Beauty's not very well

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by rescuecatsrule

What I mean was, there's a small step going inside and Beauty was having a little trouble getting up that (possibly her arthritis) Up until Saturday Beauty was doing fine on her prescription food. She's had a urine sample taken, but the vet we saw yesterday won't do anything more until he's got her results on Friday. I'll be phoning up tomorrow to try to get Beauty in before Friday to see the vet who usually sees her to get a second opinion.

Possibly her arthritis, possibly a potasium deficiency, muscle wastage of anemia, possibly a combination of any.
Why is it taking so long for the urine test results? They are normally done inhouse on the same day as they are generally looking to see how dilute the urine is to determine the kidney function.

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by rescuecatsrule

The only other vets here is apparently even worse for misdiagnosing! I'll see what they have got to say tomorrow when I phone up to try to get her in. I can't really do much at the moment, the vets will both be closed apart from emergencies.

Why dont you just try the other vet and make your own mind up or just call them and find out exactly how knowledgeable they are about CRF. It really cannt do any harm now can it?

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Elaine

Possibly her arthritis, possibly a potasium deficiency, muscle wastage of anemia, possibly a combination of any.
Why is it taking so long for the urine test results? They are normally done inhouse on the same day as they are generally looking to see how dilute the urine is to determine the kidney function.

Who knows? If the vet we normally see had been in (possibly he was out at an emergency, possibly away generally, who knows?) then I reckon we'd have the results by now. I think I've already said this but it was a different vet. I spoke to my mum yesterday about Beauty and she recons it won't be long before Beauty's no longer here

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by rescuecatsrule

Who knows? If the vet we normally see had been in (possibly he was out at an emergency, possibly away generally, who knows?) then I reckon we'd have the results by now. I think I've already said this but it was a different vet. I spoke to my mum yesterday about Beauty and she recons it won't be long before Beauty's no longer here

http://www.felinecrf.org/coping_with_crf.htm

[Elaine]

"There are persons who shape their lives by the fear of death, and persons
who shape their lives by the joy of life. The former live dying; the latter
die living".

Horace Kallen

[dandysmom]

That's distressing news about Beauty's health. I'm not happy with the apparent lack of information you're getting from the vet; they don't sound particularly helpful from your description. What a pity there isn't another good vet you could switch to. I hope the urine results Friday will be helpful and perhaps they'll have a better idea of what is causing these problems and can offer you concrete suggestions to improve her health. Poor Beauty; hope she's eating and feeling a bit better today .....

[Phoenix]

I remember there's a song that goes:

"Don't worry about the future, it is known that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum."

I'm the former of that quote that you said

Anyway, Mum has never had a CRF cat (girl or boy)

If it comes to the worst and Beauty's kidneys are getting worse, then considering how she's been, we've all discussed it (my family I mean) and we decided if she's really bad then rather that having to take her to the vets for XYZ length of time and really stressing her out, maybe even causing her health to deteriorate quickly, it might be kinder to let her go.

She certaintly won't have years left, maybe not even months! I've posted above how we all feel about what's happened!

Anyway, Beauty and I are going to bed now. Night!

[charlilou]

I do hope your beautiful little one feels better soon.
I remember being worried about whether we were going to have to have our Meeko pts a few years back as he was very ill and kidneys were failing due to a horrible neighbour locking him in her garare in a very hot July with no food or water for 3 days. Thankfully they went on holiday and our neighbour had keys to her house and found him.

Its horrible to see them so ill, thankfully he's much brighter now and a house cat.
Your beauty is just like her name, a beauty

[yola]

Sweetheart - I just wanted to add, please don't think we're having a go at you, we're just trying to help you push for the right information to give you the tools to deal with Beauty's illness.

I a bit gobby at the best of times and I will harangue people to get them to tell me what I want them to tell me - even if I have to stamp my feet to get it. I suspect Elaine's the same

If none of your vets will help you keep trying to find one that will. I also realise that all these things are very expensive and (especially at the moment) money can be very tight. The worst thing you can do is give up on Beauty when there is a chance that with the right diet and medication she can live for months if not years longer.

Try and remain positive until you 100% have the evidence that leads you to having to make 'that' decision.

[meep]

RCR I'm so sorry to hear of your worries for Beauty, and your vets bad handling of the whole situation. I can wholly sympathise. My wee one, Chaska, was diagnosed with 'some sort of kidney problem' by the vet when we noticed she had lost weight and wasn't grooming herself as much. She was given an antibiotic shot and prescription food. The vet didn't say anything else, and didn't even mention the words Chronic Renal Failure. She said "Chaska may pull through she may not". This was before I'd really found out about CRF on Catsey, and so I was clueless. A month later Chaska had only gotten worse, and after another two vet visits we decided to PTS. I don't mean that that is the only option, but I felt at the end of the whole experience that our vet kept us very poorly informed, didn't discuss any options, and it was only Chaska had gone that I really spoke to people like Elaine about CRF and discovered the in's and out's. As Elaine said, every cat with CRF is different. Chaska had always been a 'weak' cat, and was only 7 - she was the runt of her feral cat litter, so never the healthiest of cats anyway. But I feel, had the vet given me all the information instead of fobbing me off with the usual prescription, I would have been more aware and able to help Chaska, and make more informed decisions.

But you do know the in's and out's of CRF. You have spoken with Elaine and other members several times who have all given wonderful advice that I only wish I'd known when Chaska was first diagnosed with 'kidney problems'.

You know Beauty best, and you may be right that she is simply in too much pain and suffering and you'll know when the time is right to let her go. But it breaks my heart to think that another poor cat and loving owner could make that decision without having been given the full, complete facts on their cats health and the option available.

As Yola has said, I as well as everyone else, have only said all this to support you and show my sympathy and concern.

This really must be a hard time for you, I know how much Beauty means to you. I hope that whatever decision you make, you and Beauty are both happy. Dealing with a CRF cat isn't easy, and dealing with an unhelpful vet isn't easy either, so combined it must be very stressful. But if you have it in you at the next vet visit, I would suggest you take a long a list of questions, suggested by the members here, and get some answers from the vet!

Good luck RCR, and gentle pets and purrs for Beauty.