Spice may have CRF.

[farthing]

I took Spice into the vet for blood samples today because I feel she isn't quite right. She has been yowling at feeding time, and although eating quite enthusistically, not as keen as she used to be. She is hyperthyroid and has a heart murmur, and it is over a year since her last basic blood sample. I am trying to make sure all the cats over 10 get yearly bloods done.
Anyway, she has a neck lesion on one of her teeth, so that may be sore, we need to wait for her thyroid results to come back, but she was Ok 3 months ago. The most worrying thing is her urea and creatine levels are up, not by much but both above normal. I suppose at nearly 18 years old and having lost her sister to it, I was kind of expecting it.
We have started her on renal diet and I must get a urine sample to confirm it is chronic, if so we will start her on fortekor. I am hoping that she is hyperthyroid and that once her levels are back to normal her kidneys will settle, but must face facts that she may be starting to age.
The vets did also offer putting her on a drip overnight, but I declined, I haven't noticed her drinking or peeing a lot, so didn't want to stress her, I hope I've made the right decision. I was worried she wouldn't like the renal diet, as Chokki, her sister didn't, but the vet gave me the tuna flavour and she's tucked into it. I don't quite know how I will get a urine sample when she live with another 7 cats, but I'll work something out.:(

[Mags]

So sorry to hear about Spice, Farthing, it's so worrying for you..:(

Elaine wrote an excellent article for us on CRF after losing her dear Winston to it.
Here (http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=25488) it is you haven't already seen it..

[Elaine]

Poor Spice and hugs to you too Louise, my god you dont half go through it with your lot.
I am sure you are pretty well clued up on CRF so I wont get on my high horse;) , but should you ever need to chat, you know how to find me. xxx

[Kazz]

I am starting to think CRF and older cats go together, so sorry to hear I hope all goes well.
Both Oscar and Cleo had CRF...but Elaine is the expert.

[farthing]

Thanks, I will go back and look at Elaine's article, once I know we are definately dealing with CRF, see I'm staying optimistic.
Its been quite a crappy month, we have had a rat with breathing problems, a chicken was x-rayed on friday, only to discover she'd dislocated her hip and had to be PTS, a rabbit off its food and Deli's blood sample to see how her liver is doing. That is only the past week, Samson was also blood tested last week, and thankfully his blood results were normal, his thyroid levels were up so he is on a higher dose again.
I swear, its lucky I've got a good memory, otherwise I have lists of paper falling out of my pockets everywhere.:shock:
Sorry I haven't replied to everybody else, I do read your posts and wish you all well.

[Leesy]

Sorry to hear about Spice, I don`t know much about CRF but I hope that she feels alot better soon.

[Elaine]

I am starting to think CRF and older cats go together, so sorry to hear I hope all goes well.
Both Oscar and Cleo had CRF...but Elaine is the expert.

I think you are right Kazz and am flattered to be thought of as expert but expert I am not.
Several of us here have been through the CRF rollercoaster and each and every one of us did what we felt was best for our cats. We all have experiences to share, what works for one may not work for another.

[angieh]

I am very sorry to hear about Spice, farthing. 18 is a good age - all I can add to above is just think quality of life and whether she can take pleasure in everyday things.

[pookyandjo]

sorry spice isn't well at the moment... hopefully it will be just her thyroid problem making the rest of the results look worse than they are..getting a urine sample can be difficult... but with a little planning it can be obtained.. i got quite good at getting them from Tinky after only a short while.. it's all in the planning!

[dinahsmum]

I hope this all works out well.
It's a problem when our lovelies reach old age

[farthing]

Well, some relatively good news for Spice, her protein/ creatine ratio is low, what apparently means her short term prognosis is good, that is she has been caught early. I am assuming the yearly blood tests have paid off.
At the moment she is to stay on a renal diet, she likes the tuna flavour, but does not need to go on fortekor yet. We must book her in for a blood pressure check, and again (i'm assuming) if its high we treat that and helps that lengthen her lifespan again.
So, all in all the best news we could expect, now I just have to get her booked in and see where we go from there. At least we are know there is a problem and can monitor it.
I have to admit, I feel a bit better seeing these results, I was so worried.

