All my cats May have kidney failure from recalled food

[catfamily]

The cats that have been taken in for early symptoms seem to have pulled through okay, though at high expense, and I dearly hope that Mia will be one of those that can get through this. Positive thoughts sent your way that the others test negative.

Don't feel bad, although I know we can't help ourselves. I feed Fancy Feast to Ginger because that is what she will eat, and that's all you really focus on for a very old cat. I gave her left-overs, and there have been many, to the teenage cats and they love it. As you said, it was a treat that they love and you don't see any harm in it because it isn't their main food. There have been no recalls on Fancy Feast so far, but it's the kind of food that might be in a recall - so now Ginger's left-overs are tossed.

Fancy feast has a food with weat gluten in it,that will hurt your cats.Not all their flavors.Just some.
But Mia was already sick with Kidney Failure when I got her out of the shelter.
It's Lucy that was NOT sick and my others.Lucy has it now and I will slowly check everyone else.Money is tight.VERY tight.Mike will get a job to get these blood works done.
But Mia...is already dying of it from old age and bad diet,also she was dehydrated and skin and bones.She was only at the shelter over night.She was abandoned in a home nearby.I just scooped her up because she looked so horrible.
She's gained 4 pounds,But has a severe kidney bacterial infection on top of her kidney failure.So I'm trying to clear that up,but the meds aren't working to well.
I'm mostly worried for Lucy...then the others.They are all young.
Mia is my only old cat.(Plus...she was sick before she came here).
I am still giving Mia meds and getting follow up bloodwork.

[Lizzie]

I'm sorry that I put in Mia's name instead of Lucy's, my fault. Bloodwork is very expensive, and you have so many to be tested. And then there is the treatment. It's awful to think of all the people who are spending money they barely have because businesses want to do things as cheaply as possible.

[catfamily]

I'm sorry that I put in Mia's name instead of Lucy's, my fault. Bloodwork is very expensive, and you have so many to be tested. And then there is the treatment. It's awful to think of all the people who are spending money they barely have because businesses want to do things as cheaply as possible.

It's funny because when I saw Mia's name I said to myself...I bet she meant to type Lucy instead.
No problem...if you only KNEW the typing mistakes I make you'd laugh.I get so embarassed by my typing skills.Plus I am always in a rush with my ONE finger typer.LOL
So I always type the wrong thing.

Thanks Everyone for your support and kind words.It's been a tough day for me,Mike and I'm sure Lucy.
I also want to send my condolences out for everyone's pets that have been lost by eating that food.It's a shame this world is so filled with such hateful ,angry people , to be mean enough to poison animals.

[Laura's Babies]

Make doubley sure you keep ALL vet records on ALL kitties... I think they should have to pay for the ones you think may have been effected also! I think anybody that has fed them ANY of their food, and feeling unsure, rather on the recall list or not, that they should pay for the test to bring US peace of mind. THEY caused this and the should pay for us to get that peace of mind.... I say that, not being spiteful but it would only be the right thing to do.

I remember when your baby had that seizure, I was home when that happened.

[momcat]

My prayers are being prayed for all of your furbabies to test out okay with the vet. Special prayers are being offered for Mia.
One of my co-workers lost her cat May-May because of tainted food. Sadly, she blames herself for giving May-May the bad food even though she had no idea that there was a problem.
We love our kitty companions and do all the right things to keep them healthy and safe. But now we worry about what we're putting in their food dishes! This situation should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible should be named and punished to the maximum the law allows! Quality control measures must be tightened up on all ingredients used to make pet food.
I strongly encourage everyone to sign the petition Medusa posted in Cat General demanding an investigation into this. All of our kitty companions were put at risk of becoming seriously sick or passing to the RB. We DESERVE answers!!!

[Medusa]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Don't beat yourself up over it, though. You certainly meant no harm to your furkids. You did and will always do what you think is best. We'll keep the prayers going.

