is key! The longer it takes, the more your cat will not sit still for it. I found this out the hard way, sort of. I of course kept reading things and discovered that some needles have thinner walls than others, so I bought some other needles in the smaller gauge that shouldn't have taken too much longer for the fluid to go. I can't remember the brands anymore, except that the vet sold me Monoject and the other one was Japanese I think? Well, when I tried those it was clearly taking a lot longer anyway, and that extra time is what made Amber uncomfortable. I think they were 20 gauge needles that I bought online and the vet was giving us 18 gauge which is the typical. Or 18 and 16, I can't remember which. Anyway, the actual stick is not that big a deal most of the time, so the bigger needle becomes not that big a deal at that one point where it matters for pain. And it's a much better option when it comes to getting the fluid all in there quickly. If you dig around I think on Tanya's CKD page (felinecrf.org) I think there's some stats on how long it takes to run fluid in with different size/brand needles.

The other key to speed/ease of fluid flow is height/gravity. My trick: get a coat hanger or one of those large s-hooks that can go over a closet rod. I had a coat hanger handy so I used that. Then hang it over something really high. I used a curtain rod that was about 7 feet off the floor. Then, we had the cat stay on the floor. So it had all that distance to go down with gravity assist.

So, Amber was pretty compliant for this. I don't know how much of this was that she was just not as feisty as she used to be and how much was that she learned that this made her feel better for a short time. But we did have her get into a bed made out of a rectangular basket (just a little throw fleece in a basket we had around). That was a common thing for her to sleep in during her last few months. We'd make sure she was in there, if she wasn't already, then just carry her over to the sub-q location in the basket. It could be a cardboard box or whatever, but if you try this you want it to be something solid that won't flex around when you pick it up. If you have to do the sub-q, you might even find that you get into such a routine that she'll go to the spot/into the bed/whatever your routine is, on her own.

katiekins · Mar 11, 2015

2bcat said:
It's weird, Amber wouldn't hold still for much else, but the sub-q was not a big deal for her at all. The routine we established was the same place each time, in a comfy bed (more on that in a sec) and it helps to have 2 people but once the routine was established I could do it alone easily. The second person is just to give her attention from the front; I was the one who did the sub-q most of the time and I sat mainly behind her.

The fluid should be warmed up a little if possible. We submerged it in a bowl of water the best we could and it warmed up well. You leave the IV tubing attached (at least if you're using 1 liter bags) and you don't really want that getting wet I thought. My solution to that was to put the whole contraption inside a large Ziploc bag and submerge the whole bag.

The speed is key! The longer it takes, the more your cat will not sit still for it. I found this out the hard way, sort of. I of course kept reading things and discovered that some needles have thinner walls than others, so I bought some other needles in the smaller gauge that shouldn't have taken too much longer for the fluid to go. I can't remember the brands anymore, except that the vet sold me Monoject and the other one was Japanese I think? Well, when I tried those it was clearly taking a lot longer anyway, and that extra time is what made Amber uncomfortable. I think they were 20 gauge needles that I bought online and the vet was giving us 18 gauge which is the typical. Or 18 and 16, I can't remember which. Anyway, the actual stick is not that big a deal most of the time, so the bigger needle becomes not that big a deal at that one point where it matters for pain. And it's a much better option when it comes to getting the fluid all in there quickly. If you dig around I think on Tanya's CKD page (felinecrf.org) I think there's some stats on how long it takes to run fluid in with different size/brand needles.

The other key to speed/ease of fluid flow is height/gravity. My trick: get a coat hanger or one of those large s-hooks that can go over a closet rod. I had a coat hanger handy so I used that. Then hang it over something really high. I used a curtain rod that was about 7 feet off the floor. Then, we had the cat stay on the floor. So it had all that distance to go down with gravity assist.

So, Amber was pretty compliant for this. I don't know how much of this was that she was just not as feisty as she used to be and how much was that she learned that this made her feel better for a short time. But we did have her get into a bed made out of a rectangular basket (just a little throw fleece in a basket we had around). That was a common thing for her to sleep in during her last few months. We'd make sure she was in there, if she wasn't already, then just carry her over to the sub-q location in the basket. It could be a cardboard box or whatever, but if you try this you want it to be something solid that won't flex around when you pick it up. If you have to do the sub-q, you might even find that you get into such a routine that she'll go to the spot/into the bed/whatever your routine is, on her own.

Thanks so much. Yes, I did read Tanya's site and I know what needles to get if/when I will need to do this. Thank you for the rest of the info and the details. I actually found a hook that works well with the bag.

I just spoke to the vet and she's still considered very early stage for kidney disease - thankfully. Since the vet told me to take her off the Tapazole before her appointment, we don't know exactly how much the high thyroid numbers are real or what is due to stopping the drug. I had a feeling I shouldn't have stopped it, but she wanted to rule out whether it was the drug making her sick. So now, she wants to come back in 2-3 weeks and take more blood. I'm not happy about this of course, since it's a huge ordeal. If we drug Katie again (which it looks like we have to do), then it's another day of me watching her like a hawk so she doesn't fall and hurt herself. I asked her about a lower dose of the sedative that may not last as long, so we'll have to see.

She's going to run another test (I'm sure I'm into the hundreds and hundreds of dollars already with just one visit) which will check her pancreas. We still don't know exactly why she stopped eating and got ill. She wants to rule out pancreas issues and also says it could be GI disease. Considering she had an episode like this a couple of months back, she's wondering if it was an acute attack of some sort. She's a tad anemic, but she said it's nothing serious at this point.

