I've started a fresh thread from blood-test, how often. Feeling very uneasy this morning after talking to the vet. I like to ask a lot of questions when one of my cats is diagnosed with a condition and in the past they have said call us if you have any queries. One vet knew I was on a forum and was interested in what was being talked about re diabetes which our old Ginger had. The vet today admitted that the blood results were virtually the same as before but still insisted that Bailey should start on the rc renal diet as she's certain that she has early stage 2 kidney problems. But when I asked her opinion on the latest findings re keeping protein levels up and using a binder to keep phosphates low in Baileys regular food she was very put out. She said Baileys phosphorus was low anyway (1.21 M mol/1 range 0.70-2.10) and didn't see what good a binder would do and they were unpalatable like putting talcum powder on the food! and it's the protein in urine they measure. My old vet would have been open to new findings and research it herself.I said I didn't want to offend her but I do like to do a bit of research into these things and this is what some vets are saying as Jan said in her post. She also said the steroids have nothing to do with the increased drinking and possible kidney issues which is contrary to what I've read. Bailey has been on prednicare for over a year now. Last week the vet scoffed at looking things up on the Internet and forums. She is young but not open to any outside ideas/opinions only what she's learned in training it seems.
Bailey is a sweet but difficult stressy cat and I want to do the right thing by her. The vets are all new here having changed over twice in less than two years, my old vet of thirty years experience is too far away now.
Can anyone tell me if the creatinine result here is high: 156 umol/l (44-194)? And bun: 11.36 mmol/l (6.10-12.50) and can these levels be affected by long term steroids and extreme stress? Help, anyone?
do you know where your old vet went? Could you contact the new practice and see if he can give you advice over the phone?
But explain to me (because maybe I'm being daft) what does the RC renal diet do that a binder doesn't? Surely it should be an option of either one or the other because I really thought they have the same objective?
I hasten to add that most people I know who have tried binders for their cats have had varying degrees of success, with most saying their cat wouldn't eat the food with the binder on. But equally I don't know of many people at all who have cats that ate any form of kidney specific wet food either! It seems that if you change over to senior food you sort of get the same result? But hopefully someone else here would be able to confirm that.
Can anyone tell me if the creatinine result here is high: 156 umol/l (44-194)? And bun: 11.36 mmol/l (6.10-12.50) and can these levels be affected by long term steroids and extreme stress?
Those results seem to be OK? Yes in the higher side of normal but still within the normal range so not sure why the vet is pushing for the RC Renal (well I have my suspicions why she is but won't say it too loud); but your old vet should over the phone be able to voice an opinion about the long term effect of the steroids. Re the stress; who knows but definitely not something to be ruled out
Both those values are in normal range, so not sure why she is saying Stage 2, or the need for any change in diet. Stress, and infection, can alter results - did they check white and red blood cell count. AT most I'd use senior food with those levels just to try and keep them at that level. Interestingly, one of my cats with kidney issues wasn't a wet food fan, I only changed her biscuits and it was enough to get her levels down - renal biscuits seem a lot more palatable than renal wet.
Hi Ria, apparently it's to do with the low protein in renal food which can cause weight/muscle loss and older cats can end up too thin. It was Jan's post in my other thread that got me looking into it as her vet suggested keeping protein levels up and feeding regular cat food adding apaktine. Tanya's website mentions it too. On an American veterinarian site I've read that protein doesn't have the bad effect on kidneys as previously thought. I'm new to all this and unfortunately I've upset the vet by trying to talk to her about. I was hoping she might be interested in looking into it as well. She reminded me that she's qualified...Bailey actually likes the renal wet food but it gives her the most awful foul smelling runs! So I've been using it up by mixing some in her favourite hilife pouches. I'm not convinced it's not the steroids that might be causing the creatinine to rise. The only way to find out would be to wean her off them and get a spacer for her bronchitis. The vet seems very positive that it's not..There is another vet practice not too far away with cat clinic so I may have a talk with someone there, I've been wanting to change vets for a while.
Buster was on a mix of renal and senior for 4 years, and we didn't have much problem with muscle loss, his weight yo-yo'd a lot, but when I lost him he was only 400g lighter than the heaviest he'd been. We tried binders once but he was sick - he did have a very sensitive stomach though, even the RC sensitivity could make him sick!!
Hi Booktigger, I'm really puzzled by her eagerness to start a renal diet based on results that seem well in the normal range, as were the previous ones. The red and white blood cell counts were 8.95 and 8.9 which I assume is ok as nothing was mentioned.
Re the muscle loss, this is a new idea I think. It seems to make sense but if Buster did alright on his diet mix without losing much weight I might just carry on as usual. And change vets.
Dare I say, the vet change sounds like a very good idea
interesting re the muscle loss though; my Molly was nothing but skin and bones towards the end and she never had any special diet as she just wouldn't eat anything but her normal food. I got her to her age (21 when I lost her) with a daily dose of fortekor. She had other meds for her arthritis but with the fortekor her levels stayed fairly constant.
I would definitely speak to the other vets - interestingly, I changed vets and Busters old vet had him on Fortekor as well as renal food (he didn't have kidney disease, he only had one kidney), my new vets stopped the meds and tested after a month, his kidney values went down. The only thing I can think of is that she is thinking of changing diet now to keep them fine, which is what we did with Buster.
Ria, your Molly reminds me of a little tortie cat called Wilma who used to visit every day from a neighbour. She was nineteen years old and was on meds for crf and hyperthyroidism. There was nothing of her, all skin and bones and seemed lighter than a feather when picked up. She was a feisty little thing who stood up to our bigger furboys!
Booktigger, I think you're right in that the vet wants to start the diet now to keep things steady but I will be calling the other vets tomorrow for another opinion.
I like to ask a lot of questions when one of my cats is diagnosed with a condition and in the past they have said call us if you have any queries. One vet knew I was on a forum and was interested in what was being talked about re diabetes which our old Ginger had. The vet today admitted that the blood results were virtually the same as before but still insisted that Bailey should start on the rc renal diet as she's certain that she has early stage 2 kidney problems. But when I asked her opinion on the latest findings re keeping protein levels up and using a binder to keep phosphates low in Baileys regular food she was very put out. She said Baileys phosphorus was low anyway (1.21 M mol/1 range 0.70-2.10) and didn't see what good a binder would do and they were unpalatable like putting talcum powder on the food! and it's the protein in urine they measure. My old vet would have been open to new findings and research it herself.I said I didn't want to offend her but I do like to do a bit of research into these things and this is what some vets are saying as Jan said in her post. She also said the steroids have nothing to do with the increased drinking and possible kidney issues which is contrary to what I've read. Bailey has been on prednicare for over a year now. Last week the vet scoffed at looking things up on the Internet and forums. She is young but not open to any outside ideas/opinions only what she's learned in training it seems. 
