# Older cat drooling.. why?



## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Background: The cat is a altered male 15 year old and according to the vet is suffering from kidney failure, thyroid problems. He is exclusively an inside cat. About a year ago he began to loose weight and this was attributed to his thyroid problem. He takes Metaimazole 2.5mg 2x daily. Although the blood works shows good thyroid levels now he still have not put on any weight. He has also stopped grooming and his hair is matted.
Several months ago he breath has become unbelievably bad. and this past week he had a little clear discharge from his nose and a little sneezing. 
NOW he is drooling and I suspect a tooth problem? He eats or I should say licks the gravy off his food and that is about it. But his consumption is way off. I cant get a vets appointment today, Saturday so I have to wait until Monday. Any thought or suggestions of the cause of this or how to proceed.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Is it a thicker drool? I've heard that's more often linked to tooth problems. If it's just droplets when he's purring then that's pretty standard, when cats get older they tend to drool when they're happy. Both Blaze and Blacky do.

Until you can get into the vets I would try feeding him anything you think he may eat, minced chicken breast, an egg, baby food, try fish flavors of cat food... anything you can get in him... a cat not eating is pretty serious and can lead to hepatic lipidosis.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Our Annie had all those symptoms before she died of kidney failure at about that same age. He is most likely approaching his time. Be sure he is not suffering. As painful as it is to think about, you should start thinking about that.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

I understand it may be his time. I cannot tell if he is in any pain, He is not showing any obvious signs of pain. He is licking only the gravy of his canned and fresh food. He is drinking and a recent urine test (3 days ago) showed no blood and everything else normal however the vet said it was a little diluted. Kidneys still working I guess and he is still using the box with success. 
The drool is thick and hangs from his mouth.


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## Jasmine12 (Dec 31, 2012)

Cats will often drool when they are nauseated. If you are giving the methimazole on an empty stomach it will definitely be likely to cause nausea. Of course kidney failure will also cause nausea as the toxins build up in the body.
I really feel for you and your kitty. Kidney failure and hyperthyroidism often go hand in hand and are difficult to treat together.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Your poor kitty has a lot going on there and it would be really difficult to try and guess what the cause of the drooling is. Can you get a look in his mouth to see if there's a bad tooth? Maybe even rub the outside of his mouth to see if you get a reaction.

If you're waiting till Monday for the vet I think you need to try and get some food in him. In case he is nauseous, using Slippery Elm and syringing it into him before offering food should help sooth his stomach (see link below for more details). If he still won't eat you may need to syringe feed. You can also try some meat baby food (make sure there's no onion or garlic). When Maggie was sick, she was willing to lick some baby food off my finger. You may need to "prime" him a little by smearing some on his mouth.

Slippery Elm | Little Big Cat


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks for the replies.
He has been drinking OK but has moved to the bathroom floor. I assume its cool there and he is probally seeking that? Its close to a litter box and its quiet.

I have checked his mouth and it looks like a little sensitivity on one side. he wont let me look at much without fighting. I have 2 doses of Doxycycline (25mg) and I though about starting that so that if its a abscessed tooth I can get a jump with antibiotics?

He seems to lick but does not want to eat any solids. I take pate food and dilute it with clam juice to make a slurry for him to eat but its not interesting at this point.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> Background: The cat is a altered male 15 year old and according to the vet is suffering from kidney failure, thyroid problems.


OK, the first thing I'm going to ask is if you have copies of all of his lab results. If so, it would be extremely helpful if you would post them here in their entirety (ALL values, not just the ones that are outside of the lab's reference ranges). This will give us a MUCH better idea of his current health status and enable us to give you the most relevant and helpful insights and suggestions. If you don't have copies of his labs, I strongly recommend you go to your vet and acquire them ASAP. You will need them in order to make sense of the website links we will provide you. As soon as you get the labs, please post them here, along with the lab's reference ranges, in this format:

Total T4 5.1 (1.9-4.8)
BUN 46 (18-36)
Creatinine 2.7 (0.6-2.0)
etc.



> He takes Metaimazole 2.5mg 2x daily. Although the blood works shows good thyroid levels now he still have not put on any weight. He has also stopped grooming and his hair is matted.


Methimazole can cause liver problems, so bloodwork should be run every 3-6 mos when taking this drug. If he's not grooming and his coat is matted, he may need better regulation of his thyroid, and/or he may be dehydrated (a common problem in renal cats).



