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So, our cat was diagnosed (full panel blood test) AFTER 1 day, 6 wks ago he shocked us all by having a seizure.
The vet put him on the special kidney diet food. he eats, drinks water...
still SUPER constipated he cries miserable on/off, day/night, he throws up at least once a day. I cannot afford vet bills anymore.
HOW do you know when its "time"? are we being selfish despite his wanting to eat whatever he wants (he gets into ANY other food he can including our other cat) he looks very sad/depressed at times, eyes all cloudy. he walks around growling, hissing because his poo is hard!, I feel he is in pain. he has led a very full life of fun! we rescued him from a shelter 7 yrs ago... he had been picked up as a stray and had been declawed in front. we moved accross the US with him in tow.
I think you should consult your vet and if he is in pain then there is the absoloutle resolution that you and you alone must come to ? are you keeping him alive for you or for him ? My sister just had to put her dog down almost 3 months ago she was diagnosed with cancer and the dog had , had half her jaw removed and could barely eat anymore so we did the kindest thing we could and we had the dog put to sleep . I think you just know in your heart when it is time and I am very sorry that you are going through this agony . god bless you and keep you and I hope you come to a peacefull decision .
I have a cat with chronic renal failure. I give her sub-cutaneous fluids every 3rd day. She doesn't mind it and she is otherwise in good health, eating, playing, etc. She was damaged by the Chinese contaminated food scam of 2007. Ask your vet if sub-Q fluids would help your baby. It's very easy to do and mine charges $12/bag, which lasts 20 treatments. The needles cost more but not a lot. I use a thinner needle than the vet gave me originally b/c my cat would flinch when I slipped into the scruff of her neck. She doesn't flinch any more.
I have a cat with chronic renal failure. I give her sub-cutaneous fluids every 3rd day. She doesn't mind it and she is otherwise in good health, eating, playing, etc. She was damaged by the Chinese contaminated food scam of 2007. Ask your vet if sub-Q fluids would help your baby. It's very easy to do and mine charges $12/bag, which lasts 20 treatments. The needles cost more but not a lot. I use a thinner needle than the vet gave me originally b/c my cat would flinch when I slipped into the scruff of her neck. She doesn't flinch any more.
Our boy Samson can get real *hissy* when he is being handled and I feel for him because in his mind we are inflicting pain I've seen him swat the vet, pee himself.... I dunno how he would handle the sub-q fluids... they do sound invasive
So, our cat was diagnosed (full panel blood test) AFTER 1 day, 6 wks ago he shocked us all by having a seizure.
The vet put him on the special kidney diet food. he eats, drinks water...
still SUPER constipated he cries miserable on/off, day/night, he throws up at least once a day. I cannot afford vet bills anymore.
I really need advise
Please, PLEASE read this page Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi and -- if that "special" food is high in carbs and, God forbid, dry -- find another vet yesterday. A Holistic vets will be able to properly guide you.
IF so, and if I were you, and I mean this sincerely, I would gather every basic fact regarding the feline species' basic nutritional requirements (they are strict carnivorous species); find a lawyer; contact your local medias; and raise a consumer fraud and malpractice issue BIG time. (We are not in the dark any more. How I WISH I knew even half the facts while our pets suffered and died unnecessarily because of foods we think are "best" just because vets say so!)
Link is that of Dr Lisa Pierson DVM, feline expert. There are also books by Michael w. Fox; Marty Goldstein; and "Your Cat" by DR. Elizabeth Hodgkins which every cat owner should deem a mandatory must-have (the proceeds go to cat rescues and the like, so not "plugging" book for profit of any sort.) They may even be in your Library. Best wishes.
Please see Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi, and check the ingredients/carbohydrate level in the food? It could mean all the difference.
I'm sorry - it sounds like you're in a tough situation. I would definitely consult the vet. You should be giving a cat in rental failure subcutaneous fluids at least twice a week. Just because he's drinking, doesn't mean he's getting adequate fluids in his system - the extreme constipation is proof of that. I also didn't see in your post that you were doing anything to treat the constipation - there are all kinds of things you can do - fish oil in the food, hairball treatment, canned food, etc.
I know that you indicated that you cannot afford futher vet care, but many vets will work out a payment plan. Talk to your vet - see what they advise before making any permanent decisions.
So, our cat was diagnosed (full panel blood test) AFTER 1 day, 6 wks ago he shocked us all by having a seizure.
