My cat just went blind.

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ape48066

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We are heading back to the vet tomorrow to see why Kitty is so bloated. Wish us like that it's not anything else on top of all this kidney stuff.
 

mservant

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Big positive vibes and good wishes coming right your way.    Let us know how the appointment goes.   Hopefully it is something straight forward and maybe retaining some fluid of something, which they can sort out very quickly.

 

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Awaiting some news here!!  (hoping it's nothing bad
)
 

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Aww, she is so sweet waiting there in her carrier.  I hope she isn't too anxious at the vets.   I have to go off to bed now but will be thinking of you and anxiously checking when I get up in the morning.   Loads and loads of postive vibes from me.  
  
 
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ape48066

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Thanks so much for the good vibes. The vet did some X-rays and said that her kidneys look small because of the disease. We could do more tests to determine what else might be wrong but I don't think I'm going to. Other than the fact of her loving her new food, she is fine her colon was full. [emoji]128540[/emoji] We have another appointment on the 29th to recheck her blood pressure and kidney out put.
 
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ape48066

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So I think Kitty has it out for me taking her back to the vet.  She was begging for food ever 2 hours last night.  I didn't sleep a all.  All she wants o do is eat.  The vet I no help.  I bought a busy ball for her to try.  I can't keep feeding her, she has gained a pound in the last three months.  I just want her to be happy.
 

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The busy ball is a great idea! 

Some of her weight "gain" could be because her colon was full, and because she is drinking so much.  Artificial gain.  But still, she IS gaining some, because I'm sure that doesn't equate to a full pound.  But remember, kidney cats normally will lose weight, so anything she puts on now is actually a good thing, IMHO.  One thing I would advise, though, is to try to get her to start eating some wet food, if possible.  Mainly, wet food is much better for kidney cats because it adds much needed moisture to already dehydrated animals.  And you can even add more water to it.  Then, when you start needing to give her medications, it's a lot easier to add it to wet food than try to pill her (again, IMHO), AND, kidney cats are even more prone to constipation than healthy cats, and the older any cat gets, the more prone they get towards constipation.  Wet food really helps in that area too
.  And it's much easier to add in a little Miralax to wet food than to dry.

 Kibble is actually DRYING to their systems.  Think how it is when you eat crackers or something.  You need to drink something, right?  That's how I equate it to cats eating kibble.  Only they DON"T necessarily drink anything, or at least not very often.  According to this article, healthy cats eating only kibble need to drink 8 oz of water per day to keep fully hydrated!  That's really quite a lot.  http://www.thecatsite.com/a/tips-to-increase-your-cat-s-water-intake  (keep in mind that kidney cats need a LOT MORE....,most of us give our kidney cats sub-q fluids along with adding water to their wet food...their little bodies are just like sponges - yesterday our girl got 150 ml of sub-q fluids, and within an hour they were completely absorbed  - she was REALLY dehydrated
.

So, has your Vet talked to you about foods yet?  Kidney cats need lower phosphorus foods than the norm.  On that website that I referenced above, they have listings of hundreds of cat foods, both wet and dry, listed in order of how much phosphorus is in them.  Might be worth taking a look at.
 
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ape48066

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The busy ball and putting a bit of water in her food is helping a lot. She seems to be almost back to her self. Just a little thicker in the middle. I'm keeping an eye on her weight gain. But she seems to be happy.
 

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Hi ape.I'm glad your kitty got her sight back.I have seen a reversal as well.As for the BP medicine you can google drugs.com looking for sideeffects.Her thyroid can be affected as well.Where just out of the blue she becomes hyperT and eats everything but begins to actually lose weight.Drugs.com should show you side effects.But if this doesn't stop and we all want our kitties to eat well but do realize when something is not normal I would personally her her T4 checked.A blood draw checking her thyroid levels.Yes they can have hypert sprout up at any time of their lives.Hugs C.
 
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ape48066

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We go for a recheck of her blood next week on the 29th I'll ask what they are testing and see if it has to do with her thyroid.  Thanks for the input!!
 
