10/1 Alice AMPS 211 +6 146 +9 148 PMPS 164 +5 85 +6 93 | vet for urine C&S

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...246-8-3-230-11-205-vet-kidney-failure.236170/


Sleepy so just starting new post real quick. Moved shot back so it was +15.5 this AM. But I got a sleep cycle in finally!

Alice came and cuddled me and we spooned at one point. She was purry and she made biscuits on my side. It was perfect.

 

Sounds like heaven.

 

Cassandra,
I am thankful for what you experienced this morning!
I've been reading about Alice for a few days, and have brain locked on what to say, other than praying for you and all your kiddos. I just adore your little bitty Alice. Do everything possible to take care of yourself. You and Alice are a team.
SubQ fluid therapy has made Tina so much better; its hard to believe we have been giving it for about a year now. Tina sends your Alice all the feeling good vines that exist! And give your CH kitties kisses from my two CH girls (both 13).
Hope your day is a good one and that you get more rest every chance you get

 

I'm glad you got some sleep and some cuddles from Alice.

 

Well I should have been up this morning calling vets but I guess I am over-exhausted. Fell back asleep. I feel like I could sleep for days. Trying to wake up so I can call places.

Alice is looking happier and more alert. She’s cuddly and makes more purrs and chirps.

Fluid therapy is such a winner.

 

Haha I was helping her with a little poop stuck to her behind, and sat in her food without even noticing.

We got something scheduled for a culture today. I can’t believe how expensive some places are!

 

First fluid attempt today was not very successful, she wiggled the needle out. I spiked my own LRS bag for the first time and forgot to make sure the line was clamped. D’oh!

weight today was 2.49kg

only 30mL syringe food so far, after vet trip we will step it up and do more feeds



Good news! She is vocalizing more today. My friend came to help me do fluids and she is asking for pets and attention from them. So she is expressing interest

Tell me this girl doesn’t look ready to die does she? Because I don’t think so.

 

She still has life left in her. Just take it one day at a time and try not to worry about the future. I know it's not easy. Make the most of each day with her.

 

You are exactly right. Thank you for your consistent support. We are so grateful. If only Alice knew how much of this world wants to see her happy too.
I’ve lost some faith in humanity lately (current politics and pandemic and social problems and angry people etc!) but seeing how much people are helping with and caring about her warms my heart and really helps undo a little bit of that jaded feeling.
You are a part of that. Thank you.

 

Vet visit.
Culture taken. UA done.
Apparently... I thought she wasn’t retracting her claws... but actually they are overgrown. They were curling around and I didn’t know!!! They helped clip them super fast.
They helped me with fluids as a courtesy. So we got 100mL into her.
New AB is zeniquin, 1/4 of 25mg tab, once daily. 16 days.

she has had about 60mL syringed this cycle for food. So another roughly 75 kcal. For 6-7lbs maintenance (though she is about 5 and a half pounds right now) how many calories would you aim for? I got by the 20-30kcal per pound idea but she is very inactive so she needs less, yet she is diabetic and ckd so she utilized nutrition poorly, so she needs more?

also her probiotic arrived today. Dosing, anyone? I may have been told but forgot. I have a brain thing and don’t retain some info well.

She is having some bowel movement issues, soft sticky stool, she is sitting down to poop because she is weak, so it sticks to her bottom too. She is straining some. Discussed and will likely add miralax back in and see if that helps a little. She may be having trouble moving it. When I get my grocery order done I will order a new can of pumpkin and start blending that into the syringe feeds.


photos of UA and probiotic

 

When I've given it to Furball, I've taken one capsule and divided it into three smaller capsules and given it to her twice a day. I think you can mix it directly into food if she'll eat it. I've never tried that.

 

So two thirds of a capsule a day? What is her weight?

and thank you, now that you say it I remember you mentioned it before. Cognitive issues, meh!

 

PMPS was 164
She had 15mL ziwi lamb by syringe, it has Cosequin and d-mannose in this batch
Followed with phos binder
Shot was 0.5 and the exact time down to the minute, which always makes me happy

she struggled with some bowel movements
Lots of small pieces, one little one at a time, then a break, and again
Soft but not diarrhea
She isn’t crouching because she is weak, she sits in the box, so it doesn’t fall, it sticks to her bum, I’ve been wiping her/pulling it off (are regular plain baby wipes okay for this?)
I’m thinking getting some pumpkin into the blended ziwi stuff may help

For a couple days now I have been going I’ve math on her food:
-volume conversions for mL and Tbsp and oz
-calories per can, per Tbsp, etc
-volume of syringes I have
-how many of syringes equal a Tbsp
-how many kcal in a Tbsp
-how many kcal in a can
-how many kcal does she need
-how many mL and how do I divide up her stressful syringe meals for her to get enough

and finally I think I have it worked out simply enough
If she gets 15 mL (1Tbsp, or 5 of my 3mL syringes), and she gets that in four feedings per cycle, a total of 8 times a day, rounding down on some decimals in the math to help account for loss of calories from little messes that don’t go into her mouth, dregs in the blender I can’t get out, etc..... then she gets approx 144kcal a day, which is maintenance for her ideal weight, in theory.
But she should have more than that just because she is diabetic/ckd, so I guess I have a minimum goal set out now on how to manage her feedings. It’s a relief because we’ve been struggling to get enough food in her for days and she is thinner. I have not known how much to do and I have had to learn to increase it.


little thing from her UA today:
On 9/13 at ER vet she had ketones at 15, now there are none

I’m tired but feeling so relieved we seem to have more actual plans in place for her care. It’s been feeling out of control for awhile.

I have also officially truly learned the virtues of urine cultures, bloodwork, and fluid therapy. When I began having cats (when she and Oz were babies), I knew so little about their care but the basic basic stuff random Joe down the corner knows.... dry food at the supermarket. Water in a bowl. Litter box. Basic. My family was not a family who took animals to the vet regularly, and we only had outside dogs growing up and small animals indoors. Sonit took me a few of the earlier years to understand corn filler in food was bad and that bloodwork was valuable no matter how broke you are, etc.

I’m really grateful that I have learned so much more now.

I may update little notes but I’m hoping for no more catastrophes and lots of naps tonight!
When she is no longer in such crisis, I’ll have more energy to check in on everyone else, as you have all been so kind to check in on us lately. Why isn’t there a heart emoji on this board? <3

 

+4 85... hmmm... I want to sleep... might give a little syrup.... or wait and sleep later in the cycle..?

 

Yay we finished one can of ziwi lamb in 29 hours! That’s fairly on target for her caloric needs I think.
She has had roughly 90 calories tonight so far if my math is right.

I started adding her probiotic to her food on this last feeding.

+6 is 93 and I am wondering if it will be safe to sleep. I think she is quite full and tired of syringe feedings for a few hours.

 

I just want to share that Alice is happy and cuddly and even purring right now. Her fur is bright and soft and clean.

I’m exhausted but still having some absurd insomnia. The hardest thing about FD (plus everything else) is the sleep deprivation.

But she’s happy.

 

That's what I give to Furball. She weighs about 11 lbs. I'm glad Alice is happy. I hope you can get some rest soon.