I posted a week ago about my cat Fuzzy. I feel so helpless and frustrated.
To recap:
-she's at least 15 yrs old (strictly indoors)
-Jun 3 had bloodwork done....Creat 227 (range: 71-203), BUN 14.5 (range: 5-12), Potassium low @ 3.5 (range: 3.9-5.3).....everything else good (I have a copy of results so can verify that). At my request, free T4 and Total T4 done (to check for HyperT) and both normal, at the low end of the range, in fact. Urinalysis; all normal except small protein and pH of 5.0. I'd taken her in for bloodwork as I noticed her drinking water more, occasionally vomiting clear liquid, felt a bit thinner. Started her on Potassium Gluconate. Vet said she had Stage 2 kidney disease. Said her heart had a 'galloping' rhythm which nobody had ever said before.
-appetite not so great since starting Pot.Gluc, but it can be upsetting to stomach so I attributed it to that.
-last Friday took her for Potass. recheck; up to 3.8. Had blood pressure done; through the roof, around 220-230/145-150...heart rate about 185-200. Stupid Vet didn't call me back that day to talk about starting her on meds for high bp so took her to Emerg Vet that night......that vet agreed about galloping heart.....agreed her BP was high previously that day (I took readings with me)....but stupidly said I could wait until the next day to have my own Vet start something. Had BP done there, by Doppler; systolic average of 180. That Vet suggested cardiac ultrasound and figured her issues were her heart and that her kidneys were really no big deal.
-next day (Last Saturday) see own Vet.....he claims he can't hear galloping rhythm but maybe a bit of a whoosh (usually means valve issues). He started her on Benazepril 2.5mg once a day (started in that evening). Agreed about cardiac ultrasound. I'd read that Benazepril can cause high potassium levels so asked him what we should do about the twice daily Pot. Gluconate I was giving her; he'd apparently never heard about the risk of elevated potassium on Benazepril (obviously not very informed; every reputable article online about this med warns of this)....I think to pacify me though, he told me to just STOP the potassium. That made me uneasy to just stop it totally.....it had help raise it from 3.5 to 3.8 (still low but better) in 2 weeks...now we stop it and what if the Benazepril doesn't cause it to elevate and it stays low or gets lower? That's been on my mind a lot. Low potassium isn't good for the heart.
-I'd started her on 1/4 tab of Pepcid AC a 2 weeks ago because of the occasional throwing up clear liquid and sometimes very gurgly tummy (acid). She continues on this.
-her appetite isn't great. I have to open several cans of canned food twice a day and coax her to eat them. I've somewhat attributed that to the Benazepril which can cause lack of appetite and nausea...........but what can I do? She has to have it. I try to supplement at times with Nutri-Cal supplement....and treats, even.
We have an appt for cardiac ultrasound this Wednesday.
My own Vet stupidly told me that she didn't need to have her BP rechecked after starting the Benzepril for "one month"....I told him I didn't feel comfy waiting that long (geezus, her BP was so high the machine almost didn't go much higher) and that i'd get it rechecked in 2 weeks. He gave in but said not sooner than that because it takes time for the Benaz. to really take effect.......BUT that if it wasn't working we could add some Amlodipine (what, and he originallly wanted me to wait a whole month?)
2 days ago I saw her eat in the morning without me prompting her and I was so thrilled ......but that was an isolated incident.
I think the drinking that she does is not because of her kidneys, I think it's nausea.........because when she comes down to the kitchen at meal time, that's when she goes for the water bowl......I'll stick the canned food under her....and she'll walk away and go to the bowl again. Sometimes a couple of times.
I don't see her going to the litterbox very much (meaning, peeing excessively as you often see with cats who have CRF)....so I don't think she's drinking all that much.....I think it's just nausea (cats will drink water when nauseated I've read).
Tonight I got to thinking............weight loss (lost 2 lbs over past 2 yrs, she's 9 lbs now).....high blood pressure.....elevated heart rate.....galloping heart rate.......nausea......impacted kidneys.......poor appetite.........she's a longhair cat and her fur on top is all nice but her underside looks so ratty (it's always been so downy and soft and perfect, now it looks scruffy, even when I brush it).............It makes me wonder if she's not Hyperthyroid, despite the Free T4 and Total T4 being normal !!!
Has anyone ever had a cat who had classic symptoms of HyperT but bloodwork normal? Not just free T4 (because that one is not really accurate at all in older cats)..but the Total T4 too?
I've read it can happen.........and there's another test they can do, a T3 Suppression test. Not sure if anyone around here does that or knows how.
I don't know if I should be pursuing that test to be done.............first, before spending $700 that I don't really have on Wednesday, to do the cardiac ultrasound. I need to spend my money wisely......meaning, maybe I should be spending it on further testing for HyperT......or a scan of her thyroid?
I feel so hopeless and helpless.
I've signed up at one of the Yahoo HyperT Groups but am impatiently waiting for approval.
