Kidney Dis-Ease in Cat

[TammiL]

Hello!
Chewey used to see Dr. Jeff but has not in a little while. Chewey was diagnosed with Kidney disease from my regular Vet located near me. I have started going through the Modules in the Resource Library and will continue.

Chewey is a long haired american MALE,
Birthdate: 7.24.2008 - He is going to be 15 this July

In the meantime, Chewey is anemic. The vet said Chewey's kidney values are pretty stable. The phosphorus is down so that is great: the naraquin is helping. He is anemic though, so adding an iron containing vitamin would be helpful: HiVite is a brand she mentioned and then to recheck in 3 months unless anything changes.

Here is what Chewey is currently eating, supplements and meds. . .
Raw food diet but he is SOOOOOO picky now. I have had to add freeze dried chicken and spread a small slather of canned cat food on his food often to get him to eat his pills and now to eat the raw. :0( Tigger has become the same, my other cat.

He still likes butter and salty things, is still licking stainless steel at times and paper with ink on it but less than he used to.
I do have Nux Vomica which I dose him with when he throws up which has not been often except for.....recently a few times in the last few weeks. He is better when he gets a dose for a bit. Example 2.14 Chewey threw up clear liquid and a little hair.

He does not like any fish, Turkey except for freeze dried for some reason. No pumpkin, eggs, baby food, etc. I am going to try many baby foods to see if I can get him off the canned and use baby food to help him eat his pills with the raw underneath. He used to love Wyman's Blueberry juice but....you guessed it, not anymore! I think the tuna or fish in the canned foods may be bothering him.

Azodyl - am and pm - I have been able to get just about 100% of every dose in him for at least 2 months now straight.
Naraquin - am and pm with Azo - Same as Azodyl above
Cerenia - when he was throwing up daily or several times a week but he hasn't done that in over 2 months or more!
Vetri Science - Perio Support - He has a darker back tooth and has gingivitis and plaque build up. He had teeth cleaning 2 years ago and definitely NOT putting him through that now. 1/4 teaspoon per meal about 2-3 meals a day since our visit in January to vet.

Vimergy Propolis 3 drops 2x a week
Vimergy B12 3 drops 2x a week
Vimergy Zinc 3 drops 2x a week
Animal Essentials Colon Rescue .50 with at least 3 of his 5 to 6 meals a day and at times more and at times little less for like 2 months
Four Leaf Rover PROTECT Pro and Prebiotics a pinch daily and we achieve this most days but not so much in past week because he is being even more picky with food.
Vimergy Barley Grass Juice Powder pinch in food daily
Vimergy Spirulina Pinch in food for a week and then we switched back to Barley Grass Juice - Did this to help iron
Thorvin Icelandic Kelp a little tiny sprinkle on food usually daily
Vimergy Micro-C he consumes 1 capsule within 2 to 3 days
Metamucil a 2 finger pinch in about 3 meals a day. This has been GREAT! He has always had issues with constipation and this has kept him consistent DAILY! Tho he has had 9 inch and 10 inch poops from it at times but the vet said she would rather see that then constipation. It definitely helps him get hair out! So, we haven't had a hairball barf in probably 1 in 2 months or so! EXCELLENT! I do realize there is some internal imbalance that he has to be on that to poop daily but....... it's helping!

With that said.....

** Anemia - What ELSE can I do to assist with this issue???

** Is there a raw food for Kidney Disease? I read it somewhere one day and couldn't find it again. Are there foods we should steer clear of with the canned food that I smear like butter on his regular food to get him to eat his pills sometimes???? I just ordered VIVA RAW online to have them try because they both don't seem to want any of the foods they have had before! Stressful!!!

** We did Nutri Scan one time before and Chewey's came back allergic to everything so she thought food was maybe stuck in his mouth. Should I try to do this again??? I gave him a food recently that had sardines in it but I didn't know because the front of the Weruva label said beef but the ingredient was sardine and he hasn't been right since about 2 weeks ago that time roughly.

