Spacey got diagnosed with CRF - FOODQUESTION

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Spacey & Ella

Spacey & Ella

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Hi folks,

Spacey made another trip to the vet today with my hubby. (I'm still recovering from my operation)
Of course the vet want's her on Dr. Hill's k/d. And I think, first check the opinion's here.

At the moment Spacey is on Almo Nature canned food chicken, or chicken mixed with fish, or fish single.
I don't remember anymore, but wasn't fish the food CRF's can't have?
Would be bad for Spacey... she really love's her tuna.
Well, I just can't remember.
Help is appreciated.
 
Most fish foods are higher in phosphorus, and generally aren't good to feed any cat in most of their meals. (mercury levels & other things) I fed Cuddles the low carb foods still, but just looked for the lower phos as well, on the charts. Their way of thinking is higher quality proteins, and lower phosphorus in the foods! Definitely wet too.. helps keep them hydrated. Is she going to need fluids at all?
 
Hi Ella, so sorry to hear about the new DX for Spacey. When Cleo (GA) was dx w/ CRF it was a struggle to get her to eat anything. If Spacey still wants to eat it's a plus. I'm not sure what is available for your area, but I found this link for CRF foods on Janet's list http://webpages.charter.net/katkarma/canned.htm

It's been 8 years but I still remember a little. What treatment is proposed?

How are you feeling, we miss you in LL? :YMHUG: for you and cat_pet_icon for Spacey
 
my oldest - 16 1/2 yrs - is in stage 2 CRF. food low in phosphorus is the biggy. they also tend to get upset tummies easily, so 1/4 daily of pepcid AC (no other) when that starts. and fluids to help the kidneys when the vet says (sub-Q). normally you begin with changing their diet.

there are a few Yahoo groups that are good and a link below to another site. managed, a crf kitty can have their life extended...

http://www.felinecrf.com/index.htm

prayers for Spacey.
 
I also noticed that when Cuddles was dehydrated, she wasn't all that hungry. They feel 'punky' and just don't feel well at all when they're dehydrated. I could never tell with the snap test (scruff), but could easily tell if she was dehydrated by checking her mouth & gums. Her mouth was so dry when I'd check it, but at first I thought that was normal. The vet said no, and we started fluids. I'd check her gums again, and she had saliva everywhere! Was gross, but how it was supposed to be. lol ;-)

So just make sure she's hydrated too. Maybe vet can give some fluids to see if it perks her up? If so, then they can get you on a regular regimen of giving sub-q fluids at home.
 
Hi Ella, As stated, lower phosphorus is the most important, until "end stage" Just say NO to the k/d cr*p. Cats, as you know ;-) are obligate carnivores. Feeding low protein food is feeding the kidneys but not the whole cat.

On Janet and Binkys charts you want the phosphorus to be around 250, on the katkarma charts Ann gave you, try to stick close to 1%. Its hard, and depending on Spaceys numbers, you can probably go a little higher, or mix a lower phos food with a higher phos food. You wont find some new foods on the katkarma charts, its been added to once but that was a while ago too.

Vets and CRD are like Vets and FD. Some vets go totally overboard when the numbers are only a little elevated, and other vets dismiss numbers that warrant treatment.

Tanyas UK site http://www.felinecrf.org is awesome.

One thing to ask vettybean about is Calcitriol.. more info can be found here:
http://members.verizon.net/~vze2r6qt/calcitriol/

Numbers that are good to know are BUN, Creatinine, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Urine USG.

Merlyn ate Wellness grain free canned and was dxed with early renal disease a month after going OTJ in June of 05, and his kidneys remained relatively stable until his heart disease sent him over the Bridge.

Crossing all paws for Spacey!
 
Thanks for all the info!
I couldn't find any food charts yesterday. Who knows where I've been in my head.

Spacey's future:
Well, of course it's all ending. What me and my hubby aim for is to make her life now as comfortable as it can be.
That means: no more unnecessary poking and testing. She is just not the kind of cat. With Stickey, her brother I also lost on CRF, things where bit different. He didn't mind sub q's. Spacey just wont. She want's to be left alone mainly.
So I'm not going to force her.
At the moment she is still eating very well. I already got that water fountain for her since I've read so much about cats not really in to drinking and a fountain just might do the trick. And I always at extra water to her tinned food.
I'm also looking for food which is good for and diabetes and kidney's. So, of course I try to avoid Dr. Hill's k/d stuff.
I sent an e-mail today to the manufacturer of Almo Nature (high quality proteins, holistic stuff etc.), that's what she eats now. But I don't know anything about their phosphor/calcium rate. So I asked about that. If that's okay, I try to continue with that stuff, but cut the fish selection of Almo. Fortunately Spacey also like's chicken.
Unfortunately I never could Spacey to barf (eat raw).

I ordered sheets for the couch, cause she is leaking a lot of urine. She doesn't matter that she's leaking, so that's okay.
I also ordered some phosphor binder stuff for adding to the food. And some homeopathic stuff that seems to slow down the whole progress. And I'm also adding extra Omega oils to her food, in addition to the B12 and Cosequin she is already getting.
The vet didn't give us any medication. I'm not even sure I would get a pill down Spacey's throat.

So, there we are. Mind the food, put some extra oils and stuff in it. And that's about it.
Am sad already losing her, but that was always around the corner eventually. I still hope she will be around for a couple of months more for me to get used to the idea. But I also know that things can progress quite quickly, especially since it is impossible to treat her with sub q's.
It feels a bit like her whole system is crashing bit by bit: first her arthritis (which was treated with Metacam and we all know what that does to kidneys! Maybe I found out too late?), then the diabetes, then 2-3 months bladder infection and now her ureum/crea values tripled since Nov last year.

Keep her happy and don't let her suffer. That's the last I can do for her. Let's see how long we stretched it out.

Again: thank you for your input!
Going to check out the Calcitriol page now...
 
my Sneakie isn't crazy about Sub Q, but i wrap her in fleece, set her on my lap, and cover her after I insert the needle. appears the cuddling and being wrapped calms her and the fluids are a breeze. just a sharing thought.

sounds like Spacey is pretty far along on the CRF chart - I'm so sorry. :YMHUG:
 
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