Cardiac Arrest, High Potassium and a bladder block, need some advice and encouragement.....

bellabet112

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Hello, 

I am seeking some advice, encouragement and perhaps some past experiences in relation the the emergent situation i faced last might with my Maine Coon baby,. 

My boy is 4-5 years old, Maine Coon Mix, very large and was being treated by his vet for a UTI this weekend (Vet visit was Saturday, emergency was Sunday night)

His Vet on Saturday could not get a urine sample and Mufasa was not acting abnormal aside from his normal behavior when I take him tot eh vet, he doesn't like it as do most cats i assume. They put him on Baytril and prescription Urine crystal treatment food (and weight management since he is so big). Took him home and started him on food, the next morning, Sunday i gave him more of the new food and his second dose of Baytril (first does was an injection the day before at Vet. He was acting normal that night and in the morning until 1 hour after I gave him the oral med, he started vomiting, lethargic, crying...I figured from research it was an upset tummy from the new food and side effect from baytril. His vet was closed so my only option was the ER vet, I have never experienced an animal issue like this so I was hesitant to take him in and figured I would take him to his vet this morning instead especially since I just spend $200 the day before.  I monitored him as the day went on and he seemed to get work, high respiration, uncomfortable, more vomiting, crying, etc. So i decided to take him in, This is where things took a turn :(

We waited nearly 2 hours and they finally decided he had a urinary blockage they wanted to keep him over night, sedate him, unblock him and send him home with me to my vet in the morning, I signed away and left paying nearly $1300 but I love this boy so i was ok with that. 

Went home and after 2 hours I was feeling like I should check on him, I called in and they informed me his potassium was through the roof, off the charge, unreadable, they were surprised he was even alert. The tech said she wasn't sure eh would make it, my heart sank....

She said they needed to get it lowered before they could unblock him and put him under and they would call me when this was to take place, I requested to talk tot eh Vet and we spoke, same info as the tech. 

I received a call about an hour later, His potassium was back down and they were to perform the procedure and they would call when it was done with an update...2 hours go by and no phone call...

It was past mid-night and I could not sleep, I called again, The Vet got on the phone and had more bad news on my baby, he had gone into cardiac arrest before the procedure took place but after anesthesia was administered. They were able to resuscitate him and then perform the unblocking, he was breathing on his own but I guess still had a tube in his throat, They had new concerns of possible neurological issues and we had to wait until the morning to see what the outcome would be. The vet said he would call in the night if anything bad came up but if he didn't call that was good and he would follow up at 8am. 

Longest night ever, 

I was a complete mess and so mad at myself for not taking him in sooner. 

Thankful no more phone calls until the morning with an update, Mufasa did well through the night heart and breathing were normal and electorates stable, but there was yet another new concern, his vision seems to be lacking, they believe he may be blind now... My poor poor baby, I just feel so bad. They said it could be temporary but also could be permanent, only time will tell. 

They now want to do ultra sounds on his bladder/kidneys to see if there are more stones or possible blockages plus an ultrasound on his heart to see why he went into cardiac arrest. 

So my questions are, Anyone else have a situation like this?

How likely is it his sight will come back? I went to visit him earlier and i swear he made eye contact with me a few time, then a white cat walked by and he perked up and watched it as it walked by following it with his eyes... But I don't want to get my hopes up..

Is there any more issues that can arise from this cardiac arrest? The vet tech said he was doing well for how bad the situation was, he was pretty alert. 

Sorry for the long topic but I just don't know what to think or expect, I have never had a pet emergency like this and although its now costing me almost $2000 its worth it for this sweet boy. 

Thank you in advance for any advise, help or encouragement. 

Christina. 
 

ginny

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I'm glad his potassium is corrected now - definitely a high one will cause a heart attack.  I'm wondering just how high it was.  Yikes!  I'm glad he waited to go into arrest while there at the hospital rather than at home with you!  Did they say that his UTI/blockage was the cause of the high potassium?  What is his Baytril dosage and did he just start on it?  I'm also glad to hear he's tracking with his eyes so he still has some vision.  
 

furmummy

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Oh, wow, what an ordeal!!   Must have been SO very stressful!

The cardiac arrest was likely due to the high potassium. And the high potassium was most likely doe to the urinary blockage.

I work in a hospital laboratory, and I can tell you that if they could not even get a reading of the potassium, I think you are quite lucky your boy is still with you.

