Priscilla's failing kidneys

[kb2yjx]

O, dear!! I have this picture in my mind of Priscilla turning up her nose at the food!!! Sandra

[phesina]

She doesn't exactly turn up her nose at it, Sandra.. it's more like she gets close enough to it to tell it doesn't meet her approval, then pulls her head back. Come to think of it, I guess she really is turning up her nose at it!

Pat

[kb2yjx]

Hi Pat!!!
How is Priscilla doing!? Sandra

[phesina]

Hi, Sandra. Priscilla made another champion showing at the vet's yesterday. (Sorry, I didn't have a chance to check in here last evening.)

She weighed in at 5.7 pounds.. a .2 lb. increase since last week and .7 lb. increase (that's about 15 percent) over the last three weeks! And her hematocrit has gone up another couple of points to 15 now, so the plan to start her on Epogen is on hold.

I asked Dr. Lewis what is the long-term prognosis for her, and she said it's not good.. she's had cats going two years and more, but she "doubts we'll be doing all these things for her four years from now." She said Priscilla's recent improvements are due "entirely to the hard work you and she have been doing."

Meanwhile, we'll keep doing as we've been doing, and she goes back for another checkup in two weeks.

Thanks, and love to all,

Pat and Priscilla

[Catty1]

Sounds good though, Pat. Another four years? Priscilla might not have had that with other owners....you done so good with her, and the vet knows that!

I wonder about Reiki on her - I know Craftlady has had great results with Thumper. With conditions like Priscilla's - I wonder if it would be of benefit, especially since it is really manageable right now?

HUGS to Cilla and blessings to the best Meowmie she could ever have!

[phesina]

Thanks, Candace.. we're really working hard! I thought the four years sounded pretty good.. that she probably has a fair amount of time ahead of her (and who knows what might happen in that time...).

I don't know anything about Reiki, though I've heard of it. From what you say, it sounds like it's worth looking into. Do you know anything about it? Just today I saw an ad in a local magazine for a Reiki practitioner (though maybe just for humans). I'm sure there are more around here.

I've attached another picture of her. Dr. Lewis took this when I brought Priscilla in back in November and they wound up keeping her for three days. It was going to be her file picture. Priscilla flopped over and gazed up seductively as Dr. Lewis aimed her camera. Sorry, it is still an attachment.. one of these days when I have some time and no more-immediate tasks to take care of (whenever that might be), I will figure out how to do Photobucket or one of those.

Thanks again, Candace and everyone!

xoxoxoxoxx and purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,
Pat and Priscilla

[Catty1]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a Bee-yoo-ti-ful face! Hug that baby for me!

[kb2yjx]

Pat, our Miss Boo Boo Kitty was about 12 when she developed kidney and passed on at 16. Presently, I have 3 kidney cats. Molly, at 13, has been gettting the fluids, three times a week, for about 2+ years. She was eating the k/d, then refused to eat it or any of the other kidney diets. She presently devours Friskies(I cringe every time I feed her)and some Royla Cannin Renal LP dry. Raven will be 11 in April and has been a kidney cat for almost 7 years. She eats the canned k/d and gets sq twice a week. And there is Nicholas, who will be 11 in July. No sub q, eats the k/d and the Royal Cannin Renal LP. I will have to agree with Catty1, if it was not for what you are doing for Priscilla, she would not have improved as well as she has!!! I know if Raven was not rescued from that horrible home, she would not be alive! We do the best we can do...and that is what you are doing!! Priscilla is just precious and such a flirt!!!

[jennielynn1970]

Awe... sweet Priscilla. I hope she continues to get better! Just look at that angelic face!

[sprokett]

awwwwwwwwwwwww!! sweetness alert!!!!!

[phesina]

Thanks, Candace, Sandra, Jenn, and Sprokett. I'm glad you liked the photo. ISN'T she adorable??!!! She certainly thinks so! She's the Princess.

Wow, Sandra, you've certainly had your hands full with taking care of kidney cats! I'm very impressed that Raven has been a kidney cat for 7 years and is still going strong. You're right, we are doing the best we can. I will help Priscilla as well as I can to keep going as long as she wants to keep going.

She is on my lap purring as I write. She has been much more affectionate since all this started. Some people have said it's because she knows how hard I'm working to try and help her. But I wonder if it isn't a kitty version of the Stockholm Syndrome: here I've been doing all these mean things to her (sticking needles in her back, squirting food into her mouth, pushing pills down her throat), so she figures she'd better be nice to me or I might do even meaner things!

Pat

[rg_girlca]

AWWWWWWWW!!!! Just look at her sweet face. She is too adorable.

[kb2yjx]

Pat!!! Priscilla's eyes are stunning!!! Have you been able to let up on the pilling and other things?
I am glad that I can help my kidney kitties. When Raven had her bloodwork done a bit ago, Dr. Ascher could not believe the results!! All was WNL(within normal limits). She said that is because Raven gets fluids and eats the kidney diet. BUT, when Molly had bloodwork done last month, the same thing happened, all WNL!! But Molly is the one who eats the Friskies(11% protein), but does get 100 cc's Lactated Ringer's TIW(three times a week). Now, I wonder does the amount of protein in the diet REALLY matter??? Anyone have an answer?

[phesina]

Sandra, I'm still doing the twice-daily subQ and syringe-feeding her to add to what she eats on her own. At this point we're working mainly on getting her hematocrit up. She is making slow and steady progress there.

That's wonderful how your girls are doing so well! Especially with Molly's Friskies diet. That is very encouraging news for Priscilla and me. Thanks!

Pat

[kb2yjx]

How much sub q do you give twice a day??? I had been doing that twice a day to Boo, and it flushed out EVERYTHING from her bladder, and she came down with an infection(bladder)caused by e.coli!! I really freaked out when I got that c&s report from the vet!!!