I brought Lily to the vet last weekend as she hasn't been eating much lately. She's getting older and I probably should have brought her in for a check up awhile ago. I had some blood work done on her, got her groomed as she hasn't been able to do it for quite some time and no matter how much I brush her I can't get the thickness out, and they gave her some fluids. Her blood work came back and she has Chronic Kidney Failure. According to her creatinine number (5.9), she is in severe failure. I didn't ask the doctor what this meant in terms of extent of her life because I believe I know that answer. I bought the kidney diet food for her which she seemed to love right away. I haven't seen her eat too much lately again. I might have to switch to a different brand. I also started her on the medicine Azodyl. I had a previous cat that was on this for years, but he was much younger so I don't know how much this will really help her. Being almost 19 years old, kidney failure will be a part of her life and I'm will probably end hers. I just hope I don't lose her before or at the holiday. I lost one cat on Christmas a few years ago, and I really don't want to lose another. As much as I know she has had a good long life, I still begin to get upset at the thought of losing her. I believe I'm thinking about this so much too as I will probably have to help her instead of letting her suffer away to nothing if she gives up.
Lily came to us in 1995. My husband had a friend who was dying from cancer and he knew that Frank and I would take care of her for the rest of her life. His friend gave her to us before he passed away. She has been the sweetest cat we have had. Please hope that she will be with us at least for many more months.
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Awww. What nice post about Lily, and so stressful. It never matters to me how old they are or how full their life has been, it always hurts when they are getting sick and older. I hope she makes it through the holidays with you too. That was good to hear about the eating! Do they have you do the fluids at home for her regularly? I am not familiar with that drug. I will be thinking of her for sure. I remember when my last cat died. She caught me completely off guard because I was so focused on my doberman at the time (Odin) and he was in the later stages of DCM. Thinking of you, Sam
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam. The last time we did fluids at home my husband had to do it because I couldn't get the needle in. Funny because we have a diabetic cat but the needle for fluids is sooo much more thicker. This time my husband said he can't do it because it took so much out of him last time to do it. I'll bring her in to get the fluids when I think she needs them. She's just so frail but she sure does follow us around and "yell" a lot to be pet, which is always a good thing no matter how annoying even in the middle of the night. :)
DeleteHi there - You know I think that is fair to know what you will or will not do. For some cats it is also not necessarily the best option for them. I hope she is a little energized right now with her extra eating and liquids! Sam
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