Elevated Kidney Levels
Suzieque
6 years ago
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woodnative
6 years agoveggiegardnr
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
what are the chances of a cat surviving a seizure?
Comments (16)Years ago my two year old cat had a grand mal seizure. Bloods tests were run and everything was normal. Three months later, almost to the day, he had another one. He ended up having a seizure approximately every three months. Each seizure was different - some were mild, some were not. My vet told me that he now had a pattern and would have seizures the rest of his life. She also told me that unless he had two seizures within a one month period she wasn't going to put him on meds. I am happy to say that he had seizures every three months for a period of about three or four years and then they stopped. He lived a long and happy life. I know how scared I was for my kitty when he had his first seizure. The thing that you have to remember is that your kitty is not in any pain no matter how bad the seizure looks or how loud he yowls. Your kitty does not know that he had a seizure. The only thing you have to do is to make sure he doesn't hurt himself while having the seizure (ie - pull him away from broken glass) and most important - remain calm and act like nothing has happened afterward. Don't hover or hold him - just go about your business and keep an eye on him. Sometimes the recovery is quick (sometimes my kitty would get up and go right to the food bowl) and sometimes they are disoriented and exhausted for quite a while. Believe me - the seizures are much harder on you that they are for your kitty!...See MoreDog with kidney failure - what's next?
Comments (57)Just like Abby, Max still is not eating and hasn't in several days. It is virtually impossible to even get his pills in his mouth and he is drinking very little water. Yesterday and again today he threw up bile, which is a bad sign, and like Abby just lays on the couch. He is so thin, shakey and his back legs are weak. I have decided not to have him suffer through this terrible kidney disease anymore and he will be going to a better place, described in the poem "The Rainbow Bridge," to see his sister Bonnie. I will be taking him on Friday and like Laura, this is the most difficult decision anyone has to make. I call Max my little man, because my other 3 dogs are all girls. I will always remember him as a free spirit, so happy and hyper. I will remember his kisses and cuddling up to me on the couch at night, and his barking at people walking past the house and being so happy with himself when they passed by because he did such a great job scaring them off. He was with me for a wonderful 14 years, and I will wish him a safe journey, and I will miss him forever. Godspeed, my little man,until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again....See MoreKidney problems - help needed with diet. Anyone? Meghane??
Comments (17)Here's another canine renal diet from my clinical nutrition textbook, based on an 18 kg dog: 237g cooked white rice 78g cooked regular beef (not lowfat) 20g boiled egg 50g white bread 3g vegetable oil 1.5g calcium carbonate 0.5g iodized salt 1 adult vitamin per day This is a reduced protein (21%), phosphorus restricted (0.22%) diet, appropriate for early renal failure. Sounds a lot like the one you already found. Dr. Pitcarin's for dogs is: 1/4# hamburger (not lowfat) 2 3/4# cooked white enriched rice 2 large beaten whole raw eggs 1/4 cup cooked carrots 2 tablespoons cold-pressed safflower, soy, or corn oil 1 slightly rounded teaspoon eggshell powder 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt 20 milligrams vitamin B complex 1000 milligrams vitamin C optional- 1/2-1 clove minced garlic Mix and serve raw if accepted. Or mix everything except the vitamins together and bake 20 minutes in a moderate oven and wait until it cools to mix in the vitamins. Occasionally substitute 1-3 teaspoons liver for part of the meat. Will feed a 40# dog for 1 day. Provides slightly less protein (17%) 25% fat, and 55% carbs, low phosphorus. If you can calculate recipe nutrients or have a program that can do that, here are the recommendations from my clinical nutrition book for dogs with early renal disease: Phosphorus: 0.15-0.3% dry matter Protein:Sodium: Potassium recommendations vary based on individual- some animals especially cats become hypokalemic, whereas dog may become hyperkalemic. If Taco has normal potassium levels now, try to feed the same amount but make sure you monitor her renal profile including potassium on a regular basis so adjustments can be made. omega 6: omega 3 fatty acid ration There has been considerable debate on when to restrict dietary protein in dogs with renal disease, and by how much. I would definately have the urinalysis done on Taco to determine if she has proteinuria. If so, she needs more restricted protein than if not. However, the protein in either case should be high quality and easily digestible, like the eggs and hamburger meat, not plant-based which is harder to digest. My personal belief is that you should restrict the protein as little as necessary and monitor the pet to see how the diet is working. If you switch diets and the BUN (especially sensitive to dietary changes) goes up, may have to reduce the protein a little bit and recheck. The appropriate protein level will vary among individuals and by the stage of renal disease. You have to adjust as needed. It is not 100% true that there are no meds to help with kidney disease. Any medications are based upon the symptoms of each individual pet, and applied on an as-needed basis. For example, if Taco is protienuric, an ACE inhibitor such as Enalapril may be beneficial. Secondary hyperparathyroidism may require more restricted phosphorus or phosphorus binders. Anemia may require erythropoietin. If she is dehydrated and cannot drink enough water to compensate, she may need subcutaneous fluid maintenance. If she has GI signs such as vomiting or nausea, then histamine blockers (cimetidine) or proton-pump inhibitors (omeprazole) may help. If she develops hypertension, the ACE inhibitor may help but if that is not enough then can add calcium channel blockers. Proteinuria is managed through the diet. Keep in mind that you can only safely restrict the protien by so much, since protein is required for a healthy immune system. Also at some point, restricting the protein more can contribute to worsening protein-losing nephropathy, which is definately not wanted. Chronic renal disease affects pretty much the entire body. But quality of life and survival can be enhanced by careful frequent monitoring (I'd do blood pressure, CBC, renal chemistries every 3-6 months depending on progression of signs) and appropriate treatment of signs as they occur. It is not easy nor inexpensive, but I think it's worth it to keep on top of things. The single most important thing to be careful about, as others have alluded to, is water. Even a short episode of dehydration in a pet with kidney disease can be devestating and send the animal over the edge and into failure. Second most important thing is to make sure she eats well. Eating doggie junk food is preferred over anorexia, even in animals with kidney disease. The best thing though, as always, is the easiest- provide lots of love and attention as you already do. Good luck....See MoreKidney failure in Senior and diet
Comments (4)I am so sorry you are dealing with this. One of our kitties also had kidney problems once he got to be about 16. Due to other issues that he had, we didn't do the SQ fluids. I managed diet with the goal being low phosphorous levels. I found this chart to be a huge help: http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPhosphorus9-22-12.pdf I now have another kitty recovering from a bad kidney infection plus pancreatitis, one of which led to sepsis. I went back to this good old chart and have a window on my phone open to it so I can check it while in the pet food aisle. Note: I have not tried raw, but the chart covers those diets as well. Here is a link to the chart sorted by brand (including raw diets): http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf Good luck!...See MoreSuzieque
6 years agoveggiegardnr
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoSuzieque
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoveggiegardnr
6 years agoUser
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
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