Topic: Bit worried about Monty (CRF related I think) BETTER NEWS :) (Read 5125 times)

west0405 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 04, 2009, 16:32:43 PM »

Yay great news Debs!!!! Good old Monty

bonnielass · « **Reply #28 on:** May 04, 2009, 08:58:06 AM »

So glad to hear Monty is feeling better

and hope he continues to put weight on

clarenmax · « **Reply #27 on:** May 03, 2009, 13:44:57 PM »

Good news

pappilon · « **Reply #26 on:** May 03, 2009, 13:13:10 PM »

So glad Monty is feeling much better now.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2009, 11:43:57 AM »

Glad to hear this

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #24 on:** May 02, 2009, 17:41:02 PM »

Well things are really looking up! Monty is back to normal and better in himself. He has also put on the majority of the weight that he lost through not eating and is enjoying his food again. I had an appointment to take bloods on Tues but decided to change it to Thurs so I could see my normal vet (last weeks vet wasn;t exactly warm and actually made me completely paniccy and worried). Also, Mojo had to have his 2nd vacc on Thurs so made sense to take them together.
Well my normal vet was fantastic. He was pleased Monty was seeming better and gave him a thorough check over. He said there was no enlargement on his thyroid on Thurs and as he was putting weight on again and has only just had a thyroidectomy, he wound't recommend putting him through bloods which really stress him out (he's not the best patient!) when there's nothing to actually suggest we should be looking. (I very much agree) In terms of his kidneys there is also nothing to suggest they've got worse and the urine sample didn't show any change.
He wants to weigh him in a month and check he's put some more weight on and that he's still well. If he's not they will take bloods there but he said he looked really good. He weighs 4.65kg at present and they woudl like him to weigh around 5 so a little bit more to go on but he's doing well and has a healthy appitite again.

As you can imagine, I am feeling much much better! :D

west0405 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 02, 2009, 12:31:10 PM »

Just caught this Debs. Big hug to you and Monty

x x x

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #22 on:** April 25, 2009, 18:10:35 PM »

Fingers crossed for the bloods - I am surprised they didn't warn you about fasting, all mine have had to be fasted, if there is any suspicion of bloods being done, they get fasted to be on teh safe side, mine must hate going to the vet!! IT all sounds a bit odd to say he has had so much done to him recently, hopefully ab's can help his teeth as if his kidneys are worse, a dental would be very dodgy.

Bazsmum · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2009, 13:18:12 PM »

Hope all is good Debs.....

Good Luck!

CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls · « **Reply #20 on:** April 25, 2009, 11:47:34 AM »

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2009, 11:26:10 AM »

Thanks guys, I don't think I will allow him to have the dental unless he actually needs it. Likewise, if his thyroid is playing up again on the other side he will be medicated and definitely not having another op.

To be honest, we'll see what the bloods show and go from there but I won't put him through any evasive treatment at his age if he can manage without it. Ultimately he is an elderly cat who I would rather had a good quality, slightly shorter life than a longer life of being poked and prodded all the time.

He is definitely eating more but everytime I pick him up he's like a bag of bones- it's amazing how much weight they can lose in just a few days. He's still my purry pants though and is enjoying lots of cuddles!!!

I also had sad news that My mum and Dad's cat Max (who was my cat too til I moved out 2 years ago) is very poorly and at the vets as we speak. Gonna call in a bit to see how he is

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2009, 00:36:08 AM »

I think that Swampysmum and trigger have spoken good stuff and Franta had a number of blood tests and never have they insisted he was starved before and just to get him to eat was a miricle.

I am afraid I would tell the vets that the blood tests will have to be without starvation and I know that Franta also had to be sedated before blood tests and I would never agree to a number of people holding a cat down

Vets should care about the animals they are treating and not treat them with distain in my opinion.

I agree about the teeth and it was an op on Frantas teeth that sent him spirally downwards and I so wish I had just left them because it never helped him to eat better, he is still the jelly licker he was!