> Several months ago he breath has become unbelievably bad. and this past week he had a little clear discharge from his nose and a little sneezing.
> NOW he is drooling and I suspect a tooth problem? He eats or I should say licks the gravy off his food and that is about it. But his consumption is way off.


While it's true that bad breath can indicate end stage renal disease, it's unlikely he would have lasted several months after that particular symptom occurred. Given the thick drool, it's much more likely that the bad breath is related to a major infection in his mouth, either in one or more teeth or in the gums. The nasal discharge and sneezing may or may not be related.

Lack of appetite could be caused by the methimazole, the kidney disease, and/or a mouth infection. You'll have a much better idea what's going on with your boy when you get him to the vet tomorrow. In the meantime, if you have a kitchen blender, mix some pate-style canned cat food with a little hot water and puree until it's a med-thick, warm gruel that your cat can lap up without chewing. If he has an infection in his mouth, offering him slightly warmed food will probably be more comfortable in his mouth than cold or even room temp food. If he's congested, it may also improve his appetite if you put him in a steamy bathroom for 15-30 mins immediately before feeding him. Cats won't eat what they can't smell, and the steam will help drain his sinuses so that he can smell the food you give him immediately afterwards.

Laurie


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> I have 2 doses of Doxycycline (25mg) and I though about starting that so that if its a abscessed tooth I can get a jump with antibiotics?


Doxy is not the antibiotic of choice for dental infections, and you don't want to start and stop antibiotics. You're better off waiting until Monday and getting him in to see your vet ASAP so that he can get an appropriate antibiotic on board.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Laurie his blood work is in this thread.
http://www.catforum.com/forum/38-health-nutrition/157783-older-cat-15-blood-urine.html

He is not congested and his nose is not running.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

That bloodwork is 6 mos old, right? It's time to have a fresh set of bloods taken, including a chemistry, CBC, and Total T4. With both hyperT and CRF, his blood values can change dramatically very quickly, so you really need to keep on top of it. It's likely that his methimazole dose will need adjusting at this point, and his renal disease may have thrown his electrolytes completely out of whack. Fresh bloodwork will tell you what you're dealing with and how to adjust his management protocol to help him feel better.

Are you giving him subQ fluids at home? If not, he would likely feel much, much better if you would. Are you giving him any other medications, supplements, or treatments other than methimazole?

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Yes sub Q fluid (NORMOSOL-R warmed about 100ml) He hates every moment of it. And an occasional vitamin. Plus Nutra-cal.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Are you warming the fluids before admin? How much are you giving and how often? What size and brand of needle are you using?

Which vitamin are you giving?


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

v194 said:


> Yes sub Q fluid (NORMOSOL-R warmed about 100ml) He hates every moment of it. And an occasional vitamin. Plus Nutra-cal.


As written above (warmed) 100 ml per day: or as needed.
Brand? Nipro Size? 18 Guage. Try a smaller needle? It will have to be Monday when the Vet can do it.
Vitamin? Sergeants.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Oops, sorry, missed the "warmed 100 ml" part. I'm not familiar with the Nipro brand. Do you live in the U.S.? If not, do you know if you can purchase Terumo needles in your country? Terumo needles have a reputation for being sharper and less painful to insert. Also, I strongly recommend using a smaller gauge needle (specifically the Terumo 20 ga Ultra Thin Wall needle). Some cats object not only to the bigger hole and more painful stick of a larger gauge needle, but also to the faster flow rate of fluids into their body. 

Is your vet aware of the Nutri-Cal and vitamin that you're giving your cat? I see that he had elevated potassium in his Oct bloodwork, which can be dangerous for his heart. I assume that's why your vet has you using NORMOSOL instead of Ringer's (which contains potassium). I know that Nutri-Cal contains potassium, and I suspect that the Sergeants product does, too. You might want to discuss that with your vet.

Laurie


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

If you're going to do a fresh set of bloodwork, don't forget to fast your cat for at least 8 hrs prior to the blood draw, and schedule the blood draw 4 hrs after a methimazole dose.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Update - Today's vet visit yielded mouth ulcers and infection. This was the cause of the drooling. Vet took blood for another round of tests because the tests were 6 months old. She injected antibiotics which lasts 7days, we are doing an oral rinse, and administering pain medication. (liquid oral Buprenex .07ml 2 x a day) Switched his thyroid medication to a topical dose. which is on order from a compounding lab in Arizona (Roadrunner?) Blood work should be completed tomorrow and we can see if the ere is further degradation to the kidneys.
Many cats give up but this old guy keeps fighting and has a strong will to live so I hate to "pull the plug" Dr said if the test results are worse then we can go from there but we should try to relieve any pain now. He also got a big shot of electrolytes.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> Update - Today's vet visit yielded mouth ulcers and infection.