Baytril can cause blindness in cats when dosed incorrectly. When a cat is unable to lower the blood level of Baytril due to a blockage, the levels can go above what is safe.  You may want to talk to the vet about this... Are they still giving him Baytril?

Hope the blindness is temporary and good luck to you and your precious boy :)
 

artiemom

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OMG!!  What an ordeal.. what a nightmare...

I hope you were not going through this by yourself....I cannot imagine...

I just want to ((hug)) and Mufasa....

wow....

Potassium is so very important as far as regulating heart rhythm .... I am glad they got it under control..If they could not get a reading because it was so high, then it seems like a miracle that he is still alive. They got it down really fast, ------ very efficient.

I have heard that Baytril can cause blindness.

 Was it your regular Vet who prescribed Baytril? If it was, I would bring this to his attention.....and have second thoughts about using him again..

Personally, I would be taking him to an internal med specialist at the ER Hospital for future exams, treatment...I would be done with that Vet...

I am sending you and Mufasa  
   and   


wow...
 

ruthm

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Oh my God, I am so sorry for your poor baby, how frightening! I'm so glad he's stable; I would also consider getting him checked out by a specialist.  Sending my strongest healing prayers and vibes.
 

zed xyzed

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Poor little guy, I am so happy he survived that ordeal.  That must have been awful for you too 
 
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bellabet112

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Thank you all for the advice and well wishes, certainly a very tough time :( thankfully I have my new husband to support me and he has been wonderful.
I just got off the phone with his Doctor, good news is he does not have any more kidney stones but has some sludge which they hope the flush out tonight, his heart ultrasound shows some thickening of heart valves common in Maine coons but not too concerning and some slight heart disease but no heart failure which is good. Have to keep an eye on The heart.
He was on 68mg of baytril but had one injection Saturday not sure the dosage, and one pill Sunday but he threw it up. Since I took him in they discontinued it and said they would start him on another one since I was worried about the eye sight.
They did not say how high the potassium was but said it was in readable not sure what that means.
The new ER doc today said he feels he had a reaction the the Ketamine they gave so he thinks that is what caused the heard to seize. So I am confused now if that caused it then does that still mean he has a heart issue?
They plan is to discharge him tomorrow afternoon.
It was so scary and still is but I hope it turned out well they said he is a tough cat.
His eye sight is still a concern for them which is a big concern for me too :(
 

kittens mom

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Thank you all for the advice and well wishes, certainly a very tough time
thankfully I have my new husband to support me and he has been wonderful.
I just got off the phone with his Doctor, good news is he does not have any more kidney stones but has some sludge which they hope the flush out tonight, his heart ultrasound shows some thickening of heart valves common in Maine coons but not too concerning and some slight heart disease but no heart failure which is good. Have to keep an eye on The heart.
He was on 68mg of baytril but had one injection Saturday not sure the dosage, and one pill Sunday but he threw it up. Since I took him in they discontinued it and said they would start him on another one since I was worried about the eye sight.
They did not say how high the potassium was but said it was in readable not sure what that means.
The new ER doc today said he feels he had a reaction the the Ketamine they gave so he thinks that is what caused the heard to seize. So I am confused now if that caused it then does that still mean he has a heart issue?
They plan is to discharge him tomorrow afternoon.
It was so scary and still is but I hope it turned out well they said he is a tough cat.
His eye sight is still a concern for them which is a big concern for me too
My cat was given 68 mg of baytrl. She's now in a box and we're suing the vet for overdosing her.
 

ginny

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Oh well this is good news!  I'm so glad!  I'm glad they took him off the Baytril.  Ask @kittensmom  to tell you of her experience with Baytril.  

I remember that my mom's kitty Cissy had her teeth cleaned and on induction (Ketamine too I suppose) went into 3rd Degree AV Block.  She had to have a dose of Atropine to bring her heart rate back up to normal.   I know they use Ketamine in vet med but I'm not sure if it's all the time or just for certain age groups of animals.  My daddy surgery and ketamine was used on him because he was an end-stage renal patient and couldn't tolerate the usual anesthetic.  

