Anemia and bad kidney

[gstein]

I have one more question. In everyone's experience, is it good quality of life to have these fluids every other day for my cat? I know it is early days but it seems so traumatic for him and I am not sure what those long term affects would be? Am I keeping him alive for me or for him? Do the cats really and truly get used to it??

 

[celerystalksme]

Originally Posted by GStein

I have one more question. In everyone's experience, is it good quality of life to have these fluids every other day for my cat? I know it is early days but it seems so traumatic for him and I am not sure what those long term affects would be? Am I keeping him alive for me or for him? Do the cats really and truly get used to it??

My Angel got used to it pretty quick. I probably started the fluids around the middle of December...and just this morning, when I gave her fluids, she purred through the entire process!

I guess it depends on the cat and how advanced the CRF is...but I know that Angel is still terribly happy!!! She still runs around (though not as much)...love laying in the sun...loves staring out the window in the study...loves hissing at other neighborhood cats that come up to our windows...purrs ALL the time just like normal...rubs up against me and just about everything else...swats at my feet when I go by the bed...tries to destroy her catnip toy...if she'd only eat and drink, she'd be normal! She's just really happy right now.

And she takes all her treatment really well now (though not at first!). She takes the syringe feedings like a trooper...and she doesn't seem to mind the subq fluids at all (except when I mess up with the needle and hurt her when i poke her!).

As long as she seems happy, me and Angel will go on with treatment head on!

 

[pat]

I think the above reply says it all. Patrick has been receiving sub-q fluids for coming up on 3 years now, but I have to admit, he is the most laid-back cat, and frankly, he and I love each other so much, I think we'd do anything for each other. It's been an almost 18 year love story

Quality of life is something I define by interest in me, food, surroundings, if they still purr (and not a pain purr), if they still have interest in toys, asking to be held and snuggled. I had a thrill of delight in seeing Patrick toss a rosie rat into the air last month and bat at it as it fell...pretty spry for an old fellow who was supposedly terminal a year ago (they thought he had lymphoma vs severe ibd).

Take it a day at a time, but know that there are many owners and cats (who if they could talk) would say it's possible to have several good years w/tx's.