** What supplements should I add to help support him or STOP from the list above?

** How much Vitamin C is good for him to be on because my regular vet said it can lead to stones ( I believe this is what she said so she didn't recommend doing it)

** He WAS getting pretty playful at night and actually trotting to chase freeze dried treats and chase the red pointer light as well as finding treats in his sniff mat and me chasing him playing tag and of course 4 or 5 times a day I have to hold him and walk with him in my arms for anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes depending upon how much he wants to make my back achy! Haaaa! He loves it! HOWEVER, in past week or a little more maybe he is not as playful, sleeping a lot, so picky with food, and when he does eat, he is not eating the portions he was. He is now waking me up 2-3 times a night to eat. Yip, sleep deprived COMPLETELY over here! BUT, keeping weight on him is so important! It is VERY DIFFICULT when he doesn't want to eat what I have given him tho at 3am. :0(

** His poop is black, does Azodyl do that?

** Should I continue on my own or is this a case of "yes, Tammi, definitely start up with Dr. Jeff again immediately".

Thanks so much!
:0)
Tammi Lee

 

[Dr. Jeff]

** Anemia - What ELSE can I do to assist with this issue???

Maybe start using the Vimergy B12 every day (have you had his B12, Mg, or vit D checked?). Have you tried organic liver (raw or cooked) recently?

Also, he hhd a super big drop in blood count since Oct. Probably more than just from his stable kidney dis-ease. Are you seeing any bleeding (in urine, discharges, vomit, etc.)?

** Is there a raw food for Kidney Disease?

Yes:

Intelligent Design KS Kidney Support Formula for Felines | Darwin's Natural Pet Products | Darwin's Pet Food

Intelligent Design™ Veterinary Formulas for cats are specialized meals designed to provide extra support to cats facing certain health issues.

www.darwinspet.com

** We did Nutri Scan one time before and Chewey's came back allergic to everything so she thought food was maybe stuck in his mouth. Should I try to do this again???

It may provide useful info, but is not essential. The main downside is expense

** What supplements should I add to help support him or STOP from the list above?

Perhaps keep them the same for now (except the B12).

** How much Vitamin C is good for him to be on because my regular vet said it can lead to stones ( I believe this is what she said so she didn't recommend doing it)

The amount you're giving is perfect.

** His poop is black, does Azodyl do that?

The black poop may be digested blood from an ulcer. That would also explain the blood count drop. Perhaps see if you can get 2-5ml of organic aloe juice into him twice/day.

** Should I continue on my own or is this a case of "yes, Tammi, definitely start up with Dr. Jeff again immediately".

HA! I'm biased!! But seriously Tammi, I do think energetic treatment is a good idea. I think Dr. Herman (who is an excellent homeopath) is right in your area for an in-person visit. Or if you'd prefer to set virtual time up with me, you know what to do...

 

[TammiL]

Also, he hhd a super big drop in blood count since Oct. Probably more than just from his stable kidney dis-ease. Are you seeing any bleeding (in urine, discharges, vomit, etc.)?

** No bleeding anywhere. I wipe vomit with white paper towels to check and I always go through urine in litter box carefully ever since Tigger had blood in her urine. I also, as you know, study his poop. Ha! Yes, I wear gloves! :0) :0) :0)

** I did a no, no and put him on antibiotics for a UTI because he was so off and punky and didn't feel well and so out of sorts. His poop was dark like forest green for a while. I thought maybe it was leftover from that as when I wipe it on a paper towel I do see Forest Green. I have him on the Pro and Pre you mentioned a while ago again and it's time to switch it up again so I will be looking for a new Pro and Prebiotic for him.

** Organic aloe juice - Just a store bought for humans or purchasing an aloe leaf and cutting the inside out and blending that and sneaking that into his food?

** Have not tried organic liver in any form.... hold please while I search for the Green person emoticon! Haaa! I will be on the search for organic liver first thing Saturday morning or tomorrow night!

So great to hear from you Dr. Jeff! Hope all is well on your side! :0) Thank you so much for your responses! I appreciate all your supreme knowledge!

