CKD & hyperthyroidism

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geckodiva
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CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by geckodiva »

Hello everyone

My poor old girl (Tat, 20 yrs old) has just been diagnosed with early CKD. :(
She has been prescribed Semintra.
Her last few T4 tests have also been high so she is back on Methimazole (ear ointment).

Feeling down as we lost her sister suddenly to kidney failure a few months ago.
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Crewella
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

It's always a worry when you get a diagnosis like this, and you've obviously done well to get her to the ripe old age of 20 in such good health, but both can be treated and managed. My old Giddy had CKD for the last few years of her life, which we kept on top of, and it's wasn't her kidneys that got her in the end. Take heart! (((hugs)))
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by catslave16 »

I agree with Crewella: well done getting Tat to such a ripe old age. My Blake had CKD in the last months of his life (he lived to be 18) and towards the end became very dehydrated. I made sure there were bowls of fresh water in every part of the house, especially as he wasn't as mobile as he used to be towards the end. If dehydration becomes a problem you can also try subcutaneous rehydration. I was horrified when I first read about it but it turned out to be nowhere near as bad as I thought (a cat's skin is very loose) and Blake tolerated it well.
Love and best wishes to Tat and you.
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lilynmitz
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by lilynmitz »

My old girl Lily had CKD for at least 3 years, and she was a tiny frail sickly little cat, but we battled it off as it progressed with dry renal food (which she would tolerate) and senior food, plenty of water around the house, phosphate binders on her food and fortekor tablets crushed into her food or hidden in treats, although tbh towards the end I realised she quite liked the tablets and would take them on their own! She only needed all of these at once towards the end. So CKD isn't an instant worry, although it's different in all cats and in some it can progress more quickly. We lost Lily eventually to heart failure, age 17, but she was such a sickly cat it's amazing she made it beyond 13.

You've done really well to get Tat to 20, but it's always a worry when these things are diagnosed.

If her T4 levels are up, that suggests hyperthyroidism (yes, Lily added that one to her collection too). Is she on meds for that? I've never heard of it being treated via ear drops - it's too difficult to make sure they're getting the right dose. Or are the drops for something else?
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Mayday21
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Mayday21 »

Hello Geckodiva my Elsa had hyperthrodism & she was only about 9 maybe 10. She didn't cope with the meds (tabs/ear ointment) & I gave her radio iodine treatment. In the isolation room for a week then 2 weeks @ clinic & I could visit her once a day for a very short time. They used to give me a stop watch. Alas it only gave her a tad over 12 months- Mayday left me 11/15 & Elsa pts 2/16. Tat's doing well - 20 years. Keep us posted & ((((hugs)))) to Tat. Vivian
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geckodiva
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by geckodiva »

Thanks for the replies / support.

Tat has already had both thyroid glands removed, 2 & 5 ish years ago. She never could tolerate the pills so the second time she used the ear ointment to bring the condition under control before the operation. She has gastrointestinal trouble now as it is, so trying pills again isn't an option. The ear ointment worked really well last time. The only problem is the ears get mucky after a while, and last time we could tell the ears were getting irritated with the constant cleaning and medication. We will have to see how the hyperthyroidism develops. I Think she is too old and fragile to try the iodine treatment.
The ointment is a cream that you have to rub in.
Have ordered various renal foods but I know she will get sick of the same thing everyday so I hope there are enough varieties that she will like.
She has only been one the meds a few days but they are already having an effect, which is good.
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lilynmitz
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by lilynmitz »

I've not come across the ointment treatment before. Lily had both her glands removed but grew new thyroid glands in her chest cavity, so she was on pills for life, but she would take these hidden in treats, so it wasn't a problem for us. She used to come running when we rattled the pill bottle as she associated it with treats.

A lot of cats don't like the wet renal foods, but Lily would tolerate the dry renal food, so you may have some success with that. It's so hard nursing along our oldies, but we all want to make them as comfortable as possible in their declining years. You've done a great job with Tat, you're obviously on the case, so I hope the foods work well for her. Keep plenty of water going, that's the main thing with renal issues.
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Kay
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Kay »

I've heard of the ear treatment, though I think it's more commonly referred to as a gel

it's used quite a lot in the US, but only recently offered by some vets in the UK
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism-update

Post by geckodiva »

