Harry has a reason to hate the vet.

[llcoolvad]

Oh boy, back on the cat health roller coaster. Harry just got diagnosed with renal failure and anemia. He has to begin the classic kidney regimen of Pepcid, a special diet, and daily fluids. It's Xing all over again, and with an added dollop of GreyKitty (the anemia). He's got to get started the anemia medication, too (erythropoietin), although we're waiting a couple of weeks to start that. Since he's already on twice daily thyroid meds that's a lot of stuff he'll have to deal with. Poor guy.

I'm sad, of course, but I'm also pissed off. There was no indication of any kidney issues at his last blood test. My vet said that his thyroid meds weren't keeping up, so she increased the dose (not a lot, but some). He was fine for a while, but now this — and one of the things she wants me to do is lower his thyroid med dose back to where it was three months ago. So as I sit here I think — did the increased thyroid meds screw up his kidneys? I probably should have done the radiation therapy last year when the thyroid thing first happened. I am no fan of medications that you are on for life — they seem like a bad idea. If we'd done the radiation therapy he wouldn't have had to take the daily meds. Ugh.

So when Xing started on her kidney regimen she had a few good months, then faded pretty quick. Beginning to end, six months. Here's hoping Harry responds well and bounces back. He lost two pounds in the last three months, though, bringing him down to 9 pounds (from a high a few years ago of 14 pounds). That doesn't leave him a lot of reserves.

Comments

[zanzjan.livejournal.com]

oh no! )-: Poor Harry!

I will keep my fingers crossed for him.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I know cats don't live forever, and Harry's probably been living on borrowed time for a while with the eye and the thyroid, etc. But can't I have a whole year without a health scare? Patrick thinks my vet is one of those "Angels of Death" types — she's the same vet that put Skottie and Trooper and Zachary (Patrick's other brother's dog) down — all within a few months of each other. If you ever met her you'd know how funny that is. She's probably 30, sweet, cute, cries each time she has to put an animal down, and is always very solicitous to me. P thinks it's a big act! :-)

[rolandgsl.livejournal.com]

A friend of my wife was able to keep one of her cats around for a couple of extra years with the fluids, but I don't think he? she? had some of Harry's other complications...

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Yeah, back when I went through this with Xing (in 2000? I think) I read of a ton of people who have managed to keep their kidney cats alive for several years (several quality years) with fluids and diet management. I'm hoping Harry is one of those types. Xing, who was FeLeuk positive her whole life, started out her renal failure with a hospitalization and at the time the vet didn't think she'd last the week. She ended up lasting another six months, at least four of which were pretty good. Perhaps because Harry is a little stronger to begin with he'll last a bit longer. I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary, though.

[ozymandiasism.livejournal.com]

hug. kitty sickness is no fun....

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

No, it never gets any easier, either. Dumb cats. Why can't they learn English already so they can tell us sooner when they're feeling pooly?

[superplin.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Poor Harry, and poor you. Big hugs.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Pat Fred for me!

[superplin.livejournal.com]

Will do.
I am especially appreciative of Fred this week, since I'm taking care of my neighbors' cats while they're away. The cats are very sweet, but they are, well, not-Fred cats. Meaning they sometimes pee on the rug, and there is often vomit to clean up.

I am so spoiled.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Vomit, you say? Golly! Cats do that?

I jest. Sam and Harry sometimes have the vomit olympics around my house. Who can produce more?! Who can place it most inconveniently?! Patrick's cat Rita decided she wanted to compete, too, when I was pet-sitting her a couple of months ago. That was fun! She won for most inconvenient, as she didn't even bother getting out of bed when the urge struck.

You are very spoiled!!

[superplin.livejournal.com]

I know! It's terrible. I mean, it's great, but she's ruined me for regular cats forever.

Maybe this is my karmic reward for all those years with Vicki, who pees on anything left on the floor for more than 30 seconds (including shoes), uses her litter box only when she feels like it, and liked to throw up and/or poop in the most strategic positions possible, so as to maximize the chances of someone stepping in it while blearily stumbling to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

[athenais.livejournal.com]

Aw, man. What is with our pets? This year is NO GOOD FOR PETS!

Well, Natasha is holding on with no further weight loss (indeed, some gain) and her personality is quite restored thanks to the fluids. I hope we have more than six months with her. I hope Harry battles back.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

This is indeed a miserable no good very bad year for pets. Poor Harry: in the last two years he's lost his eye, had major dental surgery, had a lump removed from his jaw, had a cancer scare, had thyroid issues, and now this. Despite all that, he's starting from a better place than Xing, who was FeLeuk positive from when I got her as a kitten and started her kidney decline with a hospitalization. Harry doesn't need to be hospitalized, so here's hoping that he will bounce back nicely (as Natasha has). Thanks for your thoughts!

[sarcasticah.livejournal.com]

Aw, Harry! Poor guy.