Mouth ulcers are not uncommon in CRF cats, though, gratefully, none of my CRF cats have ever had to deal with them. Along with the oral rinse the vet prescribed, you may want to consider using slippery elm bark syrup. SEB can do a lot of good things for a CRF cat. It coats the mouth and GI tract with a soothing, mucousy coating that, along with helping heal mouth ulcers, can also reduce stomach acid upset, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. You can read about SEB here:

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Holistic Treatments



> She injected antibiotics which lasts 7days


For future reference, it's generally best to administer antibiotics (and any other drug) daily rather than as a 7 day injection. The injection is convenient, which is why so many vets use it, but if the cat has any sort of negative side effect(s) with the antibiotic, the cat's body is forced to deal with the negative side effect(s) for at least 7 days until the drug wears off. With oral meds, negative side effect(s) can be alleviated much more quickly by stopping administration of the drug.



> Blood work should be completed tomorrow and we can see if the ere is further degradation to the kidneys.


I hope you'll post his new bloodwork so we can be updated on his condition, as well.



> Many cats give up but this old guy keeps fighting and has a strong will to live


In my experience, animals rarely "give up" until death is imminent. Animals are instinctively programmed to fight for life up to the very end. This is what inspires me to work so hard to maintain as good health and as high a level of comfort as possible in my elderly animals for as long as possible. Your old guy will undoubtedly feel much more comfortable once his mouth infection and ulcers heal up.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

laurief said:


> For future reference, it's generally best to administer antibiotics (and any other drug) daily rather than as a 7 day injection. The injection is convenient, which is why so many vets use it, but if the cat has any sort of negative side effect(s) with the antibiotic, the cat's body is forced to deal with the negative side effect(s) for at least 7 days until the drug wears off. With oral meds, negative side effect(s) can be alleviated much more quickly by stopping administration of the drug.


I understand. The vet indicated this was a well tolerated antibiotic and because his mouth is so much of an issue oral antibiotics might cause more discomfort hence her suggestion to use injection. Injection is also faster to the infected area and faster to work unlike an oral dose.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

I forgot to add the antibiotic is Convenia.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

It makes sense to avoid the oral route at this point, and hopefully your cat will tolerate Convenia well. Just so you know, this drug can stay in the body for up to 65 days. Among the more common side effects in cats are anorexia, lethargy/depression, and vomiting. 

You might want to mix a little probiotic into your cat's food every day for the next few weeks to counteract any effect the Convenia may be having on his beneficial gut bacteria.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Excellent idea and I have that standing by in case I see loose stool.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Update:
The Good - No more drooling, and appetite is up and is eating much easier and more quantities.
The Bad - The blood work (Ill post numbers tomorrow) indicates significant and dramatic increase in values since the last blood test. There is dehydration, potassium levels are high and it looks like the time is near to consider ending his life.
Vet says we can do a hydration 3x a week or hospitalize him for constant fluids but we are really only going to extend his life a month or two. While the mouth ulcers seem to be subsiding she indicates the entire gut may be full of them causing problems and pain. Weight and age is also an issue. He is 4 lbs now


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> The Good - No more drooling, and appetite is up and is eating much easier and more quantities.


Hey, the good is very, VERY good!!! And THAT'S what you should be focusing on. As soon as your boy got some relief from his mouth pain, his behavior and appetite improved substantially. He's telling you that he's still in the game!



> The Bad - The blood work (Ill post numbers tomorrow) indicates significant and dramatic increase in values since the last blood test.


CRF caretakers have a mantra, "Treat the cat, not the numbers." Right now, your boy is improving. The vet may speculate on his prognosis, but cats outlive their prognosis a great proportion of the time. That's not to say that there isn't the potential for him to crash tomorrow, but there's also the possibility that, with proper care, he could be with you in comfort for another year or more.



> There is dehydration, potassium levels are high


Both treatable.



> Vet says we can do a hydration 3x a week or hospitalize him for constant fluids


You posted earlier that he's currently receiving 100 ml of Normosol-R every day, right? So what is this about 3x a week?

