BraveHeart had seizure.

[jenluckenbach]

I had just gotten back from running Tuvok to and from the vets and BraveHeart we laying on my desk next to me when he has a really bad seizure. :eek: :(

I held him down so he would not fall off onto the floor, and it seemed to just last forever. (but it was probably only 30-45 seconds)

He is fine now, but I am sure shaking. I've never dealt with seizures before.

The vet feels his bad kidney's are the cause.

OMG! What if this happens when I am not at home?

[Catty1]

:(

Oh no...I'd hate to add any meds...did the vet suggest an anti-seizure med?

Is there NOTHING that can be done for his kidneys? It's so maddening...I mean, BraveHeart deserves 'good health' time...even a month.

PT Prayers that BraveHeart turns around once more.

Please God...this little critter deserves it and you have brought him through so much...please bring it a little farther, and let him enjoy good health, so his Mom can relax a bit.

[jenluckenbach]

He could have a kidney transplant, if they thouht he was a good candidate......but then we are talking about THOUSANDS of dollars. :(

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Poor puss - he's been through so much already

[critters]

If there's a next time, can you lay him on the floor on a pad of blanket/s, towels, etc? What's his story, besides kidneys (too lazy to go look. LOL)? Is there a possibility his kidneys are so bad that the toxins have built up to cause it?

[Catty1]

kitty dialysis? :( That might clear toxins...or is that what sub q fluids do?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jen, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( He'll continue to remain in my thoughts and prayers.

[RedHedd]

kitty dialysis? :( That might clear toxins...or is that what sub q fluids do?
SubQ fluids merely rehydrate. When the kidneys are failing the body grabs moisture from wherever it can, dehydrating poor kitty - at least that's how the vet explained it to me when Mishi's kidneys were failing last year.

I don't know if they do kitty dialysis. It was not an option my vet mentioned to me and she's a huge fan of expensive procedures for cats.

[momcat]

Jen, I wish I knew what to say to ease your heart. This is terrible news especially since Braveheart seemed to be showing improvement. Please know that my thoughts and prayers remain with you and sweet Braveheart. Please keep us updated? [[[[[HUGS]]]]]

[Catty1]

...is there such a thing as a sub-q detox to take the strain off the kidneys??? I'm at work, but will search later...

[kimlovescats]

Oh Jen, how scary!!! I know how scared I was when Tabitha had a seizure. She didn't do all of the shaking and such but she was weak and disoriented and her eyes glazed over. Very scary!

I hope something can be figured out to help this poor boy!

Hugs,
Kim

[Grace]

There are only 6 places in the USA that do hemodialysis on cats.

However, there is another alternative - Peritoneal dialysis. Humans use this type, also.


Peritoneal dialysis uses the peritoneum (the thin lining of the abdominal cavity) as the filter for separating waste products from larger substances. The dialysis is performed with a special tube that a veterinarian uses to fill the cat's abdominal cavity with dialysis fluid. Waste products in the body suffuse into the fluid. The doctor then removes the fluid from the abdominal cavity and discards it, repeating the procedure until the level of waste products is adequately reduced.

Peritoneal dialysis is easy to perform in cats and is not painful for the patient. The need for constant monitoring and professional application usually limits the use of peritoneal dialysis to the treatment of reversible acute renal failures where the dialysis performs the waste removal function of the kidneys while the kidneys themselves are recovering.

An ARTICLE (http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=189&A=1749&S=2) about deciding if dialysis is right for your particular pet.

I think it's important to determine the cause of the seizure in Braveheart, before running headlong into dialysis. Seizures can be caused by a multitude of conditions totally unrelated to his CRF.

[kb2yjx]

Jen!!! This is unbelievable!!! Tuvok, and now BraveHeart. Yes, seizures are very scary. My cats have never had them, but when I worked at the VA Hospital, on acute medicine, we would have several patients at one time!!! I hope BraveHeart can be stablized with meds!!!PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anikaca77]

Jen,

My prayers are with you a Braveheart.

Poor guy that had to be so scary to see.

My prays that this doesn't happen again.

Melissa

[Freedom]

Oh dear. Braveheart! Neither he nor you needed this at this time.

Praying for both of you.

[phesina]

Oh, Jen. We continue to pray for dear BraveHeart.

[catmandu]

We Are Sending Prayers For Brave Heart And Pray That He Can Overcome This Problem.
I Am Giving Joseph An Herbal Remmedy Coenzymeq1o For His Gums And It Seems To Help.
Maybe Theres An Herbal Remedy For Braveheart And Tuvok.
We Pray That There Is.

[Medusa]

My Coco Puff had a seizure when I first moved into this house. It's scary, I know. I've not had experience w/seizures in cats that much, other than the one w/Coco Puff but my Peke-a-poo Charmin had seizures and was on medication all her life. If Braveheart has another one, softly call his name as you stroke him and it will help to bring him out of the seizure sooner. And, of course, keep him calm for a little while afterwards. I'm sorry this is happening to him, poor boy. (and you) :(

[Catty1]

From the article Grace posted the link to:


The treatment lasts 3 to 5 hours (sometimes longer) during which the patient must calmly sit on a table attached to equipment. Treatments typically are performed three times a week either indefinitely (as in chronic renal failure) or until the kidney has healed (as in acute renal failure).

