congestive heart failure - RIP xxx

[purrdy1]

  I am sooo sorry for your loss at least he is out of his pain now...hugs and love to you and yours......xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[nicter]

  to you and your family michelle x
RIP Reggie

[bonnielass]

Sorry Michelle i dont know how ive missed this but please pass my sympathies on to your Mum
and hugs for everyone

RIP Reggie, free from pain now x

[sheryl]

So sorry Michelle - big  to you and your Mum xxx

RIP Reggie - play hard at the bridge sweetie xxx

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Night night little one xxx

[Kirst]

RIP Reggie - free from pain now at the Bridge.

[AliCat]

R.I.P.

I'm so sorry to read this.

[pappilon]

RIP Reggie.
I am so sorry Michelle,  for you and your mum.x

[clarenmax]

RIP sweetheart xxx

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

So sorry to hear this Michelle.   to you and your mum.  RIP Reggie

[Gillian Harvey]

So sorry Michelle  She's peaceful now 

[swampmaxmum]

I'm so sorry about the vein and I hope that it wasn't too distressing for any of you, including of course little Reggie.
RIP little one. 

[JackSpratt]

So sorry, Michelle.

RIP Reggie.

[Janeyk]

Very sorry 

RIP dear Reggie xx

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Spo sorry Michell and love to your Mum 

RIP Reggie play hard on the Bridge

[Bazsmum]

So sorry to hear this Michelle.....Big  to you all! 

RIP Sweet Reggie, play hard on the Bridge x

[Liz]

Our thoughts are with you and your Mum at this sad time at least she has Issey and Missy to greet her

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

She's gone .

Wasn't as peaceful as would have liked.....vet couldn't find a vein, had to try both legs in the end...

RIP Sweet Reggie xxx

[swampmaxmum]

  I'm so very sorry

[Christine (Blip)]

  to all of you.

[Janeyk]

 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Just leaving to go to Mums.....Things have got worse and We will be having a home visit this afternoon

[JackSpratt]

Sorry to hear this, Michelle. Hope she has a wonderful last day surrounded by people that love her.

[Mark]

  Sorry Michelle - At least she is sparing him all the pain and confusion 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

This will be Reggies last day 

Mum has text us kids and told us if we want to say our goodbyes it must be today 

I am going over there this afternoon

[swampmaxmum]

My vet wouldn't do it either, for Max.  Gillian I think you are lucky with your vet. It may be an idea to ask around any good vets that have done it as I agree , I know that if I had my time again I would try to find someone who would have done the drain for Max.  My vet admitted he'd never done it. In skilful hands, it's not a long or painful a procedure and as you say, what's the alternative.
Michelle, if you have time if you read the CRF website here http://www.felinecrf.org/treatments.htm#fluid_retention  as it may explain stuff. She certainly had her cat drained like Gillian's.

I know from Max particularly that there's no way that cats will eat if they are full of fluid. Did you vet give her IV frusemide or just the pills? The IV one causes them to really wee a lot. It's your decision and I do so feel for you 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

This is what was happening with Sam, he was having a coughing fit going down the stairs and he stumbled at the bottom and almost fell right over, its horrible to see. Its a shame your mum's vet won't consider draining the fluid Michelle, because Sam hasnt coughed like that since my vet did that procedure, still I guess Sam's that bit younger (11 when diagnosed), suppose thats a consideration. 

Gillian think I am going to ask Mums vet why he won't do it - because at the mment we have nothing to lose as she is going to die if its not done
ok so I know she is 17 but surely its worth at least tying to remove the fluid (as the tablets dont seem to be helping)

[Gillian Harvey]

This is what was happening with Sam, he was having a coughing fit going down the stairs and he stumbled at the bottom and almost fell right over, its horrible to see. Its a shame your mum's vet won't consider draining the fluid Michelle, because Sam hasnt coughed like that since my vet did that procedure, still I guess Sam's that bit younger (11 when diagnosed), suppose thats a consideration. 

[Bazsmum]

Aw bless her, life can be so cruel at times....

For you all! 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

It sounds like her heart Michelle, I'm so sorry and am thinking of you all 

Thanks Kate...

