Lexie's kidney failure

[Jonathan Rosenberg]

Swink65 <swi...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000320222440...@ng-fq1.aol.com...

> Lex was just diagnosed with Kidney failure and we're treating her with sub
Q
> fluids, potassium gel, and antibiotics. The vet says it might be acute
kidney
> failure and not chronic, so there's a chance she'll be cured in a matter
of
> weeks. From the online research I've done today, I can't find much about
this
> problem being acute, and I'm wondering if I'm just getting my hopes up
that
> she'll be cured, when in fact the likelihood is that it's chronic. Any
> thoughts???

I'm sorry to hear about you poor kitty's condition. She will certainly be
in my prayers & thoughts.

I'm by no means an expert in renal problems, but I recommend that you check
out the following site for info on acute renal failure:

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/boeing/small_animal_medicine/arf.htm

Please keep us informed regarding your cat's status.

--
JR

[Swink65]

[mn]

Well, I will give it a try.. but I might might not even be close.. chronic
is a gradual decrease in the kidneys ability to work, they become less and
less effective at their job... seems to me acute is much more hopeful. It
comes on suddenly, can be causes by infection, dehydration, poisoning, other
things, but if the vet is successful at rehydrating and the kidneys haven't
suffered much damage, they begin working again and with care and watching
the diet the cat can go on for many years healthy. They can relapse again,
so it is important to find out the cause of the failure, and to use a diet
that is as easy on the kidneys as possible. Careful observation of your
cat can help you see early signs of kidney problems.

When my 11 year old cat had his first bout I didn't notice the signs until
he was absolutely screaming in the litter box. He's also been using a
clothes basket to urinate in but I thought it was one of the new kittens
we'd just gotten. When I heard him scream I took him to the vet
immediately.. his kidneys had completely shut down. He was in IV's with
antibiotics overnight.. he weighed about 9 lbs when I took him to the vet,
about 12 when I picked him up, and it took him 4 days to get rid of all the
fluid the vet had pumped into him to force his kidneys back to life. The
relapse was one year later, I noticed him walking humped back, kind of like
a raccoon, and he would cry if I picked him up.. I took him back to the
vet, he had a kidney infection and his function was very low.. the pain was
from his kidneys being so swollen in their capsules. Shad's on c/d cat
food.. which is what our vet uses.. there is also a k/d for kidney problems
I have no idea why he doesn't prescribe it instead as Shad has never has
crystals in his urine .. but he hasn't had another flare up so I ain't fixin
what ain't broke.. lolol.. Shadow is 16 now so an acute bout with the
kidneys is not a death sentence.