Chronic Renal Failure!

[moonstone]

I have just had the very sad news (from my vet) that my senior pussy Bobby has Chronic Real failure:(
I have been given treatment for this although it has been made clear to me that her condition is terminal:( she is approx.18 years old:(
Has anyone else had to deal with this and can you give me some idea about how much time she has left:cry:
Since being put on meds she has looked much better:)
I am devistated at this diagnosis as i had thought that she might be hyper thyroid which i know can be treated:(
ShanX

[Moli]

This will help you Moonstone.........
http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=25488

Any questions you may have ,Elaine is the one to ask...

[angieh]

Don't give up Moonstone. Please read Elaine's thread - she knows through experience.

[Elaine]

So sorry to hear this Moonstone, it is devastating news but please dont despair and dont feel that the end is at hand. Sadly no one can give you any indication as to how long she has left and yes, it can be an emotional roller coaster.
Did your vet tell you what her Urea and Creatinine numbers were? Does she eat wet or dry food or a mix of both? It's always a good idea to add a little water to her food and give her as much access to water as you can. Also try raising her bowls a little by placing them ontop of a book, such as a telephone directory. This will help to combat any reflux.
Can you tell me exactly how she is doing in herself? Is she vomitting etc.
It's a good idea to learn as much as you can about CRF in order to help her.
Feel free to ask as many questions as you want, regardless of how silly they may be. There are many of us here who have gone through this same situation and I am sure you will get a wealth of support and advice.
http://www.felinecrf.org/

[Leesy]

So sorry to hear this Moonstone and I do hope that Bobby feels alot better soon.

[moonstone]

You have all given me HOPE:D The vet had made it clear that she would not live much longer but she does look better in herself since she was put on meds:)
Her creatine levels were 220 not sure about the other one but i will ask when we go back on 27th.for bloods to be done again:(
She is eating well and so far hasn't been sick:) she is thin bit not emanciated :( her coat was coming out in handfulls but that has improved since she was medicated:)
Having to go through this again is my worst nightmare (apart from seeing a snake:oops: )I lost my Harry (chunks)with renal failure and had said that i wouldn't have any more cats but Bobby was going to be PTS as her previous owners got fed up with her peeing on their bed so i took her in:D
ShanX

[Mistleto's-mum]

I am so sorry hun.
We are thinking of you all.
Love, hugs and kisses to your little one xxxxx

[angieh]

We're here when you want us, moonstone. (((HUGS)))

[dandysmom]

We're all pulling for her and you, Moonstone. Don't hesitate to ask Elaine, she's our expert and can help, and just knowing can ease the mind a bit; it's the unknown that's scary........

[Elaine]

I am so pleased you feel a little more possitive now. The thing to remember is that many vets talk very negatively about this condition. Yes it is terminal but many cat can and do go on to live several years. The creatinine and Urea values are variable and can be reduced greatly by keeping your cat re-hydrated, also please consult your vet first but I highly recomend a vitamin B supplement. Cats under stress or with CRF lose almost all their vitamin B through urination. B vitamins are water soluble and so are safe to use. I also swear by using slippery elm bark to help combat excess tummy acid, constipation etc.
I think the fact that she is already feeling a little more her usual self is promising.
What has your vet prescribed and did he give you any other advice?

[FayRose]

I'm so sorry to read this. ((( Hugs ))) for you both. xxx

[moonstone]

Bobby has been given the drug Fortekor 2.5mg for her kidneys given once a day plus the ABX antirobe25 mg.that is given twice a day but was for infection as she has dental issues as well:(
She has been given Hills prescription diet wet food sachets (she prefers that)which she seems to like and is eating well:)
The vet suggested getting a water fountain to help her to drink more although she is NOT dehydrated (got the vet to check):)
I feel so guilty as he said that she had probably been feeling unwell for some time but as she is an old cat i thought that she was just sleeping more as older cats do:(
I should have noticed that she was ill sooner:(

[angieh]

Please don't beat yourself up about that moonstone. I have done the same in the past - cats hide things so well and especially as they get older, it is natural to think that their slowing down and sleeping more is just due to their age.

