7/31 Bear Man Oldtimer

Last week: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20582&p=204595#p204595

Bear Man has completed two weeks on Aranesp for his anemia. His PCV at the start was .18, and he had a good rise to .20 after the first week. On this past Thursday his PCV was .28, and his blood pressure had risen from the previous week, so I opted to skip the shot. (Condo on Health: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=21039). While I am thrilled that he is responding to Aranesp, an 8% rate of increase is too fast, with a risk of hypertension and stroke. This PCV of .28 has to feel much more comfortable for him. I believe the target range is .30 to .32. I have read that some kitties will respond with a big jump at the outset of treatment, then settle down to a slower rate of climb. There is still also the likelihood that the high dose of Aranesp that he is on is too high for him. I am fumbling around in the dark when it comes to deciding if I want to reduce the dose or reduce the frequency of the shots. The plan is to go back to the vet on Tuesday (after the long holiday weekend here), and recheck his PCV, and likely give him more Aranesp. I certainly do not want to lose the progress he has made. WCR-wise, he had a bit of a rougher week, with some vomiting, and more time in his bathroom bed. However, this morning as I was getting ready for tbp, he was following me around the house. Our old morning routine used to be to sit quietly on the sofa together (as quietly as we can with Teddy walking around all over us) and have a little tummy rub before I leave for work. We did that this morning, with a cool breeze coming through the window, and Bear holding his head up to sample the scents wafting in from the dark.

In other household news, Bear had lots of company when the convoy moved out to the vet this week. Miss Emily went in for suture removal. The wound looks good, and her patholgy report came back as a benign tumour with clean margins. Teddy became quite ill on Wednesday with a CP flare, and I took him to the vet twice for b/w (fPL was elevated), Cerenia shots, and some sub Q fluids. I gave him Bupe and Ondansetron as well. He is feeling much better now.

Here is Bear curled up in one of his old cozy beds:

 

Good morning! It am glad that Bear man is doing better this morning - it is nice to read. Nice too that he still does some of the old routines. I hope you both have a great day.

 

And again Linda you are my Hero Bean with such patience and devotion to your babies!!
So glad to hear that Bear Man is doing better--You are such an inspiration to us!! Have a great Caturday!

 

Happy that everybody is still together and feel better after vet visit!
BearMan is so cute curled in his bed!

 

It starts my Saturday off well to read a good Bear Man report! How lovely that he wanted his belly scritches in the morning. I'm very happy to hear the Miss Emily's pathology report was so good, as well. I hope Teddy is feeling better. You are just an incredible bean. I don't know how you juggle it all some days.

 

What a gorgeous pic of Bear Man!

Linda, you truly are an angel to your kitties. I admire you very much for all that you do for them.
Tons of healing vines for continued good health for Miss Emily, Teddy and Bear Man.
:YMHUG:

 

What an adorable pic of Bear! Glad to hear you had a good morning with him... and there has been so much progress with the Aranesp. I hope you find a happy medium - hopefully this is just the big jump you mentioned and he'll settle down to a slower rate of climb...

Yay for benign tumor and clean margins for Miss Emily!

Hope Teddy continues to feel better as well...

 

Glad to hear that the gang is all faring better after the convoy trip to the vet. Bear looks very snuggly, like a squirrel burrowed in his cozy bed.

 

I like what Roni said: "You are such an inspiration to us!!"
I'm glad the meds are working, I hope you get him to the .30 to .32 slowly but surely. I'm also happy to hear that he is feeling better and so is Teddy, and that Miss Emily's tumor was benign: Yay To All ! ! !

 

this condo makes me so happy today. :mrgreen:

Not only is there a picture of Bear (swoon) but THREE positive vet reports. Thanks for the updates, Linda.

 

Thank you for the Bear update! Glad that the whole family is better.

 

Wonderful upbeat report on all your babies....you had quite a week! And I too agree with Roni that you are an inspiration to us all, Linda! Sending hugs and love across the miles to you all!!
:YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

 

So glad that Bear seems to be doing better. Good boy - such a fabulous picture - what a cutie!

 

Love that pic of Bear Man :smile: So snuggly.

Nice vet reports and I bet Bear Man does feel a bit better with that closer to normal number.

Have a good day Linda.

 

So nice to read that the family is doing well and that Bear Man is again enjoying some of his favorite activities. Good luck with the gradual move to the proper level. The picture of Bear Man is really neat! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Ella & Stu

 

Bear is awfully sweet! I'm glad he's doing okay! You are an incredible mom you your fur-kids.

 

3 good WCRs. That is great. Another great picture of Bear Man. Nice to read this condo today. Continued success with your furbabies. Fantastic news about the biopsy too.

 

) So glad to read Bear Man is doing better!

 

It's so good to hear that Bear has been feeling better this week. He never ceases to amaze me. What a relief than Emily's biopsy was negative. I'm glad Teddy is feeling better after his CP flare. I know how miserable the kitties feel when they get an attack. Hope the coming week goes well for all of you.

 

So happy to see such good reports on your furbabies! And a wonderful picture of the 'man', to boot! (ditto Lucy's swoon!)

I hope you figure out the right dose or frequency for Bear's meds...so glad he is responding...but sounds like the balancing act is tricky due to the HBP it sounds...my thoughts will be with you!

 

So happy Bear Man is doing better and that Teddy is now feeling better and that your pathology report came back good news

 

I hope you and the furries have a good, uneventful week.

 

It's also possible that Bear's kidneys are still making a little erythropoietin. IIRC, his kidney values aren't that bad, and aren't consistent with his HCT levels? Tanya's site says:
"Some cats will show an abrupt increase in PCV in the first week of use, perhaps as much as a 10% increase. This is more likely to happen in cats with less severe anaemia (and in fact some of them perhaps are starting the medication a little prematurely) and/or in cats with less severe CRF (creatinine under 450 international, 5 in US values) whose kidneys may still be able to make a little erythropoietin on their own. One analogy used is that if a fire has not gone out completely, it is easier to fire it up again than if it has virtually gone out."

Love the pic

 

You are right, Choy Foong - his kidney values are not that bad. It does appear, however, that his anemia is definitely of renal origin, or the Aranesp would not have done anything for him. Would you agree with that?

And here is something that freaks me out. I was looking at Teddy's b/w from last week, and his hematocrit is .29, only .01 higher than Bear's. That's from his Leukeran nailbite_smile