[Mags]

So pleased there has been good news for Spice...:D

[Leesy]

So glad to hear that it has been good news for Spice......:D

[dandysmom]

Good news, farthing. I've been fortunate not to have CRF with any of mine, but my friend Carolyn lost her old Kate to it, despite a long struggle and a very supportive and knowledgable vet...pray that Spice will be all right. It is so hard when we see the oldies succumbing to the inevitable problems of age ...(((hugs)))

[pookyandjo]

Good that you have some answers for Spice... and that the news is more positive than you orginally thought..
They worry us so much sometimes...

[angieh]

Good luck with finding the right balance of diet and meds for Spice. ((((HUGS))))

[calismum]

Pleased to hear that things have been caught at an early stage. So good that you noticed at this time. Hope things are able to be maintained - good luck.

[farthing]

Spice goes into the vet tomorrow morning for blood pressure checks, along with Sorrell, a bun, who needs a dental. The vets plan to do a few tests through the morning and I guess will decide if she needs meds for her blood pressure, hopefully if it is high, it may be why her renal tests are up, will let you know tomorrow.
Another stressful day ahead!

[Mags]

I hope all goes as well as you can hope for at the vets tomorrow....good luck!

[Elaine]

Winston had high blood pressure but it came on later as his CRF progressed, we were able to manage it with tablets, forget the name of them now.
All the best for the bp test tomorrow and for the bunnies dental xxx

[farthing]

Well, Spice has high blood pressure, over the morning it started at 190 and rose to 240, even stressed it shouldn't get above 170, I think they said. She is now on istin, the good news is that the reduction in her blood pressure, should take the strain off her kidneys and the fact that she has, practically, no protien in her urine means for the time being the prognosis is good.:D
Sorrell the bun had some sharp hooks on her upper right teeth, but that has been seen to, so hopefully she will not need anymore vet visits ( except for vaccines) for a wee while.:D

[dandysmom]

Good news for both, farthing. It's so worrying when they're ill....

[dinahsmum]

It's good to hear promising news

[Elaine]

http://www.felinecrf.org/symptoms.htm#blood_pressure_control

Istin, thats the name of what Winny was given too.

[farthing]

Thanks for that Elaine. It looks like Spice has been quite a lucky girl, in that we have discovered it early and her vets have done all the relevant tests and have the equipment to do them. I really hope this means we slow things down be quite a bit. Her conditions are all interlinked, it seems, as she is also hyperthyriod, but with lots of regular monitoring, we well keep things in control, I hope.
She is due back in 2 weeks time, for a blood pressure check again and blood tests, so we will be able to tell how things are going.

[farthing]

Spice is off back to the vet tomorrow for another blood sample and blood pressure check. She has been on istin and renal diet for 2 weeks now, so it has hopefully made a difference. I have noticed she has stopped yowling when eating, so I wonder if it had something to do with her blood pressure. She is very thin though but only eats about 2 sachets a day and even leaves some of that. Fingers crossed anyway.

[dandysmom]

Fingers crossed here too, farthing, hope the blood work results will be good for Spice tomorrow.

[Leesy]

Hope all goes well for Spice at the vets tomorrow:D

[farthing]

Thanks everybody.
It GOOD news, Spice's blood pressure is down to 175, within the normal range, so she will stay on the same dose of istin. Her urea and creatine levels are also back down to within the normal ranges, admittedly the high end but still normal. For the moment all she needs is to keep on with her medication and the renal diet.
I know she will probably go on to develop renal failure, but at least we have slowed it down for the momnet and given her a bit longer, I am so delighted.:lol:

[angieh]

That's good news farthing. Please give dear Spice a gentle cuddle from me and Kizzy.

[Leesy]

That is excellent news Farthing, I am so glad to hear that the results are so much better for Spice:D