[dandysmom]

Cats, elderly or not, are very skilled at hiding signs of unwellness. Don't blame yourself, please ......

[Leesy]

You certainly can`t blame yourself as cats unfortunatly do have a great nack of keeping illness well hidden.

[MadCatLady]

Hey come on Moonstone....18yrs ain't to be sniffed at you know... thats a good age.... water fountain is an excellant idea if she is a water obsessed cat.... mine play & drink @ it for hours...it filters water too so cuts out further inpurities... but I also keep a fresh bowl of filtered water as well coz Sexy-Sullivan-Funny-Wrinkles gets confused when water starts gushing down the slope :roll:

Also one of the rescues we had in with CRF was addicted to Hills K/d tinned food...it's like a paste... stinks but cats seem to love it!

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=275

Follow the above link, Which ever you choose it will be a lot cheaper than your vets through this site too & we get 1% commission (the rescue) and you don't need a script... there are also various supplements on this site which may help too.... Good luck... we're thinking of you! :)

[Elaine]

You have nothing to feel guilty about. As others have already said, cats are masters at masking illness, it's a survival mechanism. Also sometimes symptoms can be subtle and go un-noticed.
The water fountain is a good idea and I am please that Bobby is not dehydrated but again I will say that it's a good idea to make sure water is always readily available and adding a little extra into the food will do no harm as they can become dehydrated quite quickly due to the excessive urination.
Winston ate the k/d food for a while then went right off it and we changed to Royal Canine renal food but he would go off of that at times too. It's more important that they eat something rather than nothing, so should Bobby go off his food please remember that.
It can become a bit of a cycle where by they refuse to eat because they feel sick, due to the excess tummy acid, but once eating again they feel so much better.

[farthing]

Hi, sorry to hear your news.
I know how you are feeling because I have 2 cats with renal failure.
Has your cat had her blood pressure checked. Spice has high blood pressure and after being put on istin, her renal perameters have dropped a bit. The other thing our vets did was test her creatinin/ protein ratio in her urine, this gives a much better idea as to how badly damaged the kidneys are. Both Misty and Spice are still within the normal range so are not on fortekor yet, they will be tested 6 monthly until they need to go onto fortekor. Has her thyroid also been tested, treating this, if it is an issue, can also slow down the deterioration. Mine are on the renal food too, although I have to add some Hi-life to get them to eat it:roll: . I do notice the litter tray is a bit wetter and the water bowl empties a bit more quickly, but I am hopeful because we have caught things early they will have the longest time possible with us.
Good luck, it is a worrying time, we lost Chokki, Spice's sister to CRF, so now what to expect as well, sometimes not a good thing I think.

[pcspik]

Don't beat yourself too much about it, but keep on feeding the diet.

I have a cat which has CRF though he is only 10, so I know what it is like.

[moonstone]

I had to take Bobby back to the vets today for bloods to be done again:( and the good news is that she is much better than last time:D
her phos.levels were normal along with her blood pressure but her creatine level was higher:( still the vet was pleased with her progress and doesn't want to see her for another 3 months:D he thinks that her creatine levels will improve once i can get her onto the K/D food so i have got some sample packets of Hills KD to try her on and she is eating them now so fingers crossed:)
It was certainly much better news than i had hoped for:D

[catwoman999]

I had to take Bobby back to the vets today for bloods to be done again:( and the good news is that she is much better than last time:D
her phos.levels were normal along with her blood pressure but her creatine level was higher:( still the vet was pleased with her progress and doesn't want to see her for another 3 months:D he thinks that her creatine levels will improve once i can get her onto the K/D food so i have got some sample packets of Hills KD to try her on and she is eating them now so fingers crossed:)
It was certainly much better news than i had hoped for:D

Thats wonderful news! Thank you for updating us all!

[Elaine]

That is good news, hopefully the creatinine will fall for her next visit. Keep us posted as to how she gets on. xxx

[dandysmom]

Delighted at the news! Do keep us updated, please.

[Daisy-Doo]

Pleased to hear that her blood results are improving. Fingers and paws crossed for her, here :)