12/17 Smudge: AMPS 78, +3 66, +4 71, PMPS 80, +3 77

allicatmeow said:
AMPS 78

Happy Sunday everyone! Penny had wonderful bloodwork, everything in good ranges for her CKD, which is incredible. Have to keep a eye on her hematocrit, as she's borderline low. But all in all, great for her.

Yesterday
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That’s awesome news on Penny, Alli. You’re doing such a great job with her too, of course. I’m so happy for you.
And Smudge looks great today. Happy, hoppy little boy.
Have a nice Sunday :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Smudge is looking incredible. I wish all our kitties had such beautiful spreadsheet.

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Staci & Ivy said:
That’s awesome news on Penny, Alli. You’re doing such a great job with her too, of course. I’m so happy for you.
And Smudge looks great today. Happy, hoppy little boy.
Have a nice Sunday :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Since you know these numbers, her BUN was 49, Creatinine 2.5. For being diagnosed a year and a half ago in Stage III, with only one working kidney at 15% ability, she's doing lovely. Her other items we watch are her Calcium 10.8 (she's a med that lowers this), ALT 230 (which is 123 lower than last time, she's typically had liver issues above 400 and I use milk thistle to lower this). Gotta keep watching her hematocrit, it's 26 and we will treat it if she goes any lower.
 
Just curious… what is Penny’s phosphorus level? Have you had to use phosphorus binders yet?

Have you checked ionized calcium?
Was her blood pressure normal?

It’s been a minute since I treated a CKD cat but I’m heading that way with one of my oldsters now, so will have to go read up again at Tanya’s site (in addition to tuning in to what you’re doing, lol).

Also wondering whether you’re using SAMe (s-adenosylmethionine) along with the milk thistle for the liver issues. I used both for my cat (dog too). Good stuff. What are you using for subQ fluids? We couldn’t use LRS due to the liver, so Im thinking it was Norm-R.

Anyway, Glad to hear the blood work looks good.
 
JL and Chip said:
Just curious… what is Penny’s phosphorus level? Have you had to use phosphorus binders yet?

Have you checked ionized calcium?
Was her blood pressure normal?

It’s been a minute since I treated a CKD cat but I’m heading that way with one of my oldsters now, so will have to go read up again at Tanya’s site (in addition to tuning in to what you’re doing, lol).

Also wondering whether you’re using SAMe (s-adenosylmethionine) along with the milk thistle for the liver issues. I used both for my cat (dog too). Good stuff. What are you using for subQ fluids? We couldn’t use LRS due to the liver, so Im thinking it was Norm-R.

Anyway, Glad to hear the blood work looks good.
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Hi JL! I am waiting for the full record to come over (vet gave me these values over the phone), but she has never had phosphorus issues throughout her diagnosis, so no binders. She eats strictly Royal Canin's kidney line. Her BP is normal and I'm not sure we've ever done an ionized calcium test.

I'm not using SAMe - you used it WITH milk thistle with good results? Did you use a compounded rx or do it yourself? I make milk thistle capsules for Penny and she gets them before her fluids (which you're correct, are Norm-R).

Tanya's site really got me on a good path for her. They're amazing over there. Our CKD equivalent of here, with a worse format, haha. :cat:
 
Go Smudge! Have you received guidance on whether or not to do a drop dose after this or go right into a Christmas OTJ trial???

regarding your vet that doesn't surprise me, it seems many vets consider a cat in remission if they can stay under 200.
 
allicatmeow said:
I haven't gotten guidance on that yet. What are your thoughts?? With his 66 @ +3 today I am wondering if I should do a drop or just go OTJ trial on Friday. Such a tough decision! :nailbiting:
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Guidance on whether or not to do a drop dose usually comes from one of the gurus like Bhooma, Elise, Suzanne, Christine, etc

But I will say this, as far as I recall a drop dose is generally the guidance if .10 is still producing the occasional blue, which Smudge is not.

So my money would be on it being recommended for you to go straight to the trial! We'll see what they say.
 
Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
Guidance on whether or not to do a drop dose usually comes from one of the gurus like Bhooma, Elise, Suzanne, Christine, etc

But I will say this, as far as I recall a drop dose is generally the guidance if .10 is still producing the occasional blue, which Smudge is not.

