Sparkle is at it again, sigh! Update #9.

[Freedom]

She lost 2 pounds in a very short time (less than 3 months). From 11 pounds and a bit down to almost 9 pounds. :eek: So I had her in to the vet yesterday, will have blood test results later today.

Sparkle did this 2 years back, we did blood work TWICE and nothing showed up. Over the following 2 months, she put the "lost" weight back on, and we never did figure out a cause. It was in Spring last time, not Fall.

She eats, drinks, poos and pees, and acts fine during all this.

Just likes to drive Mum crazy with worry and empty the wallet now and again I guess. :rolleyes:

Will post the blood test results when I get them.

Please say a little prayers for my "Sweet Stuff!" (that is her nickname), Sparkle.

[catmandu]

We are sending prayers for Sparkle that it was maybe the hot weather that made her lose the two pounds.:love:
S[parkle has a Great Loving Meeowmie who spares no expense and notices these things that mean that Sparkle may not be well:love:
That is the sign of a True Blue Cat Guardian:love::love:

[Taz_Zoee]

What is with these kitties and their medical mysteries?
Well, I hope........what do I hope? Do I hope they find nothing and she bounces back like she did last time, or do I hope they figure out what's wrong so she can be treated? I'm so confused!
Overall, I hope she is FINE. Get well Sparkle!! :)

[lvpets2002]

:love: Come on Sparkle lets gain some weight for meowmom.. Prayers & Huggss to All..

[phesina]

Sending lots of prayers and good wishes for Sparkle, that you are healthy and soon back to normal weight.

[cassiesmom]

Sparkle, please eat for your meowmie, please please!

[katladyd]

Mac is losing weight, though he stopped at about 6 lbs. He was 8! I don't know what it is with him. He eats fine, drinks fine, plays fine, acts perfectly fine but he is thin. If he loses any more weight I will take him in to the vets. Last time they couldn't find anything wrong, they said it might just be that he's getting older. We'll see.
I hope Sparkle starts to put the weight back on and it is nothing serious.

[jennielynn1970]

Good thoughts and prayers going up for you and for Sparkle.

[Freedom]

Sparkle as kidney failure. :( This is in th early stages for now. We just returned from the vet, so they could take a urine sample, to gather a bit more info.

In spite of my panic, the vet says she is at a good weight. Yes, she did lose weight, but she is fine for her size. Have to remember she was once 18 pounds! :eek: So I am not used to seeing my girl this way, and all that extra skin sags down and pulls the top so she looks even thinner.

I need to get her some senior food. This will be difficult; Sparkle is one of 2 "grazers," in this house, so we have kibble out all the time. Now trying to get her to eat only her food would be tough but with another grazer here, well, I'll see what I can do.

The vet also suggested giving Sparkle sub q fluids once per week. But we will see what happens with the urine results tomorrow.

Thank you for all the caring posts, I appreciate it.

[Medusa]

Sandie, I'm sorry to hear about Sparkle. Nearly all of us have been through it w/our cats and renal failure. It's such disheartening news but perhaps w/weekly subQ's, she'll perk right up. Prayers continuing for her and you. Keep the faythe. :love:

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh no, I was hoping this wasn't the diagnosis. :( It just brings tears to my eyes. But then as I've seen here on PT some cats can live months or even years with it. Let's hope that is the case for Sparkle.

[Freedom]

Thank you Mary, and Cindy.

Yes, I've been through this before as well. My RB Amber needed sub q fluids for almost a year prior to his passing. I did that here at home. (Well, not HERE as I hadn't bought this house yet.) but he had over active thyroid, so that is what I worry about, never had a cat go straight to renal issues. Huh. Always a new learning curve.

[Laura's Babies]

Lets hope the fluids do good for her and she perks back up! Get Well Soon Sparkle!

[Catty1]

Best wishes for Sparkle! Hope the new food and some fluids help. Adding some warm water to the new food, whether it is wet or dry, adds more fluids also.