Yes, would love an in person visit but I also enjoyed virtual visits with YOU! O.k. I will start the items mentioned, search for a new Probiotic/Prebiotic to mix it up and then figure out which direction to go in!

Sending a great big THANK YOU SMILE! :0)

 

[Dr. Jeff]

YW Tammi! ? ??

Organic aloe juice - Just a store bought for humans

Yes, store bought organic aloe juice.

 

[TammiL]

YW Tammi! ? ??

Yes, store bought organic aloe juice.

1 more question please.... All of the Aloe juices I find have lemon in them as well. Do you know of a brand that does not or is the lemon ok for cats???

 

[Dr. Jeff]

I'm not aware of any problem with using lemon-flavored aloe.

The only issue may just be one of palatability (cats typically don't like lemon).

@Dr. Jean Hofve may have more to say about lemon and cats.

 

[TammiL]

Well, the last one I purchased, online it said it had no lemon which is why I purchased it so I didn't think to check the bottle when it came and was giving them the aloe in with their food as chasing them down to syringe it into their mouth......HA! not happening, was way too much stress!

I then realized after I went to purchase another bottle, as I was drinking it too, that the cover photo was different and it had lemon! So, they were getting the aloe with lemon in with their food and they were eating still. I didn't really notice a lemon flavor and they didn't seem to notice it in their food either!

So, looking forward to what @Dr. Jean Hofve thinks of the lemon aspect as I can't seem to find one WITHOUT the lemon!

Thanks Dr. Jeff! :0)

 

[Dr. Christina]

I just want to emphasize that while all you are doing is good, this is critical:

** Should I continue on my own or is this a case of "yes, Tammi, definitely start up with Dr. Jeff again immediately".

HA! I'm biased!! But seriously Tammi, I do think energetic treatment is a good idea. I think Dr. Herman (who is an excellent homeopath) is right in your area for an in-person visit. Or if you'd prefer to set virtual time up with me, you know what to do...
dr. christina

 

[TammiL]

I just want to emphasize that while all you are doing is good, this is critical:

HA! I'm biased!! But seriously Tammi, I do think energetic treatment is a good idea. I think Dr. Herman (who is an excellent homeopath) is right in your area for an in-person visit. Or if you'd prefer to set virtual time up with me, you know what to do...
dr. christina

Completely understood. I am just waiting for my in-person appointment to take place on April 18th, where blood levels will be drawn again. We will give this holistic vet a try and see how she does, if not we are coming running back to the amazing and incredibly knowledgeable Dr. Jeff! :0)

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for the kind words Tammi! ? ? ?

Please let us know what your vet finds during the exam and says about the blood test results.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Remember Tammi, just because she is a holistic vet does not mean you need to do all she says - you are still in charge and she is giving you Step 2 info for HMDM research.

Hoping she will be looking at the whole cat, not just the organ issues!

Dr. Christina

 

[TammiL]

Dr. Jeff, Will do! I am seeing your recommendation of Dr. Anne Hermans.

Dr. Christina, Agree with you regarding Chewey as a Whole rather than just his Kidney issues. Just like you can't spot reduce fat, you also can't spot heal issues. BOTH would be fabulous tho!

I appreciate BOTH of your input! THANK YOU! ? ?????

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Lemon is typically an adverse taste to cats, but if he doesn't mind, it won't hurt. Of supplements, I would be most hesitant about zinc, it can mess up the balance of other minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.

Digested blood makes the poop dark and tar-looking. It is internal to the GI tract, so you wouldn't see any signs of bleeding anywhere else.

My favorite supplement for anemia is Standard Process "Spleen Desiccated." I had a cat who was hemophiliac, and it kept him going for years. He loved them, and ate the tablets as a treat--guess he knew he needed it! It's a great source of all the nutrients needed to build the blood. They also make Livaplex, which is also very good for cleansing and detoxing the body, especially the blood.

 

[TammiL]

Thank you Dr. Jean for your input/expertise!

Can I crumble the "Spleen Dessicated" into his food if he doesn't eat it like a treat??? Sometimes when he swallows larger treats or a few of them he throws up. However, no issues with regular food.

