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- Mar 3, 2015
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Hi all,
I'll try to keep this short and to the point. I have a cat (~20 years old) with several health issues that up until recently we had been managing well.
Conditions: Feline Leukemia, hyperthyroidism, congestive heart failure, kidney failure
Current meds: Methimazole (hyperthyroidism), Enalapril & Vetmedin (CHF).
She was diagnosed with CHF about 3 years ago. We thought she wouldn't live more than a year at best, but she's had no return of heart symptoms since her first onset. In fact, she has been off of the Lasix for more than a year. In that fist year, she was also diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. We put her on Methimazole, which slowly 'unmasked' her kidney disease. We first began putting her on a kidney diet about 8 months ago, which she never really took to, so we eventually resorted to feeding her what she would eat (she's quite picky). Over the past 2 months, her appetite has quickly decreased to nearly non-existent, and she has lost a ton of weight. I understand this to be directly related to her kidney issues and build up of toxins in her system making her not want to eat.
My question: Are these medications helping or likely making this worse? I know this seems like a silly question to ask over the web, but hear me out on my reasoning. I know that most medications are taxing on the kidneys. She was diagnosed with heart failure, but has had no return of symptoms for three years. She's even stopped taking her medicine for nearly 5 days before while I was out of town, and still had no return of symptoms. Additionally, she is taking methimazole, which is known to affect appetite and be hard on the Kidney. Now I can barely get her to eat at all. From what I understand, not controlling hyperthryoid can be taxing on the heart. However, given the alternative to her withering away, would that be more ideal at this point? I feel like the #1 priority should be addressing what is best for her Kidney, and her heart seems to be doing much better than the kidney at this point.
I also know that she is mortal. I'm just trying to make sure that the kidney issue is not being primarily contributed to by unnecessary medications, and if these medications are 'buying her time' that she's never going to be able to use, due to them killing her kidney.
Any guidance is appreciated.. Also, in knowing that I am likely to have made improper assumptions, please feel free to correct any misunderstanding on my part.
I'll try to keep this short and to the point. I have a cat (~20 years old) with several health issues that up until recently we had been managing well.
Conditions: Feline Leukemia, hyperthyroidism, congestive heart failure, kidney failure
Current meds: Methimazole (hyperthyroidism), Enalapril & Vetmedin (CHF).
She was diagnosed with CHF about 3 years ago. We thought she wouldn't live more than a year at best, but she's had no return of heart symptoms since her first onset. In fact, she has been off of the Lasix for more than a year. In that fist year, she was also diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. We put her on Methimazole, which slowly 'unmasked' her kidney disease. We first began putting her on a kidney diet about 8 months ago, which she never really took to, so we eventually resorted to feeding her what she would eat (she's quite picky). Over the past 2 months, her appetite has quickly decreased to nearly non-existent, and she has lost a ton of weight. I understand this to be directly related to her kidney issues and build up of toxins in her system making her not want to eat.
My question: Are these medications helping or likely making this worse? I know this seems like a silly question to ask over the web, but hear me out on my reasoning. I know that most medications are taxing on the kidneys. She was diagnosed with heart failure, but has had no return of symptoms for three years. She's even stopped taking her medicine for nearly 5 days before while I was out of town, and still had no return of symptoms. Additionally, she is taking methimazole, which is known to affect appetite and be hard on the Kidney. Now I can barely get her to eat at all. From what I understand, not controlling hyperthryoid can be taxing on the heart. However, given the alternative to her withering away, would that be more ideal at this point? I feel like the #1 priority should be addressing what is best for her Kidney, and her heart seems to be doing much better than the kidney at this point.
I also know that she is mortal. I'm just trying to make sure that the kidney issue is not being primarily contributed to by unnecessary medications, and if these medications are 'buying her time' that she's never going to be able to use, due to them killing her kidney.
Any guidance is appreciated.. Also, in knowing that I am likely to have made improper assumptions, please feel free to correct any misunderstanding on my part.
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