Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: sheilarose on October 18, 2011, 20:30:33 PM
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Neil just called (vet calling at 8.20pm - dontcha just luv 'im)
Beau's bloods came back pretty uninteresting, just his nitrogen level erring on the high side at 12 (apparently the "normal" scale tops out at 11).
I had the bloods done today as I wanted to set a baseline for Beau because he had a long period (14 months) of metacam use about 4 years ago due to an undiagnosed smashed tooth root (yeah - hence the change of vet grrr.) and his kidneys will almost certainly have taken a hit as a result. Now he's reached 13 years...well you know what I mean.
Neil is talking it down and reassuring me there's nothing to worry about at the mo, but I know these tests don't give a snapshot of the kidney itself, simply the condition of the blood being processed by them.
SO... what symptoms (if any) do I look for that might suggest his kidneys are deteriorating in the future?
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I think that is very good news and Ducha now aged 18 was on metacam for about a year or so. I wont hesitate to put him back on it if his back leg seems to be troubling him.
Signs to look for are definately increased thirst and think its the first sign you will see but maybe wrong. Also using the tray more cos of amount being drunk.
If its possible I would start to mix wet food with a bit of water every meal because this will help as cats until in trouble just dont drink enough.
I am lucky cos Duchas food is a pate and mixes with water really well and its the only way he likes it now.
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That all sounds very positive :) I'm sure Nitrogen levels can be raised due to slight dehydration so you never know if he hadn't been drinking much then he might even be within the normal range ordinarily.
The first thing I noticed when Tiggy was diagnosed with CRF was the increased thirst, she was getting through half a bowl minimum a day - this happened to be in the middle of a heatwave but it was such a marked increase I thought it best to get her checked over.
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Phew, thanks Guys.
Beau drinks and pees for England, always did. Ponds, puddles, buckets, wet ground even, so I won't really know if he increases his intake. Best just to keep our eyes open I guess.
I'm a fan of Metacam too, Gill, I use it for Theo's gammy leg where his cruciate repair hasn't quite worked out.
What angers me is that whole 14 months Beau was on it was unnecessary. When I finally switched vets it was because Beau was dying of starvation and depression, Neil had a diagnosis in 5 minutes and it was sorted the next day.
Sheila x
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So ppleased you have a better vet now, it makes such a difference.