Glad it is in the early stage - though it must still be a shock. {{{hugs}}} Wishing you and Sparkle many more happy and healthy years. :love::love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I'm glad it's been caught early and I hope she'll have many more good years ahead of her. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[Freedom]

Thanks again, Laura, Candace, and . . . krazyaboutkats (forgot your name oops!)

The vet just phoned with the urine sample results. All looks fine on that bit. So for now, I keep Sparkle on the high quality, grain free diet, add canned for her daily to get more fluids in her, and return in 3 months for a recheck on weight and blood work.

I do appreciate everyone's prayers and concern, like most, I panic if ANYTHING goes 'wrong' with one of the furkids.

[phesina]

Thanks again, Laura, Candace, and . . . krazyaboutkats (forgot your name oops!)

The vet just phoned with the urine sample results. All looks fine on that bit. So for now, I keep Sparkle on the high quality, grain free diet, add canned for her daily to get more fluids in her, and return in 3 months for a recheck on weight and blood work.

I do appreciate everyone's prayers and concern, like most, I panic if ANYTHING goes 'wrong' with one of the furkids.

Bob and Sydney are both kidney-challenged boys and have been getting fluids for a while now. With luck and God's blessings they'll both be going for quite a while longer and so will Sparkle!

Both Bob and Sydney are supposed to eat "prescription" kidney-diet food. :( They tried a few and seem to prefer (or shall I say, dislike least) K/D, so that's what I get for them, both wet and kibble.

I wish there was some of those grain-free diets especially designed for kitties with kidney issues. There is a pet-supplies store in Ann Arbor that specializes in high-quality items, especially food, and is owned and run by a no-longer-practicing veterinarian (http://www.dogmacatmantoo.com/). I asked her a few months ago if she had any suggestions, and she said unfortunately no.. the "high quality" (i.e., mostly real meat and organic content) foods also wind up being high protein, which is what makes them "high-quality..", the real meat and all rather than nasty byproducts.

She also carries some of the other prescription foods and says they are better quality than K/D .. I don't really like Science Diet that much period.. But I'd tried Eukanuba and Royal Canin and some of the others, and they did NOT eat them as dependably as the K/D stuff.

My other three cats get Taste of the Wild kibble and Friskies and 9 Lives wet food (we hadn't found any wet like Wellness etc. that I could count on them eating regularly, either). Sometimes I let the kidney boys have a little of that mixed in as an extra treat or when they aren't eating the K/D. Also, I serve meals, do not leave food out for free feeding.

They all do tend to do some wandering among each other's bowls when they can get away with it. Elmer will eat anything.. and I wouldn't mind if he finished off some of the K/D, except all that prescription stuff is SO much more expensive.

But reading all the rave reports on the other prescription ones and the Wellness etc. they didn't like so much a while back, maybe it's time to consult the holistic-organic-vet again for some diet advice and try some again!

We are all continuing to say our prayers on behalf of dear Sparkle. So glad to learn she has a clean urinary bill of health, and here's to her (and all of your family there) for many more years of good health together!

My Providence native Sparkler especially sends good wishes and healing energies to dear Sparkle!

Cheers from Pat and the gang :love::love::love::love::love::love:

[cassiesmom]

Big prayers for Sparkle! I'm with Tracey, a wish and a prayer that she will have many more good years ahead. Hugs for Sparkle and her siblings!

[Freedom]

Thanks, Pat, for all the info! Thank you Elyse for the prayers!

My vet said -- and I had seen this on the Web -- that while they used to prescribe low protein diets for cats with renal issues, they no longer do that. The high protein is fine as long as it is quality high protein.

Senior kibble was mentioned, but we apparently are not at the stage of needing the prescription food as my vet never mentioned that. (RB Amber cat was on that; or I should say, we tried it, he refused to eat it, lol).

From what I can see, few of the high quality foods even offer a senior cat formula; let alone a kidney specific one. They do puppy and adult "all life stages" formulas and that is all.

So Sparkle will continue on the Taste of the Wild, with canned senior or canned adult mixed in regularly.

I've opted to postpone the fluids for 3 months, see how things go. I HOPE I don't regret this part. Although, I may never know if it was the right decision or not.

