Martica and Fred
Active Member
Hi
As some of you may remember, I was giving my 19 3/4 year old Fred fluids since last June. Then Sept he started declining physically and getting rear leg collapsing when I gave fluids. In Jan he had a couple of hyperventilation breathing episodes and was diagnosed with CHF and HCM.
At first they put him on 4 heart drugs (2 bad for kidneys), and they drained the fluid from his chest. I stopped giving him fluids (two months ago). After 2nd day/3rd dose of all the drugs--he got really lethargic and not purring. So I took him off one of them (enalapril) because I was worried. He was on the other 3 for a couple more weeks. Then he started getting constipated and I took him off the Plavix. He was doing great, in general. Finally I went to get a 2nd opinion to a cat cardiologist (3 weeks after first diagnosed with the heart, and 2 weeks after the heart drugs).
He did a new echo and turns out fluid to the lungs had not returned and his heart was smaller. So good news, he was downgraded to 'mild' HCM with no cardiac heart failure (previously it had been 'moderate' with CHF--as a result of the fluids).
The cardiologist agreed we could try being conservative with the heart drugs because of the kidneys and his age. So he was taken off everything but Plavix, and also no fluids.
Six and half weeks later (yesterday) we went back for a check-up. Heart is good (still ‘mild’) and no fluids returning to chest. But his kidney values had worsened a little. (He has not had subQ fluids for a little over 2 months.)
He has lost weight—around ½ pound in past 6 months. I have noticed this. He is now 8.8 lbs (from his peak of 18 when he was a fat cat and younger). He is very skinny, can see his hip bones and some of his back spine.)
Here are his figures for last few months:
MONTH----------BUN-----Creat-----Phos-----Potassium
Dec 09 2009-----78-------4.2-------7.5-------4.1
Jan 18-----------68-------5.2-------8.2-------n/a
Jan 26-----------75-------5.9-------7.5-------5.0
Feb 04-----------86-------4.2-------n/a------4.5
March 23--------89--------4.8------9.2-------4.2
I was giving his EpiChitan (Phos binder) from Jan 26 to Feb 04, but then I think he started not liking it (that or the metamucil in his food). So since then I have cut way back on it. But his Phos has clearly gone up.
The cardiologist wanted to try him back on fluids again. So last night I tried giving him some. I gave him around 15-20ml (very hard to measure that small amount on the bag). He layed in the bed for another couple of hours with the heating pad on and it all seemed fine.
Then he started twitching a little—like trying to bite at his flank (itch? water under the skin?) Then I put him down and he legs were wobbly (like they had been after fluids back in the fall and early Jan). And he kept getting the twitching and a few times rolled backwards and fell on the floor trying to get at it. Then his back legs straightened and twitched a bit.
That lasted a few minutes and then he got a bit of food, wobbly, and peed. Then went to lie down. Then he wouldn’t purr, no matter how much I kissed/ petted him for the next few hours. Also would not react to me scratching under his neck (did not lift head). Clearly he was not feeling good. We went to bed and this morning he was good. Today, he has been purring and seems ok, perhaps a little weak. His breathing is fine, no apparent fluid in lungs.
However, this is now a dilemma. I don’t think the fluids are a possiblity again. For whatever reason he is having this reaction to them with the legs.
So his kidneys are liken to worsen...fast? He is losing weight pretty fast it seems.
In general--other than the weight loss--he has been GOOD--meowing tons, very affectionate purring, walking around, great blood sugar numbers. Loud meowing (has energy to do it.) But he is getting skinny/losing muscle, and is dehydrated.
But I need advice on what to do and how he will progress:
I have been watering down his Wellness and also squirting water into his mouth with a syringe (which he doesn’t mind). But I guess I can ramp up the amounts I squirt in from now on.
I will start being more regular with the epichitan.
He is on low carb/high pro because of the Dx (and blood sugar has been generally great). But should I got with the kidney food now? I don’t know if he’ll eat it, but will it really have an effect on the progression? His appetite is good although he’s def. eating less and in smaller amounts.
Also, wondering about the pepcid a/c (10mg tabs). He has been on a ¼ tablet twice a day. Should I bump that up? He is constipated pretty regularly (and throws up a lot of the time after he poops). Have been giving pumpkin and Miralax but not everyday since he sometimes won’t eat the food with that in it. I also have been cutting up barley grass for fiber in his food.