I hope that the vets give Monty much more consideration rather than try and stress him which will also skew the results and that his problems can be helped

Kay and Penny · « **Reply #17 on:** April 24, 2009, 23:30:12 PM »

I suspect some vets, like some doctors, tend to see a collection of symptoms to be treated instead of seeing the cat, or person, who has them

I know if I was getting on a bit (or rather getting on even more

) I wouldn't be very bothered about having my teeth seen to unless they were troubling me

owners know more about the quality of their cat's life than even the best of vets - so I hope you and Monty can go on together happily for a while yet, whatever the tests say

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #16 on:** April 24, 2009, 23:19:34 PM »

I'm sorry that Monty's got so many problems - so many sound age related but you never know, he may keep on going for quite a while yet with you, so don't give up hope on him

My vet used to insist on fasting tests as well. Now it's not possible, I can't say that the kidney readings are that different from the fasting ones (the liver maybe slightly). It depends on how much food probably, but I know some vets have a bee in their bonnet about that. Anyhow I hope Monty eats nicely as that will make him feel better. Does he have to have a dental if he's got all the other health problems (how bad are his teeth really? can he eat comfortably - if they were fine a couple of months ago they can't have got so bad he needs an op can they?!).

big hug for you both, and remember vets are great but they don't always know it all

come on Monty, you lovely old boy

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2009, 21:36:52 PM »

Well the vet visit wasn't great to be honest. Turns out my Mont has a few more problems that were recognised when he was having all his vet checks a couple of months ago. He's had a tablet to help his appitite and also fluids under the skin which should help him feel better and eat over the weekend. I have to take him back for the bloods on Tues as I wasn't told I had to fast him before as if they have food first it can skew the results. He did have a few mouthfulls before we left and I was so pleased to see him eat that it didn't occur to me to stop him.

Well, the news is she thinks his kidneys may be getting worse but bloods will give full picture, he has bad teeth even though I was told a couple of months ago they were fine. The vet I saw today though thinks they must have been bad for a long time. He is likely to need a dental soon but gonna deal with the rest first. Even after surgery, his thyroid is enlarged and she can feel a growth- it is likely to be the opposite side to what they removed during the op but bloods will test thyroid levels as well so we will see where we are- he may end up on meds again. The other big downer is that she found he has a heart murmour (again, is likely to have been there for a while and getting progressively worse) she said it's level 3 (out of 6) so not good news for my old boy.

He seems fine in himself this evening and has eaten a bit. We will do everything we can to reasonably treat him while his quality of life is good but it may be that Monty's time with us is shorter than we had hoped.

MrsR · « **Reply #14 on:** April 24, 2009, 09:51:46 AM »

Yes everything crossed for the bloods x

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2009, 08:06:47 AM »

Fingers crossed for his bloods. I have also used Periactin with success, and that was with a CRF cat too. HL can set in as little as 3 days, but I think if you can get something into him every day, it wont be as bad - I am in a similar boat to you, it is so worrying.

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #12 on:** April 23, 2009, 19:48:00 PM »

Thanks everyone and yep, he is drinking lots of water as well as lapping away at the catmilk every so often which I suppose counts as a little bit of food on top of the little bit of wet he's eaten. He won't ever touch dry food so not eating that is normal. He even had some of his RC renal food so is hopefully feeling a bit better. He's been very cuddly and purry but does keep sitting just looking a bit sorry for himself so definitely feel he's feeling weak- that could be the lack of food though.
I haven't told him he's got to have more bloods done yet- last time it took 3 vet nurses to hold him down!

Sheli_80 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 23, 2009, 18:17:35 PM »

Nice to hear he has at least ate something, hope it all goes well at the vets tomorrow.

Sending furry headbutts from my bunch and

pappilon · « **Reply #10 on:** April 23, 2009, 17:47:50 PM »

Poor Monty.
My cat Phoebe stoped eating when she came back from vet last friday, she has CRF and was sedated in vets for tests and to be shaved.
I got her home on friday and she refused to eat till Monday then she had tiny bit of dry food, i went to my vet and he gave me PERIACTIN, its antihestime and appetite stimulater, he told me to give her 1/2 tab only and couple of hours after taking the tablet she started eating.
Check with your vet about Periactin, it may help Monty to get his appetite back.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2009, 16:59:08 PM »

If you can get hold of Pepcid somehow (n/a in the UK; available in America and some parts of the EU - ebay) the dose is max of 1/4 tablet per day with a suggestion that you start off by giving the 1/4 every other day, unless you have to give it daily. You can stop and start it when necessary.
I don't know about zantac but I'm sure that the vet does. That is easily available here.
As for eating, I was told to be concerned if no food intake at all for over 24 hours, but it does depend on the cat. They only have to eat a little bit a day (although will lose weight). You can also get tablets which are appetite stimulants, but you can't use them for long (so my vet said).
Hope it's just a question of temporary inappetance or Monty going off food. Is he drinking enough, if he's not munching wet food?

