A Holly Update - On the Up and Up!

As most of you know, it's been a real roller coaster ride with our little furball but, for once, we're climbing up into the air or zooming to the ground (whichever part of that analogy indicates good times).

I took Holly to the vet on Monday and her levels are down! (This is a good thing)

I actually took her because I was worried. She'd seemed lethargic and ornery the past week or two and then she threw up (some kind of frothy liquid - yum!) twice in three days. I was worried my girl had taken a turn for the worse. And I chided myself because I hadn't brought her to the vet in nearly a year.

So, it was finally time. Whatever the news would be, I would handle it. And if she was in pain or something was wrong, I had to take her.

We saw Dr. Caruso at Pet Haven. As soon as Holly spilled out onto the steel table, she remarked on how good she looked for a cat with kidney disease. The vet tech complimented her soft fur. My pet owner pride rose.

She was a delight, holding still for the needle and letting the vet tech hold her like a baby.

Then, the 20 minute nerve-wracking wait for the initial results of the blood work which would tell me the most important information, her BUN and creatinine levels. These are waste products excreted through the kidneys. High levels indicate kidney failure. The last time her blood was tested, her BUN was 71 and her creatinine was 6.5. Normal ranges are respectively 14 - 36 and .6 - 2.4. A cat who is in renal failure will often have a BUN level of more than 80. As for creatinine, any level over 5 is considered very dangerous. Perhaps that's why a vet we saw subtly suggested we put her down.

Thank the god I don't believe in that we didn't! Dr. Caruso called me back into the room with a smile on her face. "I'm very pleased with these numbers!"

Holly's BUN is now 48 and her creatinine is 3.9. I may have literally jumped for joy. The numbers are elevated above normal but that will always be the case for a cat with kidney disease. The important thing is what we're doing is working! Daily fluid injections, the occasional appetite stimulant, and (in the last month) prescription cat food. Dr. Caruso recommended we simply continue. She's doing great!

Speak of the devil. She just hopped up on my lap. She's been in good spirits since her trip and hasn't thrown up once. The little minx is still sleeping a lot. Apparently, it was just the heat.

My cat is happy and healthy. From now on, I look forward to vet visits!



Thanks for the continued contributions! It helps mightily; these visits, medicine and food are expensive.

Cat kidney disease information came from: http://www.felinecrf.com/tests0.htm and http://www.felinecrf.org/how_bad_is_it.htm