Fern: Kidney failure, need advice from those who dealt with this.

[jenluckenbach]

Fern has not eaten all weekend and has been "retching", I can't say vomitting because there is nothing to come up. Just white foam/spit.

Vet says kidneys feel enlarged, blood work results should come back tomorrow.

She is dehydrated, as would be expected. I am about to attempt her first sub-Q treatment.

We are going to try an appetite stimulant but will probably have to force feed her for a while.

All this is stuff I have done, but Fern is a very tense cat about too close of contact. TODAY, I feel, she will allow it, as she feels SO badly; but when she starts to feel better? Will she be too afraid for treatment? I guess time will tell.

She is in the neighborhood of 13 years old.

[rg_girlca]

Jen, I'm so sorry to hear that your Fern is sick. I pray your first attempt to give her sub-q fluids goes reasonably well for you and for Fern. I also hope that the appetite stimulant gets her started on the road to recovery.

Prayers and positive thoughts on the way for dear Fern.

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} Jen

[cassiesmom]

Prayers for Fern!

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=12733199

[jenluckenbach]

here she is, today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/JenLuckenbach/Cats/Fern/005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/JenLuckenbach/Cats/Fern/002-1.jpg

[sana]

I'm so sorry but, I don't know hoe to help your problem. I guess I could pray that you find the answer to your problem and hopefully the kitty will be cured. Lots of good thoughts and prayers. :(

<<<hugs and prayers>>>

[Karen]

Poor Fern, prayers sent her way. I hope once you get her rehydrated things will improve.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jen, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I hope that you'll be able to get her back on the road to recovery and that she'll cooperate with you. I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

[jenluckenbach]

Last night went well. Fluids, no problem. And a small amount of food force fed (didn't want to give her tummy too much)

This morning, though, I gave her the appetite pill, and she threw it up. :(

[jennielynn1970]

Poor Fern... I hope she'll start feeling better soon. She'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Soft pets and scritchies for the dear girl. HUGS for you!

[Medusa]

Oh I'm sorry that Fern couldn't keep the med down. I do hope that the subQ's will help. Once she starts feeling better after some fluids regularly, maybe that will change.

[Randi]

Oh poor Fern. She doesn't look happy at all. :( I hope you can get a bit more food into her and she'll start eating and drinking on her own soon.

Sending lots of positive thoughts to your sweet girl. :love:

[jenluckenbach]

I took Fern to work wuth me today so I could feed her small amounts at about 2 hour intervals (hoping to not overwork her tummy)

Well, after the 3rd feeding, I guess I overdid it, because she threw it all back up. :(

So I am just waiting to hear about her blood work.

I'll be giving today's sub-q soon.

[jenluckenbach]

OK, It IS her kidneys. But I did not talk to MY vet, and I did not get any specifics from this "other" vet. (Guess who I will be calling tomorrow?)_

Anyway, for anyone with kidney failure experience, how much Pepsid can I give her? Is it a quarter of a 10 mg tablet?

And what other things can be done, besides the fluids?

[Craftlady]

Anyway, for anyone with kidney failure experience, how much Pepsid can I give her? Is it a quarter of a 10 mg tablet?


I had to give Snoopy (30 lb dog) 10 mg tablet 2x a day and then I cut back to 5 mg (1/2 of whole tablet) 2x a day.
This was for gastritis.

These tablets are not easy to cut in 1/2 let along take that half and cut it again. I would think 1/4 tablet would be good starting dose.

I found little dose goes a long way.

Good Luck.

[Freedom]

Oh Fern sweetie!

I've not had to give them Pepcid, no help on that.

If she can get some food in and keep it down, then the appetite pill may stay down. But I guess you know that too.

As for maintaining the treatment once she starts feeling better, all I can offer is to try and make it appealing to her. Rub some catnip on your hands? Or some tuna water, lol. I'd say chin rubs after, but if she isn't keen on contacts, not sure she'd enjoy those. If you can get her eating, some canned salmon as a treat at the end.

Prayers for you and for Fern.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I've never dealt with kidney failure but my Storm has small intestinal disease so he has to take pred in the morning and he takes the regular strength pepcid 5mg,which is half a pill, at night. I just use part of a pill pocket and wrap it in that and he thinks he's getting a treat. I hope that things will go well and that Fern will be able to keep her food down and make an overall improvement. More prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[Medusa]

I've not administered Pepcid, just the subQ's. They helped Puddy tremendously. In the beginning, they were every day, then after a while, every other day, then twice a week, etc. Regular subQ's should help w/the nausea; it did for Puddy. Prayers continuing for Fern and you. :love:

[smokey the elder]

Pink Nose was just diagnosed with kidney failure (very early stage; caught it on a senior panel.) He's on fluids, and two medicines. One is called "epakitin" and is a phosphate binder. See, for example, http://www.vetoquinolusa.com/CoreProducts/CardioNephrologyRenal/Epakitin.html. This is sprinkled on the food.

The other medicine is "Azodyl". "Developed by Kibo Biotech, Inc., Azodyl is marketed by Vetoquinol. Azodyl is designed to lower BUN and creatinine by populating the patient's bowel with beneficial microorganisms that catabolize the urea toxins in the intestine." (from www.felinecrf.com)

Pink Nose doesn't need Pepcid as yet; my vet said between 1/8 and 1/4 a tablet. At such a small dose, you might wish to have it compounded.

I'm fortunate that PInk Nose is such a good patient; I had to fuss with a new bag of fluids, and he was sitting there patiently waiting for me to give them to him! Good luck with Fern.

[Barbara]

Smokey just added the felinecrf website which is excellent.
I am afraid Fern's fur already looks ruffled in a way that points to kidneys.
If the sub-q fluids don't work she may need IV for a night or so. I hope very much she overcomes this crisis.
Of course eating is very important for kidney kitties. In Filou's bad times I always had success with egg yolk which was more than one time the thing that got him back to eating.
We keep our paws crossed for Fern.

[jenluckenbach]

I am taking Fern back to the vet tonight. But I do not have much hope. She just seems too far gone. :( She hasn't kept even the smallest amount of food down.

[Catty1]

:( Prayers, Jen. Kidney cats can bounce back amazingly well. I hope this is the case for Fern.

Wishing you and Fern peace whatever the outcome.:love:

[Medusa]

Oh I hope Fern rallies. Puddy rallied time and time again. Daily subQ's might be the key for a while. Keep the faythe, Jen.

[kaycountrygal]

I am sorry your Fern is sick. I do hope she can get better. I'll be checking back... Kay in NC

[jenluckenbach]

Fern will not rally. She is gone.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?p=2337137#post2337137

:(