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- Sep 26, 2007
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Hi there,
When my cat, Ming, got diagnosed with kidney failure my vet was very little help. She told us my cat had 6 months to 2 years to live and recommended we put her on the Dr. Hills diet (do NOT do this). She also said if we feel so inclined we could start sub q ivs but it was not necessarily recommended.
I was at a total loss. I'm not the kind of person who gives up and just accepts things so I did a ton of research to find ways to help my cat to the best of my abilities. Many of you helped me here and I would like to share my knowledge now of what works and what doesn't (at least for Ming). Ming is doing very well now. She has energy and is much happier than before she was diagnosed.
1. Don't fall for the Dr. Hills diet
- Your vet recommends this because Science Diet (Dr. Hills) funds their vet schools and vet offices. When we put Ming on this she lost TONS of weight rapidly fast and her creatitine and BUN went up dramatically in just 4 weeks. This food has tons of fillers in it and is not healthy for cats.
2. BFF - Best Feline Friend
- We put Ming on BFF food (we order it from Chewy) and get the broth pouches. They have low phosphate which is essential for maintaining kidney health in a kidney cat. Ming LOVES the food and her energy levels improved almost over night. She eats 3 pouches a day 9 ounces. She has put on weight since going on BFF and has fat on her belly once again!
3. 100 ML of fluids 2-3 times per week
- We order our bags of fluids from the vet and give them to Ming 2-3 times per week depending on her energy levels. If she does not get her fluids, her water consumption goes up dramatically. Make sure to 'heat' the fluids by running hot water over the bag for a few minutes. Make sure to test the fluids on your arm (let us run out the needle) to ensure it's room temperature. If it's not room temperature it feels like ice going into your cat's neck/back region and he/she will hate you. We give her no more than 100 ML to prevent damage to the heart. Make sure to put a fresh needle on the bag after each use to prevent bacteria from entering the bag.
4. Renafood
- We tried Epakitin before Renafood and Ming got incredibly sick. I know some people swear by Epakitin but it wasn't right for us. We buy Renafood from our local holistic cat store, crush one pill per day and blend it into her BFF food. Renafood is literally made from kidneys (gross!) and is supposed to maintain existing kidney health. I've seen improvements in Ming's energy since starting however the verdict is still out until she gets her next blood results.
5. Absolutely no hard food
- Enough said. Unless you're at end of life and trying to offer final treats, no hard food.
6. Cooked chicken
- I've started cooking small amounts of cooked chicken with no oil or butter and giving them to her a couple of times a week. She loves it and it's a good supplement to her fish based BFF food.
7. Water, water, water
- Fresh water throughout the house.
8. Little stress
- Find ways to make your cat's life as stress free as possible. For Ming this means having a daily routine. She loves her routine and I can tell days we don't follow it she doesn't behave as happy.
I really hope this helps someone! Please let me know if I can try to answer any questions.
When my cat, Ming, got diagnosed with kidney failure my vet was very little help. She told us my cat had 6 months to 2 years to live and recommended we put her on the Dr. Hills diet (do NOT do this). She also said if we feel so inclined we could start sub q ivs but it was not necessarily recommended.
I was at a total loss. I'm not the kind of person who gives up and just accepts things so I did a ton of research to find ways to help my cat to the best of my abilities. Many of you helped me here and I would like to share my knowledge now of what works and what doesn't (at least for Ming). Ming is doing very well now. She has energy and is much happier than before she was diagnosed.
1. Don't fall for the Dr. Hills diet
- Your vet recommends this because Science Diet (Dr. Hills) funds their vet schools and vet offices. When we put Ming on this she lost TONS of weight rapidly fast and her creatitine and BUN went up dramatically in just 4 weeks. This food has tons of fillers in it and is not healthy for cats.
2. BFF - Best Feline Friend
- We put Ming on BFF food (we order it from Chewy) and get the broth pouches. They have low phosphate which is essential for maintaining kidney health in a kidney cat. Ming LOVES the food and her energy levels improved almost over night. She eats 3 pouches a day 9 ounces. She has put on weight since going on BFF and has fat on her belly once again!
3. 100 ML of fluids 2-3 times per week
- We order our bags of fluids from the vet and give them to Ming 2-3 times per week depending on her energy levels. If she does not get her fluids, her water consumption goes up dramatically. Make sure to 'heat' the fluids by running hot water over the bag for a few minutes. Make sure to test the fluids on your arm (let us run out the needle) to ensure it's room temperature. If it's not room temperature it feels like ice going into your cat's neck/back region and he/she will hate you. We give her no more than 100 ML to prevent damage to the heart. Make sure to put a fresh needle on the bag after each use to prevent bacteria from entering the bag.
4. Renafood
- We tried Epakitin before Renafood and Ming got incredibly sick. I know some people swear by Epakitin but it wasn't right for us. We buy Renafood from our local holistic cat store, crush one pill per day and blend it into her BFF food. Renafood is literally made from kidneys (gross!) and is supposed to maintain existing kidney health. I've seen improvements in Ming's energy since starting however the verdict is still out until she gets her next blood results.
5. Absolutely no hard food
- Enough said. Unless you're at end of life and trying to offer final treats, no hard food.
6. Cooked chicken
- I've started cooking small amounts of cooked chicken with no oil or butter and giving them to her a couple of times a week. She loves it and it's a good supplement to her fish based BFF food.
7. Water, water, water
- Fresh water throughout the house.
8. Little stress
- Find ways to make your cat's life as stress free as possible. For Ming this means having a daily routine. She loves her routine and I can tell days we don't follow it she doesn't behave as happy.
I really hope this helps someone! Please let me know if I can try to answer any questions.