One kidney is enlarged

[Tinjao]

Been going to the vet for a month trying to figure out why my cat keeps vomiting. It turns out one of his kidneys is enlarged. We had to bring him home while on fluids since we can not confine him in the clinic due to the pandemic. Also, the vet has checked his cbc and found no infection.

Can anyone give me an advice on what other remedy I can give him? He still hasn't eaten but he is on his day 2 of IV fluid. He keeps calling my mom so he can just sit on her lap. Whenever he sips a little water he immediately vomits. I wonder if Nefrotec could help? My problem is he vomits everything he ingests.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Call your vet back, explain to him that your cat cannot even keep sips of water down. This may be one of those times when it warrants keeping him hospitalized, regardless. Or, your vet may be able to prescribe an anti-nausea medication for you to give at home. Depending on the underlying medical issue, Nefrotec may or may not help, but I would ask the vet via phone or email before giving ANYTHING to an animal with an already compromised kidney.

PLEASE let us know how your cat is doing! What a horrible, horrible time for this to happen! My heart is with you.

 

[Tinjao]

Thank you for your concern!

She does know already, we just had to bring her home because our city is on Enhanced Community Quarantine and I still work in the hospital.

To be honest our vet doesnt have so much knowledge on enlarged kidneys and she's still contacting other vets.

Does anyone know any vet that could give advice?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Are you in the USA? If so, you can find a feline specialist here:

AAFP | American Association of Feline Practitioners Search "Cat ONLY" rather than "Cat FRIENDLY".

 

[Tinjao]

Are you in the USA? If so, you can find a feline specialist here:

AAFP | American Association of Feline Practitioners Search "Cat ONLY" rather than "Cat FRIENDLY".

No, I'm from the Philippines. I don't know if he will survive. He is on Dextrose Lactated ringers now started last night. But he hasn't eaten for about 5 days. Whenever he drinks water he immediately vomits. I don't know how I can give him medication if he keeps vomiting

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I am so, so sorry.

Well...since a vet is not going to be of help to you, SpecterOhPossum , do you have ANY ideas that might keep this cat alive?

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

I'm not a professional by any means but I grew up dirt poor in the ghetto without any vets or medical help as a child, caring for rescues for my busy family. so all I have to offer is experience based, home remedies ...

If I were in your shoes, I would take the water and food away from him cold turkey for now. You can't trust a nauseous cat!

onto that.....My gut instinct is that he's very nauseous of course, walking and around and hopping on laps isn't helping. I would confine him to a room or area where we can't do this. Perhaps sit on the floor with him.

If you can get him to lie down, I would personally take a damp; cool wash cloth and lie it on his stomach. If he will let you, a little rub on the head and best case scenario, down the back. You don't want to stress him though so know your boundaries here. Stop when he protests.

Every 20 minutes, rub his lips or gums with just finger a swipe of clean fresh water.

Play calming music, sleeping music. Preferably not classical but more ambient. Calming his nerves. Maybe after an hour, take a mere bottle caps worth of fresh water and offer it. If that works, another the next hour.

If that doesnt work, offer less the next hour. Perhaps add jussst a rub of his wet food or tuna into it if he's not interested, just a teeny teeny amount.

If all else fails........ Perhaps offer cut up rinsed grass? Make sure to cut it into short chunks. Maybe he really needs to expel something. We're out of options so we might as well exhaust all we can offer..

If that doesn't work, you could try boiling an egg and mixing the cooked yolk in a pinch of water. It has soothing effects in my experience. If you have unsweetened pumpkin that can help too but I'd do the egg first.

Good luck, I wish for the best. Sorry this is happening. Please update us.

An alternative method is to use the wet food or tuna/fish in place of water if he's uninterested in water.

 

[Tinjao]

Thank you so much! I will try to do all of your advices. Right now he is in a pen, with an IV fluid.

He loves his water in that type of mug (nothing else) that's why he has it. That's also his favorite pillow. He doesn't like peeing in underpads. The last time he was confined, there was no cat litter and he ended up having butt sore, which I think made him even more depressed. Good thing he only pees and steps on the corners and not the sand, he also doesnt cover it anymore since he is having a difficult time doing so. We try as much as we can to keep it clean. To be honest he is a very sensitive cat and he's so noisy whenever his bed has vomit or his litter has not been cleaned.
He always asks for my mom that's why she really does sit beside him sometimes. He is still interactive despite his condition. One vet advised me to give him an antispasmodic for his vomiting.
We just bought the syrup last night but I'm really afraid if he will vomit again.

 

[Tinjao]

According to the vet, the reason why he is vomiting is because one of the kidneys might not be working properly. We have one medication which is called Nefrotec, that is given orally and has been very effective to one of my cats who also had a kidney problem, but we can not give it to him because of his vomiting. I have tried even diluting it with water and given him at least 0.2ml and still he vomited a few seconds later.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

My heart is with you both.

 

[Tinjao]

My heart is with you both.

View attachment 329952

Thank you. We brought him to the vet yesterday. We are waiting for the ultrasound results today. Been praying and crying that he may still have a chance to heal and recover

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Let us know when you know something, I'll be going off-line in a few minutes, but will be back later on to check on things.