So it has been a few weeks now since Tat started her meds.
I took the advice often shared on here about starting on a low dose with regards to the thyroid medicine. The gel comes in a syringe and the prescribed dose was 0.1ml, but we started at 0.05ml. I am so glad we did as after a few days Tat had practically stopped eating. I've made the assumption that the Semintra would not have had this effect and the effect was the T4 levels dropping too low. We tried every other day but that was too up and down in her behaviour. Now we are trying 0.025ml per day.
We bought various Renal foods (Hills / Royal Canin wet & VetUK biscuits) but to be honest Tat is not that keen and we often have to mix in normal food to get her to eat it. Which leads me to the question is it ok to give human food [bacon / wafer thin ham & chicken] as she has shown a lot of interest in these since she started the meds? Letting her have a little nibble has helped stimulate her a appetite when she has refused the renal food.
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by booktigger »

Sorry to hear you are struggling to stabilise her - pork products are the worst things to give cats with CKD unfortunately, and I'd go for proper chicken rather than the reformed ones, as they have a lot of salt in them, which also aren't good. While Buster initially ate renal food, towards the end I had to do half a pouch of renal and half a pouch of senior, or he wouldn't eat - his favourite was the tuna
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Tess »

Hi geckodiva! May I ask if Tat is FIV positive? My Dorito is FIV positive, approaching 13, hyperthyroid and recently been ordered onto special kidney food. His urinalysis indicated preliminary 'leakiness' from his kidneys.

For thyroid, I tried all sorts of medicines (ear gel, different pharmacies) but eventually came back to the original treat form. The original pharmacy made the treat more amenable to chewing, which Dorito likes a lot more (his teeth, or course, never were his strength).

I find that putting treats in his food gives him the jumpstart to eating more. However, he can be stubborn. I'm trying to find the right kidney food for him now.

Is anyone else's kitty FIV+ with kidney disease? Just getting all wound up about this diagnosis.

Thank you,
Tess
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geckodiva
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by geckodiva »

Hi Tess, Tat is not FIV+. Her main problem is that she has always been a fussy eater. After the first hyperthyroidism event her digestive system suffered and now has what is classed as Irritable Bowel disease/syndrome. So in the recent development it's a bodily battle between wanting to eat loads because of the hyperthyroidism and not wanting to eat because of the IBD. And conversely we now give Methimazole to stop her eating loads but steroids to make her eat!

Booktigger, we will keep her away from the bad human food. The daft thing is she was never bothered with bacon before as she found it too chewy. Now she comes running every time we have bacon butties. Ha ha.

She'll always be my little girl. :-)
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

From experience it's all the things that taste good that need to be taken out of a renal prescription diet, as I've never managed to find a wet food that a cat that needs it will eat! The dry food seem to be more palatable, so I've always done the same as booktigger and mixed the wet renal food with a pouch of senior food to get them to eat it and then a hand ful of renal dry. In general senior food is better for cats with renal problems than regular food, and I had one cat who wouldn't touch the renal wet at all that did quite well on just a senior wet food and renal dry. It's much more important that she eats SOMETHING than that she eats the right food, and I know exactly what you mean about 'kick starting' - I used to boil or steam a chicken breast for my old Giddy every couple of days and add that to her food to keep her guessing and looking forward to her meals.

By the way, that picture on your avatar is absolutely adorable! :D
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Gabbys_Mum
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

Hi Crewella,

Just to say I've just sent you an email...
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Crewella
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

Replied. :)
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geckodiva
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by geckodiva »

Hi Crewella, the avatar is of Gina our 3 yr old. Unfortunately Tat doesn't take a good photo that often as she has a blown pupil so whenever she is in bright enough light to take a photo without flash she is squinting or eyes closed as it is too bright for her.
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Gabbys_Mum
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

Thank you Crewella!

After a positive start, I think Gabby has cottoned on that she's on a diet and is now playing up :lol:

So, going to try Senior Felix mixed with Renal wet plus dry sprinkled on top.

Fingers crossed!
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

Fingers crossed indeed - cats will often eat something once .... the trial is to keep them eating it!! :P

Gina is gorgeous. :)
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

I seem to be unable to put up an avatar :cry:

It keeps saying the file size is too big. Not sure how to make it any smaller! :shock:
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Crewella
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

Try Postimage - they have an avatar size (100 x 75 pixels):

https://postimage.org/?hash=0c7cac719e8 ... bcff613066
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

Done! Thank you (again!) Crewella! :*
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Re: CKD & hyperthyroidism

Post by Crewella »

And a lovely pic it is too! :)
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