Lola the senior cat with severe kidney failure AND heart disease

[JodyLT]

Poor Lola. Her mom and my friend, Mikaela, who is a member here but won't have a chance to post today so I offered to do for her, is facing the challenge of a 16 yo cat who is in the final stages of kidney failure. Her Creatine and BUN are very high - Bun 124, cre 6.5 -

(see her bloods attached). She'd stopped eating (although the vet managed to lower her potassium so she got her appetite back). The vet is saying they can't really do much for her. They have to be careful about fluids (they had her on fluids yesterday) because of her heart disease (Congestive Heart Failure Stage II NYHA; Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (Hypokinetic Evolution). They are managing the heart disease well. I've attached the vet's diagnosis.

Mikaela and @Dr. Jeff spoke about a week or so ago (the 15 min monthly).

Mikaela is starting Lola on Pet Wellbeing Kidney Support. She transitioned her to raw grinds and a Dr Harvey's base meal but only a couple of weeks ago and Lola isn't really eating it. I'd like to see her on organs - kidney, liver, heart - but want to be sure in her stage of dis-ease, whether this is advised (@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Jean @Dr. Sara ).

I'd like to add one other thing. Bentonite Clay looks interesting in helping to excrete creatinine from the intestines and also to "promote the diffusion of urea from blood vessel to intestine, and inhibits the absorption of urea in intestine," so may decrease her BUN (this taken from a PMC/NIH study results paper). Any thoughts on this for this girl?

Any other suggestions from vets or any pet parents going through this with their babies, who've had some success with holistic methods, products would be much appreciated.

Thank you from me, Mikaela and Lola. ?

 

[JodyLT]

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Jean can you please take a look at the above re Lola and give me any insight? Mikaela is very worried about her. She is having diarrhea, barely eating. Im not sure with her advanced kidney failure of what is safe to give her to stop the diarrhea and try to gently gently detox her. She poor kidneys are processing all the heart meds and other things she's on. Any guidance for her she would greatly appreciate. Thanks!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Jody, all of the suppplements and meds may be working against the bigger goal of getting her to eat.

That's where I'd be focusing my efforts at this time so wonder whether there's anything (it doesn't matter what) she used to love eating.

Human baby food might help her eat and reduce the "diarrhea" (water, pudding, urgent, frequent, straining, blood, etc.)?

Do you know if Mikaela found a holistic vet in her area that can see Lola?

Vitamin B12 and SQ fluids/chia ("structured") water are also super useful to help her appetite.

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Agree with Dr. Jeff -- the important thing is that she eats as much as possible, not so much what she eats. This is not the time to be changing diets or adding too many supplements.

There's research to support bentonite for CKD, but the source matters; it can contain lead. Give it apart from food, as it will inhibit nutrient absorption.

Subcutaneous fluids safer for these kitties because they're absorbed slowly. Generally it doesn't over-burden the heart, yet still helps flush kidneys. Just don't give too much at a time.

The supplements I like for CKD are probiotics (Azodyl has the scientific support, but I think any good probiotic will do, they reduce BUN) and Standard Process Renafood. I prefer Renafood over their Feline Kidney supplement, it has worked very well for my patients. (Their prices go up on January 1, if that matters. Supposed to be sold only through health professionals, but you can usually find it on Amazon or eBay.) Omega-3s can be useful. But... If I could only choose one, it would be Renafood. Cats aren't thrilled by the taste, but most will eat it if crushed and mixed in food. It's a good detoxifier.

B12 is a great idea, it's injectable so you don't have to worry about getting her to eat it.

 

[LilF]

Agree with Dr. Jeff -- the important thing is that she eats as much as possible, not so much what she eats. This is not the time to be changing diets or adding too many supplements.

There's research to support bentonite for CKD, but the source matters; it can contain lead. Give it apart from food, as it will inhibit nutrient absorption.

Subcutaneous fluids safer for these kitties because they're absorbed slowly. Generally it doesn't over-burden the heart, yet still helps flush kidneys. Just don't give too much at a time.

The supplements I like for CKD are probiotics (Azodyl has the scientific support, but I think any good probiotic will do, they reduce BUN) and Standard Process Renafood. I prefer Renafood over their Feline Kidney supplement, it has worked very well for my patients. (Their prices go up on January 1, if that matters. Supposed to be sold only through health professionals, but you can usually find it on Amazon or eBay.) Omega-3s can be useful. But... If I could only choose one, it would be Renafood. Cats aren't thrilled by the taste, but most will eat it if crushed and mixed in food. It's a good detoxifier.

B12 is a great idea, it's injectable so you don't have to worry about getting her to eat it.

 

[LilF]

These are good ideas for increasing appetite. My Gabby (canine) had not eaten much for 3 weeks and I had taken her to the vet several times in that period . Wish I would have had this info to ask for that may have helped her to eat. She is dead now. The primary problem was getting her to eat and agree, cannot focus on supplements till they eat. Maybe if I had known what to ask for she might have had more a chance for gained life expectancy. Good Luck to Lola for a better outcome.

 

[JodyLT]

Jody, all of the suppplements and meds may be working against the bigger goal of getting her to eat.

That's where I'd be focusing my efforts at this time so wonder whether there's anything (it doesn't matter what) she used to love eating.

Human baby food might help her eat and reduce the "diarrhea" (water, pudding, urgent, frequent, straining, blood, etc.)?

Do you know if Mikaela found a holistic vet in her area that can see Lola?

Vitamin B12 and SQ fluids/chia ("structured") water are also super useful to help her appetite.

Thanks, @Dr. Jeff. It sounds like its too late for her. Sounds like she's on her last legs, sadly.