Update on Lucy's CRF--new results

[Lucy2008]

Lucy's been on Hills k/d food since the end of July. Back then her creatinine was 3.8, and her BUN was 53.
She was eating the food well, though not a ton of it, and the vomiting had stopped other than a couple of instances.
I took her in again last week for another blood draw, to recheck the values now that she's been on the food for a few months.
I was SHOCKED at the results. And dismayed. And discouraged.

Her creatinine is now 9, and her BUN is 114!! The vet said he was surprised it had jumped so much, and that the only thing he could offer would be fluid therapy. After going down this road with two other cats in the past, this isn't something I want to do again (personally). The vet said I could bring her in once or twice a week and they'd give the fluids. So today I am taking her in.

Reading a CRF board, someone remarked that this is NOT a normal progression of CRF, that perhaps she's got a UTI or something. I'm hoping to have a chance to ask the vet today about that (the appointment is just with a technician), because I am totally shocked at the numbers. He also told me that her RBC level was 7.3--within the normal range, but low-normal.

Has anyone else had this huge jump in lab numbers in just three months?? From what I've read (and I know the internet can be a dangerous thing...), seems like she doesn't have long left with those numbers....

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Just from my own personal experience having had three kidney cats, this is a HUGE jump in just three months, especially since she has only been eating a kidney diet. I tend to agree with that other person that perhaps she has something else going on. Even if she is dehydrated, I wouldn't expect to see the numbers jump that high. I hope there is a reason other than her kidneys going downhill this quickly for this change

How is she acting? Does she act like she doesn't feel well...hiding most of the time, hunched up, etc? You did said her appetite is still pretty good and her vomiting is better, so I take that as improvement, not going downhill. We had a couple times when the bloodwork was a complete shock (not in a good way but not like yours), so we learned to treat the cat, not what the bloodwork says. If our girl threw up alot, then she would get famotadine, if she didn't eat much, she would get Mirtazapine. We did give her fluids once the famotadine didn't do the trick much anymore, but we pretty much stopped doing bloodwork more than once a year because there wasn't much we could do about it no matter what it said. (granted, that was a few years ago now, so things may be different now)

 

[Jcatbird]

I think the above advice is very good. Our hearts are with you both.

 

[MissClouseau]

that perhaps she's got a UTI or something

This is what I was going to say as well. UTI can cause elevations too. And high protein diet - is it possible she's been eating something else somewhere? If they didn't do that day, personally I would ask for a urine test. If this doesn't give an answer, ultrasound would be a good idea.

 

[Antonio65]

From my experience, CRF (or CKD) can not be controlled with a specific diet and food only.
It does need more actions from the owner, that are fluids given daily or every second day, medicines, supplements.