Thank you! It is SO cute.
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Arcturus' journal: life with a FIV+ cat
- Thread starter reversedpolarit
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #262
Not much time or energy for full update, but Arc isn't doing so good. He's been lethargic since Friday evening and generally off. Went to vet yesterday and redid the blood test to test kidneys. Still elevated, not massively so but above normal. Vet thinks early stages of kidney disease, need to check pee to confirm and see level of proteins in pee.
Poor baby, he's so subdued and miserable it's breaking my heart. I'll do whatever I can, but the thought that there is something seriously wrong is hard to take. His FIV seems to be under control - no symptoms at all. I was getting hopeful we wouldn't be at the vets so much.
I'll go collect the stuff to collect pee on Thursday, hopefully hand it in then or Friday. We'll do another blood test late July to check kidneys again.
Ugh. My poor baby. He's started using his cave, he's walking so slow and carefully and doesn't want to jump as much.
Poor baby, he's so subdued and miserable it's breaking my heart. I'll do whatever I can, but the thought that there is something seriously wrong is hard to take. His FIV seems to be under control - no symptoms at all. I was getting hopeful we wouldn't be at the vets so much.
I'll go collect the stuff to collect pee on Thursday, hopefully hand it in then or Friday. We'll do another blood test late July to check kidneys again.
Ugh. My poor baby. He's started using his cave, he's walking so slow and carefully and doesn't want to jump as much.
Early stages of kidney disease should not really cause lethargy, I wouldn't think. I've been through three kidney cats, and never ever noticed anything until they were well into the disease. Has he been drinking excess amounts of water and noticeably losing weight? What did his blood results show? What was his BUN and Creatinine specifically....do you have the results? (sorry;, I'll be honest, I haven't had time to read his entire thread, I just read snipits here and there
)
If he DOES have it, it's not an instant death sentence, especially early stage
. Here is a website dedicated to kidney disease that is my "go to" for any kidney related questions. It's got so much information, I always referred to it before Vet visits so i could discuss things with my Vet and hopefully know what I was talking about. http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm
If he DOES have it, it's not an instant death sentence, especially early stage
Oh Arc and
reversedpolarit
...I was thinking of you both wondering how life was going and am sad to hear this news [emoji]128575[/emoji]
Poor little Arc....[emoji]128148[/emoji]
Easier said than done, I know, but try not to give in to worst case scenarios until all the information is in. I'm hoping for the best and that Arc starts to feel better soon.
Sending you both lots of [emoji]128147[/emoji]
reversedpolarit
...I was thinking of you both wondering how life was going and am sad to hear this news [emoji]128575[/emoji]Poor little Arc....[emoji]128148[/emoji]
Easier said than done, I know, but try not to give in to worst case scenarios until all the information is in. I'm hoping for the best and that Arc starts to feel better soon.
Sending you both lots of [emoji]128147[/emoji]
Poor guy, I'm so sorry to hear he's not feeling well. I hope it's something that can be treated and he's feeling more comfortable soon.
Love and hugs from all of us here.
Love and hugs from all of us here.
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Ah, poor Arc. I'm hoping that his feeling lethargic is temporary and that he just perhaps pulled a muscle, or strained something while playing, and so has to rest to get better.
Hopefully, he is still eating, drinking and having normal bowel movements.
(I totally agree with @mrsgreenjeans, that I did not notice any lethargy at all in my rainbow cat Spotty, who had both kidney and a heart issues, until well into the later stages.)
You may initially just have to change the food Arc is on, to slow down the disease, and make it easier on his kidneys, but your vet, and the website link that 'mrsgreenjeans' mentioned, above, has very valuable information. It was the ultimate website, in helping to understand the disease, and trying to choose different foods that were suitable.
Sending positive vibes your way, for Arc and you.
Hopefully, he is still eating, drinking and having normal bowel movements.
(I totally agree with @mrsgreenjeans, that I did not notice any lethargy at all in my rainbow cat Spotty, who had both kidney and a heart issues, until well into the later stages.)
You may initially just have to change the food Arc is on, to slow down the disease, and make it easier on his kidneys, but your vet, and the website link that 'mrsgreenjeans' mentioned, above, has very valuable information. It was the ultimate website, in helping to understand the disease, and trying to choose different foods that were suitable.
Sending positive vibes your way, for Arc and you.
Awww, Arc! Here he was thriving and he's still so very handsome....if he is diagnosed with a kidney issue, you can learn how to give Sub-Q fluids. Our beloved little Moti got these for 7 months and was very patient about getting them. I placed her in her carrier on the bathroom sink and gave her her Ringer's Solution. She was SO good about it! So just in case -- which I hope ISN'T the case for Arc -- there are options. Good ones.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #268
Thank you for the info/vibes
Now I'm less panicky and have the full results, things don't seem so dire just yet!
The abnormalities from the full blood test are the total proteins and urea present, I sent in a urine sample yesterday so we can have a better indication of how much/what protein is being lost. Total protein was at 86.0g/l, which is +5.00 above normal range and urea was at 18.8mmol/l, which is +6.3 above normal range. Everything else (apart from A G ratio which is at the low end of normal and albumin which is in the middle) is at the high end of normal range.
So not as high as I thought, but still not great. Should hopefully get the urine results back Monday or Tuesday.
