Cats in the hospital

[G-spotter]

omg hi2u ^-^

[sobo]

Thanks for the pics, carolyn. She's a really cute kitter. Keep up the good work, and keep your hopes up, too, and things will be fine.

As mentioned by Arch, don't forget to take care of yourself, too.

 

=^ ^=

 

[G-spotter]

Is there a "medical catnip" program for sick American kitties or do they have to say No too?

[billcoe]

Is there a "medical catnip" program for sick American kitties or do they have to say No too?

 

No Dru, American cats don't have access to the vaunted Canadian public health care system. I'm sure Carolyn has already spent a bit more $ than the $10 it would take to just replace the cat.

 

......if that was the question.....

[archenemy]

Is there a "medical catnip" program for sick American kitties or do they have to say No too?

 

No Dru, American cats don't have access to the vaunted Canadian public health care system. I'm sure Carolyn has already spent a bit more $ than the $10 it would take to just replace the Canadian.

[G-spotter]

 

restores appetite

habit forming

dilated pupils

uncontrollable purring

[carolyn]

I grow the fine herb and give it to her daily.

 

[G-spotter]

Cats can build up quite a tolerance,

requiring an ever increasing dosage.

[carolyn]

This is not to start a debate or to place blame (trust me Im putting enough of it on myself these days), but the medication my cat was given for her arthritis is what was likely the cause of her kidney failure (even admitted by the drug company by phone today). She had completely normal results 1 month prior to her recent problems. this was also the length of time she was on the medication called metacam. It is not FDA approved for cats, other than a single dosage as a shot after surgery. It causes kidney failure and other life threatening issues. You can google metacam and find a bunch of information on how detrimental and life threatening it can be for cats.

 

It is suppose to be fine for dogs over 10lbs

 

Just a heads up to those with feline friends. And, a warning when giving any type of medication to animals - check it out first!

[G-spotter]

 

C - that sucks!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meloxicam

Looks like they are really trying to push this one - everything from humans to cattle!

[carolyn]

Latte went back to the vet today. I was armed with information and the way I thought her treatment should go, not just to keep her alive but maintain a high quality of life. I promised her she was going to come home.

 

I ate my words!

 

Coincidentally the vet representative from the drug company called while I was at the vet and talked to my dr. I guess they have seen this enough that they believe it needs to be treated more aggressively than the typical renal failure (which is how my vet treated her). He gave them suggestions and said they would pay for all of her lab work from the time this began until it is resolved.

 

The bad news is that the blood levels they monitor for kidney failure increased slightly. Thankfully, they didnt take a big spike, just a little jump. That is hopeful to me. The recommendation was another 48+hrs on iv fluids. She wasnt too happy about this and neither was I. However, with the drug company paying for lab results over the past month I am able to afford doing this. Without their help, I would have had to bring her home and continue to feel like Im walking on pins and needles while I wait for her to pass.

 

If she requires more than 2.5 days to get her blood levels to the recommended number, I might push the company to have them pay for the remainder of the hospital bills. They say they are offering to pay some of the bills because they want to follow her condition and reaction to treatment. Part of me believes that and is extremely grateful. Another part cant help but wonder if there isnt a lawsuit lingering in the air somewhere and they do this for the few people who contact them as a way to shut them up.

 

Im so fortunate to have a schedule that will allow me to hang out with her most of tomorrow, friday, and saturday. And, right or wrong, Im really glad to have a night "off" of worrying so much about where she is hiding, how much she is eating, why she is crying, etc. My guess is she is just as grateful to have mom leave her alone for a while.

 

And fern, if youre reading this I CANT WAIT FOR CANADA NEXT WEEK! I need to swing my toolz badly!!!!!!

 

 

[archenemy]

I am sorry about this last turn of events. I am happy that the drug company is willing to shoulder some of the costs; they really didn't have to do that. And I honestly hope you are not considering any legal action. They may have actually been party to causing harm, but that was not their intention. I rely on big pharma for some drugs that really make my life a lot less painful; and even though some side effects are expected, I know that I am willing to go through them and to take the chance of a negative reaction in exchange for the benefits. Someone shouldn't be punished for offering me this option. And they probably shouldn't be punished for offering you and Latte that option. At the same time, I feel for you and for the decisions you and your vet have made for your cat. It sounds like everyone here has Latte's best interests in mind.