[catfamily]

I'm sick over Lucy.Her heartrate was 300.WAY too high,She does have heart problems.Her and Winston went together for their heart Doc the first time but Winston's was hardened on the outside and very large.
The norm at the vet(Because the cats are nervous)is about 2 or 220 at the most.He freaked at 300.
Lucy's has a valve problem and he (The heart Doc I went to a few years ago)said she should live a normal long life.But he wanted to see her in about 3 years.I need to bring her in now but that will be a few hundred dollars.
I'm hoping when I bring in Marshall and Colby for their bloodwork tomorrow he can give me something to calm her heart down.Untill I can get her to the heart Doc.But maybe their is nothing to give.I will take any advice he has to give.If he says their is nothing to give for that...than that's how it will be.

[Lizzie]

When they did the blood test on Lucy, did it show her thyroid level? Hyperthyroidism in older cats is common, as you probably know, and would certainly cause her heart rate to increase drastically.

[catfamily]

When they did the blood test on Lucy, did it show her thyroid level? Hyperthyroidism in older cats is common, as you probably know, and would certainly cause her heart rate to increase drastically.

Yes thank You.
He thought that as soon as he heard her heart.He had to take her back out of the carrier for more blood.The thyroid was fine.
They also took pee from her in the back and showed only a little bit of protein.
Just high BUN and high CREA

vet test
BUN 38mg/dL High (16 -36. )
CREA 2.7 mg/dL HIGH (0.8 -2.4 )
I don't know what this really means but just showing you guys.

[Bengalz]

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and all your family. The tainted food issue is just a horrible thing and everytime I think about it too much, my mind rages at this ruthless side of business enterprise ....

I sincerely hope that your furbabies are able to get any treatment they require and pull through this mess.

Hugs to you and Mike and all those dear little kitties you have nurtured.

Betty

[Craftlady]

Yes thank You.
He thought that as soon as he heard her heart.He had to take her back out of the carrier for more blood.The thyroid was fine.
They also took pee from her in the back and showed only a little bit of protein.
Just high BUN and high CREA

vet test
BUN 38mg/dL High (16 -36. )
CREA 2.7 mg/dL HIGH (0.8 -2.4 )
I don't know what this really means but just showing you guys.

I did a google on bun/crea

CREA is creatinine =The creatinine blood test is usually ordered along with a BUN (blood urea nitrogen) test to assess kidney function.

BUN = blood, urea, nitrogen
Urea u·re·a (yʊ-rē'ə)
n.
A water-soluble compound, CO(NH2)2, that is the major nitrogenous end product of protein metabolism and is the chief nitrogenous component of the urine in mammals and other organisms. Also called carbamide.



Bun/Crea elevated in humans (both bun/crea) are indications of kidney/liver damage so I would assume same in pets.

[jennielynn1970]

OH gosh... I hope that Lucy and your others will be ok. Will you be able to get Lucy into the heart doc before her scheduled appt. since this would be an emergency? My thoughts and prayers are with you... please keep us updated.

[Catlady711]

Yes thank You.
He thought that as soon as he heard her heart.He had to take her back out of the carrier for more blood.The thyroid was fine.
They also took pee from her in the back and showed only a little bit of protein.
Just high BUN and high CREA

vet test
BUN 38mg/dL High (16 -36. )
CREA 2.7 mg/dL HIGH (0.8 -2.4 )
I don't know what this really means but just showing you guys.

I can't say for sure on any results from a urinalysis as I don't run those at work.

But the Serum tests I do run at work.

The BUN and CREATININE are above normal levels but not by alot, and those ranges can vary depending on the machine or particular lab that runs them. On our machine a CREAT of above 2.0 is considered above normal, apparently on your vets machine 2.4 is considered within normal range.

Based on their ranges and the results it appears the levels are elevated some. They would actually need lab work prior to the cat getting sick to determine if those are normal levels for that particular cat or if in fact they are elevated. Or doing a repeat of the BUN and CREAT in a week or two and see if the levels continue to go up, stay the same or go into the 'normal' range. Is your vet giving IV fluids to your cat?

Just for reference; in very seriously ill cats at work we've seen BUN levels in the 70-80 range, and CREAT levels in the 4-7 range and some even higher.