But I wonder what the cost is...and who (besides us here) would fund the process for a senior cat - he is SO special to us, though, he has fought so hard...

MIND YOU - it is the most obvious thing to blame the kidneys...BUT as someone mentioned here (can't find the post at the moment), let's not rule out other causes.

Human case in point: My uncle was diabetic, and started getting pains in his legs. Of course, that was due to the diabetes and they were testing for circulation, etc. They ASSUMED...Turned out a large tumour from his colon was pressing on nerves in the back...and that cancer killed him.

So, it's not ALWAYS the obvious.

HUGS and PT Prayers to you, Jen, and BraveHeart.

[cassiesmom]

Prayers for Jen and BraveHeart ...

Hugs,
Elyse

[Catty1]

http://bulletin.piwet.pulawy.pl/archive/50-4/26_Lew.pdf

This is a report on a study done with 3 cats in advanced stages of renal impairment, and how peritoneal dialysis worked for them. It worked well...except in the case of one patient came back three months afterwards in such bad shape and with a bleak prognosis that the owners requested euthanasia. :(

However - this study was done in 2006. Based on the teensy bit of research I did here...it seems that if a cat has any renal function at all, that the peritoneal dialysis gives the kidneys a break and allows them to catch up.

hugs...this might or might not be worth it...

[momtomany]

Prayers for you and Braveheart. I am sorry so much is happening right now.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh gosh... hope that something can be given to him if they feel it will be something chronic. I hope it's just an acute thing, only happening once and that is about it.

Prayers going out for Braveheart.

[Kirsten]

Oh Jen, I'm sorry! :( How scary that must have been!!

Lots of positive thoughts and energy going your way...

(((HUGS)))
Kirsten

[kb2yjx]

How is BraveHeart today!!! And how are you doing, Jen??

[jenluckenbach]

Someone, no idea who, did quite a bit of vomitting today. Might have been Braveheart, but not sure.

He is acting OK. And that's all we can hope for.

[kb2yjx]

Prayers still heading your way for BraveHeart....

[jenluckenbach]

BraveHeart had another seizure this monring. :( This is so sad. :(

He has it just after starting to eat his breakfast. It took him a while to snap back out of it. But then he went right back to eating.

He is such a dear little boy.

[jennielynn1970]

Can you get some meds to control this so he won't suffer from them?

[Medusa]

What does your vet have to say about this? A low dose of amitryptilene would probably take care of that, poor boy.

[Catty1]

Thank God he is eating....but poor BH with a seizure.

I hope a mild med can help him....yes, he is older and his kidneys aren't good - though something else might cause seizures - but he has a home and loves his Charlie, it would be great for him to enjoy that for as long as possible. :)

hugs and prayers to you both.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jen, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( Hopefully the vet can give you something to help him control these seizures. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers too.

[kb2yjx]

Has the vet discussed, perhaps, phenobarbital for BraveHeart???OR is he/she thinking about a neuro work-up? Hugs for you both!!!

[Anikaca77]

Prays for Braveheart.

It must be so hard to watch this happen.

Melissa

[phesina]

Prayers for dear BraveHeart. We are all sending our love and healing energies.

[pitc9]

Prayers for Braveheart.

[Catty1]

Dear Jen,

Despite all my hopes expressed here, BraveHeart is a very senior cat. And he was very sick. I think you are a realist, as you told us before that BraveHeart was not going to get better.

Any suggestions I have - I hope you understand that I mean them as palliative. Heck, many healthy kitties do not reach the age that BraveHeart has!

That being said - what would your vet think of one session of peritoneal dialysis? It runs at least 12 hours, as far as I know, and I don't know how expensive it is (unless there is a trial going on somewhere), but a lot of us here would help Brave Baby. ;)

Also palliative - some pheno or other (mild) anti-seizure meds.

At least BH went back to eating after his second seizure - he finally has his priorities straight, thanks to you. :)

[jenluckenbach]

BraveHeart will be going on Phenobarbitol.

[Catty1]

{{{{hugs}}}}

[Medusa]

BraveHeart will be going on Phenobarbitol.
That's actually what I meant, not amitryptilene. Must've been having a blonde moment. I'm sure this will help w/the seizures. My dog Charmin was on Pheno all her life w/no side effects whatsoever and she lived to be 18 1/2.

[rg_girlca]

Gosh Jen, poor you and poor sweet Braveheart.
Prayers and positive thoughts on the way for the both of you.

{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

[jennielynn1970]

Hope those meds work! Poor kitty needs to have a good month!

[catfamily]

i'm so sorry that poor braveheart is having troubles.
my lucy has kidney failure and i have seen her have a type of siezer,only not shaking..she just stared off and froze with black eyes for a full 2 minutes.(freaked me out)
i know that she had another recent episode by her dark tired eyes..i can tell.poor thing.
i wonder if phenobarbitol would be good for her too.
this is heartbreaking.
so sorry for dear braveheart and yourself. :(

[ChrisH]

:( Poor Braveheart & you too.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/CwmmawrJet/Smiles/console.gif
Prayers continuing.

[kb2yjx]

REALLY hope that the phenobarb will help BraveHeart and keep him free of seizures!! PRAYERS!!!!