Psycho was diagnosed with renal failure a few months ago. He's on a renal diet and takes Fortekor daily. The last few days he's really gone downhill and has been back in hospital on a drip. The vet just rang to say his potassium is very low, and explained the link between hypokalemia and renal failure. The only good news is that his kidney function is now excellent.

Just wondered if anyone has any experience of this? I've been told to expect the worst and really don't know what to do

I've no experience but hopeing for a positive outcome for you both.

http://www.felinecrf.com/

I'm so sorry puss isn't too well, the website I have given above has lots of info and you may have to type it in.

I lost one of my two girls to renal failure at the end of January and a month later her sister was diagnosed with it.
I don't have experience of the potassium levels but just thought I would write with the link.
My girl who is in her 18 year is on fortekor and ipakine powder on her food daily, she hates renal food with a passion and is on felix senior though she eats 3 meals a day she has lost a 1lb in the last month which is worrying.

It is so upsetting when you are trying your best for your pet but things happen that you cannot see, but I know you are doing your best for him and he will sense that. Never lose sight of the fact that you took your pet to the vet for help and having been doing all the right things since then with the meds, drip etc., your pet couldnt ask for more.
I do understand what you are going through, and no matter what happens with your pet the love you have between you will never go away.
Just make the most of your time with him, I'm doing that with Darcey.

Take care

Piper & Darcey x

Very sorry to hear this.
As far as I know there is only one outcome for CRF. My cat died of CRF four years ago, he was only 8 years old.

He was on a drip for four days which improved his creatinine (sp?) levels and I then took him home. He was on meds and fine(ish) for several weeks. I didn't force the renal food on him as he hated it, vet said just give him whatever he wants to eat.

He then went into a sudden decline. I did not want to put him through more time on a drip at the vet's because it made him very stressed and miserable, and it would only have gained him a very short time anyway - a few good days and probably a lot of bad days. And I really did not want him to risk him ending his days away from home in a clinical environment. So although I did not want him to let him go - more than that, I did not want him to suffer. So he spent several fairly good weeks at home as normal, and when he declined I took him straight to be PTS. I had been told on diagnosis that he would only have 'until Christmas' and he died a week before. So in that sense, I was prepared. Not that it made it any easier.

Your vet has said to expect the worst, but what do they advise you should do now? I always ask them, what would you do if this was your cat?

Will be thinking of you, I know how difficult it is.

Thankyou everyone for your kind words, experiences and the really useful info, you've just set me off in tears again

Well, after being told yesterday that he probably wouldn't make it, and my o/h going to the vets so that he could be with Psych when he was going to be *sob* pts, he actually made amazing progress overnight and he's back home, purring away at my feet

He's had cystitis so is on meds for that, along with fortekor and a potassium thing that I have to squirt into his mouth twice a day. When he came home he was yellow and that's where he'd spat the liquid out all over himself, so that could be fun

Potassium wise, one vet thinks it's low due to the cystitis and may not be a long term problem, whilst the other thinks he will be on the liquid long term. He's due another check on Wednesday, so fingers crossed he'll be doing better and I'll have another few months with him

This is the second time in 4 months that he's had to go on a drip and it's really made me realise just how precious the time I have left with him is. I always ask the vet what they would do, is it fair on him to continue, and each time they've said give him another 24 hours and so far, thankfully, that's been right.

He's not doing too bad for a nearly 17 year old

Thankyou again everyone

Wemster I'm glad your puss has perked up, and is back home.
Crf is such a cruel disease I have lost two cats to it and now my last one has it too.

My main aim for her is to enjoy the time we have, and apart from having a fortekor and ipakine powder on her food, and if the vet decides the monthly injection if the time is right, I am not going to intrude in Darcey's mental well being the reason I say that is I have read on some other well meaning forums the lengths people will go to keep their cat alive and some of it I think would make the cat feel right miserable.
I know I will take sad decision before Darcey loses her dignity as I did with her sister. At the moment Darcey is on the bed I made for her beside my monitor and she is purring away which will shortly turn into snores lol.

piper

Thanks Piper, thinking of you and Darcey

Sounds like you have a good vet, wemster.

They are all different. My mother's cat lived for eight years after diagnosis! 12 when diagnosed, 20 when he died (although IMO he should have been PTS a year earlier). But not a bad survival rate considering that in those days there was little treatment available (1970s/80s).

My cat's creatinine levels were practically off the scale, and although fluid therapy lowered them significantly they were still very high, so he was never going to have long. He had a fairly good quality of life for his last weeks, so I have good memories of him.

Just a quick update, Psych's been to the vets for a checkup and they were very happy with his progress. He's been taken off the potassium, which is something we are both very relieved about!

He's still not 100% in himself but he's just been running up and down the stairs like a mad thing The vet has given him a cystitis pill to have daily as a preventative, so hopefully that will really help him.

Thanks again everyone

I just saw your thread.

My cat was diagnosed at the age of 3 with renal failure. He spent about 2 weeks on a drip in the vets, and i would visit him every night and hold his paw

He came home, and he had to go on a strict diet - but he lived until the age of 18yrs. He died earlier this year.

Have faith in your cat.

I'm glad Phych's feeling a bit better.

One of our cats has renal failure diagnosed about 18 months ago when he was 4. He's on the fortekor, the food and when he has ordinary food he has some stuff or other squirted over it.

To be honest you wouldn't know he was ill. Something or other called his platelets (sp) are meant to be still low and this is meant to make him lethargic (so the vet has said) but there's no sign of that so far.

We know he may not live to be a very old cat but we don't know for certain so we just carry on as normal with him

Well, we've had another rough couple of days which resulted in him going back into hospital but the problem was hypokalemia again so he's now on potassium powder and a cystitis tablet daily and is *fingers crossed* doing much better


Awww, bless him


Thankyou


I have the squirty stuff but Psych just turns his nose up at it, and he's gone right off his renal food too

Hope your puss is well