Sheba update
Talked to the vet last night. She did have some bacteria in her urine, so we will keep her on the antibiotics for the rest of the week.
The bad news is that it's her kidneys - when she was there two months ago, she was at the high end of normal and now she is in the beginning stages of kidney failure
No thyroid issues, no diabetes. I will be switching her to a low protein diet of wet food. She will be thrilled, I am sure.
For now, we just watch and wait. As long as I can keep her kidneys functioning, she will be okay. At some point, I may have to take her in for some fluid beneath the skin, but for now I am just keeping a big bowl of water next to her food dish and letting everyone know that when they see her by a faucet, they need to turn it on and let her drink.
Blah - that's how I feel about all of this. Just blah
- WalkOnBy's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
Comments
she will be fine WOB - you on
she will be fine WOB - you on the other hand is another story... now move it, Queen Sheba wants some nice soft salmon and cream when she comes home.....
she has to eat low protein so
she has to eat low protein so as not to tax her kidneys, so no salmon for her![Sad](https://prod-cdn-1.ststatic.com/sites/all/modules/contrib/smiley/packs/kolobok/sad.gif)
When she finds out that she can't have cheese anymore, she's gonna flip out...
buffalo milk or camel milk
buffalo milk or camel milk cheese?
oh do you get something like cremora or ellis brown there.... powdered milk.... we put a bit out for Aergia's cat
just the powder lol, and of course this cat eats red yeast pills like pallets,
oh read this link... maybe it will help you in finding her something nice to eat... poor old lady
http://www.felinecrf.org/which_foods.htm
*distant sound of wailing
*distant sound of wailing coming from the south*
NO CHEESE???????? -sobs-
thank you for the update. poor girl. and you poor furmomma. ((((hugs))))
~hands Tuff a cheese platter~
~hands Tuff a cheese platter~
*squeals* danke! funny thing
*squeals* danke!
funny thing is, i actually am munching on some crackers with creamy horseradish white cheddar.
My Sammy cat has a lot of
My Sammy cat has a lot of health issues and absolutely needs to take in as much water as possible. To get this to happen, I bought 2 different cat water fountains (in 2 different rooms away from the food dish). He takes in 25% more as a result.
We live in FL so the water is pretty terrible here so I do have to make sure I clean the fountains every few days so based on that, if you decide to go that route, get a stainless steel one that can be run thru the dishwasher.
We also keep out a stationary water bowl.
She hates the fountains, and
She hates the fountains, and I never could understand why. I have purchased every single one of them on the market, hoping to find one she could live with.
I guess I could try again - after all, she is now drinking out of her water bowl, something she hardly ever did before.
NO cheese?? Poopie!!! I had a
NO cheese?? Poopie!!!
I had a kitty that had renal failure. I was able to do the subcutaneous fluids (under the skin) at home. If they will allow it, I have faith you can do it. xoxo
I have a girlfriend who used
I have a girlfriend who used to hydrate her kitty ( same kidney issues) twice a week. It wasn't so bad to do and she lived a couple more years with a special diet and doing that. I think she was 21 when she passed.
My cat has this issue even
My cat has this issue even though she drinks a lot of water. She has been on a special diet for about 5 or 6 years now. She has put on a lot of weight....LOL. Vet tried 2 times to change her over to a weight loss diet. Each time she was on a weight reduction diet, she lost a lot of weight but she would start to have issues with UTD again. I refuse to change her diet again. I'd rather have a plump Kitty than no Kitty.
Awwweee, I'm so sorry to have
Awwweee, I'm so sorry to have just read about Queen Sheba. I'm also very embarrassed to say that I cried a bit too, even though it's been nine years since I lost my kitty to renal failure.
It was a very difficult time for me because I was living alone with just her and her brother for company, so they were my babies. Nikki was only 8 at the time...weird.
She made it very clear when she was ready to go, I mean so clear that it was like she was telling me that it will be o.k.
Sheba is very lucky to have you as her mommy and I know you'll take good care of her!!
She is a wet food whore, so I
She is a wet food whore, so I am hoping that she will like one of the samples....
I told her this morning that I would fight with her as long as she wanted to, but she was going to have to let me know if it was too much for her.
She licked me, and she is NOT a licker, so I took that as her saying "okay, mom."
Lots of water and hugs for
Lots of water and hugs for Sheba.
Sheba will tell you when it's
Sheba will tell you when it's time. ((Hugs)) you're both in our thoughts.
The vet can show you how to
The vet can show you how to administer sub-cutaneous fluids so you don't have to drag her up there every time she needs them. They'll actually walk you through the process there so they're sure you can do it. They'll probably give you a schedule. My little buddy is getting them every 48 - 72 hours right now. Perks him right up. I've heard that with food and supportive fluids, it's not unusual for them to live an additional two years.
I'm so sorry to hear about
I'm so sorry to hear about Sheba. I currently have a cat who is in the beginning stages of kidney failure. I have been through it twice before. This is a great website with lots of information on the condition http://www.felinecrf.org/
As you already know, liquids are the key to fighting the condition. An easy way to add more water to her diet is to add some warm water to her canned food. You will have to experiment to see how mushy she will eat it. I store the left over canned food in the fridge. When I feed it next, I put some in a bowl with a bit of warm water and heat it in the microwave to room temperature - that makes it more palatable.
Royal Canin and Hills Science Diet both make canned and dry foods for kidney disease. Royal Canin has several different types that are based on whether a cat is motivated by taste or smell or texture. I think Science Diet has at least two different flavors. You can get them from your vet or the vet can write a prescription and you can get them at Petsmart. If Sheba refuses any of the special brands, you can still give her a canned food that is low in protein. Look at the high end brands like Nutro and Wellness.
If she gets to the point where she needs subcutaneous fluids, you can do it yourself at home. I did it with a cat for about a year and it was not that difficult. (Having said that, I do have a numb spot in one finger because I stabbed myself with the needle and it did some nerve damage.)
In my personal experience the time from initial diagnoses to the end is about two years. You are already ahead of the game because you caught it early. With your motivation and Sheba's spirit I predict you still have a lot of time together.
thanks for your take on this,
thanks for your take on this, notsure. I don't know anyone who has gone through this and it really helps![Smile](https://prod-cdn-1.ststatic.com/sites/all/modules/contrib/smiley/packs/kolobok/smile.gif)
We seem to be in the second stage, so for now I will focus on increasing her fluids. DH forgot to go by the vet last night to pick up the samples of the prescription food, so I will go by tonight on my way home from work.
Sheba is definitely motivated by taste, so we will play around and see which one she likes best. I like your adding water idea, so I will try that, too.
The vet wants her on straight wet food to maximize the fluid intake. Sheba has always had both wet and dry, but I don't think she'll howl too much about dropping the dry![Smile](https://prod-cdn-1.ststatic.com/sites/all/modules/contrib/smiley/packs/kolobok/smile.gif)