[Freedom]

Hmmm, thinking I WILL change the food!

Just left PT to review this rating chart, yet again:
http://www.petfoodratings.net/cattable.html

Looked back at my notes; admittedly not as detailed 2 years ago as they are now.

I switched to Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, and that is when she put the weight back on. It is slightly higher rated on the chart, than the Taste of the Wild, and it took me a bit reading the review of TOTW to see why.

Of course, guess who just bought 45 pounds (1 month's supply) of TOWT kibble earlier this week, before all this developed! LOL always the way, isn't it?!

[phesina]

I stopped by Dogma Catmantoo (the high-quality-vet-owned-pet-supplies store) this afternoon and ran all these thoughts by the salesperson (not the vet). She said they do carry the Royal Canin Renal LP but they've pretty much come around to advising the same: feed the cat the food she eats and enjoys, as higher-quality and lower-protein as works for her.

I brought home one 6-oz. can of the Royal Canin Renal, a 13-oz. can of Feline Holistic Select Chicken and Lamb Recipe, and a 13-oz. can of Feline Holistic Select Turkey and Barley Recipe to sample. Bob and Sydney both gobbled down their servings of Royal Canin, and the other three inhaled the Chicken and Lamb!

This is right after the cans have been opened, though; many times they gobble canned food down freshly offered but turn up their noses after it's been refrigerated in the can for a bit.. So we shall see..

[Freedom]

Take the "old" one out of the can, put on a paper plate, spread it out so it is not too dense, and heat it 30 seconds in the microwave. Fools them most of the time, lol!

[mrspunkysmom]

I do hope Sparkle gets better.

Hugs

[Freedom]

Thanks!

[phesina]

Bob and Sydney ate their servings of Royal Canin cold from the can this morning!

I will keep the tip about warming in the microwave in mind, though. Thanks, Sandie!

Continued good wishes and prayers for you all.

[lvpets2002]

:( Oh No I am sorry about Sparkle's Kidney Failure.. I sure hope the meds & the sub q work good.. Sending lots of Prayers & Huggss to you both..

[Freedom]

I found this food at PetCo. It is high in moisture, so I am using it for Sparkle. And I have her on Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul food.

http://www.soulisticpet.com/cuisine.html

Sparkle LOVES the Harvest Sunrise, which is chicken and pumpkin. For some reason that flavor is on sale for 89 cents per can this week.

I am trying to stay away from fish foods, as those "may" contain either mercury or ethoxyquin, and I don't want her to have any additional complications.

[katladyd]

This food had my attention until I saw that most of the flavors were fish based. Ming takes meds for chronic FLUTD and fish are a big no-no. Oh well, I will keep trying to find something he will eat besides Fancy Feast. Everything but that is sniffed at and left to rot.:rolleyes:

[Freedom]

They have 2 chicken flavors, the Harvest sunrise, and Chicken in gravy.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hopefully Sparkle will like this new canned food and that it'll help her. I went to Petco today to look at this food but it's not on sale here.:( They have the tiny cans for 89 cents and the larger cans are $1.39.

I didn't bother to buy any though but I may need to try this out on Storm. I just found out that he must be getting itchy again due to fish.:( I found some red marks on his back and this was after I used the furminator on him. I'm surprised that he didn't scream in pain. He's been eating some canned Wellness that has fish in it and it's only been 2 weeks. I haven't seen him scratching though.

[Freedom]

Yes, that is the small cans that are 89 cents on sale here, and only in the one flavor.

Poor Storm, itchies are NO FUN!!!

[Lilith Cherry]

How is Sparkle doing today? I hope you will find just the right diet for her and she will get some of the weight back and feel good !

[Freedom]

Sparkle has been feeling fine right along, that is the good news!

She spent the last 2 nights in the spare room with Mandy. Those 2 together barely put a dent in the food I leave for them, in10 hours.

One night last week I put Chestnut in there, just to give Mandy some company. I feel sorry for her living in isolation But this is the only way to get her to use the litter box and not my bed. Anyway, that night Chestnut emptied the bowl!

Thanks for asking about Sparkle.