How to handle end of life care?

[Laroo]

Hi! I posted a thread about my cat suffering from constipation the other day. Unfortunately, this weekend was pretty terrible for her. She is not doing well on the laxatives. They are making her extremely nauseated. I have given her Cerenia AND Zofran to try to contain it, but I can tell she still feels it. I have been trying to find the right treatments for her for about 6 weeks now and everything I have tried has made her sick. I hate it. I was hopeful that something could be done, but this is essentially running experiments on a sick cat and she is the one paying the price. I called her vet to see what they think about the laxative doses, but they haven't called back yet and I honestly think that there would need to be an increase in dose, and I just can't. So my plan is to pull her off all of the meds, stop giving her SQ fluids, keep giving her Zofran and Cerenia so her tummy can feel ok, and then I'm going to give her foods that she loves for the next few days before calling a mobile vet to do in-home euthanasia. This is so terrible and I wish it were different.

What else can I do to make her last days better or more comfortable? What a nightmare this has been for my poor precious kitty, I hate it so much. I really wanted to do the right and best things for her and instead I feel like I made her suffer terribly. I really wish I hadn't done that, but I was also hopeful of finding a treatment that worked. I know that cats can live after a kidney disease diagnosis, but she just couldn't do the treatments.

 

[tyleete]

My cat had constipation so bad, that it was pressing on her diaphragm and making it hard to breathe even. I took her in and the sonogram showed it all. She was given a suppository and Whoosh!! After that, she gets 1tsp twice daily of pure pumpkin. That helps smooth the lining of her digestive tract. And she'd got Lymphoma Cancer in the GI tract. So she need all the help she can get there.
If you're set I making her comfortable, cbd can work wonders there. But can take too long to feel the effect.
It's always a hard decision. I wish you both the best.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well I read in your other thread that she pooped just yesterday afternoon, AND that you didn't realize you should be dissolving the Miralax in a little bit of water before mixing it in her wet food. Are you willing to give it another try before calling it a day? It could be that she is so nausated because of being constipated and it not be a reaction from the meds at all . I don't know that for certain, but it's a possibility.

Anyway, if you think she is done, then just give her all her favorite things for a few days, love her like there's no tomorrow, and call in the in-home euthanasia folks

 

[Laroo]

Well I read in your other thread that she pooped just yesterday afternoon, AND that you didn't realize you should be dissolving the Miralax in a little bit of water before mixing it in her wet food. Are you willing to give it another try before calling it a day? It could be that she is so nausated because of being constipated and it not be a reaction from the meds at all . I don't know that for certain, but it's a possibility.

Anyway, if you think she is done, then just give her all her favorite things for a few days, love her like there's no tomorrow, and call in the in-home euthanasia folks

I think that she is done. No point in torturing her with meds. Her vet said that it was highly unusual that a cat can't tolerate these treatments, so we are thinking that it might be because she tested positive for FIV years ago. It's just never really made much appearance before, but if I recall correctly it does attack their intestines. So it definitely makes sense. I wish I had thought of that earlier though, damn. I think I went way to far here, and it sucks. I threw away all of the meds I had for her, so I'm just going to wait and see, and hope her last days will not be horrible.

 

[jefferd18]

I am sorry that you are going through this but I don't know if pulling her off all of her medications is the answer. That is kind of an experiment and it might be one that causes you and your kitty more grief. It did seem like she was on the right path when she defecated yesterday and that maybe she is just nauseated. What does your vet say?

You are facing a very difficult decision and I am truly sorry. You asked a question about how to handle end of life care. In my humble opinion that means spoiling and loving her in a calm environment.

 

[Laroo]

I am sorry that you are going through this but I don't know if pulling her off all of her medications is the answer. That is kind of an experiment and it might be one that causes you and your kitty more grief. It did seem like she was on the right path when she defecated yesterday and that maybe she is just nauseated. What does your vet say?

You are facing a very difficult decision and I am truly sorry. You asked a question about how to handle end of life care. In my humble opinion that means spoiling and loving her in a calm environment.

Her vet suggested an ultrasound and a blood test to check her creatinine levels. I just can't. She does not want it, she does not want to be poked. I definitely should not have poked her as much as I did. I'm pretty sure that I am a monster for doing it. She doesn't deserve it, and I could have made her last days better. Instead, I brought her more pain and damaged our relationship too. She loved me, she trusted me to protect her. And I didn't. I screwed up. Haha. omg. I meant to do good things, instead I did the wrong things, and she paid the price. I wanted to get her in-home euthanasia tonight, she is not doing well at all. Unfortunately I screwed that up too, should have done it this last week. I was still holding hope in spite of what was happening before my eyes. None of the vets who do in-home euthanasia are answering their phones. It's after hours. I'm so incredibly lucky that I have enough money left (after spending it all on pure hell for my beautiful cat) that I can afford to give her that precious gift that I should have given her a month ago. Anyway, I will go ahead and stop there, and hire a counselor in the morning. I am also going to be scrambling for a vet appointment...

The ultrasound and needle poke the vet was talking about would have cost about $1,000. That is the price of her misery. It did seem like she was making progress. But I dissolved some mirtazipine in a little bit of water today and gave it to her so she would be hungry. She hated it. And I hated myself afterwards. And then she ate too much and was extremely uncomfortable. That is what sent her into a further downward spiral that prompted me to frantically start calling vets. Too late!!! A sign of her fragility. I made a mistake. At this point she won't even let me take her picture. The whole thing is heartbreaking. So... I know this forum is for cat lovers, many of which have shown that they are very enthusiastic about giving their cat the best life possible, and for as long as possible. I'm not sure it's always a good thing to do. The treatments that work easily on other cats did not work on her. I threw all of her meds away so that I can't be stupidly tempted to give her any of them.

