? 12/2 Charlie | AMPS 94 | New CKD DX | Need appetite stimulant & CKD tips

Karen & Charlie

Member Since 2020
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Charlie is newly diagnosed Stage 2 renal failure. Symptoms that led to vet were chronic vomiting and no appetite. Anti-nausea injection has stopped vomiting, but he still isn't hungry. In order to shoot him last night, I gave him a bite of MC food to get him going, then mixed a concotion of LC/MC that got him to eat enough to shoot.

Vet is not rushing into any change for Charlie that would upset his (mostly) successful FD treatment (like new food). Says that often cats do fine with an occasional sub-q fluids / anti-nausea treatment. So, she's in favor of waiting and watching right now.

What should I have on hand to stimulate his appetite?
What tips do you have for treating both FD & CKD?

Thanks!
 
I’m sorry Charlie has CKD but stage 2 is early. Newer thoughts are not to rush to renal food at this point although the symptoms show he needs support. There’s a wonderful site with everything you want to know about CKD which includes a food list and all treatments.

http://www.felinecrf.org/

Vets give mirtazapine as an appetite stimulant but I didn’t like the side effects. They now make a transdermal called mirtaz that seems to have less side effects and works. It’s an ear gel. It wasn’t around when I needed one so I used cyproheptadine, a human RX drug that always worked well for my cats without side effects.

I would have cerenia pills on hand for nausea which I am sure is what was given to Charlie by injection. It stings so get the pills. I also had ondansetron around for nausea.

Helen’s food list shows the carbs now too. It’s up to date as well. You want a lower phosphorus food that is also lower in carbs.
 
I'm sorry about the diagnosis, but it is something you can manage. I hope you can get him eating consistently. Sending prayers. :bighug::bighug:
 
George has been at Stage 2 for some time, and he is in remission, we got his kidney diagnosis at a similar stage in our FD journey. I kept him on LC food but swapped him onto stuff that was lower in Phosphorous, not a renal diet. He was already having some of it, by pure chance and I added some others to his range of foods (I'm in europe, so I can't help you with food ideas) The CKD site Paula and Elise have linked is full of lots of useful info.
The diabetes takes priority, keeping Charlie in healthy numbers is the best thing you can do to protect his kidneys.

I'm lucky in that George has a good appy, doesn't really go off his food, so haven't had to use stimulants or anti nausea.(anit jinx)

I would add a little extra water to his food, and also give him regular meals, with CKD they can get acid tummy and that makes them sick, usually foamy, eating regularly will minimize that problem too.

you want to make sure he has something in his tummy every three hours or so, if you give him something late in the cycle, the best thing to use is something that is not going to bump his numbers at that stage, I used to just give george a few pieces of freeze dried treats, other folk would give just a small piece of poached chicken breast. Just a tiny bit is usually enough to stop them getting the acid tummy (or at least it was for George)
 
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