Help.... Crf :-(

Can anybody offer any help/advice on the end stages of CRF? I have just brought my Smudge (age 10) home from 48 hrs of IV hydration. It picked him up alot but his blood tells us we really only have a few days to a week Can anyone help me with ideas on how to make the time comfy and as healthy as possible? I need to entice him to continue to eat and drink as much as possible... keeping in mind that his diet is limited (or should I allow him whatever he will have now?). I have also tried him with a bit of Nutrigel to try and keep his energy up. He's on 1/2 tab Fortekor daily...

This is just me...

But if she's really only got a fews to a week left...I'd give kitty ANYTHING she wants! Make these last days as comfortable and enjoyable as possible! ANYTHING you can find to perk kitty up...kitty should indulge in it! That includes treats, foods, medicines, treatments, toys...ANYTHING that can perk her up and make her feel more happy.

People in this Feline CRF Yahoo Group might be able to give you suggestions as well: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-CRF-Support/

Good luck!!!!! Poor kitty...

oh sweetheart - I am so sorry to hear of Smudges illness I know this must be such a difficult time for you. I personally can not offer you any advise but many members have been through similar illnesses and hopefully they will be able to offer you some advise shortly.
I would give Smudge anything he wants in these last days to ensure he is as happy as can be
Treasure these last days with Smudge - know that we are here for you during this time and feel free to pm me if you need a shoulder to lean on

... thanks for your quick supporting messages guys... heart wrenching to think it all happens so quickly... and how the heck did I get this seemingly endless supply of tears ... time heals all wounds they say :-(

Originally Posted by Birni

...and how the heck did I get this seemingly endless supply of tears

...

Click to expand...

we can all understand that question my friend and one we all seem to ask often I already have a tear in my eye at the thought of the pain you must be experiencing give Smudge a hug from us and let him know how brave we think he is being

I'm so sorry you and Smudge are going through this. This is where we were at about this time last year with Jimmy. He lived 5 weeks after the vet gave him two or three days. I would give him anything he will eat as well. I gave up on the special kidney food to just get anything down him. Jimmy stopped eating altogether eventually, even with appetite stimulants and I had to "torment" him with assisted feeding. Prior to that I bought fresh fish, prawns, chicken, anything I could get down him. The vet also told me to encourage him to drink by using water (cooled) that you have cooked fish in, or poured out of a tin of tuna or other tinned fish. I seem to remember that I had to avoid the ones canned in brine because of the salt. You can get tuna canned in spring water.

I don't know whether this was the right thing, but Jimmy seemed to like it. He had anaemia which apparently gives them a problem keeping warm and would curl up near central heating radiators. I would make him comfy on a chair and tuck a hot water bottle next to him. Eventually he started hiding under furniture, behind curtains, which was distressing, but I still gave him his hot water bottle.

I'm really sorry about Smudge. 10 is no great age, is it? Jimmy was nearly 15. My other suggestion is for yourself. Take lots of photos of him while you still have him. They'll become so precious to you when he's gone. I got my sister to do a short video as well, but I still haven't been able to watch it yet a year later. My children found making the photos into a "Jimmy album" really helped and when they felt sad they went through it, had a cry and told him they loved him.

I am so sorry about Smudge! As others suggested, give him anything that he wants. I lost my Bogart last March to CRF and in his final months/weeks/days, he got what he liked - lots of love time from me and the food that he liked to eat. My vet told me that it was better for him to eat something well, than to nibble on something he didn't like. My thoughts are with you at this time.

Hi all,
Thanks for your support to date! It's now 4 days since I brought Smudge home from hospital, and until today he was doing really well. Tuna water was a God send, and Nutrigel. Alas, I feel that today hasn't gone so well :-( Each day is still a blessing but he seems a lot more reserved today and definitely isn't as cooperative with his water/food intake..... <sigh>

Birni,

It is a struggle, and one of our members Pat has many ideas and tricks to try and get a reluctant kitty with CRF to eat. Hopefully she will see this thread soon. You can also do a search on the forums for CRF unfortunately it seems to be a really common problem more and more each day.


Best of luck

Hi Birni,

I am so very sorry. I too have a crf kitty, and I know it is a very difficult disease to deal with.

For me, though I realize Patrick's numbers must be very much lower, I use tricks such as bonito flakes sprinkled atop his food(the sold for pet varieties include Kitty Kaviar, Cosmic has a version, even cat in the hat came out with their own, fosters and smith came out with their own, etc.) which you can either get the "for pet" variety, or simply go to your nearest asian market and get them...they use them for making a broth and in other dishes.

Patrick also never turns down having wildside salmon cubes...whole or I crush them atop his wet food which he then eats some of while scarfing up the salmon. Rosie's Rosedust is another sure fire item he responds to, along with baby food (fed to him off a spoon, naturally).