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ape48066

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Hi everyone all of the blood work came back normal.  I still can't get an answer as to why she is gaining weight other than "she most be feeling better and likes her new food." I just want her to be okay.  Last night I was giving her a massage and I found a lump on her left side just under her ribs.  Should I make yet another call to the vet or maybe find a specialist??  I'm on a tight budget and with Christmas coming I'm not sure now much more I want to spend at the vet.  I tried to get CareCredit but was not approved :( I'm going to keep my eye on what I found to make sure nothing changes.
 

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Hi ape48066.

I'm glad bloodwork came back all fine.Although BW does not tell us everything but can help with some illnesses.This lump that you feel.The last time she was at the vet which was not that long ago.Did they not feel her all over?Her lymph nodes,thyroid gland abdomen ,everything ?

Did they feel she was overweight? Or just right or did they even mention anything.What I have dealt with personally as per lumps .First I take my fingers and gently get around the lump and try to see if it feels like it is attached to the skin and moves with the skin or wants to stay in that particular place.Still doesn't tell us anything.

I have had needle aspirates where a vet will insert a needle into and pull out fluid.That fluid will be sent away sometimes looking for any abnormal.I have had a lot of benign lumps.I have also been told it doesn't seem to bother your cat or dog so just leave it.

Following my vet's advice at that time i only kept an eye on it if I saw it get bigger.I did not try to squeeze but observed if hair was falling out in the area as an abscess can occur  where the hair will fallout eventually & the abscess with build.Meaning get larger & then burst sometimes.

I have also with these benign lumps had them turn cancerous.So now looking back anytime I have had a lump in any of my animals I have a biopsy done but even when it comes back benign, I still always have it removed completely.

If it comes back not benign then you would IMO want to be dealing with a specialist as per what type of carcinoma it is.Cat's get things.That is a given.Weird things sometimes.

Just sharing my life of 40 years with pets & lumps.

HTH Honey hugs to the babe.C.
 
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artiemom

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I am just finished reading this entire thread...

OMG!! You have and your kitty have been through so much. (((hugs))  

My heart is really out to both of you..

A thought, I do not know if it has been suggested before, forgive me if it has. Have you tried to feed wet food to your cat?

Wet food, along with a tiny bit of added water, may cut down on her thirst. 

I do that for my guy. long story on his history.

As far as feed and being woken up at night: I decided to feed him just before I go to bed. I also leave out some food for during the night. 

My guy does not eat much at one time. He is a free feeder, and somehow manages his own weight. 

I am very fortunate on that account..But he still wakes me up occasionally when he is hungry..

Yes, I think a thyroid check is in order...

It can be associated with weight gain and low blood pressure, if low:   and high blood pressure, along with decreased weight if high....

I am wishing you and your kitty the best of luck...
 
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ape48066

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@Artiemom  I had her thyroid checked on the 29th when we were at the vet and they said everything is normal.  I haven't done wet food with her yet she has always been on dry. I hate to keep changing her food. I have done it three times in the last month and a half.  She was a free feeder until all of this happened now it's like she could eat the whole bag of food at once.

@MomofMaxwell  The lump I found feels like it is attached to her rib almost I just hoping it's not her kidney.

Thank you both for you input and the hugs
 

artiemom

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Oh---sorry..maybe I misread...I apologize

If the lump seems to be attached to her rib, then it is no where near her kidney.

I was just thinking that you could slowly introduce the wet food...see if she goes for it..she may.....if she does, then that may help a bit. 

Dry food has more calories and fillers than wet. That could be a source of her weight gain....but not of her appetite. 

I am not a vet, not even an advisor, or anything...just do a lot of reading, and using my experience--both in the human medical field and my experience with my baby.......sorry....

((hugs)) to you and that someone else can jump in and be more helpful...I do have a big mouth--sometimes....
 

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I know funds are tight and there have been a lot of vet expenses already but with the way things have been recently, esp with the vets not having a really clear idea about what has been causing Kitty's symtoms, it sounds to me like another chat with the vet is in order.   Would your vet maybe talk with you over the phone initially before having to decide whether to take her in for more examinations?
 
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ape48066

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They are good over the phone but most of the time it ends up with the doctor wanting to she her. I did some research on the feline anonymity and the lump I felt might be her kidney, liver or maybe even her spleen. The eye doctor said her adrenal gland could be failing and that could be what is making her eat so much. I'm still reading up on everything.
 
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