5/28 Rosie AMPS:105 +4:57 +5:65 +6:59 +7:59 +9:77 PMPS:89 +3:87 +4:96 taking temporary reduction

Yesterday

It was a rough evening with Rosie last night. She kept getting up and going to the litter over and over and not peeing. At one point, she looked as if something hurt. We were on the verge of the emergency vet. Then the last visit, with much straining, she produced a poo and was like a new kitty. So, we are just SO focused on the peeing, we didn't think about that.

And now she has given us a 57 at AM+4! I guess she held the reduction. This is only her fifth cycle on the reduction to 0.75 but if she asks for another today, I think we are inclined to give it. That would out us back to where we were before antibiotics and we are going out tomorrow after +4 so would feel better not worrying that she is up to something. I know we will be skipping a shot for the ultrasound on Tuesday, so I suspect we have some readjustment in our future in any event.

I'm also going to start up the potassium supplement today. I believe one possible side effect of low potassium is constipation. I have been waiting "one more day" to start, worrying about upsetting her stomach after the antibiotic fest, but figure we will start on 1/4 dose and see how it goes.

Vines to all who need them today.

 

I bet Rosie felt better after she got that poo out. Nice numbers today. I think I'd take the reduction too if she goes low. Good luck with the potassium supplement.

 

Glad that she was finally able to go, but it feels like your poor girl is just having one issue after another at the moment.

Sending lots of vines for great results on Tuesday - enough is enough, right Rosie? Time to get some good news!

 

Rosie, come closer to shore little one!
I use clearlax for Boomer and Allen; I think the US version is miralax. Pumpkin helps too although I found it raised Boomer's numbers slightly....my carb sensitive kitty!

 

There are a few options regarding managing constipation.

• Add oil or butter to Rosie's food
• Add pumpkin puree (not pie filling) or squash baby food to her food
• Miralax -- start at 1/8 teaspoon once or twice a day up to 1/4 teaspoon BID and add to food
• Slippery Elm Bark - I'm less familiar with SEB but @Marje and Gracie is very familiar with its use.

 

Please be sure to keep an eye on her potassium if you supplement it under veterinary care. While not impossible, it would be odd to see the very early CKD affecting her potassium. It is very common for insulin to cause the cells to uptake potassium and so the serum levels are lower but the cells have potassium...which is where it is needed. This is different from cats with CKD where the level of cellular potassium is even lower than serum potassium levels. Unfortunately, there is no way to test for cellular potassium levels. So just be cautious and retest her serum potassium levels sooner rather than later. Her potassium has been pretty steady since her last blood test.

Have you seen this great website (done by a friend of mine from another forum) on feline constipation. Lots of good info. I use SEB, as Sienne said, for constipation and also for loose stools. If you buy the pure powder at a health food store (you only need to buy 1/8 cup), mix 1/4 tsp with filtered water to make a slurry and then syringe feed. Some cats will eat it sprinkled on their food (I wouldn't put 1/4 tsp sprinkled on at one time) but my cats never would. However,the slurry does not usually have a taste. You can give it a few times a day.

I hope it helps!

 

+ 5 is 65. +6 is 69.

I don't think Rosie is going to go for canned pumpkin. HA ha ha ha! Sorry. I just had the mental image of that, you know? I think I will ask DH to pick up Miralax. I also have some butternut squash still in storage that we grew lst summer! I can cook and puree a bit and try it. Miracles have been known to happen.

I am the one who worries about SEB because it is not a controlled substance for content. It makes me nervous to think of using something when I am not confident about what is in there. I think I also explained before that this discomfort ws born of a years-ago experience of a long and nasty paranoid episode following some brownies. It was then I realized you just didn't know what was in there.

Anyway, thank you thank you for all the advice and well wishes. Yes, Rosie has been having lots of troubles lately. When she was a tiny kitten, maybe 12 or 14 weeks old, my vet (same one!) told us she had IBD and that she was a very "emotional" kitty. At the time she had blood in her stool and he eliminated everything else. Our pets had a large fenced in yard and both kitties used that instead of a litter box ten times to one. As a result, who knew, really, how much anyone was peeing, pooping or what the details were? She has been using the LB exclusvely now only for perhaps a year or 18 months. So, I am learning as we go along what to look for.

 

Cross posted, @Marje and Gracie! Thank you. Yes, the vet was adamant about testing very soon. Max two weeks, I believe she said. What made her decide to try it was the rear leg weakness. I will discuss this with her when we see her next. Which, the way things have been going, will be sooner rather than later. I gave her under 1/2 scoop of Renacare just now. The dosage is 1 scoop 2 times a day, so we are way under. I just want to make sure we don't overload her right now with something that could have digestive fallout.

 

I would respectfully disagree about the SEB. I always buy US, organic, and certified by QAI. I've been using it for 15 years in my cats and never had one issue. Yes, you can get some impure stuff out there but you have to do your homework. I prefer it to giving Miralax or other drugs. I am pretty picky about what my cats get...even more so than my own nutrition and I'm really a fanatic about eating clean.

 

Sorry I don't know anything about Rosie's issues, but we want to send her some beautiful vines today. Rusty is out inspecting the plants.

Good luck with the meds and supplements, Lydia.

Yo Rosie, surf a little higher. I'm watching and have the waterwings at the ready.
LagoonMeister Rusty

 

I didn't have much luck with the SEB, but a teaspoon of baby food squash in Cinco's breakfast every day kept him pretty regular. When he was constipated, before the squash, I gave him 1/2 teaspoon of canola oil in his food and that got things moving. Hopefully Rosie won't have that trouble again soon.

Rosie, I know Rusty's out there in the deep end with you, but he has lots of kitties to watch, so please come a little closer to shore. Harvey's watching the shallow end and can keep his eyes on you, too!

 

Still surfing at 59 at +7.

@Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA), vines received and those water wings? Glad to hear about them.

@Marje and Gracie, herbal supplements are just outside my personal comfort zone, in general, for reasons I explained above. I did not mean to suggest you are lazy or sloppy. You clearly give and gave it your all! But now that you mention QAI, I realize I need to run this past my daughter. This IS her field and I'm not sure why I didn't twig on that earlier. She has told me which certifications are meningful and which are not--for eggs, for example. I will ask her today. LOVE getting some personal mileage out of those degrees.

 

Rosie is looking good with her BG's and hope her constipation remedies. Bubba and my gang don't even know that a 1 tsp of pumpkin is mixed into their food.

 

No worries!!! I did not take it that you think I'm sloppy or lazy . You are very correct that you have to be extremely careful with herbal supplements because many are made in China and have no quality control. I'm with you on that and also taking advantage of that degree!!!

Weruva makes a pumpkin just for pets. It's probably more expensive than buying a can of organic pumpkin (I use Farmers Market organic pumpkin if I buy it for a recipe for us). But it's in a small package so you could see if you could sneak a tiny bit in.

 

At +9, she is still nicely low--77.

 

Looking good Rosie! You must've been super worried last night and glad it was all about poop and not any instance with her peeing. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Wow....looks like Rosie must really feel a lot better after getting the poop out! Beautiful surf today!

Hey Rosie!! Methinks maybe it's time to talk to LagoonMeister Rusty about testing Rosie for her deputy license!! You've been paddling around most of the week and I know Miss China has been sharing some of her best deputy secrets with you!

We'll have to get you scheduled to take the test soon!!

 

All sorts of vines for Miss Rosie. And a pretty stomping poop dance to make sure things keep going along.

Marilyn and Polly

 

Miss Rosie sure showed off her surfing skills once she took care of business this morning.

I've occasionally given Neko bit of pumpkin that I've grown and cooked. Back in the day, she'd come begging for her share of the butter and pumpkin when I'm making scones.

 

Good luck Lydia!
Mine won't eat pumpkin or squash or anything I want them to
I did find a good SEB but I have to give in size 5 capsules and it takes so many to get enough for it to work--
florastor works really good for Rico but he has loose stools and it helps firm them.
I give Dre miralax when needed and pop a SEB when I can. I think the moxxor helps too.
I sure hope Rosie feels better soon

(I carry the weruva pumpkin at my shop and it does sell pretty good... I personally prefer the fruitables pumpkin with enzymes but as usual mine won't eat it) customers swear by it tho-

 

Her PM +3 and +4 were 87 and 96. We still plan to take a temporary reduction in the morning. We have to be out and don't want a repeat of today while we are gone. Also, I am not confident she will eat without me here to keep cajoling. Her appetite is variable these days.

On Tuesday, we need to skip her insulin fir the fasting ultrasound. So, some disruption is coming.

Thanks to everyone who stopped in and commented today. It helps to know you are all pulling for Rosie. She pees so often now, sometimes right in her bed.