The best to you.

Edited February 22, 2007 by archenemy

[fern]

I am sorry your cat is so unwell Carolyn.

[sobo]

carolyn,

Phydeaux and I are still pulling for you and Latte.

And so is Trango, from Kitter Heaven. =^^=

[Weekend_Climberz]

Ziggy, Pollux, Pouncer, Chuiye, and Crescent all say

[minx]

Carolyn,

 

just wanted to send you good wishes. We lost our old cat at age 18 in Dec. It was really tough. I'm hoping latte has many more months and years left to be hang out with you. Oscar kitty sends his best too.

[Winter]

Ditto here. Put my long-time feline friend down a little more than a year ago now at 14 - one of the greatest cats of all time. Ugghh. Best of luck to you two.

[rmncwrtr]

Hope you and Latte are doing okay, Carolyn.

 

Does anyone have any experience with hyperthyroidism? We took one of our cats to the vet today and that's what they think she has. We get the test results back on Monday, so I'm trying to educate myself about it before then. Thanks.

 

 

[sobo]

 

Here ya go... Scroll down to the "Join This Group!" toggle.

 

When Trango had CRF, yahoo groups was where I got a lot of my info. Good luck with your kitter.

[rmncwrtr]

Thanks, Sobo!

[jaee]

We went with this guy for hyperthyroidism http://www.felinethyroidclinic.com/. He's been doing it a long time and really knows what he's about.

 

It's a more expensive treatment than other solutions but our cat lasted another 8 years and really improved after the treatment.

 

You will have to deal with a radioactive cat for a week or so after it comes home. The litter will supposedly set of radiation detectors at the garbage transfer stations.

[rmncwrtr]

Thanks for the link Jaee. Our cat, Spirit, is a candidate for the I131 treatment. They want her to be on the methimazole for two weeks then redo the blood test. She's been on the medicine a week today. They said she'd be ready for the radioactive treatment in a month.

 

Did you choose to drive down to Springfield from Portland for the treatment? I noticed your location. Our vet normally refers people to VDIC in Clackamas. We're in Clark County. There's a place with locations in Shoreline and Tacoma that does it and has shorter stays due to different state regulations than OR. It's a longer drive for us though. And with young kids who aren't supposed to be near the cat for a couple of weeks, I'm torn whether to go with a shorter or longer stay for Spirt after the treatment.

[Off_White]

bump

 

What's the Latte update Carolyn?

[carolyn]

Hey off, thanks for asking.

We have been on such a rollercoaster ride.

I think the last I wrote, she was back in the hospital with the drug company basically footing the bill. She came home with her blood levels near normal and was doing great. I was told she did well while I was gone on my trip, until the last day.

 

When I returned she wouldnt eat and threw up a few times a day. She spent one entire day sleeping in the closet as well.

I took her to the vet last friday for bloodwork and the results showed her kidney functioning decreasing quite a bit. I took her home expecting maybe another couple days out of her. It just seems that unless she is on a continuous IV she cant keep her kidneys functioning well enough. Financially, emotionally, and ethically I cant do that to her anymore. I bought some fresh salmon, tuna, chicken, and shrimp on our way home. She didnt want any of it. I cried a lot on Friday.

 

She came around a bit on Sunday. She started eating a bit more and interested in her usual activities, including being in the same room as me. I shovelled the snow off the balcony for her yesterday because we hit the 50's. One of her favorite things to do is to sit out there and watch the birds or nap in the sun. In fact, I was really hoping to keep her around one more spring so she could do this. Well, She spent all day yesterday and today running in and out, very alert, active, and animated. She is not eating great, but much better than last week.

 

I guess Im thinking maybe a couple weeks at the most? Not that Im putting any dates on her life. Im just trying to be prepared. I think being home again and the nice weather has made a big difference (just like it would in a human). I know I am appreciating being able to spend extra time with her and help her feel as comfortable and loved as possible

[jaee]

We drove down from Portland. The vet in Springfield has a lot of experience. When the vet says she'd take her cat down there instead of a closer place it's usually worth listening.