12/2 Bama Kitty AMPS 189 +2 216 +5 262 +9 225; PMPS 163 +1 136 +2 122 +3 125 +4 125 +6 117 +9 189

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Yesterday: 12/01 Bama Kitty AMPS 210 +2 187 + 4 160 +9 198; PMPS 213 +2 218 +4 189 +6 209 +8.5 187

Bama is hanging in a tight range between low 200s and mid to upper 100s. This is the 14th cycle revisiting 5.5u: 9 cycles where he has at least touched blue, 4 cycles with pink or red, 1 cycle where his nadir was green [98 on 11/30]. Plan to hold dose a few more cycles and possibly increase by 0.25 to 5.75u to see if I can guide him lower to hold a range between low to upper 100s with a few touches in the green. Ha! Best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. [Robert Burns, To a Mouse]

Bama ate and drank well. Have added a wee bit of SEB [Slippery Elm Bark] to his AMPS meal along with psyllium husk powder and B12. Will be giving 2.5 Famotidine before his PMPS meal, following the guidance @ felinecrf.org. Thanks, Bhooma @Bandit's Mom for the exact link. The explanations there make perfect sense for what Bama seems to be experiencing--excessive water drinking perhaps to dilute the stomach acid before vomiting. Hence, the large amount of water in what is expelled. Makes sense to me to treat the acid problem [Famotidine] and not just the nausea [Ondansetron]. Will, of course, discuss with his vet at his next appointment

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Nice start. I hope Bama slides down and surfs. I hope the Famotidine helps.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Will be giving 2.5 Famotidine before his PMPS meal, following the guidance @ felinecrf.org. Thanks, Bhooma @Bandit's Mom for the exact link.

That website has so much information, it would take me several lifetimes to go through it fully! What stage of CKD is Bama at?

His numbers are looking good for the last couple of days. If he is bouncing from that green a couple of days back, it's a pretty muted bounce. Don't hold the dose too long, you want to see green again soon.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

That website has so much information, it would take me several lifetimes to go through it fully! What stage of CKD is Bama at?

His numbers are looking good for the last couple of days. If he is bouncing from that green a couple of days back, it's a pretty muted bounce. Don't hold the dose too long, you want to see green again soon.

He's probably @ Stage 2 given his blood values from last August. He gets blood work done again at the end of December. That website is almost overwhelming when you first look at it. Nicely organized, though, so you can pick out what seems relevant at the moment.

I am thinking the earliest I'll increase the dose is Saturday as I have to balance closely monitoring him with errands and other pressing needs. My mom [age 83] is needing more and more of my help these days. Would hate to have to tell her--"What? You need me to take you to the doctor? Sorry, no can do. Bama needs me at home to monitor his diving blood sugar." Such is the life when one has two patients--her and him.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Nicely organized, though, so you can pick out what seems relevant at the moment.

Yup, that's what I did when Bandit's CKD suddenly took a turn for the worse in September. But I've barely scratched the surface!

I am thinking the earliest I'll increase the dose is Saturday as I have to balance closely monitoring him with errands and other pressing needs. My mom [age 83] is needing more and more of my help these days. Would hate to have to tell her--"What? You need me to take you to the doctor? Sorry, no can do. Bama needs me at home to monitor his diving blood sugar." Such is the life when one has two patients--her and him.

What???? You mean you are not spending all day all night testing Bama???!!!
Jokes apart, Saturday is fine.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Bama has not eaten well since AMPS; +4 he ate a few bites, strained out a fair-sized poop, ate a little more; +9 he ate a few bites, strained out a tiny poop. Gave 3 clicks Ondansetron ointment to inside left ear [script is for 5 clicks once per day]. Want to monitor this along with concurrent use of 2.5 mg Famotidine. Will be using Famotidine every other day. He has just seemed like he doesn't feel well today. Could be he's feeling constipated and I need to increase his psyllium husk or try coconut oil. The increase in wet food and decrease in kibble means he's getting less fiber. Hope that is all it is.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Could be an active cycle tonight. Glad I gave the meds this afternoon. He ate better @ PMPS.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

+1, 136. Fed 1t FF3% + drop or two of Karo & water. Checking again @ +2.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

+2, 122. Fed 1t FF3% + more Karo water. Checking again @ +3.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Did not feed @ +3 or +4 and he's steady @ 125. Will check again @ +6 and feed.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

+1, 136. Fed 1t FF3% + drop or two of Karo & water. Checking again @ +2.

+2, 122. Fed 1t FF3% + more Karo water. Checking again @ +3.

Hi Gina, why are you intervening with high carbs? Let him drop to green? You can intervene then, if needed to prevent a reduction and help him surfing higher green.

Does he get fluids? Bandit has similar symptoms (vomitting, inappetance and constipation). Turns out her CKD suddenly became worse. Creatinine went from 2.5 to 3.6 in 2 months. For a few weeks she was on (a) Ondansetron every 8 hours (b) Famotidine every other day (c) Cyproheptadine as required (d) Psyllium husk every day and what helped most was sub-q fluids. You don't start fluids till the creatinine crosses 3.5 (or if the kitty is dehydrated). She also gets B-complex and methyl-B12 supplements. Now she is off everything except the Vitamin B and the fluids.

Wondering if you need to get Bama's labs done and see where his CKD is?

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

Hi Gina, why are you intervening with high carbs? Let him drop to green? You can intervene then, if needed to prevent a reduction and help him surfing higher green.

Does he get fluids? Bandit has similar symptoms (vomitting, inappetance and constipation). Turns out her CKD suddenly became worse. Creatinine went from 2.5 to 3.6 in 2 months. For a few weeks she was on (a) Ondansetron every 8 hours (b) Famotidine every other day (c) Cyproheptadine as required (d) Psyllium husk every day and what helped most was sub-q fluids. You don't start fluids till the creatinine crosses 3.5 (or if the kitty is dehydrated). She also gets B-complex and methyl-B12 supplements. Now she is off everything except the Vitamin B and the fluids.

Wondering if you need to get Bama's labs done and see where his CKD is?

I wanted to slow the drop down but I guess I slowed it too much since he is basically flat now.

 

[Bama Kitty Mom (GA)]

+9 gave .25 oz FF which he ate while in his bed.