PT prayers for Ripley please - update post #9

[jazzcat]

I have a 3:15 vet appointment for Ripley. I just called and they are working us in. My wonderful vet seems to always make room for him since he is a kidney failure cat.

Things haven't been right with him for a few days (just odd behavior) and now today I found where he peed in the floor, pooped outside his box and he's acting strange. Also his stomach or at least the area right behind his ribs is very hard and large. I also heard him crying this morning and he was standing in the middle of the sunroom with a lost and blank look in his eyes. It took several times calling his name before the glazed look left his eyes and he responded.

Richard and I both have observed he is drinking a lot lately. I'm not sure what all this is leading to but something is definitely not right with the old man.

I'll update when I return.

[Kirsten]

Oh no, poor Ripley!! Glad that you can take him to the vet today! I'll keep Ripley in my thoughts and keep my fingers crossed!!

Kirsten

[Donnaj4962]

Oh my. I am glad that you are able to get him in today. Many prayers coming from me and the girls in Indiana that all goes well and the white coats can find the problem and fix it right away.

So many sick PT babies.....

[jenluckenbach]

Prayers for Ripley.

[Kirsten]

So many sick PT babies.....

That's true. I noticed that, too...

Kirsten

[Ginger's Mom]

Prayers going out for Ripley.

[Pawla]

I am so sorry! {{{HUGS}}} to you, and prayers to Ripley. Please keep us posted. I will be thinking of you both.

[Craftlady]

Will keep good thoughts and prayers

[jazzcat]

We're back. I'm not sure what to tell you. She couldn't find anything certain. She ran the long blood tests to check his kidney levels and other things. His kidney levels are only slightly worse than last year. The only thing elevated much was his globin level or something like that which she said could be up from the G.I. disturbance (throwing up) or it could indicate a tumor. She felt the hard band around his stomach which was obviously sore to him and said it was in the liver and spleen area but she's not sure what it is. The blood work didn't indicate a problem with his liver. She said an x-ray may help but that it doesn't always show everything so she recommeded we not stress Ripley any more and wait a month for an x-ray. The good news is he has gained a much needed pound since Feb.

She gave him a round of sub-q fluids with a shot of penicillin to help ward off any possible UTI infections since I had told her his urine is almost clear like water. I discovered that when cleaning up his pee spot this morning.

She also feels Ripley may have some mental issues like dementia or Alzheimer's plus she has said this before but she thinks he is an OCD cat since he pulls out his fur and does a few other quirky things. She thinks that is his coping mechanism. He has some bald spots right now from pulling it out so badly. She also said she wouldn't rule out that he may be having little strokes.

Basically she wants me to watch him closely, call if there are any changes and bring him back in a month or so for x-rays unless he gets worse and we have to do it sooner. She also warned me that he will be peeing like crazy from the fluids so be prepareds since he will go anywhere. Great!

I feel like I just spent $200 for some fluids and very angry cat. I'm not mad at the vet, she spent a long time with us and she kept saying she didn't want to waste time and money on a bunch of tests when it may just be a kidney flare but I'm still frustrated. Ripley is peeing in the house, he seems miserable and he's making me miserable. I wanted something to fix! I know this is just how it is with an older cat especially with renal failure but still. I'm just frustrated!!!

[catmandu]

We have added Dear Ripley to our prayers and we are hoping that our Dear Old Friend can be helped and is back home as soon as possible , happy and healthy.

[jenluckenbach]

It is SO hard to not understand what is wrong. But it sounds like the vet did what she could. I can tell you that Mr. Meow has "something" the vet feels and we DID do the xray, and it is inconclusive....so if the vet felt it would stress him out, then I would just wait and see. (Mr. Meow is a typical Ragdoll....you can do ANYTHING to him without upsettinghim)

I also learned something recently that I never realized. 75% of an organ must be bad in order for the enzyme levels to show anything. And here all this time I thought by doing blood tests we could catch things early.

If at all possible, you might want to consider confining Ripley for a little while so that he can have his litter box close to him. It would save a lot of hard feelings caused by him missing the box (be it on purpose or by accident.)

[Catty1]

When the family Siamese was PTS at 19 1/2 (mom had taken him in a month earlier, but brought him home, and cried...she just couldn't), it was apparent that he had had little strokes for some time. Nothing that one could 'prove'...but during the last trip to the vet, he stood up in his carrier the whole way. I sat outside in the sun with him, opened the carrier - and he never even turned his head....just stared at the back of the carrier...

I know Omega 3 can help with dementia and strokes; is there a mild tranny that his kidneys could handle, or some Feliway, for the OCD?

Good that he is a whole pound heavier...I hope he regains some well-being.

Give him a hug for me...

[jazzcat]

Thanks Jen and Catty. I know the vet did all she could for him today and I'm thankful that she feels nothing is urgent enough to require a lot of tests. I really like my vet! She tries to not jump to lots of expensive tests unless really needed and she spends a lot of time with us at each visit. She usually calls a couple times after each visit to check on whichever cat has been there. She's special.

I just wish there was something to do to make the old man happy. He seems so down and it's obvious he's not feeling well plus he makes his feelings and stress known. He's started this mournful cry that sounds like he is totally lost and alone. The vet said there hasn't been a lot of study done one Alzheimer's and Dementia in cats but that the new mournful cry is a sign.

He loves to stay out in the garage and we've been letting him stay out there as much as possible. He has his food, water and two litter boxes but when I'm gone or when it's too hot he stays in the house and that is when the peeing accidents happen. He does not like to use the boxes the other cats use - he only wants to use the ones in the garage. The vet said that is another aspect of his OCD.

[Catty1]

I know Omega 3 can help with dementia and strokes; is there a mild tranny that his kidneys could handle, or some Feliway, for the OCD and just feeling unhappy?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I'm so glad I checked in today, Lori, otherwise I wouldn't have seen this. Thoughts and prayers are on their way for Ripley and you and hubby.

You probably know this already, but with older cats, some days are good, some days are not so good and it sounds like Ripley is having some not so good days. Is it possible for the vet to do an ultrasound on him instead of an x-ray? I don't know if it would be less stressful, but it might show an enlarged _____(whatever) or something.

As for the yowling/mournful cries, Tubby did that as he got older too, and it seemed like he did it more often the older he got. I've heard the dementia theory and have to believe it because I have no other theory, except that they just do that as they get older......but Peanut never did it so it must be an older male thing? The scary part for me is that CJ has already started doing this, and he's not even 10 yet!

And one last thing.....as hard as it might be to even think about it, if he's not happy, and you're not happy.......

{{{hugs}}} and thoughts and prayers on their way.

Oops, just thought of one more thing. Renal failure often causes high blood pressure, which could contribute to the strokes he might be having. I really believe it was the high blood pressure that burst a blood vessel in Peanut's eyes making her go blind. I have no idea how to check a cat's blood pressure, but it might be something else to ask your vet about.