Constant Loss of Balance

[dandysmom]

Your vet certainly isn't very communicative ! A second opinion might be more helpful. You can get glucosamine for arthritic cats without a prescription; I can testify that it works in people! Cheaper on line, too. This is so hard for you, poor Fluffy .....

[caterina83]

I have eating wet and dry food with plenty of water, and he urinated a lot over night but i'm not sure if it is from the fluids they gave him at the clinic. Yes, the urine is a bit stronger then usual. I feel terrible, these are all questions and issues that should have been discussed while I was at the clinic for 4.5hrs, but I ended up coming home with no advice and no help for my cat. A few other vets have said he should be ok untill Monday when they are open to bring him in.

[Phoenix]

All I can do is echo the above about get a second opinion

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by caterina83

Hi Elaine,

yes, this is also a consideration the test results last night showed he had a Urea of 33.6 which is not considered complete kidney failure but maybe a sign of it. Unfortunately, my vet was not helpful at all in discussing other possible issues, all he could talk about was how many tests it was going to take and the option of humane euthanasia. His potassium was also normal and his blood sugar was at 4.1

Cat

Your vet sounds as encouraging and helpful as my first vet was when my Old fella was diagnosed with CRF.

Here are some useful links which may help you to understand the blood panel and which tests you may need, it also has some usrful info in seeking second opinions.
http://www.felinecrf.org/diagnosis.h...ction_measures
http://www.felinecrf.org/diagnosis.htm#second_opinion

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by caterina83

I have eating wet and dry food with plenty of water, and he urinated a lot over night but i'm not sure if it is from the fluids they gave him at the clinic. Yes, the urine is a bit stronger then usual. I feel terrible, these are all questions and issues that should have been discussed while I was at the clinic for 4.5hrs, but I ended up coming home with no advice and no help for my cat. A few other vets have said he should be ok untill Monday when they are open to bring him in.

I'm sorry Cat, I am really not trying to frighten you in any way and am sure he probably will be ok until Monday. I can only really advise that you read as much as you can so you can ask all the questions you need to ask in order to help your dear cat. It's better to go in with a little knowledge and a pro active attitude rather than feeling deflated and helpless. If the diagnosis is CRF, again, please try not to look on the dark side, many cats can and do go on for years with the condition.
Stay strong and stay positive xxx

[caterina83]

Elaine.

I am nothing but greatful for your support and help. I am beginning to go through this information you sent me and and starting to notice some signs here and there. How do you help/treat a cat who is in Renal Failure?

[farthing]

I know the list keeps getting longer, but it might be worth getting Fluffy's blood pressure checked, this can cause kidney problems, blindness and strokes- an underlying cause of this can be hyperthyroid, old cats are just a minefield of issues.
Don't be disheartened though, Elaine has done a lot of research into CRF and I have an 18 year old cat who is hyperthyroid, has high blood pressure and CRF, she is also arthritic and gets acupuncture for this. She is on 4 different meds and a special diet, but is as bright as a button and for the time being doing very well.

[dandysmom]

Caterina. glad you found us; there are members here with a wealth of knowledge about CRF who are glad to share what they know. As has been pointed out the more you know when you see another vet the better you'll understand what's being said and make more informed decisions. And quoting Elaine, stay strong, stay positive.!

[Elaine]

Right, where to begin....
Get a definate diagnosis.
First off, it is important that you get a full blood panel done in order for you to know exactly what is going on, that may be the most costly part. Ask for a copy of the blood tests. The Cornell University also has a wealth of info on crf and may be able to offer you more help and support.
Once you know exactly what is going on and the cause of the hind leg weekness is being treated, you may want to look into diet and nutrition. The felinecrf.org site has loads of info and the USA appears better than the UK for getting foods suitable for CRF cats. The vet may well want your cat on a prescription diet initially but this is not always necessary and not every cat will eat them willingly. It's always better that they eat something than nothing, wet food is generally considered best because CRF cats lose alot of fluids through excessive urination.
Please let us know what the vet says on Monday and we can take it from there. Each cat is defferent and so are their requirements. Should I be right and your cat is indeed CRF, dont panic, it's not the end of the world just the start of a new chapter.
http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=25488

[Elaine]

I dont know if these are anywhere near you but they are recomended on another CRF site.
The Cat Clinic
Dr. Elizabeth O'Brien DVM
391 Concession St
Hamilton, ON L9A 1B8 Map
905-387-4151
http://thecatclinic.ca

Cat Hospital of Kitchener-Waterloo
Dr. Bonnie Worthen
86 Weber Street E
Kitchener, ON N2H Map
(519)749-0201
Email: reception@cathospitalkw.com
http://www.cathospitalkw.com/

Beaches Animal Hospital
Dr. Mark Dilworth
2304 Queen St E
Toronto, ON M4E 1G8 Map
(416) 690-4040
http://www.beachesanimalhospital.com

Downtown Animal Hospital
Dr. Vihos
579 Church St
Toronto, ON M4Y 2E4 Map
(416) 966-5122
Web Site