So my money would be on it being recommended for you to go straight to the trial! We'll see what they say.
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I have to say, since I start my staycation through the new year on Friday, it would be pretty awesome to not be time restricted by that drop dose. I'd of course test as close as possible to PMPS, but we could maaaaybe go to dinner at a normal time and not as early birds once? LOL
 
allicatmeow said:
I'm not using SAMe - you used it WITH milk thistle with good results? Did you use a compounded rx or do it yourself?
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Yes, I used them “together” although I gave them at different times during the day. Milk thistle is supposed to be given with food whereas SAMe is best absorbed on an empty stomach at least an hour before food.

For SAMe, I used a product called Denosyl (90mg).
For milk thistle, I used Marin (which is no longer on the market). I saw great results.

There’s now a product called Denamarin that combines the two (although I’ve often wondered how that works with the food/no-food thing).

If I recall, my IM vet said they worked better together rather than using just one or the other. SAMe supposedly helps repair and supports regeneration of liver cells; milk thistle is more of an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
 
JL and Chip said:
Yes, I used them “together” although I gave them at different times during the day. Milk thistle is supposed to be given with food whereas SAMe is best absorbed on an empty stomach at least an hour before food.

For SAMe, I used a product called Denosyl (90mg).
For milk thistle, I used Marin (which is no longer on the market). I saw great results.

There’s now a product called Denamarin that combines the two (although I’ve often wondered how that works with the food/no-food thing).

If I recall, my IM vet said they worked better together rather than using just one or the other. SAMe supposedly helps repair and supports regeneration of liver cells; milk thistle is more of an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
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I have a bottle of Denamarin in my cabinet for her... I bought it about 6 months ago to have in case the higher dose of milk thistle didn't work. I wonder if I should attempt it...
 
If she’s on a custom dose of milk thistle already, I might buy a box of plain Denosyl (doesn’t have the milk thistle component) and give that in addition to the milk thistle you’re already using. I wouldn’t add Denamarin on top of the current milk thistle. Never hurts to run it by your vet, of course…
 
allicatmeow said:
Since you know these numbers, her BUN was 49, Creatinine 2.5. For being diagnosed a year and a half ago in Stage III, with only one working kidney at 15% ability, she's doing lovely. Her other items we watch are her Calcium 10.8 (she's a med that lowers this), ALT 230 (which is 123 lower than last time, she's typically had liver issues above 400 and I use milk thistle to lower this). Gotta keep watching her hematocrit, it's 26 and we will treat it if she goes any lower.
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I will have to pull up Ivy’s last labs see how the numbers compare to where we are.
I’m so happy Penny is doing so well.
We have been dealing with a lower hematocrit also for several years. My newish vet recently had me add a pinch of freeze dried liver 2X a day.
I’m curious how that will affect her number after a few months on it. (My internal med doc had no suggestions and said it didn’t need to be addressed. Regular vet didn’t agree and wanted to be more proactive.)
Always something.
I also use Denamaren for the ALT issue. So much to manage! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
JL and Chip said:
Yes, I used them “together” although I gave them at different times during the day. Milk thistle is supposed to be given with food whereas SAMe is best absorbed on an empty stomach at least an hour before food.

For SAMe, I used a product called Denosyl (90mg).
For milk thistle, I used Marin (which is no longer on the market). I saw great results.

There’s now a product called Denamarin that combines the two (although I’ve often wondered how that works with the food/no-food thing).

If I recall, my IM vet said they worked better together rather than using just one or the other. SAMe supposedly helps repair and supports regeneration of liver cells; milk thistle is more of an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Click to expand...
We use the denamarin, given 2 hours after food or 1 hour before food.
 
Staci & Ivy said:
I will have to pull up Ivy’s last labs see how the numbers compare to where we are.
I’m so happy Penny is doing so well.
We have been dealing with a lower hematocrit also for several years. My newish vet recently had me add a pinch of freeze dried liver 2X a day.
I’m curious how that will affect her number after a few months on it. (My internal med doc had no suggestions and said it didn’t need to be addressed. Regular vet didn’t agree and wanted to be more proactive.)
Always something.
I also use Denamaren for the ALT issue. So much to manage! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Freeze dried liver pinch sounds good to me... At least see if it helps and she should be fine to eat it. Do you buy it somewhere?
 
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