Puddles

[Frenchy]

I'm so sorry about Puddles L4H good luck at the vet tomorrow. I'm hoping it's not as worse as you think.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

Puddles has been on raw for a couple of years, her cre and bun values have been so consistent at about 146-152 over the last 5 years and this time they have spiked to 192 as well as her bun (I can't remember that number, I was numbed when I saw the cre). That is why my vet is thinking early renal failure.

What's the ref range for this lab? Cre 83-181? Is it an inhouse or a sent-to-lab test?

Just to give you an idea of when Duffy was diagnosed after the food recall her BUN was @ 14.7 (that labs ref @ the time 5-12.5) & Cre was @ 200.5 (that labs ref @ the time 83-181) both high.

How's her hydration level?

Originally Posted by Love4himies

Getting urine out of her is such a chore as she is NOT cooperative.

Hopefully they can get a nice "sterile" urine sample via cysto or she pees on the vet

for Puddles

Even though we knew this was coming eventually, it doesn't make it any easier

[Love4himies]

Thanks Growler. I will try to remember to get a copy of the blood work while I am at the vets today, but yes that was the range for creatinine and bun.

The blood work (except the thyroid test) is done in house, as is the urine test.

[Love4himies]

Well the vet visit was horrible . I was crying, thinking I may have killed Puddles. Now I have to keep a close watch on her.

The vet manually expressed her bladder. He got urine out very easily, but then she started bleeding and was in pain . The vet didn't know what happened. He is sending out her urine sample to get an accurate reading on it, but did take some from the sample to do their in house looking for crystals.

Her ph was 6.5, the specific gravity was 1.05, there was 3+ protein, no crystals and some bacteria, but the sample could have been contaminated. Will have to wait a couple of days for the other test.

[ancientgirl]

Poor girl. I can't imagine getting urine from anybody forcefully feels great. I hope the samples were good enough for the tests.

I hope she's relaxing now that she's home.

[bendyfoot]

Hey L4, I had no idea you were going through this kind of thing as well....not much fun, is it? Sorry to hear you had a rough vet visit today. I actually know a ton of people who express their cat or dog's bladder manually (mostly due to some kind of neuro issue) and it's not painful, but can be a bit uncomfortable if the express-ee is tense. Maybe there's an infection or something that caused the blood? Anyways, I know where you're coming from and hope you both have a better day tomorrow

[hazelrunpack]

I hope they can figure out what's going on soon, L4H

for Puddles feeling much better tomorrow!

[14+kitties]

That must have sucked. The one vet I see expresses too. I hate it when she does it. The cats always seem like they hate it so much. They aren't comfortable and hardly in the pee position.
I hope there was no damage done when he expressed her.
Sending lots more your way.

[Love4himies]

I know he has damaged something. She hasn't slept. He gave her some subq's but she hasn't peed yet. I hope he didn't burst her bladder.

I am so stressed, can't sleep.

[14+kitties]

He did the xrays after he expressed and everything looked all right, right? So she must be ok. Maybe she has an infection as well?

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

He is sending out her urine sample to get an accurate reading on it, but did take some from the sample to do their in house looking for crystals.

Her ph was 6.5, the specific gravity was 1.05, there was 3+ protein, no crystals and some bacteria, but the sample could have been contaminated. Will have to wait a couple of days for the other test.

Since Puddles was bleeding after the urine I would consider the entire sample inaccurate Even if the samples were taken mid-stream before touching the table etc the sample could have epitherial cells or bacteria forced from the bladder wall or urethra that may not normally show in a sterile cysto sample. If the stream hit her fur first anything on there could potentially contaminate the sample, if collected from the table it could not be consdered sterile enough for an accurate reading, or too sterile if there is residual cleaner picked up.

I'm floored that a vet would do a manual expression on a cat that has a history of urine retention when attempting to obtain a sample and one who is suspected of having kidney issues.

The USG looks good so far

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by growler

Since Puddles was bleeding after the urine I would consider the entire sample inaccurate Even if the samples were taken mid-stream before touching the table etc the sample could have epitherial cells or bacteria forced from the bladder wall or urethra that may not normally show in a sterile cysto sample. If the stream hit her fur first anything on there could potentially contaminate the sample, if collected from the table it could not be consdered sterile enough for an accurate reading, or too sterile if there is residual cleaner picked up.

I'm floored that a vet would do a manual expression on a cat that has a history of urine retention when attempting to obtain a sample and one who is suspected of having kidney issues.

The USG looks good so far

Even for testing the kidney function? I can tell you it won't happen again .

Here's the update:

The vet gave her subq's last night so she would pee by about 8-9PM. He also told me to keep an eye on her gum colour just in case there is internal bleeding. So she didn't go pee by 9 so I got up every 30 minutes, checked on her gums, checked her breathing. She would lay her head down to sleep all night. I kept getting up to put her in her litter box, specially cleaned just for HRH Princess Puddles, to encourage her to pee. She wouldn't.

At 6AM she still hadn't peed, she was licking her lips as if she was nauseated, wouldn't eat , I am panicked. Called the vet at home he wanted her at the clinic within an hour.

Got out of the shower and there was a HUGE FUR BALL! Then she jumps in her litter box and does a huge pee, NO BLOOD! Then she jumps out, runs to the door and wants to play outside , Called the vet, canceled the emergency appt (good thing he hadn't left home yet). The whole night she was nauseated with a fur ball . Hubby is going home at noon to check on her.

[mastifflover]

Oh my god Puddles you scared your mom so badly. I am glad Puddles is doing better. You must be so relieved I hope all the tests come back with good results.

