Need help now! :( Question regarding the effects of diuretics

[Kirsten]

As I've posted here (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=96634) in Cat General last night, I had to take Luna to the vet yesterday because of a new severe outbreak of her UTI.

I discussed several options with my vet, and when Luna got her antibiotic shot, I asked if she would also get a diuretic injection. (Last summer, Luna got one in the vet er in Kassel, when she had a bad UTI at the weekend, and the vet there said it would support the healing process and would flush out the bacteria).

My vet said this would only be a good idea if the cat drinks a lot, otherwise it would do more harm than good. I told her that Luna is drinking well, so we thought we should give it a try, and Luna got a lasix shot.

Soon after we came back home, Luna started peeing - and for the next three hours, she was really peeing a lot!! It was much more than last summer when she got lasix for the first time. Last night, she was so nervous and walked around all the time, and several times in an hour she peed - in her litter box, in Lily's litter box, and on the carpet as well. Looked like the diuretic flushed out a lot of liquid, and I started wondering if that's normal.

What worries me now is that today, I got the impression that Luna has lost some weight. Even her legs seem to be thinner than usual. She's looking tired and exhausted, and is in a bad mood.

To make a long story short: Would it be a normal thing that a diuretic like Lasix flushes out so much liquid that a cat is losing some weight, or does that mean she's been retaining water? I'm beginning to worry that her constant UTIs may have affected her kidneys. My vet has already suggested to test her to be on the safe side.

I will call my vet tomorrow and ask her about the weight loss, I didn't want to call her today, outside her office hours again.

But if anyone here's having experiences with diuretics, please let me know, as I'm really getting worried right now!

Thanks,
Kirsten

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Sorry, Kirsten, all I know about diuretics is that they do flush out the water in your system, and it sounds like maybe Luna was retaining a lot of water. I do know (from personal experience) that retaining water does make you look puffy all over, so that could be why she looks thinner - even in her legs.

I don't know how long diruetics stay in a cats system, but I would say if the trips to the litter box have slowed down to a normal pace, that's probably what it was. I would definitely keep an eye on her and call the vet in the morning.

All fingers crossed that her kidneys are ok.

[Kirsten]

and it sounds like maybe Luna was retaining a lot of water.


This is what I fear!! :( Maybe her kidneys are already failing, or there's another severe disease. :( :( :(

The excessive peeing stopped last night around midnight, and now everything's back to normal, so I guess the diuretic is out of her system meanwhile.

Kirsten

[kb2yjx]

In humans, Lasix is a very potent diuretic!!! I would give the vet a call to let them know how much she has peed out. In humans, we would put them on I/O(intake and output), but that is difficult to do with a cat. Unless you can estimate how much she has put out(like a teaspoon, tablespoon, halpf a cup). Diuretics can dehydrate, maybe that is why Luna is looking like she lost weight. Please keep up posted! Have you tried to put " Duiretics in cats" in your seach engine to see what comes up???? GOOD LUCK!!!

[Kirsten]

Thanks!


Diuretics can dehydrate, maybe that is why Luna is looking like she lost weight.

I hope it's just that!

I'll try to google for it, and I will definitely call my vet tomorrow!

Kirsten

[Kirsten]

Here's an update:

I called my vet this morning and explained the situation, but she said what happened was nothing unusual. She said with the dosage she's injected, it's very likely that she's losing a lot of fluid, so the weight loss would be a normal thing.

As she told me before, she wouldn't do that with cats that do not drink much, but Luna's usually drinking well (and she did after the treatment!), so I'm not too worried about dehydration. My vet thinks that Luna will have her weight back in a couple of days. Besides, so far it seemed to have worked, she doesn't seem to have any problems atm.

Okay, now we're waiting for the result of her urinalysis, but we won't have it before next Tuesday.

Kirsten

[kb2yjx]

Kirsten, what a nice vet you have to take the time and EXPLAIN things to you!!! Good that Luna is drinking!!! Hope the labe results will come back faster than Tuesday!!! Prayers for you both!!

[Laura's Babies]

I had a shot of Lasix once and I couldn't believe it took 10 pounds off of me so fast! I hope she gets streightened out and over this FAST!

[Barbara]

Cats normally concentrate their urine. This is why they don't have to drink as much as humans- they take all the liquid out of the food and only pee a little because the healthy kidneys concentrate the urine. If the kidneys fail they lose this ability and then they pee more- and can easily get dehydrated. So Luna's phenomenon does not sound like kidney failure to me as she was not dehydrated.

I hope the girl gets better soon.

[TopCat3]

Well this was an interesting thread and a little different. We learn so much from each other on here, don't we?

Kirsten I'm glad Luna is feeling better. She was probably grumpy because she had to go to the litterbox so much. I get grumpy too, if I have "one of those days", and we all do from time to time!

Barbara it is always good to learn more about the way cats' kidneys work and the differences between their systems and ours, thank you. Since Cleo was diagnosed with CRF I feel I can't read enough about it.

[Kirsten]

Thank you! :)

Luna's UTI seems to be better know, but of course she's still on antibiotics. She also seems to have regained some weight (or liquid, in this case), but I'm still a bit worried as her fur isn't looking as good as usual. I also noticed dandruff, and her coat is looking thinner. But maybe that's a side-effect of all the antibiotics lately. :(

kb2yjx, yes, I have a very nice vet. :) But I guess I'm also getting on her nerves sometimes with all my questions (even though she's always very polite)! ;)


Laura, guess what happened to you was the same that Luna went through last week! I don't know how much she has peed, but it was really a lot!


Barbara, thanks for the explanation, I didn't know that. Very interesting! :)



She was probably grumpy because she had to go to the litterbox so much.

TopCat3, I'm sure she was grumpy because of that! I once had a bladder infection and it's been horrible, so it didn't surprise me at all that she's been nervous and in a bad mood! Now she's back to her old friendly self again. :)


Kirsten

[kb2yjx]

Hi Kirsten!!! That is good news about Luna!! I am the same way with my vet, if I do not understand something, I ask questions!!! I think a GOOD vet would not mind all the questions. I think that is a sign of a concerned owner!!
Will continue to say prayers for Luna!!