Thoughts?
Thanks.
To recap:
-she's at least 15 yrs old (strictly indoors)
-Jun 3 had bloodwork done....Creat 227 (range: 71-203), BUN 14.5 (range: 5-12), Potassium low @ 3.5 (range: 3.9-5.3).....everything else good (I have a copy of results so can verify that). At my request, free T4 and Total T4 done (to check for HyperT) and both normal, at the low end of the range, in fact. Urinalysis; all normal except small protein and pH of 5.0. I'd taken her in for bloodwork as I noticed her drinking water more, occasionally vomiting clear liquid, felt a bit thinner. Started her on Potassium Gluconate. Vet said she had Stage 2 kidney disease. Said her heart had a 'galloping' rhythm which nobody had ever said before.
-appetite not so great since starting Pot.Gluc, but it can be upsetting to stomach so I attributed it to that.
-last Friday took her for Potass. recheck; up to 3.8. Had blood pressure done; through the roof, around 220-230/145-150...heart rate about 185-200. Stupid Vet didn't call me back that day to talk about starting her on meds for high bp so took her to Emerg Vet that night......that vet agreed about galloping heart.....agreed her BP was high previously that day (I took readings with me)....but stupidly said I could wait until the next day to have my own Vet start something. Had BP done there, by Doppler; systolic average of 180. That Vet suggested cardiac ultrasound and figured her issues were her heart and that her kidneys were really no big deal.
-next day (Last Saturday) see own Vet.....he claims he can't hear galloping rhythm but maybe a bit of a whoosh (usually means valve issues). He started her on Benazepril 2.5mg once a day (started in that evening). Agreed about cardiac ultrasound. I'd read that Benazepril can cause high potassium levels so asked him what we should do about the twice daily Pot. Gluconate I was giving her; he'd apparently never heard about the risk of elevated potassium on Benazepril (obviously not very informed; every reputable article online about this med warns of this)....I think to pacify me though, he told me to just STOP the potassium. That made me uneasy to just stop it totally.....it had help raise it from 3.5 to 3.8 (still low but better) in 2 weeks...now we stop it and what if the Benazepril doesn't cause it to elevate and it stays low or gets lower? That's been on my mind a lot. Low potassium isn't good for the heart.
-I'd started her on 1/4 tab of Pepcid AC a 2 weeks ago because of the occasional throwing up clear liquid and sometimes very gurgly tummy (acid). She continues on this.
-her appetite isn't great. I have to open several cans of canned food twice a day and coax her to eat them. I've somewhat attributed that to the Benazepril which can cause lack of appetite and nausea...........but what can I do? She has to have it. I try to supplement at times with Nutri-Cal supplement....and treats, even.
We have an appt for cardiac ultrasound this Wednesday.
My own Vet stupidly told me that she didn't need to have her BP rechecked after starting the Benzepril for "one month"....I told him I didn't feel comfy waiting that long (geezus, her BP was so high the machine almost didn't go much higher) and that i'd get it rechecked in 2 weeks. He gave in but said not sooner than that because it takes time for the Benaz. to really take effect.......BUT that if it wasn't working we could add some Amlodipine (what, and he originallly wanted me to wait a whole month?)
2 days ago I saw her eat in the morning without me prompting her and I was so thrilled ......but that was an isolated incident.
I think the drinking that she does is not because of her kidneys, I think it's nausea.........because when she comes down to the kitchen at meal time, that's when she goes for the water bowl......I'll stick the canned food under her....and she'll walk away and go to the bowl again. Sometimes a couple of times.
I don't see her going to the litterbox very much (meaning, peeing excessively as you often see with cats who have CRF)....so I don't think she's drinking all that much.....I think it's just nausea (cats will drink water when nauseated I've read).
Tonight I got to thinking............weight loss (lost 2 lbs over past 2 yrs, she's 9 lbs now).....high blood pressure.....elevated heart rate.....galloping heart rate.......nausea......impacted kidneys.......poor appetite.........she's a longhair cat and her fur on top is all nice but her underside looks so ratty (it's always been so downy and soft and perfect, now it looks scruffy, even when I brush it).............It makes me wonder if she's not Hyperthyroid, despite the Free T4 and Total T4 being normal !!!
Has anyone ever had a cat who had classic symptoms of HyperT but bloodwork normal? Not just free T4 (because that one is not really accurate at all in older cats)..but the Total T4 too?
I've read it can happen.........and there's another test they can do, a T3 Suppression test. Not sure if anyone around here does that or knows how.
I don't know if I should be pursuing that test to be done.............first, before spending $700 that I don't really have on Wednesday, to do the cardiac ultrasound. I need to spend my money wisely......meaning, maybe I should be spending it on further testing for HyperT......or a scan of her thyroid?
I feel so hopeless and helpless.
I've signed up at one of the Yahoo HyperT Groups but am impatiently waiting for approval.
Thoughts?
Thanks.