Prevent Clots in Legs-Thrombosis-By Understanding Condition of Cat's Legs/Paws Now While Healthy

HCM cats are prone to clots forming in the heart and settling in the legs, usually the back legs but front legs can also be affected. This is a serious and often deadly occurance. Blood thinning meds to prevent clots like aspirin and Plavix should be given to HCM cats. But even then, a clot can form. Catching it in time might be key. A pet owner should get to know the condition of their cat's le

gs and paws now while presumably healthy. Are the legs and paws warm? Are the pads-assuming they are normally pink and not already naturally dark-a healthy shade of pink or coral? Are the nail beds-gently squeeze the paws to make the nails stick out-a healthy pink? These are the three tests owners can perform from time to time to check to see what is the condition of their cat's paws. If the paws seem cold, if the nails are a pale shade of pink when normally vibrant, or worse, if the nail beds have become dark-these are indications that a clot or thrombosis has settled in the legs and the cat must see the vet or ER immediately. Even if the cat doesn't seem to be in pain, the cat must see the vet NOW. A thrombosis is life threatening. It can lead to loss of leg use but it can also lead to death. Discuss possible treatment methods with your vet now to understand what might be needed. Unfortunately, a clot often leads to death. But prevention with meds, knowledge of what to look for, and a timely discovery might help save a cat.

Update Cooper's Blood Work Two Wks Post-Starting Valium

Cooper keeping warm on the radiator

Cooper's blood work for his two week-post starting Valium checkup to see about his liver/kidney values: all good! BUN, creatinine, ALT, AST all normal; glucose was in a normal range-usually very high due to stress when at the vet's (Valium reduces his stress somewhat-so good sign there.) His calcium-and since he's Hypercalcemic, it's important to know-went up 2-tenths from 11.7 to 11.9. Must keep

 an eye on this of course as we don't want it to trend upwards. All other blood values within normal ranges.  We'll continue and probably increase his Valium. Currently on one mg. a day-half of it in the a.m., the other half in the evening. And we will begin to give a late afternoon boost of 1/8.  Then after another week or so, we'll increase it until gradually, he's up to about 1 1/2 mg or 2 mg depending on need and ability to handle it.

He'll have a CBC/chem panel recheck with a recheck of the PTH and iCA (ionized calcium) at the end of December.  All of these values indicate how his body processes calcium, if it's processing correctly, and if the hypercalc continues to be idiopathic-meaning no cancer, no issue with the parathyroid, etc..

Results of Myrna and Katharine's Blood/Urine Tests

Blood work back for Myrna. All normal. Urine sample though showed a decline in gravity, down to 10.06 from 10.30.  That can indicate a decrease in kidney function.  It's a good thing she goes next week to MSU for further testing. And Katharine's ALT is back to normal at 57, down from 197. It's either a fluke in previous testing or she was dehydrated. Will continue with 3 ccs of water per meal for awhile longer. Myrna also needs a bit more potassium since her potassium went from 4.2 to 3.8.

HCM and Renal Disease and Tests

Since HCM cats take meds that might stress the kidneys-lasix, enalapril, etc.-we're always testing and watching kidney values and such. But did you know that BUN and creatinine levels only indicate kidney disease once the cat has lost about 60% of it's function (with exceptions such as BUN being off but creatinine being normal-and I'm sure there are others)? If the cat, such as Myrna, is presenting with frequent drinking and urination (polydipsia polyuria) it could be due to the heart meds. But if there's an increase in such activity, it could point to renal issues. Aside from urine and CBC/chem panel tests, a glomural fitration test and blood PH and possibly other blood tests and a scan, might be needed. So, Wednesday first of December, she and I will head to MSU-Michigan State Univ. Vet College-to have Myrna tested for these and whatever else MSU recommends. She is now going 2-3 hrs. Granted, she could possibly have been doing this for the last couple of years but since she was going out of the box frequently in late '10, early '11, we thought it was anxiety. Once on valium, she went 3-4 hrs. Since Sept, it's been 2-3, and recently it's been about 2 hrs. Her blood and urine were normal in October. We had them retested yesterday and will know results later today. We will hopefully have a fuller picture after next Wednesday. If she's normal, we can handle 2 hrs goings. I say handle because she needs us to treat and praise her most of the time, especially me in the middle of the night. What was once a night, is now three.