It sounds like it might be a combination of the drug and the high potassium level and the state of his heart valves which caused the arrest.  I'd ask the doctor to explain what happened, and get a copy of the doctor's notes made during his hospital stay, which should also have the explanation in writing.  
 

kittens mom

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Oh well this is good news!  I'm so glad!  I'm glad they took him off the Baytril.  Ask @kittensmom  to tell you of her experience with Baytril.  

I remember that my mom's kitty Cissy had her teeth cleaned and on induction (Ketamine too I suppose) went into 3rd Degree AV Block.  She had to have a dose of Atropine to bring her heart rate back up to normal.   I know they use Ketamine in vet med but I'm not sure if it's all the time or just for certain age groups of animals.  My daddy surgery and ketamine was used on him because he was an end-stage renal patient and couldn't tolerate the usual anesthetic.  

It sounds like it might be a combination of the drug and the high potassium level and the state of his heart valves which caused the arrest.  I'd ask the doctor to explain what happened, and get a copy of the doctor's notes made during his hospital stay, which should also have the explanation in writing.  
I would ask why they gave him 68 mg of enrofloxacin. ( Baytril) I'm relieved he threw it up. The effect on eyesight is fairly rapid. So you will know quickly if there is an issue. The ASPCA poison control had us give 200 mg of Vit E once a day for two weeks. Keep him out of UV light.
 

ginny

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I would ask why they gave him 68 mg of enrofloxacin. ( Baytril) I'm relieved he threw it up. The effect on eyesight is fairly rapid. So you will know quickly if there is an issue. The ASPCA poison control had us give 200 mg of Vit E once a day for two weeks. Keep him out of UV light.
I'm wondering why too!  And the same amount.  This must be happening a lot more than we know!
 
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bellabet112

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Good morning,

 So Mufasa is a rather large cat, 28lbs,  so I believe that is why they gave him a high dose of Baytril, but good thing is we took him off of it.  He had been on it before for a previous UTI last year but I do not know what the dosage was.

 Do you ladies think I have to worry about any further issues? I am so sad about his vision they said they still don't know how it will be. I should get to take him home today if he pees so we will see how he is but I just feel so bad for him

So back to his weight.... The ER Vet doc said weight is the main concern right now because his heart being that it is showing the thicker arteries and low end of heart disease, his heart has to work much harder to carry his weight around,   yes he is a big kitty, I didn't think I was over feeding him, i feed him Blue buffalo adult food, i give him and his brother 1/2 cup each int he morning and in the evening, I don't free feed them.  We have stairs in our house he uses them several times a day. (Food up stairs litter down) They now have had me switch him to the urine SO moderate weight cat food so I hope this helps with his weight and of course the urine crystals that got him into this whole mess.  The Vet said to not allow him to use the stairs for a while until he has lost some weight so it does not over work his heart. This will be a huge challenge as he is used to hanging out up stairs but also down stairs, ill have to get a baby gate now.

So are there any kitty exercise or things I can do to help him lose the weight other then the food? He can't use the stairs now and he doesn't typically play with toys but he does get excited over lazer lights and a remote mouse I have but if he truly is blind I don't see how he would interact with toys anyway :( But then again maybe due to his heart I should not try to make him move around a lot? I don't know. 
 
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bellabet112

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Oh and another question, People keep telling me he will never be the same cat now since he has a cardiac arrests, what does that mean? I hate hearing this, Mufasa is such a cool cat, he is so loving, never bits or scratches, he rolls around on his back with his paws up like a dog, he is really funny and has the biggest teddy bear personally, I just can't imagine him coming home a different cat and breaks my heart. :(
 

carinajosefine

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Oh and another question, People keep telling me he will never be the same cat now since he has a cardiac arrests, what does that mean? I hate hearing this, Mufasa is such a cool cat, he is so loving, never bits or scratches, he rolls around on his back with his paws up like a dog, he is really funny and has the biggest teddy bear personally, I just can't imagine him coming home a different cat and breaks my heart. :(
This doesn't have to be true at all. My dog went in to cardiac arrest during a surgey for diafragma hernia (not sure how that is spelld - but its besides the point what he was in surgey for I guess). They got his heart jump started again, and he survived. I got him home the next day, and eventhough affected by the serious surgery he had been through the first couple of days, he was the same as before. I never even knew about the cardiac arrest untill he was back for a check up two weeks later. My dog did not change at all!

I think what they are refering to when they say he will never be the same, is in cases where the cat (or human for that matter), has been without oxsygen to the brain for enough time to cause brain damage. This can vary.