So, I don't have any real answers yet as to why she suddenly got sick in the first place. We were certain it was renal, but it's not. She's eaten a little bit today, but not a lot. It's hard to tell if it's still the sedative's effects, or if she's just not interested in food again/still.

pharber-murphy · Mar 11, 2015

That's great news, Katiekins. I'm so glad that it's not renal failure. My "second opinion" vet told me that if I switched Mr. G. to Purina NF, he probably wouldn't need sub-q fluids at this point in his CKD. You may want to ask your vet about that option.

The one thing that surprised me (I don't think I mentioned it in my earlier post) was Mr. G's reaction yesterday when a can of Royal Canin Recovery was set in front of him. I told the tech that he wouldn't eat it - but I ended up eating my words. He was so thrilled with the food that he only tried to growl at the vet while she was doing cold laser therapy on his arthritis. It was so funny - he sounded like a cat under water ;-) Maybe you could go to your local vet's office and buy a can for Katie. Mr. G. certainly enjoyed it and he hadn't been eating well for more than a week.

Oh, I also wanted to mention that when Mr. G. couldn't take the Tapazole pills, the vet tried Tapazole topical, which is applied to the inside of the ear. Unfortunately, that didn't agree with him either, but that may be an option for Katie.

BTW, I use a beach towel in my cats' carriers. I spray it with Nutri-Vet Pet-Ease Pheromone+ spray (it also contains extracts of lavender, St. John's Wort, and Valerian - all relaxing herbs). That seems to keep them calm when they're going to the vet. The other thing I've discovered is that classical music relaxes them (I know!). I always put on something soothing when we're in the car. They prefer violins to piano, but whatever works, right.

Good luck with Katie. After a tearful week with Mr. G. I know how important it is to get support from a like-minded community.

Best regards.

katiekins · Mar 11, 2015

PHarber-Murphy said:
That's great news, Katiekins. I'm so glad that it's not renal failure. My "second opinion" vet told me that if I switched Mr. G. to Purina NF, he probably wouldn't need sub-q fluids at this point in his CKD. You may want to ask your vet about that option.

The one thing that surprised me (I don't think I mentioned it in my earlier post) was Mr. G's reaction yesterday when a can of Royal Canin Recovery was set in front of him. I told the tech that he wouldn't eat it - but I ended up eating my words. He was so thrilled with the food that he only tried to growl at the vet while she was doing cold laser therapy on his arthritis. It was so funny - he sounded like a cat under water ;-) Maybe you could go to your local vet's office and buy a can for Katie. Mr. G. certainly enjoyed it and he hadn't been eating well for more than a week.

Oh, I also wanted to mention that when Mr. G. couldn't take the Tapazole pills, the vet tried Tapazole topical, which is applied to the inside of the ear. Unfortunately, that didn't agree with him either, but that may be an option for Katie.

BTW, I use a beach towel in my cats' carriers. I spray it with Nutri-Vet Pet-Ease Pheromone+ spray (it also contains extracts of lavender, St. John's Wort, and Valerian - all relaxing herbs). That seems to keep them calm when they're going to the vet. The other thing I've discovered is that classical music relaxes them (I know!). I always put on something soothing when we're in the car. They prefer violins to piano, but whatever works, right.

Good luck with Katie. After a tearful week with Mr. G. I know how important it is to get support from a like-minded community.

Best regards.

That's a great idea trying the Royal Canin Recovery! I am planning on going to the clinic to get some other recovery foods anyway, so I will pick that up as well. Right now she's on Weruva and ate some a little while ago. I also put Nutri-Cal gel on her paw which she licks off - anything to get some calories into her. At least she's eating voluntarily today, even if I do have to coax her a bit. Thanks for that suggestion!

I wonder if the Nutri-Vet is similar to the Rescue Remedy I have. I also have Feliway, but that doesn't seem to do anything for her. I'm glad I have a mobile vet now, because at least I don't have to deal with the car ride howling. However, I will definitely play some classical music here by her bed when she seems agitated

You're so right about the support. I was in tears today and have been close to tears ever since this started. I always knew she would get sick as she got older, but now that it's happening it's really hard to accept. I talked to my Mom twice today and she was great - we talked about our family cat that we had for 17 years and how hard it was for him in the end. I'm not there yet, but Katie being so lethargic is really bringing all of that back.

My goal is to maintain her quality of life. I do not want her poked and prodded every day, nor do I want our days filled with me shoving things down her throat. I can handle palliative pain management and keeping her comfortable, but I definitely do not want heroics to prolong the inevitable. Fortunately my vet understands this.

pharber-murphy · Mar 11, 2015

Oh, I hear you! I knew I had to find an alternative when I went to bed crying and woke up the next morning crying. I figured that even if the "second opinion" vet didn't give me a second opinion I liked, I would know what I had to do. I just couldn't stand the look in Mr. G.'s eyes and I thought, if he feels that bad I'd rather he be put to sleep. I am so deeply thankful that I got another opinion, but more importantly, that the second vet actually had a remedy.

You and Katie are in my thoughts. I hope it all turns out well.

Best regards.

katiekins · Mar 11, 2015

PHarber-Murphy said:
Oh, I hear you! I knew I had to find an alternative when I went to bed crying and woke up the next morning crying. I figured that even if the "second opinion" vet didn't give me a second opinion I liked, I would know what I had to do. I just couldn't stand the look in Mr. G.'s eyes and I thought, if he feels that bad I'd rather he be put to sleep. I am so deeply thankful that I got another opinion, but more importantly, that the second vet actually had a remedy.

You and Katie are in my thoughts. I hope it all turns out well.

Best regards.

That is so wonderful that there was a remedy. What an emotional roller coaster though! Hugs to you and Mr. G.

So upset - nearly 18 year old hyperthyroid cat is suddenly on the decline

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