PT Prayers for Henry please *Update*

[CultureJunky]

UPDATED 18/01/2009

Could everybody send a wish for Henry who is going to the vets tomorrow afternoon. Henry is the cat that belongs to my neighbour Linda but mostly stays at our house. He's been losing weight, and not eating much at all, and I noticed him pawing at his mouth yesterday whilst eating, I think it could be some bad teeth or possibly Gingivitis? He's definatly having some tooth trouble bless him. He's thin enough as you can see from the picture below, but he is even skinnier at the moment

I am taking him to the vets along with Linda, we are going together as we are both his mums!

I hope they can help him and make him feel better. Poor Henry




UPDATED 18/01/2009

[Catty1]

Prayers for Henry!

Often it can be a dental thing...he may need a good cleaning and maybe some teeth pulled.

But he will eat a lot better.

Prayers that all goes well - he is a handsome boy.

[Taz_Zoee]

Hopefully it is just his teeth and the vet can get him all fixed up so he will be good as new.
Taz had to have a tooth pulled a few years ago and was on his way back to his "normal" weight shortly after it healed up.

[Anikaca77]

Prays coming for Henry!

[Laura's Babies]

Prayers for Henry! Nothing worse that a sore mouth! Poor Baby!

[lvpets2002]

Yes Henry you are pretty thin.. However your still very Adorable baby.. Now be good at the Vets & get well real soon.. Hope you start eating good soon.. Prayers being sent & good healing vibes..

[catmandu]

Prayers coming for Poor Henry, that they can find out whats wrong, and put him back on the road to health soon
Hes such a Handsome Cat.

[CultureJunky]

Henry went to the vets today, they checked out his mouth and the one side (his left) is inflamed and sore. He has been given anti-biotics tablets and anti-inflammatory liquid. He's been a good boy and had two tablets already today in a bit of corned beef, and the liquid on some food I'm going to leave for him overnight. He has to go back on Christmas eve. We have to take a urine sample and they'll do some blood tests too. If his mouth is still bad, they may give him a dental. I really hope they will give him a dental, I think he needs one, the poor boy is just so hungry. I'm really hoping the anti-biotics will work soon as I want to be able to give him some food he can enjoy eating without any discomfort or pain.

[Medusa]

Aw, poor boy. I know that certain antibiotics are used for different illnesses but I'm wondering if your vet can give him an injection of Convenia. It's an antibiotic that works for two weeks and you don't have to worry about pilling him or squirting a liquid down his throat. It works pretty fast, too. I'm not sure if it would apply in this case but it might be something to ask your vet about. Both my Pidge and Coco Puff had the shots and it really worked fast for them but then again it wasn't for dental.

[orangemm]

Yes, prayers going up for Henry...poor guy, that has to hurt. Hope he will be feeling better soon............

[CultureJunky]

I was quite suprised too that he was given oral medicine rather than an injection. A slow releasing anti-biotic would've been much better, easier for Henry and us. He has a weeks worth of tablets, one twice a day and the liquid Metacam is once a day with food. Thankfully he's had two tablets in food today, hopefully the painkiller will start to work and he'll eat better in the morning. I'm quite anxious about him, and my neighbour is going to have to take him on her own next Wednesday as I am leaving to join my fiance's family for Christmas. Hopefully he'll be better by Xmas Eve.
I will be back for any appointments after that hopefully.....

[doolittleky]

Prayers coming for Henry. Henry, I hope you feel better soon and gain those pounds back.
Melissa

[CultureJunky]

Well Christmas has come and gone and it seems to have flown by. Henry has had two more vet appointments.
The blood and urine tests brought negative news, it seems that Henry has kidney disease (Chronic Renal Failure) his kidneys are not in good shape.
Luckily the anti-biotics have been good and he is eating again now, and also gained 29 grams in weight, which isn't much but it something.
He has another course of anti-biotics and has another appointment in two weeks time. If he is eating okay, we'll leave it at that, if he's back to having trouble, he'll be booked in for a dental, though the vet is reluctant to do this as the risk would be very high with an anaesthetic.
So my neighbour and I are happy to take care of Henry and try to do the best for him. He is happy in himself and eating regular though in small amounts, and he's not pawing at his mouth anymore. His gums do look slightly less inflamed. I am hoping the anti-biotics will clear the problem.

I have ordered Hills K/D (kidney diet) pouches online, so he will be going on a vetinary diet. They were expensive but I don't care, I don't mind paying, and my neighbour is going to pay half, as we both want to make him happy and as healthy as we possibly can.
The vet said that time wise, she couldn't really say, some cats live for years very well on a good diet and vet supervision, but others don't. I guess it's down to how happy Henry is with us.
He is more or less our cat now, but I have decided to leave the adoption idea for now, as Linda does really care for him, and I think feels that she wants to help pay for things as he's still 'officially' her cat even though he lives in our house with us. So I'm okay with that situation, it's Henry that is important not who he 'belongs' too.

Does anybody have any advice for helping Kidney disease, such as any supplements that are helpful, or natural herbal remedies, things like that. I'd be very interested to have any advice or info from PT'rs as you are the people who have been through these things with your cat. You can read a myriad of things online, but the best advice would be from somebody who has had a cat have this actual problem.

Thanks for all PT prayers, Henry is grateful for them all, as are we.

Kate

[Lizzie]

Lucky Henry, to have two guardians to take care of him. I've had several cats live for years with this condition, even without going on a special diet - though I used subq fluids which helped enormously. However, I just lost my Nougat to CRF only weeks after she was diagnosed, which really shocked me after the others had lived so long. As you said, it can go either way. We will all hope for a good few extra years for Henry.

Has your vet suggested Epatikin? You sprinkle it on their food and it helps bind excess phosphorus. Will you give subq fluids?

[Taz_Zoee]

I put my Taz on the k/d diet about 4 months ago. Although, he still has to have his treats each day. I've been looking for treats that are low in protein, but haven't found any.
Taz's kidney levels have been slowly (very slowly) going up over the past couple years. So I just hope they do not shoot up suddenly on me. He is super skinny (at his heaviest he was 21 1/2lbs, and now is maybe 12lbs) but eats pretty good.

I will hope that the diet helps with Henry's levels and he is around for many years to come with both of his families that love and care for him.