If all hope of recovery is gone (wonderful sites if you've not yet perused them are: feline crf dot com
and feline crf dot org I too would not worry much about what I was feeding. I might still consult the Katkarma food lists ( KatKarma canned foods list and pick what he likes that is also lower in phos...they have an extensive list from prescription to premium to off the grocery store shelf listing of foods along with the important stats (protein content, phosphorous content)...it might give you some ideas.

Fwiw, crf kitties do go through crashes and abominal numbers...depending on what else is going on, sometimes they can be brought back for more quality time...certainly you and your vet are the ones in the best position to know if this is it, I do NOT mean to question that at all.

I would, if you are not, consider joining the support group using the link given in an earlier note.

I wish you all the best, and I am sorry for what I know is a very painful time,

Just wanted to let you know that I am still thinking of you and Smudge. Having been there I know how heartbreaking it is.

I'm so very sorry your precious Smudge is ill. This must be such a painful, difficult time for you. Please contact me any time at all you feel like talking or just need an understanding friend.

Gosh, you guys are great!

Today's report... Mudgey seems a bit happier again tonight. He doesn't appear to have had much to drink today, or eat for that matter, but I lashed out today and bought some fresh mince meat (his fave) and there was noooo way he was snubbing that. Probably the worst I could give but???!!! I also got some fresh chicken to try if we really need to go the meat. Most of the foods you have mentioned I haven't heard of and wonder if we can get them in Australia? He is on k/d but really not having much of it. I have also started supplementing the nutrigel (which I have to wipe on his paws) with some slippery elm bark powder as that seems to be a popular suggestion. My vet is looking into a dose and brand of iron for me, though doesn't think it will do much (at this stage the words "not much" mean nothing to me!!). I also have some vit B which I will start giving too... vet says I can't o/d him on that so dosage isn't a prob... what do others think? Given that they are human tabs I am a bit hesitant.
A lot of people have mentioned "depression" and I have to say that in this light I have been taking him outside (he has been an inside cat for the last...6 or so years) on a lead for a wander and he LOVES it! Turns into a smoochey, chatty thing, wandering all over, eating a bit of grass and rolling in the dirt. I really think his outside visits have helped cheer him too!
Again... thanks guys :-)

glad to hear that his outside trips are giving him so much happiness - that is so wonderful.

I also havent heard of many of those foods here in Australia.

you 2 are still in my thoughts

How wonderful that Mudgey enjoyed his bribe food! I'm so glad he's feeling so happy! Your special walks together must do him a world of good!

Hi,
I'm sorry I didn't think about the difference in what foods you can obtain

However, the felinecrf.org site is from a UK person, and does have info on foods avail in europe...and on this page is info on homemade renal diets, including a link to a recipe by Hills. Perhaps that would be the way for you to go right now.

Re vitamin b's...can you get Twinlabs brand? (not sure what you have available) or Pet-Tinic? I use both with Patrick...the Twinlabs Super-B Complex Regular formula...here it is sold in our grocery markets in the vitamin aisle, or in better health food stores. Pet-Tinic is sold in most pet stores.

As I mentioned the fish flakes you can find in an Asian market...the wildside salmon...check your country's pet stores for *any* freeze-dried salmon treat that is just salmon, it is nice and fishy and crunchy and seems to really pique Patrick's appetite

The outside walks together sound wonderful

I use Solgar brand vitamin B-12, 100 mcg once per day for my 10 1/2 lb. girl. My vet also gives me a syringe filled with a dose of B-12 about every 6 weeks. I inject this into the "water pouch" that forms when I give my cat hydration, since B-12 can sting otherwise. Also, I give a B complex vitamin several times per week. These vitamins are all "human" brands, and my cat is fine with them.

So glad to hear Mudgey is enjoying his walks. A bit of exercise is good for him. Outdoor walks give my cat a better appetite, in addition to making her happy! She loves nibbling on grass as well, but unfortunately it always comes back up. Hope Mudgey won't have that problem.

PS - Just wondering, are you doing subQ hydration for Mudgey?

After a very hot summer day here where Smudge has probably had nothing to drink and isn't at all interested in anything this evening, I feel the end is nigh....

No, KTLynn he isn't on sub q ... I only found out about it from i/net - my vet never told me although his illness has progressed very quickly so perhaps he was too far advanced. Don't know.
I put his nutrigel on his paws tonight, but he has barely bothered to lick it off.


<sigh>

oh I am so sorry to hear that Smudge has had a bad day - that brings a tear to my eye stay strong Smudge sweetheart
still sending my thoughts to both you & Smudge send him lots of love from us and love to you as well.
I hope your doing alright - we are still here for you as well

I'm so very sorry Smudge isn't feeling well today. It's so painful to see your baby having a bad day. Oh, sweet little Smudge, please feel better, and have some water and something to eat for us. Birni, I'm praying for your baby, and for you. Stay strong for your little one, and remember, we're right here for you, anytime at all.