Mackerel's taken a turn for the worse. :(

[ldg]

Sounds like a plan!

I think a sleepy Mack keeping watch over you while you're sleeping is a wonderful idea!

BTW, saw the picture of her sitting on Mr. Chicken's scratching post - and in that picture you can see her back doesn't look as boney as it did!

 

[booktigger]

No i wasn't aware your vet had recommended kitten food but again i am really surprised as it goes against all the advice for crf which i unfortunately have experience of and know that not all vets are clued up about. I would hate for the kitten food to have been advised just for the weight gain but make her kidneys a lot worse. I personally would prefer to use ad.

 

[jalindal]

Booktigger- she doesn't have crf. At this point in time we're still waiting to see what her kidneys and anemia are doing and whether they're going to recover to a stage where she can survive long term.

I guess I haven't made that clear- I much prefer being optimistic than putting down in writing that the vet said that she's still not out of the woods and I need to have the emergency housecall vet's number handy to have her PTS if she goes downhill very quickly. -.-

The vet said that because she's very run down (she picked up an URI/cough on top of everything else, though that seems to have improved a lot) and very very very thin we need to get some weight on her and help her build up some reserves.

Hope that clarifies things.

 

[libby74]

Jalindal ( not to be rude, but is that your 'real' name? It's very pretty and very unusual. Anyway.....) I don't think you're going to offend anyone/ most of us have been involved with taking care of a sick kitty, and I'm sure we've been given different advice on their treatment for the simple reason that not all illnesses present in the same manner or respond to the same treatment in the same way. Any idea that I throw out there is because I've been advized to try it or because I have tried it. We all understand that you are following your vet's advice, which appears to be working for Mack--and that's all that matters.

Loved the pics of your little girl, especially the 2nd one. Keep up the good work with her, sweetie; a smooch on the head to Miss Mackerel.

 

[jalindal]

Thanks Libby.

-sigh- I'm just worried that I'm not doing the right thing for her, and it's upsetting being told that my vet is *wrong*, not just that there's a different way to do things.

I'm going to give them a call tomorrow, ask about the protein level in the kitten food and whether there's something to be concerned about with her kidneys.

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by libby74

Jalindal...I don't think you're going to offend anyone/ most of us have been involved with taking care of a sick kitty, and I'm sure we've been given different advice on their treatment for the simple reason that not all illnesses present in the same manner or respond to the same treatment in the same way. <snip>

Exactly. AND not everyone has read the whole thread, and some advice is not being based on the problems that Mack has actually been facing: for instance, information based on CRF from the very beginning, when what Mack had was ARF, not CRF. VERY different problems, though they both affect the kidneys, treatment is quite different. AND it's complicated by the anemia, that has nothing to do with the ARF.

Originally Posted by Jalindal

Thanks Libby.

-sigh- I'm just worried that I'm not doing the right thing for her, and it's upsetting being told that my vet is *wrong*, not just that there's a different way to do things.

Your (new) vet has done a FABULOUS job. It can't ever hurt to ask, but they've really done right by her.

 

[libby74]

Listen to Laurie---I think she's a pretty smart cookie!

 

[the_food_lady]

Just following your dear kitty's brave and wonderful journey back to health, bravo Mackerel!

Did you know that Heinz Body Anemia in cats, not only can be caused by the consumption of onions or garlic, but also by the consumption of propylene glycol.....which is otherwise known as: antifreeze..........and that's something you suspected your kitty might have gotten into.

Here's a reputable article that explains the various causes of Heinz Body Anemia in cats, including propylene glycol:

http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/tarigo/index.php

Interestingly and sadly enough, a lady at the local premium pet food store was telling me last week that a lot of the cheaper quality grocery store cat foods (and some cat TREATS!) contain propylene glycol - for taste and as a preservative. I was sure she had to have been wrong, until I read the article above!!! The article doesn't make mention of P.G. being "antifreeze" but antifreeze definitely is propylene glycol.

I'd be sure NOT to feed Mackerel any of the food you'd previously been feeding prior to all of this..............what if it was a bad batch that had an overabundance of P.G.? What type of food had you fed prior to this?

Consumption of Acetominophen (Tylenol) can also cause this kind of anemia in cats.

Not sure what laws are where you are, in terms of allowed ingredients in pet food.

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/art...ne-glycol.html

ALSO.........................do you have a Dog? From what I've read, althought P.G. isn't supposed to be use in cat food (at least in the U.S.), it IS still apparently used in Dog Food. Any chance that Mackerel eating dog food?

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/art...ne-glycol.html

 

[jalindal]

Thanks LDG, thanks Libby.

I really appreciate the reassurance.

I sent a message to my vet but they're shut on Sundays- the nurses go in to look after the animals but they don't take any calls. So I'll keep doing what I have been and speak to them Monday morning.

the_food_lady - I am absolutely floored. x.o Are you serious??? They put ANTIFREEZE in catfood??? I don't want to swear, but holy ****!!!!

