Priscilla's failing kidneys

**phesina** · 12-26-2006, 08:44 PM

I took Priscilla in today because she hadn't been eating much in the last few days and was quite listless. She vet took some blood and found a hematocrit reading of only 11.5, down from 14 a few days ago which was already too low. She said Priscilla's bone marrow is just not making new red blood cells. She'll call me tomorrow with the BUN and Creatinine results and what they might indicate.

I told her about the people here with cats that have been going along for years with kidney failure and asked her about the Royal Canin food (thanks, Candace). She said we're past that point where the kind of food can make a difference. Priscilla needs to get high caloric content into her, so the vet put her on Eukanuba Maximum Calorie food because that's the highest and told me to syringe-feed her 6 ml 3 times a day.

We're going to try something called Epogen, which will stimulate red cell growth... for a while. It is made for humans, and for a while it will work with cats but eventually the species difference catches up with it and makes it ineffective. She said it only comes in a human form and has not been made for cats yet. She ordered some, and it should arrive in a day or two.

She also said she would be glad to refer me to experts on kidney failure, e.g., at the veterinary college at Michigan State University or specialists in private practice, if I wanted to consult any of them. I might a bit later, but right now I just see how we'll do getting more nourishment into her and seeing how the Epogen does.

I took her home and managed to get 6 ml of the Max Cal into her. That's messy stuff! Kind of soupy and smelly. But if it does the trick, it's golden. Then I gave her her evening subQ fluids and her 2 quarter-tabs of something called Blood and Energy K9 which is also supposed to help stimulate the red cell growth (though it doesn't seem to be doing it yet).

Raven's Mother, thanks for the two web sites. I took a quick look, and they both look full of valuable information. That's great to hear how well your cats are doing!

Thanks so much, everyone, for your good wishes and suggestions and thoughts and hopes and prayers, and please keep them coming.

Pat and Priscilla

**Barbara** · 12-27-2006, 03:29 AM

My vet also says that the most important thing is they shouldn't lose weight- so it's better if they eat anything than not eating.
I hope that the process of producing the red cells can be stimulated.
All the best for Priscilla.

**ShylanHal** · 12-27-2006, 11:48 AM

That's so sad!! My dad's dog just recently died of kidney failure, we had to put him down the day before christmas eve, because he was declining so rapidly. He'd gotten into some antifreeze without us knowing and once he started showing signs of it, it was too late.
Reading this just sort of reminded me of him. I hope that your little Priscilla pulls through to live a few more happy years with you! She looks like such a sweet cat.
Now we have this big can of Royal Canin dog food to get rid of, and (I dont' think this is bad, is it?) I've been giving little bits of it to Clover and Echo as treats and christmas dinner to get rid of it. We also still have a big box of IV fluids and such that we're needing to return to the vet.
Do you know how her kidneys failed? Was is just a random event? Or did something happen that would make them fail suddenly like that?
But yeah, I hope she pulls through to spend more years with her loving and caring meowmie, and I bet with your love and care she has a good chance of it!

**krazyaboutkatz** · 12-27-2006, 12:25 PM

I hope that the new food and meds will help Priscilla. Lots more prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

**kb2yjx** · 12-27-2006, 01:29 PM

Please check your pm's!!!

**phesina** · 12-27-2006, 09:47 PM

Well, this afternoon I called the vet's office and was told the Epogen had come in. I should bring Priscilla in so they can show me what to do, so off we went. She weighed 5.1 pounds, up maybe 1/10 pound from yesterday.

Dr. Lewis (the vet) said she had been going over Priscilla's record more thoroughly today and noticed that she had a hematocrit of 11 the last time she'd been tested, about 2 weeks earlier, so it seems to have leveled out (for now anyway) rather than just dropped from 14 in a short time.

She'd been on the phone today with Michigan State and also with a kidney specialist named Dr. Eli. He advised before starting Epogen to thoroughly rule out any other possible underlying causes such as bartonella and something else I don't remember the name of (by mycoplasma test) and to do a CBC. So she took some more blood to send off for these tests, and until we get the results of these (some time next week) we'll hold off on deciding to start the Epogen. Right there that feels like a kind of reprieve!

