Help from those who have dealt with kidney failure

[jenluckenbach]

I never (up to now) had a cat in kidney failure. I never had to deal with it. But now I have BraveHeart. And while most of my info will come from my vet, I would LOVE input from those who have lived through it. (I hate to ask the vet every teeny, tiny question. )

So, any hints, symptoms to watch out for, suggestions that have worked, do and don'ts, food suggestions, meds ANYTHING!!

For example, his new problem is vomitting. I know cats throw up (trust me, everyone in the house has been throwing up lately) but 4 days in a row!!?? I will be calling the vet tomorrow to update them on this.

HOW important are the sub-Q fluids?? (He really gives me a hard time any more. )

[Freedom]

My RB Amber had kidney failure.

The sub Q fluids are to maintain hydration. In kidney failure, the kidneys over act and deplete the needed moisture in the body. The fluids help keep up the body's other systems by holding the fluid level stable. If you stop it completely, then the slide down hill is quicker and more difficult to reverse; and other systems are affected. You can test for the hydration level by pinching a bit of skin on the side. It should bounce right back to normal. If it holds for a second then slowly releases and drops, there is not enough fluid in the body.

Hope that helps!

Here is one site (of many) with info.
http://www.felinecrf.org/symptoms.htm

[Emeraldgreen]

Hi Jen, thanks for your post in my thread. My turn to return the favor!

My cat Jade lived to age 20 and is now at the RB. But, she was diagnosed with kidney failure 4 years earlier. My vet at that time didn't think she'd have that long after he diagnosed her. He prescribed so many things that I can't remember the name of but had to do with blood pressure and organs. She hated them and they were expensive. She didn't want to eat any of the low protein foods that my vet prescribed and ultimately started losing weight. He finally told me that feeding her whatever she wanted to eat would be better than not eating at all and at that time, he thought she didn't have long anyway. So, I went out and bought all her previous favourites, friskies wet food and fancy feast and she ate it up. She put the weight back on and looked good.
I also gave her fluids at home for the last 2 years of her life and it made such an incredible difference. I gave her 100cc's of lactated ringers once a week, sometimes twice and after the big hump on her back soaked into her within the hour, she was rejuvinated. She played and raced up and down the stairs, where the day before, she wasn't much ready for anything. I always put the needle between her shoulder blades and a few inches higher up towards her neck. Each week, I'd choose a place that was an inch or so away from the week before. I found that using a smaller 22 gauged needle (the plastic base was pink in colour) helped. The vet and tech told me to use a larger one because then it wouldn't take so long but she found it so uncomfortable. The smaller one took maybe 5 minutes longer but I set up a routine that she seemed to enjoy. Each time, I'd get everything set up in advance so she wouldn't see what I was up to. I'd hang the bag from a hook in the ceiling above my bed and get the new needle put on and then I'd get her and put her on the bed and start massaging her. I'd have the tv on for distraction (animal planet of course!) and then I'd get the needle in and keep massaging in different areas to create more distraction.
In her last year, I went up to 150 cc's or 200 if I could get her to sit still long enough for that much fluid. In the end, she ended up catching a respiratory illness from one of my other cats who had the herpes virus and because were were in the middle of moving into a new house, it was a very stressful enviroment and the virus which is normally dormant, flared up. By the time we got settled in our new home it was evident that Jade had come down with it as well and by then her immune system just wasn't up to fighting it. I was so sad to lose her but finally had to make the decision to have her put down.
But, that was 4 years after my vet told me she didn't have long so in my opinion, fluids are key and so is feeding whatever you can get into them, especially if they are not eager to eat specialized foods. Hope some of this helps. Please give beautiful Braveheart a hug for me. He really is so brave.

[IMG]

[Barbara]

http://www.felinecrf.com/

This is the best website for cats with chronical renal failure.
Of course no story is like the others.
Vomiting is a bad sign and does not occur in the earlier stages. But subcutaneous fluids can change a lot.
Filou goes to see the vet for his sub-qs as he is by far too wiggly a little worm to get them from me. But I know that many Pettalkers administer them themselves.
Another important thing: they shouldn't lose weight. They rather can have the most yummy food even if it contains too much protein- but if they lose weight they are using their own protein
So all nice things like cream, egg yolk etc. are good to help them keep their weight (just opposite to us ).
All the best for Braveheart.

[kb2yjx]

Jen!! I had a big reply and was reveiwing it and it suddenly disappeared!!! I will try again!!!
This is the hard time in a cat owner's life(or in your case, a foster cat that you LOVE as your own). But, please remember, we are here for you and BraveHeart. I like the www.felinecrf.org, which is Tanya renal site. It is maintained by Helen, who is just wonderful. She does answer questions. I had no idea that if you put the needle that you were going to use to give sub q's in the FREEZER, the needle in easier to insert into the cat!! Spunky was the absolute PITS when it was sub q time. I ended up putting a dish of baby food with some chicken in it, get him to eat, so I could put in the needle and prayer that the 100 cc's went in quickly!!. There comes a time that it is best to let the cat eat what it wants. I still cringe when I think about Molly eating Nine Lives and Fancy Feast!! I would cook up chicken, turkey, liver, the ultimate bribe food, baby food. And it is OK if the cat eats, and it is still OK, if the cat does not eat. Keeping oneself calm, is the key to not stressing out the cat. Keep giving BraveHeart the pepcid, at least 20 minutes before he eats. It really does help with the nausea feeling. I remember giving Boo her fluids, she looked up at me, I petted her and told her, You are not going to get better, I cannot make you better, you are not going to live forever, BUT I promise you your dignity, comfort, quality of life, and no pain. I kept that promise to Boo and to all the other cats that have gone to the Bridge. I was once a member of a Yahoo renal group. As a nurse, I thought what are these people doing, why are they so concerned about giving the cat all sorts of pills, having procedures done, and they were nuts about the lab values. And for what, they were just causing the cat so much stress and pain. There comes to a point when that is it, nothing more can be done(BraveHeart is not there yet, is he??). I know that BraveHeart is in the BEST of loving hands with you caring for him. HUGS FOR JEN and MANY PRAYERS FOR DEAR BRAVE BRAVEHEART......Sandra

[Freedom]

Me again.

I saw that Emerald green explained how she worked the bag, so thought I'd post how I did that also.

Take a piece of twine, tie in a loop about 4 inches long, knot it well. Open cupboard door, TOP cupboard is what I did, and loop this over the top hinge. Get a small "S" hook and slip it over the twine. This all stays put. The door will open and close fine.

When it is time to administer the fluids, hang the bag off of the hook. I had Amber up on the kitchen counter.

But I bet you can use a lower cabinet and sit on the floor, as well.

Just one more idea.

Oh, and I suppose it is a GOOD that that 3 of us referred you to the same site!

[Catty1]

The ideas about a smaller needle and freezing it sound good, as well as changing the inject sites...if BraveHeart learned it hurts way less, he might not object to it so much.

{{{hugs}}} and good luck with that baby. He could be around a long time yet...what with working up an appetite on his social outings and all!