Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Susan + 8 on April 19, 2013, 13:18:37 PM
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My gorgeous Posy has been diagnosed today with Polycystic Kidney Disease. The vet has said that she only has 5% kidney function and that there's nothing they can do and they have no idea how much longer I'll have her for. She'll be 5 in May. I'm beyond devastated.
Does anyone have any experience of this awful disease?
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Sorry to hear this Susan, must be such a shock at such a young age :( :hug:
I've no experience of polycystic kidney disease myself but have had experience of crf (chronic renal failure) or ckd (chronic kidney disease) as I think they prefer to call it nowadays - I wonder if any of the treatments are interchangeable eg Fortekor which is a medication designed to help kidney function in crf.
There's some good links here http://www.felinecrf.org/polycystic_kidney_disease.htm - the author of this site is an absolute guru in kidney issues in cats and it mentions that one of her cats had pkd diagnosed at 7 years old and lived until he was 14 when he died of an unrealted illness,
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Thank you Tiggy's Mum, and thank you for your link. I had missed that page during my frantic googling this afternoon, it's very helpful. My vet has asked me to get a urine sample to see if any further treatments are suitable. I think she mentioned Fortekor could be a possibility. And Posy is to start a renal diet next week just as soon as the food arrives at the vets. In herself she's fine, I can't really believe that she's so ill. It's all been such a horrible shock.
I know the lady who runs a local animal rescue and have been emailing her this evening. She has suggested that I contact an RVS homeopathic specialist that she knows in my area and is going to put me in touch with him.
I have accepted that there is no miracle cure out there for my Posy, but I would love to prolong the quality of life that she currently enjoys. I am dreading any sort of a decline in her. She is just gorgeous through and through :(
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Posy is just :Luv2: :Luv2:
Sorry have no knowledge about this illness and do hope she can be helped :hug: :hug:
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Thanks Gill, that means a lot.
I had forgotten that I was given a letter when I left the vets with Posy, but it was all such a blur that I forgot about it. I've just retrieved the letter and it says that she's anaemic too...but they haven't given me anything at all for this? I think they've decided that my lovely girl isn't long for this world :'(
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Dont think that and it maybe that they feel that any treatment for anemia wpuld not be right at present, maybe you need to talk with your vet again once you have got over the shock a bit...........write a list of questions :hug: :hug:
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Thanks Gill, that's a good idea. The lady at the rescue that I mentioned is going to email her normal vet for me too, to see what they would do. She's a very kind lady. What an awful day it's been :(
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So sorry about the beautiful Posy, its more Persians I thought got this.
Fortekur is used for kidney problems and I have one on it for a heart murmur.
I would have thought he would have given her something for her anemia though ..
I hope you can get her on some kind of med to help her . :hug: :hug:
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So sorry to see and hear that such a lovely little girl can be so poorly. :( :( :( With you saying that there are no outward signs, I would seek a second opinion from a different vet as not all veterinarians get it right the first time. I speak from experience. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Thank you Bungly and Dotty xx
I have been messaging a different vet today (one recommended to me by the lady I know who runs a very good rescue) and they have suggested many different things that could possibly prolong Posy's quality of life. Posy will be going to visit them next week.
I have also ordered a whole host of different renal foods for her try as my madam is rather picky and I'm not expecting a positive reaction towards the renal food when it arrives...
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I hope everything goes well at your visit to the new vets and that Posy is with you for many years to come.....She's is truly lovely....Bless her. Also it is amazing how cats adapt. Think positive as positive things will happen....... :hug: :hug: :hug:
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That's good to hear that the other vet is being more positive :hug: I hope that you have many more happy years together yet :hug:
Fingers crossed she likes the renal foods, if she doesn't take to them then it's worth looking into phosphorous binders http://www.felinecrf.org/phosphorus.htm#binder_types
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Thanks Dotty, I'm trying to be as positive as possible but I am so very worried and frightened for her :( Fingers crossed that my appointment comes through from the vet asap.
Thanks Tiggy's Mum, and thanks for the link. I keep seeing bits and pieces about binders and have been thoroughly confused by them, but that does explain it all a little more clearly. Thanks!
I was all set to put Posy into the large dog crate that I normally use for intros last night as I needed to get a urine sample from her and with so many cats all sharing the same trays I couldn't think of an easier way. I'd just finished setting up the cage, and had the newly prepared litter tray with the non absorbent litter in my hand when I suddenly realised that Posy had disappeared. I rushed to the bathroom, tray in hand, to see Posy squatting in one of the trays. I picked her up, put her in the new tray and happily she went without any trouble and I was able to get the sample and put the cage straight back down and away again without needing to use it. Clever girl :)
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Glad you got the sample with no bother, a clever girl indeed :hug: Has she had any blood tests at all?