Meanwhile, another medication that had been on order for Priscilla, Calcitriol, also came in today. Her calcium level is also very low, and this is to help build that back up. Dr. Lewis said to start that, one per day, and keep on with the fluids and the MaxCal syringe meals and the Blood and Energy..

So we came back home, and I gave her her mid-day 6 cc of Max Cal, and her Calcitriol capsule, and her subQ fluids, and her Blood and Energy two quarter-tabs. Then I got out from the refrigerator a can of leftover 9 Lives Liver & Bacon I'd tried to tempt her with a few days ago but she had no interest in, and I divided it between the four other cats. I left a little in the can with some of the juice with it and set that before her. What did she do but start eating it!

So I got out another earlier-reject, 9 Lives Ocean Whitefish, and gave her a spoonful of that. And she ate it right up!

This is the first time in about a week that she has eaten food voluntarily on her own!

I gave her another 3 cc of the MaxCal, just to make sure she had plenty of calories on board.

She's more alert and more interested in the world around her.

I have to say I think all the Pet Talk prayers and good wishes and kindnesses .. not to mention the work of the Pet Angel Search And Rescue Squad ... must be having an effect!

Thank you so much, all you wonderful people and critters and angels, and please keep the goodness coming..

Barbara, you're right, that they should eat anything rather than lose weight. Maybe she's going to start putting some back on now! Thanks for your good wishes.

ShylanHal, I'm so sorry about your dad's dog, especially with this happening the day before Christmas. Antifreeze, that's deadly, that's so horrible for animals to get into. Please give him my sympathy.

Thanks for your good wishes too. There doesn't seem to be anything in particular that we've been able to determine that triggered Priscilla's kidney failure now. It seems just to have happened, a lot earlier than we ever would have expected. I asked Dr. Lewis if there was anything I could or should have done that would have prevented this. She said I did nothing wrong, and "I'm going to get you one of those bumper stickers that says.." [whispers] "..SHIT HAPPENS."

Thanks again for your good energies again, KAK. And Raven's Mom, I checked, and I'm gonna give it a try!

Thanks so much, everyone!

Priscilla and Pat

**ShylanHal** · 12-27-2006, 09:56 PM

I sent him your sympathies, and he sends you some of his own, and we both are praying that you'll have some good years with your baby.
And if your vet doesn't give you that bumper sticker, I sure will! how truthful is that! But even with all this shit in the world, we always seem to pull through. Talk about resiliance!

**Marigold2** · 01-12-2007, 07:35 AM

Oh I am so sorry to hear that your kitty is ill. We also had a cat our beautiful Cassiegirl that we lost on Nov 20th six years ago due to kidney failure. Our Cassiegirl was only 5 she was a beautiful calico we found at the ASPCA in Lorain, Ohio. I wish you all the luck and please know that just because our story did not turn our well doesn't mean your kitty will not be ok. Each case is different and special in treatment and outcome. My prayers are with you, chin up, stay positive.

**sandragonfly** · 01-12-2007, 02:36 PM

hi, pat! (and elmer)

sorry sydney barfed out, I think that's normal when someone starts something new - it's common for cats to puke, and have diarrhea for first two weeks when they first switch over to raw diet. but stop if it doesn't get any better. you had seen, sydeny's hairball got out! probaby is why..

lol...meaningless word?? well, it's important!! so glad she's still eating! I remember star had to eat out of my hands for about two weeks too - when someone is SO sick, they wouldn't want to try, or do anything yet. after two weeks, she knows what she's getting! I also tried raw chicken, she liked it better than beef. maybe you could try that, with some flavored (tuna? salmon?) juice and meldeys/KDs.. I know $8 -- sounds miserable but you could give it to someone else, as I told you, being a multicat mother over this little chunk is pretty busy!