Dusty had lab work done a few years ago and had a CREAT level of 2.4 (by our machine that was above normal. I had been feeding her "light" food which does not come in a senior fomula only adult. So I switched her back to a senior food and a few weeks later we retested and her CREAT level came back down to 1.8 (which is normal). All that from only a minor change in food from adult to senior.

Many things can affect those levels from food, to stress, to illness.

[Medusa]

Puddy's CREAT was at 9 at one time and she's still kickin' and Queen of the house!

[catfamily]

I was accually hoping you'd read and help with a reply.
Thank you.
I trust your judgement (because you work so closely with vets ) and do feel better.
I am as suggested by my vet also to go back for another blood test to see if Lucy's has elevated.It would probably be good to give all my cats senior food.Since all my cats are past 1 year old.I do think Senior food is a great food for cats after they turn to adulthood...if indoors...I agree with that.(But I don't,because I use Natural Balance,which is for ALL cats stages).
The Natural Balance is an excellent food.I will stick to it and see how everyone does./I think The Natural Balance is for ALL stages.(the ingredients are excellent)But I may have screwed up Lucy by giving her the *other,recalled*food not only because of maybe being tainted but because it was store brands and just grocery store pet food instead of the Natural Balance that I think is Wonderful for them all.
They all got the Other food...some more than others as a treat because they could smell it in the mudroom where Mia was.Mia would not eat the natural balance when first brought home and she was starved.So I bought Anything that she would eat.I'll NEVER EVER do that again.
Mia is now eating the Natural Balance.She wouldn't eat it before.
There may be a chance that the tainted food did not get in my area.
It was in the paper that no reported cases have been found in my area.
That means nothing to me because the vets can't prove that it IS from tainted food.
But since I may be someone in the area that is willing to test ALL my cats(being I have so many with so many different ages..most being very young)...that report MAY change.Only because I'm testing so many different aged cats.
But getting back to Lucy..she is a very nervous cat like her "semi ferel"sister Penny.But Lucy is OVER friendley while Penny is the opposite.So Penny stays in good shape.lol
Lucy wakes when I wake so she can always be with me which I think is unhealthy for a cat to OVER love an owner.(When it becomes an obsesion....just like in people).
So it could be nerves.Or just stress from her past life.She has had the same personality since I got her/and Penny her sister from the shelter.
lets see how Marshall and Colby turn out today.
That will give us ALL some much needed info if it may be the food or not.Marshall is only about 2 or 3 years old.If HE has it...I'm blaming the food!!

OH...and Thank You Craftlady for the Google Search on what the blood tests meant.I appreciate it.I've been to stressed to look it up.

I also want to add that EVERYONE'S reply has helped me so much...with either words of support or any advice they think is good.I will consider everyone's advice.I think everyone is so smart here,and in the learnings..which is so wonderful.

I can't say for sure on any results from a urinalysis as I don't run those at work.

But the Serum tests I do run at work.

The BUN and CREATININE are above normal levels but not by alot, and those ranges can vary depending on the machine or particular lab that runs them. On our machine a CREAT of above 2.0 is considered above normal, apparently on your vets machine 2.4 is considered within normal range.

Based on their ranges and the results it appears the levels are elevated some. They would actually need lab work prior to the cat getting sick to determine if those are normal levels for that particular cat or if in fact they are elevated. Or doing a repeat of the BUN and CREAT in a week or two and see if the levels continue to go up, stay the same or go into the 'normal' range. Is your vet giving IV fluids to your cat?

Just for reference; in very seriously ill cats at work we've seen BUN levels in the 70-80 range, and CREAT levels in the 4-7 range and some even higher.

Dusty had lab work done a few years ago and had a CREAT level of 2.4 (by our machine that was above normal. I had been feeding her "light" food which does not come in a senior fomula only adult. So I switched her back to a senior food and a few weeks later we retested and her CREAT level came back down to 1.8 (which is normal). All that from only a minor change in food from adult to senior.

Many things can affect those levels from food, to stress, to illness.