I've just gone and thrown out all the food that I bought before she got sick... thankfully I haven't fed her any of it because she's been eating kitten food and other high-fat food instead of her normal, but... wow! She was eating a mixture of Dine and Whiskas food (I know it's cheap food, but I'm a student and at the moment I'm unemployed as well... so I couldn't afford to buy really top shelf food. x.o) as well as some home-brand cat biscuits. The only treats she had was Greenies, but not for a while before this happened.

I do have dogs, but they live at my parent's house. There's no way she could have got into my medications, either- I keep them locked up and firmly out of her way. The same with all chemicals and cleaning products.

Having said that, of course, she got outside a couple of times just before this happened... so I don't know what she could have got into out there. She's never going outside again, that's for sure! And I'm going to make a note of things I should look out for on the ingredients of cat food packets. I just... maybe a bit naively... assumed that the stuff they put in cat food WOULDN'T POISON THEM! D:

 

[mrblanche]

Originally Posted by the_food_lady

J
Interestingly and sadly enough, a lady at the local premium pet food store was telling me last week that a lot of the cheaper quality grocery store cat foods (and some cat TREATS!) contain propylene glycol - for taste and as a preservative. I was sure she had to have been wrong, until I read the article above!!! The article doesn't make mention of P.G. being "antifreeze" but antifreeze definitely is propylene glycol.

There IS a form of propylene glycol used as antifreeze...but it's what is known as "pet safe" antifreeze. Most antifreeze is ethylene glycol, and deatly poison to pets AND humans!

Propylene glycol is used in a lot of things, and is safe for human and dog consumption, but not cat consumption. Most cat food manufacturers stopped using it in 1992, and when a definitive ruling came out in 1996, the last ones were discontinued.

Here's an interesting article:

Propylene glycol

It's certainly true that cats who go outside are exposed to a huge number of risks that would surprise us all.

It breaks my heart to see Mackerel so thin, but it looks like she's feeling better. I keep her in mind all the time.

 

[jalindal]

One of the articles that the_food_lady linked has some links to research about the effects of propylene glycol on red blood cells in cats- very interesting! In a kind of horrifying way.

I think Mackerel is feeling better, Mr Blanche.

She's still a little tired and run down, but I can see her mood and her spirit improving. I can't wait to see her blood work results on Friday!

The main thing I'm worried about atm is that she seems to have another edema (sp?) (water retention?) forming on her belly, and there's something that feels very strange just under the skin just below her waist on her belly. No idea what it is- there's no wound or anything, I only felt it for the first time yesterday... but it is odd. I'm going to ask K if she can come over and check it out before the vet appointment on Friday- no idea if there's anything to worry about.

 

[zoeysmom]

I've been following this thread, although I haven't really commented. I'm glad Mackeral seems to be in good spirits. It sounds like you are doing exactly what you should be doing!

On a side note, I think maybe it's time for a new thread to be started. I know it's silly, but my heart sinks a little bit everytime I see the "Mackeral's taken a turn for the worse" headline. Of course, within a second or two, I remember that the thread title refers to a few weeks ago!

Anyway, keep up the great work, Mackeral and Mom!

 

[otto]

I know this thread has gone beyond this particular point in the discussion now but I want to add something about leaving dry food out in the hopes it will encourage a cat to eat.

Leaving dry food out for a picky eater or cat with inappetence due to illness or other reason is often counterproductive.

First, constantly smelling the food will desensitize the cat to the odor of it, so it will not be an appealing scent.

In addition a cat who is not eating because she doens't feel good is not going to want to smell food all the time. If, every time you smell food it makes you want to urp, it is not an appealing thing.

Also the smell of food, even if she doesn't want to eat it, can put the body into...I'm not sure of the scientific term for it, but if the body thinks food is coming it goes into a 'digestive' mode, which can cause acid to build up in the stomach, and put the kidneys into a working mode, even when no food is actually eaten. That is not a good thing either. ^^ is one of the many reasons I will never free feed.

The best way to handle a reluctant eater is offering small smelly (warmed up) meals often. If the food is rejected don't leave it there for a very long time. Pick it up and try hand feeding or offer it again in a little while, and so on.

 

[jalindal]

That makes a lot of sense, Otto.

Thanks.

Zoey's Mum - is this better? XD The more neutrally named Mackerel update thread!

 

[booktigger]

Sorry, I used the wrong terminology yesterday, I should have said renal insufficiency, but I was in a rush. I was basing that on your posts about her being on Fortekor for life, as that is mainly used for CRF, and I thought you had said around that time the vet said her kidneys were damaged for life, in which case you dont want to make them work harder than they need to. I had also missed the bit about you feeding her tuna - my vet told me last year cats with kidney issues shouldnt have fish - he told me the darker the fish the worse it was but I can't remember for the life of me the reason why.

I wasn't necessarily saying your vet was wrong, but am really surprised at the things they have been suggesting with her kidneys not being great.

 

[kluchetta]

Originally Posted by Jalindal

That makes a lot of sense, Otto.

Thanks.

Zoey's Mum - is this better? XD The more neutrally named Mackerel update thread!

Haha, LOVE that name!