One day at the time - one worry at the time. This shouldnt have to be the worry of the day, at least :)

The eye sight may come back. And if it doesnt, some cats are remarkable at adapting. Just tend to his most pressing matters, like the weight and his heart.  The rest might be just fine, even if life has taken an uexpected turn. Big hugs !
 
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kittens mom

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Good morning,

 So Mufasa is a rather large cat, 28lbs,  so I believe that is why they gave him a high dose of Baytril, but good thing is we took him off of it.  He had been on it before for a previous UTI last year but I do not know what the dosage was.

 Do you ladies think I have to worry about any further issues? I am so sad about his vision they said they still don't know how it will be. I should get to take him home today if he pees so we will see how he is but I just feel so bad for him

So back to his weight.... The ER Vet doc said weight is the main concern right now because his heart being that it is showing the thicker arteries and low end of heart disease, his heart has to work much harder to carry his weight around,   yes he is a big kitty, I didn't think I was over feeding him, i feed him Blue buffalo adult food, i give him and his brother 1/2 cup each int he morning and in the evening, I don't free feed them.  We have stairs in our house he uses them several times a day. (Food up stairs litter down) They now have had me switch him to the urine SO moderate weight cat food so I hope this helps with his weight and of course the urine crystals that got him into this whole mess.  The Vet said to not allow him to use the stairs for a while until he has lost some weight so it does not over work his heart. This will be a huge challenge as he is used to hanging out up stairs but also down stairs, ill have to get a baby gate now.

So are there any kitty exercise or things I can do to help him lose the weight other then the food? He can't use the stairs now and he doesn't typically play with toys but he does get excited over lazer lights and a remote mouse I have but if he truly is blind I don't see how he would interact with toys anyway :( But then again maybe due to his heart I should not try to make him move around a lot? I don't know. 
That is a big cat. But even in a big cat that is a whooping dose in the stomach all at once. He can track the mouse by sound.
 

donutte

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What a big cat indeed - and beautiful too! That is so scary what you had to go through with him. I can't even imagine.
 

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What an ordeal!  I don't have any knowledge or direct experience with Baytril or cardiac issues (though you and Kittens Mom have both inspired me to have a discussion with my E-vet about Baytril - I want to be notified IN ADVANCE if they ever intend to give my cat that drug if hospitalized, I want them to put a note in my file to call me FIRST before ever administering that drug!!)

I love your pics of Mufasa - he has such a sweet & kind face.  You can tell he's a character 
  He's a very very good looking boy!!  I love that pic of him looking up at you on the red couch - he looks like such a sweetheart!

Don't let the vet discourage you too much - just being back at home surrounded by their loved ones often does miracles - it may take some changes, rehab, and time, but don't let anyone make you feel defeated before you even begin.    I hope he has a speedy recovery - sorry you guys are going through this, it always hurts me to read threads like this where it's obvious the person cares so very much about their sick kitty - life is really unfair sometimes 
 

ginny

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Mufasa is GORGEOUS!  And he looks like such a sweetie too!  He looks like the male counterpart to my Honey girl, only she doesn't have the white tuxedo. 
  I love your pictures of the boys!

Was Mufasa's heart shocked when he arrested?  (If he was in Vtach or Vfib, then he was shocked.)  Or was he just given CPR and drugs? (If he were in cardiac standstill, or asystole, he would have only been given drugs and CPR.)   If so, what drugs and how much?  How long did they do CPR before they got him back?  Those are questions I'd want to know.  And really that would determine whether you now notice some slowness neurologically, which could improve over time.  I'm also hoping his vision improves too.  

As far as how any of his arrest affects him, time will tell, and I'd just take it one day at a time.  I'd also ask the vet if Mufasa should have any neurological deficits after his cardiac arrest, and if the vet has noticed any.  

It seems Blue Buffalo doesn't have the best reputation here, so far as the comments I've come across.  I've wondered if it was any good but I've never gotten it.  Most of the posts I've read say avoid it.  Also canned food is better for them and certainly more species appropriate than dry food and generally has a higher protein content than dry.  Cats are obligate carnivores of course.  A higher protein/lower carb will lead to weight loss but watch out for the ingredients.  Grain-free doesn't mean low carb, in fact lots of them have potatoes and peas which are high in carbs.  
 
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