I hope she's looking a bit perky, is she purring at all? at least a bit active since she had gained some weight? many hugs to you sweetie, I'll be waiting to hear how new you're doing..

and hugs to you too, great meowmie pat.

**phesina** · 01-12-2007, 08:16 PM

Thank you, Sandra, Marigold, and Gina. Thanks for all the good wishes. Marigold, I am so sorry about your Cassiegirl. That's so sad to lose her so young. I've been learning since I posted Priscilla's story here that cats in kidney failure can sometimes keep on for quite a while, sometimes not. I hadn't known that before.

Priscilla had no interest in the raw stewing beef this evening. When I would put a small piece on her tongue, she would just let it fall out of her mouth. Elmer, Poppy, and Sydney all ate theirs and had seconds (and even thirds). Elmer would pick his piece up out of the bowl and drop it on the rug. Then he'd pick it up again and shake it around and work at it. I think he thought it was prey he'd just killed (not that he'd ever killed anything before). Peony again was not interested at all in it. Nobody has thrown up yet, but it hasn't been very long yet since they ate.

Then I got out the Fancy Feast Elegant Medley Yellowfin Tuna Florentine in a Delicate Sauce With Garden Greens. Priscilla tore right into her serving of that! I gave her a second helping, most of which she finished. The others all liked that too.

Priscilla had already had her day's quota of MaxCal and kibble and SubQ fluids and medications, so this was all extra for her.

Gina, she is quite perky, considering.. When I get out the bowls to start serving out the kibble, she zips right over. She purrs quite a bit, too. You're right, Sandra, Priscilla does it HER way!

I will maybe try some raw chicken next. They had chicken livers at Whole Foods; maybe I'll try a bit of that. Gina, do you think the ground organic beef might tempt her? I would buy the expensive stuff if I thought it would really make a difference. 4 patties is a lot, even for 5 cats, and I'd hate to see some go bad before it could be eaten.

Well, that is the latest, folks. Thanks again for all your suggestions and encouragement and love.

Pat and Priscilla and the gang

**sandragonfly** · 01-12-2007, 09:28 PM

oh I forgot.. how cold do you give the chunk to her?? the more it is thawed, the more it will be smelly. different from dogs, most of my cats picked up the smell quicker than pulling them right out of freezidger.

hmm, you could try ground beef, I never tried it with star because of lovely chicken but I do feed it to my cats occassionally. well, it's more smelly/tasty, don't you think so?

don't do chicken livers (and any other livers, tongues, glizzards or hearts) yet, they would be too "richy" for precious fragile priscilla right now. they're better for stronger stomachs. go for a bit warmer stew or chicken or ground beef if she hardly eats anything else - sounds like she's doing pretty good. my star won't ever, ever zip into kitchen for about three weeks.

knowing she's purring makes me happy. and elmer is too cute.

{{

}}

all of us, the ark & I are chimmining for you both! come back soon, with more food in your tummy I hope. (((hugs to all)))

(still praying for no more barfs!)

**phesina** · 01-13-2007, 08:37 PM

Hi Gina, I haven't frozen the meat, but usually it would not be long out of the refrigerator when I gave it to them. There's only a small piece left now. (Thanks for reminding me! I just took it out of the refrigerator and will let it warm up for a while before serving.)

I will try some chicken for the next time. Thanks for the heads-up about livers, Gina. I wouldn't have thought of that if you hadn't told me.

I don't think I can get some right away. They are talking about nasty ice-storm weather around here over the next day or two or three...

Today Priscilla had, besides her usual servings of MaxCal and KD kibble and subQ fluid and meds, a little more Fancy Feast Elegant Medley Yellowfin Tuna Florentine etc. etc. and a bit of 9 Lives Ocean Whitefish Dinner.

She often purrs for me, does headbumpies, will hug me with her paws on either side of my neck. She is a very sweet little girl. She is still light as a feather, but I hope she is putting on a bit more weight. (3/10 of a pound at her last vet visit!)

Thanks again everyone for all the encouragement and good wishes and love.

Love,
Priscilla and Pat and the gang