My Kitty is Quite Ill

[shipperx]

So I took Carly to the vet and had bloodwork done.  She was diagnosed as being in chronic renal failure.  

The good part was that her numbers weren't so high that they had reached critical state such that there had been irreversible crystalization in her kidneys but... well... she isn't going to get 'well' either.  

They said I could leave her for IV fluids for several days but Carly is really crazed and unmanageable at the vets.  They'd have to sedate her to treat her.  They also said I could give her subcutaneous fluids at home which means that I  basically hook her up to an IV and give her saline, just beneath the skin rather than actually intravenously.  

I opted for the latter because I think leaving her at the vet would only leave her highly stressed and would kill her sooner.  

Her creatinine levels hadn't reached critical levels yet, which is good.  But her phosphorus is quite high (though also not quite to critical). Still, reading up online, yeah, all her symptoms fall under the symptoms of too much phosphorus. So the vet gave me a bag of saline, some hypodermics with anti-nausea medication, special food, and a demonstration and instructions for what to do with instructions to come back in 10 days  or so to have more saline and quite probably to do more bloodwork (though this time alone cost me $200!  YIKES!)

Basically I'm left with the impression that Carly isn't going to die any second now, but she's nineteen and...well... she's nineteen. This should improve her quality of life for the immediate future, helping her feel better, and lowering her phosphorus should help lessen her symptoms, but it's no cure.  And eventually...

For the time being, however, she's treatable. And she's still physically okay in most respects so she's definitely worth treating as long as it improves her quality of life.  Poor baby. 

Comments

[ww1614.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}}

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

She also bit me at the vet (poor thing was terrified) so now my thumb hurts.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry, sweetie. 19 though…wow. You've done so well with her!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know what's the more scary prospect, that she dies sometime in the near future, or that she lingers for years needing intensive treatment. Either seems possible at this stage. :/

[ladyanne04.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. Our dog had kidney issues earlier this year, and one thing that's helped is getting a pet fountain that streams water - it really encourages her to drink more water and helps the kidney function.

I hope she continues to do well!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

She drinks tremendously. Apparently it's reached the stage where she most likely simply cannot drink enough, hence the subcutaneous fluids.

[lk737.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm so sorry. I was hoping it wasn't kidney related, but I guess that comes with the territory when they get older. I'm just glad you are able to give her a better quality of life. She sounded so pathetic and not herself.

You are both in my prayers for some good memories and more days together. *snuggles you both*

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

And, yeah, at that age, I guess we should expect some organ to begin giving out.

[wildrider.livejournal.com]

I understand, living with a 20-year-old with hyperthyroidism. Poor baby. I know all you want to do is make her happy for what time she has left, but it's just not easy. *hugs*

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I do want to do everything I can for her. I wish I were a little more clear on how intense for how long, though.

Poor baby. I do hope this helps her feel better.

[sourisvho.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. I know it's a tough time. 19 is great, but I know you want more! I would, too.

A friend who had to give her cat an IV found it to be actually pretty easy, as her cat seemed to realize that she felt better after the IV, so put up with it well. I hope Carly is the same.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

My sister's cat has diabetes and accepts that needle fairly well. My cat is more tempermental. However, she seemed to take it at the office (until the vet wanted to touch her, and then she flipped out).

Right now she's acting quite resentful, but I think getting her back to familiar circumstances will be helpful.

[chloris.livejournal.com]

Poor kitty! I hope that the treatment helps her and she deals with the iv. *hugs*

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

And hopefully.

[rahirah]

Aw, poor Carly. Hope this makes things easier for her.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I hope so.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

::hugs::

I had to do sub-Q fluids for my cat Beetle years ago, and for the same reason, and it really did help a lot.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I do want her to feel better (I think the anti-nausea medicine has helped at least).

[molly_may]

Poor kitty! I hope the treatment works to make her feel better.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Hopefully.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that she's sick. No matter how old our kitties, we still want them to be healthy and happy. I hope she does feel better with the treatment. (((hugs)))

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Sending along good vibes to both of you.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[deborahw37.livejournal.com]

Oh poor kitty! 19 is a good age, just love her and give her the best life she can have for as long as she's still enjoying life ((hugs))

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[shapinglight]

So sorry to hear this.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[beloved4always.livejournal.com]

oh sweets. I'm so sorry. *hugs* Hope the treatment helps her feel better.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Hopefully. Thank you.

[gamiila.livejournal.com]

Poor kitty. I hope that with the saline, she starts to feel better soon.

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

So sorry about this, Lisa. My cat had the same condition, but I couldn't bear to give her the subcut fluids, so we made many stressful trips to the vet before we had to put her to sleep. You're lucky you can do it yourself - it will help to make her comfortable (and save you a lot of money - we spent a few thousand on our cat before the end).

All we ever want to do is spare our pets undue suffering. As hard as it is, I think you're doing the right thing. I hope she feels better soon and maybe gains a little weight. xo

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I don't know what to do long term. Looking it up, her phosphorus levels were out the roof. Perhaps not lethal, but through the roof.

Also, taking her regularly to the vet is out of the question. The vet is literally perhaps 100ft from my house, but Carlyle has never been well socialized. She doesn't trust people other than me and sometimes my parents because they come over to feed her occasionally. She allows no one else to touch her and has to be sedated to even be examined. A vet visit turns her into the Tasmanian devil even when gravely ill. And the one time I left her at the vet overnight she was so traumatized that it was scarring. I'm the only one who could touch her in the vet's office yesterday to muzzle her yesterday so they could take blood without sedating her. And she bit me in the process. No vet aid would touch her. Vet visits are pure torture for her. She really can't take it. So... I don't know. I just think too many vet visits with her would be traumatising to the point of torturous. So at this point it's seeing how this goes and how much it helps. There are some steps that could be more terror than they are worth. I don't want her last days to be kitty hell. :(

[cordykitten]

*hugs* Sad news.
I googled a bit to understand but it's not the same my tom cat has (and my mother's had) were you can treat with special food and that's it. I'm glad to hear it's treatable, though.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Thank you. +hug+