[chico2]

L4H,that's good news,isn't it
Maybe a huge hairball is what caused her problem,I hope so

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by mastifflover

Oh my god Puddles you scared your mom so badly. I am glad Puddles is doing better. You must be so relieved I hope all the tests come back with good results.

Well Growler liked the specific gravity, so I am feeling good about that.

Originally Posted by chico2

L4H,that's good news,isn't it
Maybe a huge hairball is what caused her problem,I hope so

Of course by 6AM, I had visions that her bladder had ruptured and that she was slowly dying

It is good news, but am still cautious, hopefully DH will get a chance to run home at lunch today . Puddles normally gets very quiet and looses her appetite a day or two before the furball comes out. Of course I don't know how her sleeps are because I have never checked on her every 30 minutes before. Crap, am I tired.

I went outside get some fresh catnip to sprinkle on her breakfast so hopefully she will eat it. She is also on clavamox due to the bleeding so that can cause her to loose her appetite too.

[Frenchy]

Hoping that Puddles will eat a bit today

[catlover2]

L4H, just read your story on Puddles. What a frustrating and anxious time you've had with her and the vet! Hope you and Puddles have better days ahead.

[loopoo]

thats great news that she has her energy back hope she eats and is feeling good real soon

[Love4himies]

Got home after work and she is still not herself. She ate a tiny bit, but not enough to sustain her. It looks like her third eyelid still wants to come out . This is reminding me of the beginning of the end of Snowball.

Should I continue with the Clavamox if she isn't eating? There is no proof of infection, it was just a preventative measure due to the bleeding.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

Should I continue with the Clavamox if she isn't eating? There is no proof of infection, it was just a preventative measure due to the bleeding.

I'm so sorry she isn't feeling good

you know , it's hard to tell about the Clavamox. Maybe it would make her feel better in a few days , and feeling better will make her eat. But then , if she's not eating because of the Clavamox ... I don't know what to tell you L4H

[Love4himies]

Thanks Frenchy, I think I will stop the antibiotics. She needs to eat.

[Winston]

L4H when Bomber was ill the vet prescribed a appetite stimulant. I can find the name out for you if you like. I am not sure what to tell you.

Did they give her any meds yet? or was it the clavamox they prescribed?

[14+kitties]

L4 - The vet put Benni on Mirtazapine for an appetite stimulant. It is a pill which is broken into three and one part given three days apart. She had her first third on Mon. Will get her second tomorrow. She isn't eating either. The only way I get food down her is to force feed her through a syringe. I am hoping with the second part of her pill she will get enough appetite back on her own.
Brownie was on that pill as well for his appetite. For him it worked almost immediately. But he was never off his food as much as what Benni is until close to the end.
Continued good vibes, crossed fingers and big prayers for Puddles and Mom.

[Love4himies]

She didn't eat yesterday so I forced fed her and she wouldn't eat this morning so I did it again. She hates it . I have attached her bloodwork.

I am thinking about looking for a cat vet in Ottawa. I am pretty sure there are none in the Kingston area.

Puddles bloodwork.pdf

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

She didn't eat yesterday so I forced fed her and she wouldn't eat this morning so I did it again. She hates it

If you're at the point of having to force feed her, I would stop the Clavamox. Especially since it was only prescribed as a precaution and not for anything specific. It's just too risky when cats lose their appetite. Having had a cat develop hepatic lipidosis from a course of antibiotics (that were prescribed for urinary crystals ), way back when I didn't even know there was such a thing or that antibiotics could wreak such havoc on the feline appetite, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

If she doesn't start eating on her own in a day, I'd be getting that appetite stimulant from the vet.

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

If you're at the point of having to force feed her, I would stop the Clavamox. Especially since it was only prescribed as a precaution and not for anything specific. It's just too risky when cats lose their appetite. Having had a cat develop hepatic lipidosis from a course of antibiotics (that were prescribed for urinary crystals ), way back when I didn't even know there was such a thing or that antibiotics could wreak such havoc on the feline appetite, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

If she doesn't start eating on her own in a day, I'd be getting that appetite stimulant from the vet.

Thanks SCM, I didn't give her any clavamox yesterday due to her not eating, so she hasn't had any since Tues. On the weekend her appetite was fine, Monday not so great, then gone on Tues.

Did you look at her bloodwork, her Alt is high - 112 (20-100 normal), which is throwing a loop into things.

[Chris21711]

Sorry to hear that Puddles has shown little improvement L4H

The last time Herbie came home from the Vet's after his constipation issues, the Vet gave him cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant, 1/4 pill every 8 hours. He didn't need any....he walked in the house straight to his food dish

Here's ing that she recovers quickly.

[diandpat]

Oh Dear, such a stressful situation I have absolutely nothing to say to help you but I click on this thread every day hoping that Puddles is getting back to her old self

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by Chris21711

Sorry to hear that Puddles has shown little improvement L4H

The last time Herbie came home from the Vet's after his constipation issues, the Vet gave him cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant, 1/4 pill every 8 hours. He didn't need any....he walked in the house straight to his food dish

Silly kitties

Here's ing that she recovers quickly.

Thanks Chris. I really thought her lack of appetite was due to the furball, unless she has more to come .

I picked up some cans of Kitten Wellness to feed her. It is easy to mix with water and very palatable to kitties. We'll see how that goes.

[chico2]

Aww L4H,I sooo feel for you
The worry,the frustration breaks your heart.
The scariest of all is when they stop eating,Rocky went down so fast
Lets hope an appetite-stimulant will get Puddles eating,I could not even get Rocky to take it,or keep anything down.
for little Puddles and you