If your cat's renal values are sky high, a few days in the hospital on IV fluids can be lifesaving in terms of fully rehydrating him and very possibly bringing his values down significantly. That can really jumpstart a recovery from values that have gotten out of control.



> but we are really only going to extend his life a month or two


Maybe, or maybe he'll stick around comfortably with you for a much longer period. Your vet is making an educated guess, but it's still just a guess.



> While the mouth ulcers seem to be subsiding she indicates the entire gut may be full of them causing problems and pain. Weight and age is also an issue. He is 4 lbs now


If his appetite has already shown significant improvement with treatment of his mouth ulcers, it's unlikely that the rest of his gut is riddled with ulcers. Cats in pain don't eat more, they eat less. But you can always hedge your bets by giving him slippery elm bark as I mentioned in an earlier reply. SEB can soothe all sorts of GI issues, including ulcers.

Would I be correct in assuming that his TT4 has risen since his last blood test in Oct.? If so, increasing his methimazole and getting better control of his hyperT should help with some of his other issues, as well, including his weight.

I'm very interested in seeing his latest lab results.

Laurie


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## Mylita (Jan 23, 2013)

I am so sad to hear this, I know the pain you must be in. You've worked very hard to get him well, I'm sure he knows and appreciates all you've done. Sounds like time to weigh the pros and cons and make a very tough decision. Please take good care of yourself, my thoughts are with you in this difficult time.

Mylita


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks Mylita - -

Laurie - The IV he was getting was weekly not daily and sometimes bi weekly because he showed no signs of dehydration until recently. We stabilized that issue way back. Vet also added that his last urine (last week) was without any blood and looked but was rather diluted. She further speculated that while the kidneys are passing fluid the blood test indicates they are doing little to remove the nitrogenous wastes hence the high numbers. She did suggest the hospital stay to pump him full and look to see if the kidneys will restart as it were, but thought that the 3x a week hydration and the administering of some type of "hydroxide" should bring the potassium in order. He is voiding perhaps 6 times a day? but I see no defecation. I will get the results in hand tomorrow of the BT. But she did say the values were significantly and dramatically higher. They will hydrate him for free if I buy the solution so thats a plus.
I know he will never be cured but he may be treated so that he is at some comfort level.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> The IV he was getting was weekly not daily and sometimes bi weekly because he showed no signs of dehydration until recently.


His bloodwork last Oct. indicated probable dehydration at that time. I'm very surprised that your vet hasn't run full bloodwork since Oct. As funky as his blood values were back then, and with uncontrolled hyperT at that time, his blood values really should have been monitored more closely. His renal values should have been checked as soon as he achieved euthyroid (normal thyroid level), because I suspect he's been dealing with renal disease as long or longer than he's been hyperT.



> Vet also added that his last urine (last week) was without any blood and looked but was rather diluted.


That would be consistent with renal disease.



> She did suggest the hospital stay to pump him full and look to see if the kidneys will restart as it were


It's not really a matter of restarting the kidneys, but of flushing toxins from the system to help normalize things as much as possible and to take some of the excess strain off of the diseased kidneys.



> , but thought that the 3x a week hydration and the administering of some type of "hydroxide" should bring the potassium in order.


If his numbers are as "off" as you have indicated, he likely would benefit most from daily subQ fluids after several days on IV at the hospital. Has your vet discussed you learning to administer subQ fluids at home? While it does take a little practice to get comfortable with the procedure, it's actually quite easy once you get the hang of it, and it would likely be a lot less stressful on your boy. 



> He is voiding perhaps 6 times a day? but I see no defecation.


Frequent urination is common in renal cats because of the large volume of water they have to take in to maintain adequate hydration. Lack of stool is probably due to his recent anorexia, though constipation is also quite common in renal cats because of dehydration. If you can keep him properly hydrated with daily subQ's, he'll feel much, much better, his appetite will likely improve, and he may not suffer the constipation that can make renal cats feel extremely ill and painful.



> They will hydrate him for free if I buy the solution so thats a plus.


That may or may not be a plus, depending on how much your vet charges for fluids. I don't know how much Normosol-R costs by the case purchased with a prescription through a pharmacy. I can tell you, though, that some vets charge up to $25/bag for Ringer's Solution, when I can buy a case of 12 bags for $23/case with a veterinary prescription. I expect that some vets do similarly outrageous markups on the price of Normosol-R purchased through their own clinics. This is another reason to learn to do fluid admins at home. You can then ask your vet for a fluid prescription and shop around for the best price.