The vet put him on the special kidney diet food. he eats, drinks water...
still SUPER constipated he cries miserable on/off, day/night, he throws up at least once a day. I cannot afford vet bills anymore.
HOW do you know when its "time"? are we being selfish despite his wanting to eat whatever he wants (he gets into ANY other food he can including our other cat) he looks very sad/depressed at times, eyes all cloudy. he walks around growling, hissing because his poo is hard!, I feel he is in pain. he has led a very full life of fun! we rescued him from a shelter 7 yrs ago... he had been picked up as a stray and had been declawed in front. we moved accross the US with him in tow.
I really need advise
my dog had this, at age 12, on the special food, she did live 2 more years to age 14! She did leave me as I did hold her, after, a vet bill of 600.00 and no clue to why she is sick? She had kidney illness! Follow your heart!
ive taken in stray dogs and cats for many yrs. so ive had my share of ones getting renal failure as they get older. did the vet put your cat on iv fluids, to kind of flush her out after the panal was done? i had an old cat that was very sick, temp was only 93 when i took her in, her numbers were off the charts for bun function. she was on iv fluids for a 2 or 3 days, and she did turn around. while i understand the vet bill issue, you may want to consult a vet that practices holistic meds, including acupuncture. ive heard that can even help the kidneys.
i have an old dog that has a spinal problem, so she has trouble going sometimes. ive added a bit of mineral oil to her feed. you might read about apple cider vinager [bought from a health food store], it is suppose to help the organs function better and provide better digestion. aloe vera is another good supplement you may want to read about. do some research and google holistic remedies for feline renal failure. if she is unable to go do at times this can be a serious problem on its own and should be checked to make sure there is not some obstruction present. are you feeding dry or canned food? i think the canned is better if they have trouble going. adding the sub q fluids is a good idea, it works slower than the iv method, i have tried that myself with cats facing renal problems, but when they are very down the iv fluids are much superior.
also if he is on special food its important he get just that, if you have to feed them separately or pick up the other cats food and just feed at certain times to accomplish this, so be it. but its defeating the purpose if he is eating the other cat food and your food as well. the kidney diet is more bland, less salt, just like with pple they cant eat certain things without making their condition worse.
if it was me, i wouldnt give up on him yet, but i do think you need to see another vet. perhaps one that uses alternative methods as well as western medicine. if you dont know a good vet that isnt into ripping pple off, call your animal shelter or look on petfinders and find a rescue group in your area, and ask who they use. finding a quality vet is like finding a good pple doc. they arent all created equal. personally i feel i owe it to my pets to do all i can for them when they are sick. think of the joy he has given you, you cant put a price tag on that. best wishes.
Have you tried any herbal/holistic supplements or approaches? I find that with older cats, the least invasive approaches are best. Aggressive treatments may save them for a while, but they take their toll and stress the cats out...too many meds cause other issues that are just as uncomfortable/painful as the original condition was. Holistic methods focus on treating the root of the problem, boosting the immune system to give a better fighting chance, and healing emotionally. If there is a holistic vet anywhere near you, I would not doubt they would offer a phone consultation at the very least...the one out here took time to call me back and give me a lot of great information when I had a cat dying of liver failure (R.I.P. Humphrey) and I had never even set foot in his clinic let alone given him a dime. What are you feeding him? Hopefully it is not science diet, but you mentioned the vet perscribed the food, so I am apt to think that might be what he is eating. You want a low ash & low-PH canned food (dry does not have enough moisture & is higher in ash/ph as well) and you want to make sure there is some kind of cranberry going on in the food and/or treats. Plenty of fluids is probably the most important thing (sub-Qs are a good idea) and check his temp. frequently, keep him warm if it drops with a hot water bottle & towel. Play relaxing music & pamper him. It is better to have these things monitored by a trained staff, but if you have no more $ (and with this economy it is all too prevalent nowadays...) this is the best advice I can offer...I am still learning the ropes at my vet. tech job, but I hope this helps and I hope your baby will be okay!
My former cat was diagnosed with renal failure at 16 but lived 4 more years.
I put her on baby food--lamb and turkey.
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(he gets into ANY other food he can including our other cat) he looks very sad/depressed at times, eyes all cloudy. he walks around growling, hissing because his poo is hard!, I feel he is in pain. he has led a very full life of fun! we rescued him from a shelter 7 yrs ago... he had been picked up as a stray and had been declawed in front. we moved accross the US with him in tow.