 

[Laroo]

Well I read in your other thread that she pooped just yesterday afternoon, AND that you didn't realize you should be dissolving the Miralax in a little bit of water before mixing it in her wet food. Are you willing to give it another try before calling it a day? It could be that she is so nausated because of being constipated and it not be a reaction from the meds at all . I don't know that for certain, but it's a possibility.

Anyway, if you think she is done, then just give her all her favorite things for a few days, love her like there's no tomorrow, and call in the in-home euthanasia folks

I wanted to add that I also had her under the care of a vet. 2 vets, actually, and one was a cat specialist. Neither of them told me to dissolve the Miralax before giving it. They said mix it into her food as is. That's what I did. I have not read anywhere else online that mixing it with water is the way to do it. I am glad that it's working for you. But it's not that I didn't realize this is what I should be doing (something that the 2 professionals giving me medical advice for my cat did not say I SHOULD be doing). Anyhow, I would like to suggest that you make a separate post about the necessity of doing this, because it appears to not be common knowledge. It's still the same ingredients no matter what, and I am no longer under the delusion that it was constipation making her sick.. It was definitely meds, mixed with water or not. No, I will not feed her that again, I don't even know if I can make an apology that will ever bring forgiveness for what has already been done.

 

[jefferd18]

I wanted to add that I also had her under the care of a vet. 2 vets, actually, and one was a cat specialist. Neither of them told me to dissolve the Miralax before giving it. They said mix it into her food as is. That's what I did. I have not read anywhere else online that mixing it with water is the way to do it. I am glad that it's working for you. But it's not that I didn't realize this is what I should be doing (something that the 2 professionals giving me medical advice for my cat did not say I SHOULD be doing). Anyhow, I would like to suggest that you make a separate post about the necessity of doing this, because it appears to not be common knowledge. It's still the same ingredients no matter what, and I am no longer under the delusion that it was constipation making her sick.. It was definitely meds, mixed with water or not. No, I will not feed her that again, I don't even know if I can make an apology that will ever bring forgiveness for what has already been done.

I am not going to tell you what to do, or how to feel, she is your cat and also your best friend. Just remember that sometimes we have to have our feline friends poked and blood taken because it is in their best interest. The fact that she is eating, is a good sign. She has defecated and is eating on her own. I would say she is making a recovery.

As far as Miralax goes, I too had to use it for my cat, Avatar. I saw him straining one day and then he collapsed right outside his litter-box. I rushed him to the animal emergency hospital that night. One of the things they told me to get was Miralax and to mix it with a certain amount of water. If we prepare it like that for ourselves, it just makes sense that we do it the same way for other animals.

 

[Kflowers]

When you take your cat in for any treatment ask/insist that the vet write all instructions down. They hate doing this, but it's for the best. When you bring your cat in you are upset, you may miss things they say, they may forget things. If they have to write it down it will give them another minute to think about what they want you to do.

 

[Laroo]

I am not going to tell you what to do, or how to feel, she is your cat and also your best friend. Just remember that sometimes we have to have our feline friends poked and blood taken because it is in their best interest. The fact that she is eating, is a good sign. She has defecated and is eating on her own. I would say she is making a recovery.

As far as Miralax goes, I too had to use it for my cat, Avatar. I saw him straining one day and then he collapsed right outside his litter-box. I rushed him to the animal emergency hospital that night. One of the things they told me to get was Miralax and to mix it with a certain amount of water. If we prepare it like that for ourselves, it just makes sense that we do it the same way for other animals.

Yes, it would make sense to mix it, but neither of them told me that, they said mix it into food directly. I don't think mixing it is going to change anything anyway, that really doesn't make sense to me, it's the same ingredients. I've also tried 2 other laxatives (given to me by my vet...) and they did not work either, they made my cat even more sick. So I think the real issue is that she just cannot take those kinds of laxatives. It is frustrating that the Miralax is still being pushed by some, but they were not here to see the cat, speak to the vet, or even have anything to do with the situation other than what details I am giving here. The fact is that all cats are not the same and not all people who give their cats Miralax mix it with water and their cats are fine and thriving. And I am glad they are, I think finding a solution that works for them is awesome.

 

[Laroo]

When you take your cat in for any treatment ask/insist that the vet write all instructions down. They hate doing this, but it's for the best. When you bring your cat in you are upset, you may miss things they say, they may forget things. If they have to write it down it will give them another minute to think about what they want you to do.

They write instructions on their discharge sheet.

 

[jefferd18]

Yes, it would make sense to mix it, but neither of them told me that, they said mix it into food directly. I don't think mixing it is going to change anything anyway, that really doesn't make sense to me, it's the same ingredients. I've also tried 2 other laxatives (given to me by my vet...) and they did not work either, they made my cat even more sick. So I think the real issue is that she just cannot take those kinds of laxatives. It is frustrating that the Miralax is still being pushed by some, but they were not here to see the cat, speak to the vet, or even have anything to do with the situation other than what details I am giving here. The fact is that all cats are not the same and not all people who give their cats Miralax mix it with water and their cats are fine and thriving. And I am glad they are, I think finding a solution that works for them is awesome.

Yes, it is the same ingredient but it can make a cat nauseated if it is not mixed with water and that is something you don't want with your kitty.

I am glad that she has improved with here eating, drinking and going to the bathroom. I pray that it continues.

 

[mani]

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