clarenmax · « **Reply #8 on:** April 23, 2009, 16:50:55 PM »

Defo agree its worth repeating the bloods to be sure

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2009, 15:35:15 PM »

Hhmm, is always a worry when a cat won't eat though, especially when it's my little Piggy Monty. Does anyone know how long they can actually go without food before liver starts to suffer? Just out of interest.
You may be right Clare but he's definitely going to the vets to be on the safe side. He doesn't take any medication for his kidneys so it may be time to more onto fortekor now- the bloods will hopefully tell us what's going on. Am just hoping it's not anything else to add to his list of ailmements./

clarenmax · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2009, 15:32:39 PM »

If he's interested in food today, then maybe he was just feeling a bit sick before?

I do the chicken test, if he won't eat Applaws chicken and cheese, then he's really off his food

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2009, 15:25:19 PM »

He's going to vets for bloods tomorrow evening, I wanted to get him in today but they didn't have appointments I could make around work. He actually seems OK it's just the lack of appitite that worries me as he's definitely got a bit thinner (after I worked soooo hard to fatten him up and he was looking so healthy!) I have just got in from work though and he has eaten some chicken flavour senior food quite hungrily and purred his head off so maybe he's just decided again that he's not going to eat his prescription food- strange though as he's been loving it. I am so pleased he's eaten something though.

Quote from: swampmaxmum on April 22, 2009, 22:21:47 PM

have you maybe tried an antacid, if not Pepcid then the one you can get here (sorry I forget its name..zantac?) in case it is the urea toxins from CRF making Monty off colour. Sometimes it can help with appetite quite quickly. Only thing is not to give it within 2 hours of any other meds as it hinders their absorption apparently.
Hope Monty is eating better asap and his bloods aren't too bad.

What's the dosage? Is this a normal antacid chalk tablet?

Sheli_80 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2009, 23:30:22 PM »

Poor Monty, I used to do the chicken test with my CRF boy. He loved his food so if he refused some chicken I knew he was poorly. It's not really scientific but you can't help but worry about them I know I did and would be so desperate for him to eat something I'd have went out and caught the the chicken myself if I knew it would make him eat.

I'd def ask the vet to maybe do them early if he is still off his food, hope he perks up soon.

Sending positive healing vibes and

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2009, 22:21:47 PM »

have you maybe tried an antacid, if not Pepcid then the one you can get here (sorry I forget its name..zantac?) in case it is the urea toxins from CRF making Monty off colour. Sometimes it can help with appetite quite quickly. Only thing is not to give it within 2 hours of any other meds as it hinders their absorption apparently.
Hope Monty is eating better asap and his bloods aren't too bad.

bonnielass · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2009, 21:47:12 PM »

Such a worry and i cant offer any advice but i can offer some

for you and hope hes just hinting that he prefers something else

Debsymiller (Rufus' mum) · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2009, 19:37:23 PM »

I'm trying to not get to worried too quickly but Monty definitely seems under the weather. He's still eating but definitely off his food and not eating as much as usual. I assumed he was having another hissy fit about prescription food and demanding normal food for a little while. (Every so often I havce to give in for a couple of days and then we go back to the renal food as if it's new and exciting!) but have brought him some senior stuff that I know he likes and he wasn't really interested. I also got him some cat milk to make sure he keeps his strength up while he's off his food. (This helped to get him back to normal last time he was off his food)
He definitely drinks a lot and I may be being paranoid but I think more than normal at present. I sadly think that maybe his kidney's are playing up (?) but not being an expert it may mean some more blood/urine tests. He's due to go for his regular CRF related bloods in the next couple of weeks. I spoke to the vets who said he may just be having another funny time where he protests about the food and to do everything I can to get him to eat and the bloods will show more but while he's still sparky and eating a bit there's little I can do apart but if he becomes listless or stops eating to a worrying level then he needs to go in.

We did know what we were taking on with an elderly CRF pud but I do hope it's just a little protest about the food and he's bounce back soon.

Author Topic: Bit worried about Monty (CRF related I think) BETTER NEWS :) (Read 5125 times)