Its such a shame...apart from her heart she is still aleart, she is pleased to see people and always gives you alittle lick 
but this not eating, and now the coughing fits, isnt fair on her

[swampmaxmum]

It sounds like her heart Michelle, I'm so sorry and am thinking of you all 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

This is what Mum texted me last night

"New development, on exertion ie going to litter tray she had coughing fit like a patient with heat failure or COPD, happened last 2 occasions.
tonight it floored her completely, was laying with her head on floor so carried her back to sofa"

My dad has gone to collect some recovery food from the vet (the slop in the tins). Mum will try and get her to eat some tonight
but i think the old girl is giving up now 

[swampmaxmum]

Would she tolerate a little assist feeding? Sometimes that kick starts eating. I do feel for you so much - my little Max had congestive heart failure too. He was given some pred too to see if it made him feel better. I don't think it's ideal for a 'heart' patient cat, no, but sometimes as it's a masker, it can make them feel a little bit better and so why not.
I'm not surprised about the spironolactone as I know UK vets are very plugged into using frusemide and if the flooding is bad, I think they have to as it is stronger. But the Italian vet and on my american yahoo CRF group they were all at me to switch to spirowhatsit. I think it depends on how long you have to use it for too.

I hope you can get her comfortable and that she feels better on the pred 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

I popped in and saw my mums vet today, We have decided to put her on Preds to try and kick start her eating.....worth giving it ago.

I didnt think preds was good for cats with congestive heart failure? - I remember reading something on the Feline Heart group on Yahoo about this, something to do with increased salt retention causing a problem. Did you mum join the group? Might be worth putting the question - lots of peeps on there with their experiences to help. 

I didnt know that Gillian but to be honest its a case of do or die at the moment.
I'll have a look at that group tomorrow, Mum wouldnt have time atm

[Gillian Harvey]

I popped in and saw my mums vet today, We have decided to put her on Preds to try and kick start her eating.....worth giving it ago.

I didnt think preds was good for cats with congestive heart failure? - I remember reading something on the Feline Heart group on Yahoo about this, something to do with increased salt retention causing a problem. Did you mum join the group? Might be worth putting the question - lots of peeps on there with their experiences to help. 

[Mark]

Have you tried coley ?

When Maddy was ill she loved it. It a light fish that is easy to digest.

Sainsburys do coley frozen steaks which can be microwaved in 4 minutes.

It's what my vet reccomends when my cats are ill and not wanting to eat and it has worked well in the past.

Just a thought.

Also the Almo nature chicken drumstick wet food is good. Its very moist and easily cuttable into very small chunks and its the only thing Delphi would eat apart from the coley when she was ill.

That is Kylie's favourite - She isn't fooled by "White Fish" - also it gives them a added water intake which can't be bad.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

just a thought  - frusemide can put any number of cats who aren't well right off their food. Of course being full of fluid does that too.  I hope the vet isn't stopping thinking about how to make her feel better or comfortable because she is old that's all. Did you manage to ask him if spironolactone was worth a try - I know they don't like it as much in the UK, but in other countries vets use it because it doesn't deplete potassium. Too low potassium makes them feel weak and they give up.

Whatever you and your mum decide, I'm thinking of you all 

Kate,
I spoke to MY vet about spironolactone and he said it isnt a drug that normally works on its own. He said if he was deaing with mums cat he would use frusemide.

I popped in and saw my mums vet today, We have decided to put her on Preds to try and kick start her eating.....worth giving it ago.


Philip I will get Mum some coley to try....

[swampmaxmum]

just a thought  - frusemide can put any number of cats who aren't well right off their food. Of course being full of fluid does that too.  I hope the vet isn't stopping thinking about how to make her feel better or comfortable because she is old that's all. Did you manage to ask him if spironolactone was worth a try - I know they don't like it as much in the UK, but in other countries vets use it because it doesn't deplete potassium. Too low potassium makes them feel weak and they give up.

Whatever you and your mum decide, I'm thinking of you all 

[Philip]

Have you tried coley ?

When Maddy was ill she loved it. It a light fish that is easy to digest.

Sainsburys do coley frozen steaks which can be microwaved in 4 minutes.

It's what my vet reccomends when my cats are ill and not wanting to eat and it has worked well in the past.

Just a thought.

Also the Almo nature chicken drumstick wet food is good. Its very moist and easily cuttable into very small chunks and its the only thing Delphi would eat apart from the coley when she was ill.

[Gillian Harvey]

Going to try the recovery food to try and get her to eat...but failing that she is going to starve to death which would take some time and wouldnt be nice

  The one food that got my Sam eating on his own again was Applaws ocean fish - I don't normally buy the fishy ones, but a friend had tried it with her cats and they didnt like it so she brought it over to me for my cats - and I thought I'd just try Sam with it. Was so surprised when he actually started tucking in to the plate by himself - before that I had been hand feeding him pieces of chicken throughout the day because he wouldnt eat normally. Worth a try with your mum's cat.