Most importantly, I’m wondering about the progression of the kidney disease. What should I expect? I do not want him to suffer and wonder how fast the decline is. I don’t feel good about the subQ. I”m waiting to hear about the cardiologist comments, I emailed him.
anyway advice appreciated.
thanks
Martica
As some of you may remember, I was giving my 19 3/4 year old Fred fluids since last June. Then Sept he started declining physically and getting rear leg collapsing when I gave fluids. In Jan he had a couple of hyperventilation breathing episodes and was diagnosed with CHF and HCM.
At first they put him on 4 heart drugs (2 bad for kidneys), and they drained the fluid from his chest. I stopped giving him fluids (two months ago). After 2nd day/3rd dose of all the drugs--he got really lethargic and not purring. So I took him off one of them (enalapril) because I was worried. He was on the other 3 for a couple more weeks. Then he started getting constipated and I took him off the Plavix. He was doing great, in general. Finally I went to get a 2nd opinion to a cat cardiologist (3 weeks after first diagnosed with the heart, and 2 weeks after the heart drugs).
He did a new echo and turns out fluid to the lungs had not returned and his heart was smaller. So good news, he was downgraded to 'mild' HCM with no cardiac heart failure (previously it had been 'moderate' with CHF--as a result of the fluids).
The cardiologist agreed we could try being conservative with the heart drugs because of the kidneys and his age. So he was taken off everything but Plavix, and also no fluids.
Six and half weeks later (yesterday) we went back for a check-up. Heart is good (still ‘mild’) and no fluids returning to chest. But his kidney values had worsened a little. (He has not had subQ fluids for a little over 2 months.)
He has lost weight—around ½ pound in past 6 months. I have noticed this. He is now 8.8 lbs (from his peak of 18 when he was a fat cat and younger). He is very skinny, can see his hip bones and some of his back spine.)
Here are his figures for last few months:
MONTH----------BUN-----Creat-----Phos-----Potassium
Dec 09 2009-----78-------4.2-------7.5-------4.1
Jan 18-----------68-------5.2-------8.2-------n/a
Jan 26-----------75-------5.9-------7.5-------5.0
Feb 04-----------86-------4.2-------n/a------4.5
March 23--------89--------4.8------9.2-------4.2
I was giving his EpiChitan (Phos binder) from Jan 26 to Feb 04, but then I think he started not liking it (that or the metamucil in his food). So since then I have cut way back on it. But his Phos has clearly gone up.
The cardiologist wanted to try him back on fluids again. So last night I tried giving him some. I gave him around 15-20ml (very hard to measure that small amount on the bag). He layed in the bed for another couple of hours with the heating pad on and it all seemed fine.
Then he started twitching a little—like trying to bite at his flank (itch? water under the skin?) Then I put him down and he legs were wobbly (like they had been after fluids back in the fall and early Jan). And he kept getting the twitching and a few times rolled backwards and fell on the floor trying to get at it. Then his back legs straightened and twitched a bit.
That lasted a few minutes and then he got a bit of food, wobbly, and peed. Then went to lie down. Then he wouldn’t purr, no matter how much I kissed/ petted him for the next few hours. Also would not react to me scratching under his neck (did not lift head). Clearly he was not feeling good. We went to bed and this morning he was good. Today, he has been purring and seems ok, perhaps a little weak. His breathing is fine, no apparent fluid in lungs.
However, this is now a dilemma. I don’t think the fluids are a possiblity again. For whatever reason he is having this reaction to them with the legs.
So his kidneys are liken to worsen...fast? He is losing weight pretty fast it seems.
In general--other than the weight loss--he has been GOOD--meowing tons, very affectionate purring, walking around, great blood sugar numbers. Loud meowing (has energy to do it.) But he is getting skinny/losing muscle, and is dehydrated.
But I need advice on what to do and how he will progress:
I have been watering down his Wellness and also squirting water into his mouth with a syringe (which he doesn’t mind). But I guess I can ramp up the amounts I squirt in from now on.
I will start being more regular with the epichitan.
He is on low carb/high pro because of the Dx (and blood sugar has been generally great). But should I got with the kidney food now? I don’t know if he’ll eat it, but will it really have an effect on the progression? His appetite is good although he’s def. eating less and in smaller amounts.
Also, wondering about the pepcid a/c (10mg tabs). He has been on a ¼ tablet twice a day. Should I bump that up? He is constipated pretty regularly (and throws up a lot of the time after he poops). Have been giving pumpkin and Miralax but not everyday since he sometimes won’t eat the food with that in it. I also have been cutting up barley grass for fiber in his food.
Most importantly, I’m wondering about the progression of the kidney disease. What should I expect? I do not want him to suffer and wonder how fast the decline is. I don’t feel good about the subQ. I”m waiting to hear about the cardiologist comments, I emailed him.
anyway advice appreciated.
thanks
Martica