I think he must have sprained something playing, because since Wednesday he's been raring around the flat like normal. He's playing and no longer seems sensitive about me touching his legs. He's still eating happily and doesn't seem to be losing weight. He put up a bit of a fight at the vet so they couldn't weigh him poor guy - it took five attempts to get bloods!
Less terrified that I'm going to lose him in the immediate future, and more focused on what the vet will suggest to manage it.
Now I'm less panicky and have the full results, things don't seem so dire just yet!
The abnormalities from the full blood test are the total proteins and urea present, I sent in a urine sample yesterday so we can have a better indication of how much/what protein is being lost. Total protein was at 86.0g/l, which is +5.00 above normal range and urea was at 18.8mmol/l, which is +6.3 above normal range. Everything else (apart from A G ratio which is at the low end of normal and albumin which is in the middle) is at the high end of normal range.
So not as high as I thought, but still not great. Should hopefully get the urine results back Monday or Tuesday.
I think he must have sprained something playing, because since Wednesday he's been raring around the flat like normal. He's playing and no longer seems sensitive about me touching his legs. He's still eating happily and doesn't seem to be losing weight. He put up a bit of a fight at the vet so they couldn't weigh him poor guy - it took five attempts to get bloods!
Less terrified that I'm going to lose him in the immediate future, and more focused on what the vet will suggest to manage it.
Per the website I referenced above, if the Urea is higher than norm, but the Creatinine is "normal", that can simply be a sign he was dehydrated at the time of the blood draw. Also, stress can play a huge part in abnormalities in these tests, and if he put up quite a fight to let them get his blood, I imagine he was quite stressed out
Thank you for the info/vibes
Now I'm less panicky and have the full results, things don't seem so dire just yet!
The abnormalities from the full blood test are the total proteins and urea present, I sent in a urine sample yesterday so we can have a better indication of how much/what protein is being lost. Total protein was at 86.0g/l, which is +5.00 above normal range and urea was at 18.8mmol/l, which is +6.3 above normal range. Everything else (apart from A G ratio which is at the low end of normal and albumin which is in the middle) is at the high end of normal range.
So not as high as I thought, but still not great. Should hopefully get the urine results back Monday or Tuesday.
I think he must have sprained something playing, because since Wednesday he's been raring around the flat like normal. He's playing and no longer seems sensitive about me touching his legs. He's still eating happily and doesn't seem to be losing weight. He put up a bit of a fight at the vet so they couldn't weigh him poor guy - it took five attempts to get bloods!
Less terrified that I'm going to lose him in the immediate future, and more focused on what the vet will suggest to manage it.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #270
Creatine was at 188umol/l, and the highest 'normal' reading is 194. So that's okay. He definitely wasn't dehydrated, I did the 'skin' test and so did the vet whilst we were there, though he was definitely stressed. The phone call of the results was quite rushed because I was on my way back from work and the vet was about to close, so I may have panicked too soon. Hopefully it's something for years in the future and for now I just keep an eye on things.
Per the website I referenced above, if the Urea is higher than norm, but the Creatinine is "normal", that can simply be a sign he was dehydrated at the time of the blood draw. Also, stress can play a huge part in abnormalities in these tests, and if he put up quite a fight to let them get his blood, I imagine he was quite stressed out. I'm surprised more things weren't out of whack
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #271
I'm working at a kennels at the moment, quite long days, so he's very very loving when I get home.
What a sweet heart[emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128571[/emoji]
I'm working at a kennels at the moment, quite long days, so he's very very loving when I get home.
I'm happy to read that he is acting back to normal and that his labs don't seem quite as dire as you first thought they may be. Continuing to keep you both I my thoughts [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
He really is handsome and his sweet personality shows in his expressions!
What a little cutie pie. He seems to like his picture taken. So glad everything is ok.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #275
Spent my lunch break with the cats at work, there's three that will climb on your shoulders and just sit there! Best job ever? First is a wee kitten who is now home again (she was only five months). Second is Paddy who is the cuddliest cat I have ever met, his 'brother' is a beautiful Bengal who just wants to be hugged.
And of course Arc, being a cutie. He spent five minutes stood on my lap being strooked today!
And for a bit of fun, there's a lot of 'cat pages' on Facebook for Edinburgh, the university library has its own cat (sadly missing) and Arc was featured by one of these pages following some drama in UK politics. Larry is the Chief Mouser of the government :lol3:
Arc is still doing wonderfully, BF is looking after him for six days whilst I'm away to my parents for my birthday and vet nursing placement.
And of course Arc, being a cutie. He spent five minutes stood on my lap being strooked today!
And for a bit of fun, there's a lot of 'cat pages' on Facebook for Edinburgh, the university library has its own cat (sadly missing) and Arc was featured by one of these pages following some drama in UK politics. Larry is the Chief Mouser of the government :lol3:
Arc is still doing wonderfully, BF is looking after him for six days whilst I'm away to my parents for my birthday and vet nursing placement.
*Awww, now, Gorgie Cat. Can't there be some sort of coalition government co-ruled by EIGHT velvet paws, not just four?
*
Those are three fine felines! You ARE lucky to be able to work with such fine examples of felinity
Very glad to hear Arc is doing so well. *SNORGLES* to him!
Those are three fine felines! You ARE lucky to be able to work with such fine examples of felinity
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Lol. That's funny. Arc does look like a politician in that picture. I'd vote for him.
Me, too!