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I know, I was dreading putting her in the cage...I felt like I would be punishing her for being poorly. But happily it didn't come to that :)
Yes Posy had bloods on Friday which showed that she's anaemic and that her kidneys are down to 5% function :( Although I am quietly hoping and praying that her kidneys aren't quite that bad yet and that the results were affected by the fact that she hadn't had a drink for a while. According to the Feline crf website the results can be made to look worse than they really are if the cat is at all dehydrated. Posy wouldn't have had a drink for a few hours by the time I got her to the vet, and by the time I brought her home 7 hours later she was gasping and rushed straight to her water. So I'm quietly hoping that things aren't quite so very bad as they seem.
She's fine at the moment. That's all I keep clinging to. She seems fine...
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If she is dehydrated the only way of getting that resolved is to be on a drip. when do ypu see the other vet?
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She's okay now Gill, when I said she was dehydrated I just meant she came home extremely thirsty after not drinking for several hours. She kept going back to her water for the best part of an hour when I got her home. She's back to her normal drinking habits now.
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Have you checked the back of her neck, by squeezing a large chunk together to see if it tents?
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She's fine at the moment. That's all I keep clinging to. She seems fine...
That's what's important. With a condition that can't be cured you can drive yourself mad worrying about what the lab tests show but the only thing that really matters is how your cat feels. My Korky had CRF (it wasn't related to PKD) and he remained clinically well long after his lab tests indicated that he ought to be feeling very poorly. I put it down to the fact that he hadn't read the lab reports. :)
Sending lots of positive vibes for Posy and a big :hug: for you Susan
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Sending positive vibes for lovely Posy. :hug: :hug:
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Posy is gone. She took a very sudden turn for the worse late last night and we rushed her to the vet but there was nothing they could do to help except end her suffering. I am heartbroken. She didn't even make it to her 5th birthday. I cant believe this has happened, it was all so quick. Two weeks ago we had no idea that anything was even wrong.
Thanks everyone for your advice and good luck vibes.
RIP Posy, enjoy the sunshine with Minnie and Rosie. I will never ever forget you and will always love you xxx
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So sorry to hear this Susan :( :hug: Life can be so cruel sometimes :hug:
RIP little Posy, safe and sound at the Bridge by now xx
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I am so terribly sorry to hear this sad news :hug: :hug: :hug:
RIP Posy you were too young to leave but there are great friends up on the Bridge to meet you
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So sorry to hear this. Poor Posy taken too soon and poor you. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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I am so sorry to hear about Posy ,such a young age-life just isn't fair .
she will have plenty of friends to play with on the bridge -I have 8 bridge babies she can meet :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
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What a shock :( :(
I am so so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you at this very sad time. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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So sorry to hear about Posy. It's always so heart breaking when they leave us and more so when they are still young. :hug:
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I'm so sorry to hear about Posy, Susan. She'll be safe and sound at the Bridge by now - I'm sure my Gypsy will be showing her the ropes. :hug:
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Thanks so much everyone for your kind thoughts and messages. I am absolutely heartbroken to have lost her. When I took her to the vet for her swollen tummy never in my worst nightmares did I think that she'd be dead within a fortnight. It was such an awful, awful shock.
It was quick for Posy though, which is the main thing. She was fine all that day, and had a lovely purry day full of sunshine, cuddles and treats. We went to the supermarket late that Saturday night and left her curled up asleep on the sofa...when we got home an hour and a half later she was desperately ill and hiding under our bed. I'm so grateful that it was so quick for my gorgeous girl. I'm not convinced that she was really aware at the end. My beautiful girl didn't suffer much and for that I'll be eternally grateful.
Today would have been Posy's 5th birthday, so I hope with all of my heart that she's having a lovely day up on the bridge in the sunshine.
Happy Birthday Posy Pie, love you forever xxx
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Oh my goodness, what a terrible shock this has been for you! I started to read the thread today and was planning to offer words of support, I was astounded when your beautiful Posy's end came so quickly :'(
As you say, she didn't suffer at the end and she will now be purring in the sunshine over the bridge. Please try to hang onto those thoughts during these dark days.
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Happy Birthday Poppy I am sure all our friends on the Bridge are having a huge party for you :hug: :hug: