29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosis

Good morning LL,

We finally have a diagnosis for little Ang. She has early CKD. The vet ruled out thyroid and a UTI. I'm a bit sad about that news but he said that it's very early and that she can keep eating as normal for now especially since she hasn't been on insulin for almost two weeks. He didn't want me to call this an OTJ trial until we had diagnosis.

I haven't been posting very often because I've been unwell. I have my first specialist appointment tomorrow (an endocrinologist) and my doctor wanted me to stop my special diet for a week so that I would lose hypoglycaemic control and issues would show up in tests they run. It was good timing to have Angie off insulin as I've had to skip testing her quite frequently. Hopefully I will get better help from tomorrow! I'm doing a bg curve on myself this morning for the endocrinologist.

My other project for the day is to read about CKD!

Healing vines to all sick kitties. I'm sorry that I haven't read many of your condos over the last week.

Our last condo is here.

Grace

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

(((((Grace)))) I'm sorry about the CKD diagnosis but hooray for no jooce! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease is about an inch thick and 8.5" x 11" pages. It is thorough. She also has a web page. Paws crossed for your tests. Sending tons of vines to you both. Are you at your mom's place now?
Liz

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

(((Grace)))

I'm so sorry you have been more unwell lately. Sending you hugs and healing vines. I hope the endo can help you.

CKD is very treatable when you catch it early. Gus was dx over three years ago and he's still plugging along nice and stable. If you want to post her bloodwork, I can look at it for you and give you my impressions. Sometimes vets dismiss numbers that fall into the normal range but really are an indicator that we need to be proactive.

HUGS!

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

here's the link for that.... I'm sure you already have it.... but just in case....
Tanya's crf site

Sorry you are having so many issues.... Hugs...

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

Hi Grace,
I second Liz's recommendation of Tanya's website: http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm It has tons of info. and is very well organized. I haven't seen the book version (there are links to it on the web page), but I'm sure it is terrific. So sorry to hear that Angie has CKD, but you will get it under control. Many of the kitties have this condition.

Sending lots of healing vines to you and to Angie,

Ella & Rusty

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

Here's the link to Tanya's site. It is an incredible resource for CKD information. I'd also suggest you pick foods for Angie that are lower in phosphorus. Dr. Lisa has a listing of foods with lower phos. If you keep Angie to a low carb, low phos diet, it will help to inhibit the CKD progression.

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

Hi Sienne, Ella, Rhiannon, Marje and Liz,

Thanks so much for your help and support.

Marje - I would really appreciate your looking over Angie's results. I've put Angie's blood and urine test results on her spreadsheet. I highlighted the results that were outside the normal ranges in orange and close to the edge of the normal ranges in blue. Her results from her bloodwork in March are first and the recent ones next to it for comparison. Different labs were used so they haven't done all the same tests, called them the same things, or have the same normal ranges.

Sienne - I'm currently using Dr Lisa's home-made food recipe. Most brands aren't available in Australia and the ones that are often has different ingredients so I'm not confident with those food charts. I'd like to keep making my own food if possible as both my cats health improved a lot when I switched. Jetzin vomits on most commercial food and I can't afford the only one so far that doesn't make him throw up (Nature's Gift - $46/week for both cats). He always cleans up Angie's left overs. I haven't tried Evo but that's more expensive again. They also seem more satisfied and less inclined to beg on the home-made recipe.

Does anyone know if there is a low phos/low carb home made recipe that would be suitable? I know Dr Lisa does telephone consultations. I was thinking of asking her for one to discuss food if I can't find a suitable recipe.

You guys are amazing!

Grace

Re: 29/7 Angie ambg=88 - day 13 of no insulin - CKD diagnosi

I've been reading Tanya's Feline CKD site. The "Success Stories" page has really upset me. It's a list of horrible things that happened to those cats during CKD treatment. I didn't realise how bad CKD was. :cry: