Previous thread: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/bella-frightening-kidney-values.273938/ Bella is most likely in the end stage of her CKD battle complicated by her dental issues. Not eating since yesterday afternoon (syringe-fed now), hardly moving. I don't now if it still makes sense to pay attention to her BG ## but in case it is, she's now bouncing: yesterday AM (before she stopped eating) was 256 then (after 0.25+ units of Prozinc) dropped to 68 so I had to give her sweet cream and medium-carb foog. Today AM her BG was 355, we gave her 0.25 u and she's now 137 (7+). What would be the best way to proceed with her PM dose today? I expect her BG be under 200 but who knows.
Maybe don’t shoot anything if she is below 200. What do you think? Is she still getting all her meds and fluids? What about Mirataz? My heart feels really heavy about her not eating or moving much. I feel sad.
Thank you, Suzanne. 130 , so obviously no shot. I've noticed a strange thing over the last few days but especially today, Bella's blood doesn't form a drop but is just flowing and is difficult to catch on a test strip. Like if she were on a blood thinner. (edited to add: I've looked it up and it sounds like thrombocytopenia or low blood platelet count) Is bupe the strongest painkiller? An injection would be stonger than an oral one? I just can't understand how she was eating well at the hospital and then at home at first. Maybe she does not tolerate baytril. Maybe everything is just too late. But actually our local vet told us right away that in cases like ours they've seen two outcomes after a hospitalization: short improvement and then deterioration, or no inprovement.
Antibiotics can cause inappetence. Not sure if that is it though. What about adding Ondansetron to really combat nausea. And then using Mirataz (which you already are?).
She is eating Royal Canin Recovery "soup". Hardly walking (back legs are baaad) but wants to! Right now Bella is inspecting the backyard. A trip to the hospital, waiting, and trip back would take at least 3 hours, I don't think an injection is worth it but we'll see.
Bless her heart. I would give her absolutely anything that she would eat at this point. Is she eating it, or are you syringe feeding it? I guess the high phosphorus is keeping her from walking very well? I do think I would not put her through the stress of a long car trip for just an injection of Bupe. I would use oral Bupe that you have. Remember there is quite a margin of safety with Bupe. But if you give too much then maybe that's not going to help her legs either.
Thank you, Suzanne. So far, she's eating it from a bowl (with water added) and managed to eat almost half a can so far (daily norm would be a bit less than a whole can). Do you think high doses of bupe may affect her ability to walk, too? She's on 0.25 ml every 8 hours since yesterday (that was the originally prescribed dose but we started with a lower one).
That's hard to say without seeing her at the lower dose and then the higher dose. Have you noticed the walking got worse when you increased the dose of Bupe? Or about the same? I have found in my own cats that they get accustomed to the Buprenorphine and don't have trouble walking... although they may get sleepy. It sounds like she's wanted to go outside. I'm very happy she's been enjoying some sunshine! I just know that when Darcy's phosphorus got over 14 it was hard for him to jump and he had some weakness in his back legs. Higher than that and it gets really hard. She's not pawing at her mouth now, right?
Her walking today is about the same it was when we brought her to the hospital 8 days ago. After that moment, it was gradually improving but today it looks like we're back to square one. One leg is sliding to the side and this bothers Bella. She's not pawing at her mouth but she does make clicking sound with her teeth/jaw after eating just a little bit. And she doesn't want solid food, even pate, she only wants to lap it.
Okay, now she has diarrhea. Apparently, all the syringe feeding + new food with water + baytril + miralax (last given two days ago) + probably something else, pancreatitis and stuff. She's a good girl and tries her best to run to her litter box to "deposit". I've ordered S. Boulardii from Amazon but seriously if this is the result of all our feeding...I feel so bad. Bella's been all her life on dry gastrointestinal food so tonight we tried to give it to her like pills, putting one kibble after another in her mouth...exhausting.
Oh, That’s terrible. Poor girl. It must be hard for her to get in the litter box too. I didn’t realize she’d been eating dry food. So a dietary change can cause diarrhea. Add antibiotics into the mix and whammy. Well, Ondansetron can be constipating… but I think your vet didn’t prescribe. Also phosphorus binder can be constipating (and I believe that you are using Aluminum Hydroxide). Cerenia is less constipating. Oh, I am sorry to hear this. Also diarrhea is dehydrating if it gets too bad.
Most recently, her dry food (high carb) was just for occasional grazing early in the cycle or when we're away for a while, so the biggest dietary change has been the necessity to switch to most smooth pates and then to add water. We just think that "pilling" her with this gastrointestinal food can be beneficial when she is taking antibiotics. We could potentially stop baytril but what if it's helping her some? Today is day 8 on baytril. Yesterday night, my husband and I were talking about Bella and what would be the right thing to do. Believe it or not, she suddenly became talkative and demanded attention and then ate a few bites of actual pate from her plate.
I would not stop the Baytril either. I agree with you. Maybe she's saying she hasn't given up yet. More hugs
I just saw that on the kidneys group and literally gasped and shouted NO! I am so very very saddened and sorry. Oh, Alicia. You must be in shock. Your beautiful Maine Coon girl. I’m crying now. I’m so sorry, Alicia.
Thank you, Suzanne. She was our everything. More than 14 years together in 4 countries. We need to learn how to live without her. Good memories will eventually take over but right now there just too many bad and painful memories.
In four countries! That’s amazing. I would like to hear that story sometime. And to see pictures of her. I bet she was really beautiful.
