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Freaking out vs "this is normal"
- Thread starter donutte
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With the small kittens olive oil is recommended for constipation. Have you tried putting a few drops in her food? Tiny kittens get one or two drops. Not sure how much for a grown cat.
waiting for the test result is torturous. I hope you can get some sleep and hopefully celebrate the good news tomorrow
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #324
Yes, it is torturous. Woke up about 6:30am. Having my first cup of coffee now, then onto pilling/subqs for Sara. I'm finding it works better if I just pill her in the mornings, and sometimes in the evenings, with the pill popper. No hunting her down, hoping she'll eat the pill pocket/paste. The prep work takes longer than actually popping it into her. Once you get over the fear that you're gonna cause your cat to choke to death, the pill popper really is a great thing to have.
Anyway, yeah, she had a little bit of food today. She was in my room so didn't join the others on her own, and I knew the others would eat it if she didn't get there soon as I just divvy up one big can or two small cans in the morning. So, brought her a small piece. About 1/8 of a can of Soulistic (hence me saying a "piece" 'cause that stuff is pretty solid). She ate it all up. Then after she's pilled/subq'd, will offer some more food.
And then wait for the call.
Anyway, yeah, she had a little bit of food today. She was in my room so didn't join the others on her own, and I knew the others would eat it if she didn't get there soon as I just divvy up one big can or two small cans in the morning. So, brought her a small piece. About 1/8 of a can of Soulistic (hence me saying a "piece" 'cause that stuff is pretty solid). She ate it all up. Then after she's pilled/subq'd, will offer some more food.
And then wait for the call.
No matter what the bloodwork says, if she is seemingly doing well, that's what matters. When Callie went into Stage 4, no one could believe it, because she was acting SO WELL, eating well, socializing so well, grooming herself so well, not throwing up (even that froth). So didn't act sick AT ALL. The Vet was shocked when the results came back, as were we. So we just kept dong what we were doing, and life went on.
She did NOT end up dying from the kidney disease. We woke up one morning and she was partially paralyzed. Didn't throw a saddle thrombosis (thank goodness), so she wasn't in pain, but the Vet said with all her health issues, and her age, etc. we should probably let here go, so we did
.
My whole point here is, don't go by bloodwork alone. (IMHO)
She did NOT end up dying from the kidney disease. We woke up one morning and she was partially paralyzed. Didn't throw a saddle thrombosis (thank goodness), so she wasn't in pain, but the Vet said with all her health issues, and her age, etc. we should probably let here go, so we did
My whole point here is, don't go by bloodwork alone. (IMHO)
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #326
I agree. I even told my vet I'm not making any decision-making based on her blood results. At least not right now.
With that, here's the results (on the Sara tab):
Kidney values are MUCH better. Phos is better but still not great. T4 is horrible (I'm shocked she's still eating to be honest, she usually doesn't when it's really high). HCT is bad. Talking about things like Epogen-type stuff now. Looking at prices has me
She seems to be DOING great. She's not showing any clinical signs of anemia. But he said it could show at any time, and it's different for each cat.
Anyway, upping the methimazole to 7.5 a day (he had her at 5 a day for the last two weeks). Lowering the subqs to 100ml per day, since the kidney values will probably go up as the T4 comes down. Cerenia/cypro as I see fit. Continuing the Pepcid as is. And then have to plan for addressing the anemia.
To give you an idea of how she was doing, we gave the dogs a fry (I needed comfort "bad for me" food so got Burger King). And Sara came over wanting some. We gave her a piece of the burger (yeah, not good probably, but oh well). And then we took too long giving her another piece, so she walked away. We called her to give her the other piece, and she kept walking with a swish of the hips as if to say "screw you guys" :lol3:
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #327
My head is spinning after researching anemia drugs, the best ones, prices, etc.
Ohhh., I don't blame you for the spinning head!
I would be too.. and a lot sooner than you!!
I have to commend you for all you have and are doing for Sara.. You love her so much.
I have no idea about anemia... I wish you so much luck...
You have been so dedicated.. I admire you....
Wishing you the best with all this crazy new stuff...
((Hugs)))
It's great that her kidney values have decreased. T-4 values are always iffy's, yes? That's one reason why you always have to monitor it?
As to the anemia, it was actually mentioned on Tanya's website than Pepcid A/C has been associated with anemia in HUMANS...perhaps it's responsible
? I don't know if Ranitidine would respond the same way or not Here's the page from the website: http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#famotidine. How often do you give the Pepcid....every day? Does she need it along with the anti-emetic? I tried to cut back on it as often as I could, just because. We only gave it to Calie once very 3 or 4 days vs twice a day and that seemed to work well for her
BUT, the most important thing is still that she is feisty and has an attitude
. If she didn't feel well, she wouldn't care.
As to the anemia, it was actually mentioned on Tanya's website than Pepcid A/C has been associated with anemia in HUMANS...perhaps it's responsible
BUT, the most important thing is still that she is feisty and has an attitude
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #331
Sara's been on 5mg a day of Pepcid, but reducing it to 2.5 after today. Will go back to giving it at night only tomorrow. We basically threw the book at the kidney disease the last two weeks, so to speak. She's been on it for some time since her tummy seems so sensitive, and has for months now. It helps with the pukies at night.
I'm not really shocked the T4 was high. We'd reduced the methimazole to 5mg a day for the last two weeks. She was on 12.5mg before she got sick as her hyper-t was pretty severe to begin with. Like the vet said though, it's a balancing act between the thyroid and the kidneys. I expect the kidney values to get worse as the T4 gets better as well. So she's bumped up a bit to 7.5. Her T4 has seemed kinda unstable for the last few months though, to be honest. Spiked in December for seemingly no reason. Hence her being on 12.5 before getting sick.
I swear, cats hear the vet when they say they are doing well or doing bad. When I got the bad news a couple weeks back, she completely seemed to crash that night. Then today, she's been all Miss Social Butterfly and wanting to eat our food. The anemia doesn't seem to be fazing her so much right now, but I know that can change very quickly.
I'm not really shocked the T4 was high. We'd reduced the methimazole to 5mg a day for the last two weeks. She was on 12.5mg before she got sick as her hyper-t was pretty severe to begin with. Like the vet said though, it's a balancing act between the thyroid and the kidneys. I expect the kidney values to get worse as the T4 gets better as well. So she's bumped up a bit to 7.5. Her T4 has seemed kinda unstable for the last few months though, to be honest. Spiked in December for seemingly no reason. Hence her being on 12.5 before getting sick.
I swear, cats hear the vet when they say they are doing well or doing bad. When I got the bad news a couple weeks back, she completely seemed to crash that night. Then today, she's been all Miss Social Butterfly and wanting to eat our food. The anemia doesn't seem to be fazing her so much right now, but I know that can change very quickly.
good news on the kidney values. How is she eating ?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #333
She seems to be eating well. Trying to focus on getting the phos binders and Miralax in her. And especially on getting the binder in at all the meals. I know at some point it will become routine and not feel so difficult, but right now it does. And of course getting more food into her in general. I'm managing to get her to eat a full ounce and a half in one sitting. Once I can do that consistently, I'll bump it up at each meal.
You are doing so well. That is so not me. I wouldn't be able to cope, and then I'd just break down, unable to do anything myself.
All of you dealing with sick animals are wonder women.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #335
Today marks the 16th day since her diagnosis. Been sorta dreading it, as that is the equivalent of the day we put Lucky to sleep. And here she is, napping under my mom's bed. Fed her some of the high-calorie food since she didn't eat this afternoon; mom had fed her the wrong food and she didn't like the one she fed her (she's picky about texture). Still need to give her the antibiotic today; guess I'll have to do that later.
I have to admit, two weeks ago, I wasn't sure where we'd be by this point. Or if we'd even get to this point. But she's my little fighter.
I have to admit, two weeks ago, I wasn't sure where we'd be by this point. Or if we'd even get to this point. But she's my little fighter.
Every good fighter has a great cornerman
I think that we all deal with what comes to us, as best we can, with more or less success. You never really know what you'll be able to handle until it actually happens to you -- you might surprise yourself.
Certainly it was never on my bucket list to have brain surgery, and while I'm not happy that it was needed I'm very glad that I got the surgery when the problem was finally diagnosed. I can't change the past, all I can do is to proceed into the future with as much grace (or inherent klutziness) as is available to me. There's nothing particularly brave about it; it's just survival.
Margret
We all have incredible strength and resources when its for someone or something we love.
You must be a very strong woman. Stay healthy.
Either that or I'm a stubborn old bitch. (I've thought for a long time that stubbornness is a survival trait.)
And I'm working on it, very hard.
Margret
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