And Baby goes to MSU Wed. to see the wonderful dental tech Jean who is dream to work with.

Solve Cat's Diahrea Naturally-Rice or Bananas

Does your cat ever get diahrea? One of ours did the other day and I couldn't figure out why. She wasn't ill, hadn't eaten anything as far as I knew. It wasn't happening continuously, just first thing and again later. These things can happen to our pets just as they do to us. And the best way to solve it is the natural way-rice and rice water. I boiled rice and added extra water so that the rice

didn't soak up all the water. I drained the water. I put them into separate containers. I mixed in rice with her wet food and gave 3ccs of rice water every two hours. Cleared up the problem. If she had continued being ill, then I would have gone to the vet. And if it happens again soon, then I will go. But for now, the natural way of rice worked very well. You can also try bananas. You can mash up a banana in the cat's food.

Myrna Loy, HCM Cat, One Not to be Ignored

Myrna Loy, our HCM cat, is not one to be ignored when she sets her mind to it. Let me explain. Does your HCM cat have litter box issues that confound you? Mine, if you remember, is on Valium for anxiety and litter box issues. It took awhile but since January with Valium and behavior modification techniques, she's pretty good about letting us know when she needs to go. It's a process whereby she 

cries, or paces and we must acknowledge in x # of nano seconds her needs, take the treat bag, ask if she needs the litter box, and then follow her to the litter boxes either up or downstairs. She lets us know which box by leading the way. She does on occasion and when we are gone, use the box on her own. What's really interesting is how she wakes me at least twice in the middle of the night to use the box. Here is where she cannot be ignored. She's very insistent. She stands on my chest up to my neck, leans into my face, gets very close, and then begins a series of short bursts of cries. "MeOW!" "MeOW!" but with her signature chirping/trilling noise included in the mix. I know she's there because at some point I sense the weight of her 9 lb. frame on my chest just as I begin to hear her chirping. When I open my eyes, she leans in even closer and cries more and then walks all over me. It's my cue to get up and help her go. Sometimes she runs off if she thinks I'm getting up. If I don't get up, she's back immediately doing it all over again until I do get up. Then I check the boxes and check to see if she's gone (because sometimes she has gone before waking me) then give her treats and encourage her to go. Then we go to the next room and check those boxes. And here she usually goes and if not, it's back to the other room where she usually goes. From time to time she'll act as if she doesn't need to go and I'll go back to bed where a few minutes later, I hear her using the box which means I must get up again and treat her and praise her for using the box. The process takes 3-15 minutes depending. Exhausting but it works and helps her see the box as a positive thing. Besides, as I said, she's very insistant and not to be ignored. "MeOW!"

Update on Cooper and Valium

Update on Cooper and Valium: He was great Saturday and Sunday, ate like a hog, a bit full of energy before calming down. But Monday a.m. after his meds, he didn't eat much and was tired and sluggish and in a daze all day. After his evening med, he was totally zonky. He curled up on our bed to sleep and didn't move out of the way when I crawled into bed. He stayed until my husband had to move him t

o get into bed. At this point, I decided to cut back his meds and start him on an even lower dose. We were dosing 1/2 of 1mg BID. Now we're doing 1/4 a day or 1/8 BID. He was better today, still sleepy and not eating a lot but not zonky. I'm doubtful and will be surprised if this works better for him than Buprenex. But we'll give it time as long as there are no worsening symptoms and his blood work in a couple weeks proves fine. Meanwhile, we'll retest Katharine's blood next week for her over the top ALT level of 197 to see if it's still high. Last July it was normal at 43. Retesting is step one. If still high, other blood tests, scan, xrays, etc. I guess.