Hyperthyroidism and heart disease...

[IndyJones]

He is doing really well, I had to let his collar out a little bit yesterday because it was getting tight. It used to just have a huge gap between his neck and the collar but I couldn't get it smaller.

I'm just amazed at how good he is doing.

He has however started stepping in his pee in the litterbox again little brat. Oh well, just have to keep paper towels handy for his paws.

 

[neely]

He is doing really well, I'm just amazed at how good he is doing.

Thanks for the update on his progress, that's wonderful news!

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow! This is fantastic news!

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto is peeing a bit more than usual last week but this week seems back to normal?

I know the vet said his SDMA was great but my feeling is he has some degree of kidney failure or at least innefficiancy. But maybe its just his age. Will see at the next checkup.

Overall though he is looking really good. I honestly thought I was going to loose him when I started this thread.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[white shadow]

Hi IndyJones - about your gut feelings..........

There are a few bloodwork values plus urinalysis for specific gravity reading that will offer best clues; you could post those reports....'feebysmom' and 'silent meowlook'... can offer informed opinions.

 

[IndyJones]

Getting urine from my cats is a nightmare. But maybe next time i take him I will try and make sure his bladder is full.

He won't use the perler beads the vet provides. Neither will indy. Plus they want it 'sterile'.

 

[silent meowlook]

He may have some degree of kidney failure that won’t show up on blood work. Just make sure he stays hydrated. It is kind of a balancing act when you have multiple issues. But it can be done. Very important to always consider how he is feeling. This is important because you know your cat more than anyone. If you think there is a problem, there is. If you think he is doing well, most likely he is.

 

[IndyJones]

He is back to pretty much his reg7lar pee schedual now. Im wondering if he had a bladder infection that just ran its course. I will keep watching him though.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto is reverse sneezing again. I hope his chest isn't filling with fluid again, he had a really bad fit last night. I will keep an eye on him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not sure what to make of the bladder issue, as true infections don't 'run their course' without treatment.

Nonetheless, not all heart issues are solely related to hyperthyroidism, and even if they are, not all damage can be reversed with hyper-T meds. Feeby has high BP, likely from either hyper-T or kidney disease - or both. And, since that time she has also acquired a murmur that is being watched. I think you need to start talking to the vet about doing more testing relative to Kabuto's heart/lungs. There are so many meds available that whatever Kabuto has going on can most likely be treated - and, with something other than, or in addition to diuretics.

As far as the kidney issues go, and retesting his urine - never in my wildest dreams did I think I could stick a dish under Feeby and collect urine, but I did. She has repeatedly not had urine in her bladder when going to the vet, and of course they suggested the litter crystals, which I knew I would need a ton of to actually make a litter box full of it. So, I tested her one or two times with holding a dish under her until I got it right, and I was able to get 'sterile' urine on the 3rd try. I am not saying it will work for you, but you could do a few test runs and see if it might be remotely possible.

I could go on about many things, but I'll stop for now other than to say this - SDMA with Feeby is worthless. Even at Stage 3 kidney disease her last SDMA reading was 13.5. So, it is not necessarily reliable for all cats.

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto is having a tough day today I think. He has been sleeping alot and only ate two bites of food when I put him down next to it. Lastnight he was quite restless though. He sounds like he is stuffed up again too grunting .

It is hard to watch him on days like this. He at least seems comfortable though.

 

[FeebysOwner]

As cats age, I tend to think they have good and bad days, just like older humans do. But I would be carefully monitoring him being stuffed up and grunting given his history.

 

[IndyJones]

Typical Kabuto, he ate a nice hearty amount an hour after I started worrying about him. He is back on his gaming chair like nothing happened.

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto sure seems happy to see the sun after a week of wet, cold, and damp weather. He was sunbathing when I left for work.

 

[IndyJones]

I think Kabuto pulled a muscle last night. He peed standing up and when he came out his right back leg locked up a bit and he cried.

I sat him down on the gaming chair to calm him down and about 30 mins later he was back to his old self and jumped to the back of the sofa like a flying squirrel. He is totaly back to normal now.

He is going to give me a heart attack one of these days.

 

[IndyJones]

Now Kabuto is ignoring his old water dish. Is this typical when a fountain is available?

I know he is drinking because there is plenty of pee in the box and he isn't dehydrated at all. I also am adding about one or two coffee mugs a day to the fountain. I have seen him drink from all three parts of it now.

There is a large bowl at the bottom, a tiny pool at the top and a waterslide on the side of it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think how a cat reacts to a water fountain varies by cat. Some love them, some hate them. As long as he is drinking water, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Keep the fountain clean and leave his old water dish out too - and keep the dish clean as well as change out the water at least once a day. It could be that the fountain water tastes fresher. But he could change his mind at any time and go back to his old water dish. One never knows with cats what they might do!!

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto's poop looks better now since getting him the fountain. It looks more brown and cigar shapped compaired to dry and yellowish.

He definatly is drinking more but I think its the fountain rather than illness. He is more hydrated too skin is snappy with the scruff test.