Posted to Facebook October 8, 2014
We are quiet here this week. Elizabeth has recovered (from idiopathic cystitis that flared up in late September that required hospitalization); Myrna's mouth issue has recovered (from late September). Bette saw the vet for a check-up yesterday and blood and urine are fine. We have a few weeks of visits as one cat a week goes to the vet for a check-up: Elizabeth, Katharine, Jimmy (fructosamine retest), and Baby. Then in November, Elizabeth will return to MSU for a bladder scan to see if the bladder is more normal and not inflamed.
Posted to Facebook October 26, 2014
Myrna hasn't been feeling well enough, had trouble eating (the spoiled sweet potatoes being the possible reason), is having trouble chewing again (although not as badly as last month), and had enough energy but just wasn't as up as usual. I had her blood rechecked. A month ago in September, her BUN and creatinine had ticked up and her urine specific gravity was low. This time, good news: potassium is 4.3; BUN is 31, down from 41; creatinine is almost normal at 2.8, down from 3.5; urine specific gravity is up at 1.020, up from 1.004. USG-urine specific gravity-is complex and is associated with how well the kidneys are processing waste; if the cat's hydrated or dehydrated; if there's kidney damage, etc. As usual, Miss Myrna presented with something unusual: hypothyroid, which is suddenly down to 0.6, down from a norm of 1.2. Just something to keep an eye on but could be the reason she's a tad run down (along with spoiled food, heart meds, heart disease.)
If you are feeding your cats baby food bananas or sweet potato for the extra boost in potassium, do taste it each week to make sure it isn't spoiling. Same would go for jars of other flavors if you are using them to supplement a cat's diet. I hadn't realized that the jar of sweet potatoes was spoiling although Myrna tried to tell me all week long when she tried to spit out the mixture that I syringed into her mouth and wouldn't eat her food when it had the sweet potatoes mixed in. It wasn't until I opened the jar this morning that a bitter smell wafted out. I tasted the food and YUCK! It was bitter. Lesson learned.
We are quiet here this week. Elizabeth has recovered (from idiopathic cystitis that flared up in late September that required hospitalization); Myrna's mouth issue has recovered (from late September). Bette saw the vet for a check-up yesterday and blood and urine are fine. We have a few weeks of visits as one cat a week goes to the vet for a check-up: Elizabeth, Katharine, Jimmy (fructosamine retest), and Baby. Then in November, Elizabeth will return to MSU for a bladder scan to see if the bladder is more normal and not inflamed.
Posted to Facebook October 9, 2014
It has paid off to complain-nicely of course-to the ER regarding the testing of Elizabeth's urine sample a couple weeks ago. To rehash: they took a sample from a table and not from her bladder. This may have been how it picked up bacteria. They did not give her sub q or IV fluids to: a-calm the bladder; and b-collect a cleaner urine sample. I had called and asked for a refund of urine sampling and to complain about a step in protocol (fluids) not being followed. I left a calm message to the owner. And I also, from experience, understand that even if fluids are given, they don't always work and the cat needs more-hence MSU treating her with IV fluids-ongoing infusion-and not sub q which is temporary. The owner and I had been playing phone tag but today she called, we discussed, and she agreed to the rebate (about $35 I think) and that she'll review protocol treatment with staff. She was a very friendly, understanding woman and I was very calm myself. It pays to ask-always ask; and it pays to be calm-always be calm; and it pays to understand the variance in treatment and reactions to treatment. So, for example, I used the phrase "It's possible that..." and reviewed MSU's statements and treatment plans. And I said "In the past with Elizabeth's treatment she's always been given fluids and we've seen great response..." And I praised the past work of the other ER vet who treated Elizabeth and has treated our other cats. And the owner-a vet herself-saw that our file shows we've had many of the cats in that ER and two were/Myrna is, patient of Dr. DeSana, the cardio who shares the same building and practice space as the ER. We do like that ER and have received good service always. It's in Novi at 10 mile and Novi Rd. if you are ever in need of an ER in SE Michigan.
Myrna hasn't been feeling well enough, had trouble eating (the spoiled sweet potatoes being the possible reason), is having trouble chewing again (although not as badly as last month), and had enough energy but just wasn't as up as usual. I had her blood rechecked. A month ago in September, her BUN and creatinine had ticked up and her urine specific gravity was low. This time, good news: potassium is 4.3; BUN is 31, down from 41; creatinine is almost normal at 2.8, down from 3.5; urine specific gravity is up at 1.020, up from 1.004. USG-urine specific gravity-is complex and is associated with how well the kidneys are processing waste; if the cat's hydrated or dehydrated; if there's kidney damage, etc. As usual, Miss Myrna presented with something unusual: hypothyroid, which is suddenly down to 0.6, down from a norm of 1.2. Just something to keep an eye on but could be the reason she's a tad run down (along with spoiled food, heart meds, heart disease.)
If you are feeding your cats baby food bananas or sweet potato for the extra boost in potassium, do taste it each week to make sure it isn't spoiling. Same would go for jars of other flavors if you are using them to supplement a cat's diet. I hadn't realized that the jar of sweet potatoes was spoiling although Myrna tried to tell me all week long when she tried to spit out the mixture that I syringed into her mouth and wouldn't eat her food when it had the sweet potatoes mixed in. It wasn't until I opened the jar this morning that a bitter smell wafted out. I tasted the food and YUCK! It was bitter. Lesson learned.
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