- Joined
- Apr 30, 2010
- Messages
- 227
- Purraise
- 173
I am screaming in my head HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? My 16 y/o Himmie has had CKD for about two years and was doing really well. I have been giving him subq’s and keeping his appetite going with Mirataz as needed. He was happy, loving and still playful. We went to the vet (a new one) for bloodwork and he was diagnosed with hpertension. The vet prescribed a low dose of Amlodipine. It immediately made him lethargic, but I continued to administer it thinking it was important to prevent serious problems like blindness. He was still eating and seemed OK otherwise. His kidney values had actually improved. His creatinine was at 2.5 from a high of 3.7. After about 2 1/2 weeks on the Amlodipine, he started refusing food. I mean REFUSING it. No amount of coaxing would make him even take a lick. I syringe fed him, but I know he did not get enough nourishment. I talked to the vet twice and he told me to discontinue the Amlodipine. That was on the Friday before Memorial Day. The evening of Memorial Day, I told my husband I couldn’t stand anymore, so we went to our local university vet school emergency clinic. They did more bloodwork, which had not changed much, gave him IV fluids for two hours, Cerenia and Zofran. He was so much better when we got home, walking around purring. But, still no appetite. But, Cerenia has had that effect on him before. So, we have been hoping and trying everything since then. I have syringe fed him, subq’s every day, Zofran to keep nausea at bay, B12 injections twice a week, probiotics. In the past couple of days he has eaten maybe 1/4 cup of dry food on his own. He won’t even look at wet food, and I am sure to offer him something other than the AD I have been syringing. He has lost almost a pound that he couldn’t afford to lose. My vet thinks we should go back to the vet school and let them do more testing, but I just don’t know if I want to subject him to that at this point. it would be expensive, yes, but that doesn’t matter. I would spend my last penny to get him back on track. I am worried about him having to be there for days and how that stress would affect him. I can’t help feeling cheated. I was so excited that his kidneys were doing as well as they were and never dreamt this could happen. I will forever feel responsible for giving him the drug, even though I thought it was needed. We lost his brother almost exactly five years ago. We thought about getting another kitten but never did. I cannot imagine this house or my life without him. I went through this in 2001, losing a cat I had for over 21 years. It came close to killing me, but I was working full-time then and at least got out of the house every day. Now, I am retired and here most of the time.