> I know he will never be cured but he may be treated so that he is at some comfort level.


That's very possible, esp. since he's responding so well to his mouth treatment. Managing a cat with multiple chronic illnesses is very time consuming and expensive, I know, but it can also be incredibly rewarding, and it may keep your boy comfortable and with you for as long as possible. 

My boy, Billy (RIP) had chronic kidney disease, hyperT, hyperparathyroidism, skin cancer, and chronic herpes eye infections for the last few years of his life. I managed to keep him comfortable and enjoying a quiet life up until the end, when things deteriorated quickly and severely. At that point, my vet and I helped him pass. His brother, however, developed only renal disease, which I regrettably didn't recognize until he was very sick. I tried for a couple of months to stabilize him, but was unsuccessful. He taught me a painful lesson that I vowed never to forget.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Despite my limited veterinary training 24 years ago I still have a hard time administering the sub Q on him because his skin is so thin. I t either dribbles out or the needle goes through the other side. 
He is not getting his Thyroid medicine now because of the mouth and I worry this might have a bad effect. Tomorrow will tell when he gets an early morning hydration. Vet did say she added B vitamins into the bag so not to be alarmed its yellow.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

v194 said:


> Despite my limited veterinary training 24 years ago I still have a hard time administering the sub Q on him because his skin is so thin. I t either dribbles out or the needle goes through the other side.


I had the same leakage problem when I used a larger gauge needle. I rarely have any leakage now using Terumo 20 ga Ultra Thin Wall needles. I do, however, still occasionally poke the needle through both sides of the skin tent and end up giving us both a little shower (happened just yesterday, as a matter of fact). Not the end of the world.



> He is not getting his Thyroid medicine now because of the mouth and I worry this might have a bad effect.


Most compounding labs get meds out very quickly, so you should have the transdermal methimazole tomorrow, I would think. If not, I doubt if oral methimazole for a day or two would irritate his mouth any more than eating food does. Missing methimazole doses, in his condition, is probably a lot riskier for him than administering oral pills in a sore mouth.



> Vet did say she added B vitamins into the bag so not to be alarmed its yellow.


Oh, that's NOT a good idea. B vits are very light-sensitive, so they're likely to quickly degrade in a bag of fluids. Also, B vits sting when administered subQ. Normosol-R itself stings some cats, so adding B vits adds insult to injury. You'd be better off administering B vits orally, mixed into his canned food. It's commonly reported that B vits are not absorbed well orally, but I read a quote from a recent study that determined that B vits are, in fact, absorbed quite well when taken orally. If, for some reason, you prefer that he receives B vits subQ, have your vet use an IV set with an injection port so that the B vits can be injected directly into the line during subQ admin and not into the fluid bag itself.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Vet today was a flush of fluid and to keep his stress down we are doing a combined vet visit 3x a week and the rest @ home hydration via IV.
Dignosis: CRF Stage 4
Medications added:
Aluminium Hydroxide oral gel 1ml 2x a day
Famotidine 10 mg 1/4 tablet 2x a day
Buprenorphine for pain
CET oral rinse 1x a day
Blood work in total attached.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Tough time for you both. I hope Dommie is staying comfortable. I'm sure he appreciates all the care you're giving. Remember to take care of yourself too.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

NebraskaCat said:


> Tough time for you both. I hope Dommie is staying comfortable. I'm sure he appreciates all the care you're giving. Remember to take care of yourself too.


Thanks for your kind words. Im trying my best to make his later stage in life as comfortable as possible. He seems content to spend his time on a super thick towel on the master bathroom floor its quiet, he is 3 foot from his litter box and inches from his food and water.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Ok, so there's good news, bad news, and missing news (where's the T4???). If the vet didn't have a Total T4 run to check his thyroid level, you should have that done immediately. After 6 mos, it's likely that he needs a med increase, but you won't know that until you have his TT4 checked again. If his hyperT is no longer under good control, that could be contributing to his kidney degradation. As I'm sure you are aware, hyperT is a progressive disease. The fact that you had the hyperT controlled months ago doesn't necessarily mean that it's still under control now.

Good news - he's not anemic, which is both very, very good and a little surprising.

Bad news - his bloodwork, as you posted yesterday, does indicate dehydration, dangerously high phosphorus (so high, in fact, that I'm surprised he's eating anything at all), high potassium (which could seriously impact his heart, as well as other body functions), and seriously sick kidneys. 

