One sick kittie :(

Hey everyone, it's been a while since i was here last.. i'm hoping i can get some advise. I have a friend whose cat has just been diagnosed with kidney failure. My heart is absolutely broken for him, Dizzy is only about 5 yrs old. He's always had bladder problems in where he was peeing a bit of blood from time to time, but the vets shrugged it off as a bladder infection & recommended different foods. Dizzy would get better, but then would lapse again and have blood in his pee. Recently he started throwing up and lost a lot of weight. YEsterday he lost his appetite altogether and would barely eat anything. When he would - he would throw up eventually. Even yesterday when they took him to the vet, they shrugged it off as maybe a reaction to some antibiotics they had him on for about a week. When he still wasn't eating today, they took him to the vet, where they sent a blood sample to the VEt College here. They found hi amounts of potassium in his blood.. and they said that the only options were to a) put Dizzy down, or b) do further tests for a "rare disease".. which would involve steroids. They didn't say what the disease was. Have any of you heard of such a thing? They are now stuck making the impossible decision of putting their best friend to sleep. I've been balling my eyes out for Dizzy since they told me.. I just can't imagine having to make this decision. I"ve offered to help pay for any further tests if they wish to persue.. they are such good friends, and dizzy is like one of my own kitties... need advice!!!

Awww,poor Dizzy Hugs to your friends and you

Sounds like they should really take Dizzy to another vet, doesn't sound like their current one is doing much for him.

Sending lots of good vibes to Dizzy

My heart aches for you and your friend. We lost our 5 year old Simba almost 2 years ago from liver failure. We tried the force feeding for almost 3 weeks and nothing helped.

Prayers and hugs to you at this tough time.

Poor baby. I would say get a second, third and even fourth opinion. This is a very tough decision, and vets aren't always perfect. I feel so badly for your friends and their sweet little cat. You're such a great person for offering to help pay for their tests. Bless your heart.

Yeah I think they have pretty much made their decision and they are going to put him down. I did suggest maybe getting a second opinion. The Atlantic Vet college here, is by far in my opinion the best place anyone could ever take their animals, big & small! People ship their horses, dogs, etc up to the Vet College from all around the world. It's just amazing how fast it hit him.. One day he was fine, and then suddenly he was so skinny, like nothing left to him. They say I guess his kidneys are failing.. When they didn't know for sure, they sent the blood tests to the Vetcollege, where they do an in depth analysis of it.. I think i'm just in denial more than anything. I can't imagine how they feel.. I feel awful, and he's not even my cat. He is suffering quite a bit now.. so they're thinking they don't want him to suffer any longer. Plus this steroid treatment would probably not be pretty either. It is so hard to see him the way he is. Thanks everyone so much for your support & kind words! This will be a very hard day for my friends. I've offered to go with her to the Vet if her boyfriend can't go with her. You just can't do that alone. I'll tell you my kitties got the most kisses & hugs they've ever gotten last nite. Really puts things into perspective. I am so lucky to have 2 healthy babies. Not that I never appreciated my kitties, (they are my life!) but you just never know when someday something will happen.. My heart just breaks for them.

Poor Dizzy, and poor Dizzy's parents

When I took my Babi (Avalon) to the vet before she died, he said that in the state she was in, the kindest thing I could do was to put her to sleep. She died before I had to make the decision, but he's a good Vet. and he was thinking about the best for her. She had a genetic disease, very rare...