Cat With Crf, Ibd/lymphoma And Maybe Chf

[Jem]

Hank was on 7 medications, he was is BAD shape, so we treated him very aggressively in an attempt to get his heart beating and fluids down. He was in a-fib, his heart was enlarged and his lungs were full of fluid. The vet drained his lungs and that helped immediately. And we immediately started him on:
Vetmedin - pumps the heart (2x day)
Furosemide - diuretic (2x day)
Enalapril - blood pressure (1x day)
Clopidogrel - blood clots (1x day)
Diltazem - relax blood vessels (3x day)
Mirtazapine - appetite stimulant (every 3 days)
Potassium supplement (1x day)
I can't remember the exact dosage in mg, and I have already donated his medications so I can't check the bottles.
Things seemed to have really help in the beginning, but he did start to slow down again after about 2.5 months, then about 1 week before he passed we had to get his lungs drained again. The reason the diuretic did not work well was because the fluid he was retaining was very "cellular" it wasn't just "water retention". He unfortunately did not bounce back like he did the first time we had him drained. He then threw a blood clot that affected everything from the hips down. The vet unfortunately said that at that point, we had done everything we could have, but it was time to let him go. Still hurts.

RIP Hank

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I praised that diagnosis for one reason only, KNOWING means you can give her the very best quality of life for as long as possible, and that is what matters most at this point.

 

[Zel]

A very quick update. She is barely eating. Pepcid, an anti nausea drug, an appetite stimulant and some steroids are not getting her eating. We are going through the quality of life scale now.

 

[Zel]

We put our precious Zelda to sleep this afternoon. I feel heartbroken. We talked to our regular vet about how we could not get her to eat, even with all the extra meds. The cardiologist suggested another CBC but we saw how she was wobbling today and my husband said earlier she was meowing at nothing. The vet felt she would continue to get weaker and weaker and there was little we could do to get her to eat and her prognosis was not good because of the CRF, CHF and IBD/lymphoma. The treatment of one disease made the others worse. We could not find a balance. We said goodbye to Zelda while she was still Zelda. I am very empty tonight. She purred until the end and we pet her and talked to her while she got the various last injections. I miss her already and keep thinking I see her at home.
Thank you everyone for all the loving suppprt and advice.

 

[jcat]

I'm very sorry for your loss. You gave Zelda the final gift of love. We lost our last cat to HCM, and I remember those last months of hope vs. resignation all too well.

When you feel up to it, you might want to post a tribute to get in the Crossing the Bridge forum.

 

[Zel]

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Z Zel , I am so very sorry you lost your Zelda.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I am so very sorry for your loss. So very sorry. My heart with yours.