I'm not sure what you mean by a "flush of fluid". Did the vet keep him for the day and put him on an IV drip? Is that what will be happening 3x/week at the vet's? Are you going to be administering IV's at home between vet visits, or will you be administering subQ's?

In case your vet didn't mention this, aluminum hydroxide can be seriously constipating, and constipation will almost certainly make your boy feel extremely ill, painful, and anorexic. This is something you want to avoid at all costs. I strongly recommend you give him Miralax daily starting today to counteract the constipating effect of the al hyd BEFORE you run into a problem. Once he constipates, Miralax will NOT be useful in softening and clearing the impaction (Miralax is only effective on newly forming stool). If he constipates, it's likely you'll need to have him manually evacuated and/or given an enema by your vet - both of which will make him feel sore and miserable for a while. A cautionary tale - my first CRF cat severely and repeatedly constipated before I understood the critical importance of proper hydration. Before I wised up, she had one final constipation that caused her to permanently lose her appetite. As a result, I spent the last few months of her life having to syringe feed her several times a day. Moral - avoid constipation at all costs!

I'm sure the vet explained that al hyd MUST be given with food to be effective. To be fully effective, the daily dose should be split between all meals. If your boy objects to the paste, al hyd is also available as a tasteless powder that can be mixed into food. I don't know the strength of the gel you are using, but the following link will provide you with a wealth of information about managing phosphorus in renal cats, including dosing recommendations: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - The Importance of Phosphorus Control

It is generally best to separate famotidine dosing from any other medication or supplement by 2 hrs, as famotidine can interfere with the absorption of a number of other meds and supplements.

Laurie


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

laurief said:


> Ok, so there's good news, bad news, and missing news (where's the T4???).


I guess it was not run. We had to suspend the T meds because of the mouth and am still waiting on the cream. Now that his mouth is better I am reintroducing the T meds but when the cream arrives I will stick with that.



laurief said:


> Bad news - his bloodwork, as you posted yesterday, does indicate dehydration, dangerously high phosphorus (so high, in fact, that I'm surprised he's eating anything at all)


He stopped eating yesterday morning and had nothing until he returned from the Vet. I have food offered all of the time so if he wants he can get it.




laurief said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by a "flush of fluid". Did the vet keep him for the day and put him on an IV drip? Is that what will be happening 3x/week at the vet's? Are you going to be administering IV's at home between vet visits, or will you be administering subQ's?


She felt that staying in the hospital would be too stressful and that we could get him hydrated by doing the sub Q there and at home. I am going to try again to do it at home. I hate sticking him over and over but it is what is best so I will have to do better. So every day he will get 100ml (no vit B added) If need be he will get 200ml.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Daily fluids a new antibiotic and pepsid have made a world of difference in the cats behavior, interaction with family and eating. He is much more comfortable. This is one weird disease but one that manageable at almost every level. Dr. said we can keep him comfortable but there is no cure. When we can no longer help then its time to consider the option and I agree. Based on his current behavior that day looks to be a quite a long way off. Vet visit tomorrow for follow up possibly another blood test to check levels. Still not putting on weight so the T levels will be looked at. But all in all a drastic change for the better. Thakns all for the help. I will update soon.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

*New blood work*

The new worry is RBC production. The cat is comfortable now, T4 is inline but he is thin and has very little muscle mass. The daily fluids are helpful he is used to getting them now.
Comments?


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

When I was on hemodialysis from kidney failure, the RBC/HCT/HGB were stimulated using epoeitin alpha. I see on Tanya's guide that this (along with other anemia protocols) is sometimes done in cats.

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents

Obviously my experiences are human, not feline, so maybe people with experience with cats in this situation can offer a more suitable veterinary-type suggestion.


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

I understand that the "stimulators" are very costly. I dont know for sure, perhaps someone will know more.
Thanks


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## v194 (Apr 26, 2011)

Well the time has come and today we had to make the finial decision. Kidney disease just won this time. Phosphors levels just too high and he was clearly not feeling well and in pain. In the end he refused food and water and seemed to like to sleep a lot. He could walk about 5 feet then had to rest. 
Thanks to all of the members who followed this and helped out. We were able to add several more quality months to his life with a good vet and your suggestions.
Thanks everybody.


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## Julie Carvill (Jun 30, 2010)

I am so sorry for your loss.


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