Also, can that be given near or with his other medications/supplements he is taking?? I'll list them below.
Azodyl - am and pm
Naraquin - am and pm with Azo
Cerenia - when he is taking it
Vetri Science - Perio Support

Vimergy Propolis
Vimergy B12
Vimergy Zinc will use with caution
Animal Essentials Colon Rescue
Four Leaf Rover PROTECT Pro and Prebiotics
Vimergy Barley Grass Juice Powder
Vimergy Spirulina
Thorvin Icelandic Kelp
Vimergy Micro-C
Metamucil

Thank you!!!!!!!
Tammi

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Sure, it's fine to crumble it up, they are easy to pick apart even with your fingers. Or if you have a mortar and pestle and can powder it, that's fine too.

Because it is basically just food, it doesn't conflict with anything else. (Isn't it nice to not have to worry about that for a change?)

 

[TammiL]

It sure is nice!!! :0)
Thank you so much Dr. Jean!
I appreciate your time!
:0)
??

 

[TammiL]

1 more question!!!!
Is this something I can start Chewey on now or do I have to wait for his April 18th appointment to find out how much to give him and when?

 

[Dr. Christina]

Tammi,
Do you know how to test for what is needed each day? Sway test, pendulum, dowsing, applied kinesiology, etc? We have some webinars on that.

Because you are adding so much, it may be good to check some of them daily.

Dr. Christina

 

[TammiL]

I will have to check into those Webinars Dr. Christina, because I do not know how to test what is needed each day. Thank you for the great idea!
:0)

 

[TammiL]

Updated Blood work for Chewey with Kidney Dis-ease and anemia.
We are on the waiting list to see Dr. Anne Hermans in our area.

We have been trying to get in 5-10ml of Aloe Juice daily and we started some Goldenseal, 3 drops a few days a week with his meals. Goldenseal is by Vimergy. His B12 was soooo high >2000 so I am unsure if I should still be giving him the 3 drops a day Dr. Jeff mentioned trying. @Dr. Jeff

Chewey was in a funk and wasn't wanting much of any supplements and such for a few weeks but we are easing back into some!

We also began LIQUID IMMUNO by RX Vitamins and we are starting out at 1 ml a day.

Chewey's regular vet mentioned the following:
Assessment:
Azotemia, Polyuria, Polydipsia, Anemia
TARTAR AND GUM DISEASE, Chronic kidney disease, Melena -- dark tarry stools typical for blood in upper
GI tract
Plan: I was worried about Chewey becoming toxic from Gaba or Trazodone he takes b4 vet visits.
It was mentioned to me:
Trazodone is metabolized by the liver and excreted almost entirely in the feces, so no concerns about giving
that
Gabapentin is almost entirely cleared in the urine, so he may just have a much longer effect, but it has a very
low toxicity risk

The black tarry stools may indicate stomach ulcer
This can be treated with Pepcid (famotidine), Misoprostol, Prilosec (omeprazole) or some other acid reducer
Putting them on oral sucralfate/carafate can also patch ulcers and coat and soothe the stomach

QUESTION: IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT I CAN DO FOR CHEWEY FOR THE POSSIBLE STOMACH ULCER FOR HEALING? I can pick up the Spleen Desiccated Dr. Jean mentioned but that sounds more like a helper to keep his blood up rather than a fixer of his stomach ulcer. So, I would like to tackle it from both angles and heal the underlying issue if possible.

QUESTION 2: The vet gave me ideas for Chewey's Teeth to help with tartar and gingivitis, any thoughts??? One of his back teeth on the R side is black and ugly looking. It doesn't seem to be stopping him from eating tho!

I bought Chewey a stroller and tho he has allergies, we are going out around 7pm so pollen counts are lower and we are walking 10 minutes and are up to 20 minutes several times a week now. He LOVES it. I wipe him and the stroller down when we return to keep his allergies from flaring severely from the walks. I've attached pics and blood work!

Thank you!
Tammi
:0)