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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / February 2007Good news regarding my CRF kitty
Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be cutting back her dose! She's feeling better and I'm doing a happy dance! My vet thinks she's doing very well for an old lady cat. I know CRF is an emotional roller coaster but for this day it's good news. Bonnie > Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure > (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be > cutting back her dose! She's feeling better and I'm doing a happy dance! > My vet thinks she's doing very well for an old lady cat. I know CRF is an > emotional roller coaster but for this day it's good news. Super news, Bonnie, I am so happy for both of you. >> Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure >> (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Super news, Bonnie, I am so happy for both of you. Thank you thank you! She's a real special kitty. on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:10:20 GMT, "22brix" <spamdavidk@pacific.net> wrote: > Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood > pressure (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are > going to be cutting back her dose! She's feeling better and I'm doing > a happy dance! My vet thinks she's doing very well for an old lady > cat. I know CRF is an emotional roller coaster but for this day it's > good news. That's GREAT news!!  SignatureLynne > on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:10:20 GMT, "22brix" <spamdavidk@pacific.net> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > That's GREAT news!! It really is. Today started out pretty bad--besides Molly, I was worried about another cat who's not eating as well as I'd like and to top it off my very geriatric dog fell yesterday and the vets were saying things over the phone like thrombosis near the spine. Well, dog is fine (she's one of the oldest dogs of her size that they've seen), just pulled a muscle, the other kitty is okay and I am delighted about Molly. Today was good! Bonnie > Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure > (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Bonnie ---------- Having had a CRF kitty (also named Molly), I know how this feels. I am so happy for you and Molly! May things continue to go well. Best regards, ---Cindy S. >> Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure >> (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. Cindy, I've thought about your Molly quite a bit--I know that one of these days the news won't be good and I know I'll have to make that horrible decision. CRF really is a miserable disease, the cats just decline and you ultimately can't do much about it. I have decided pretty much that I don't want to wait til the bitter end with her and so each time I go the vet with her I'm pretty much a basket case. I'm sure you know how that is. But I don't see any point in making her suffer just to delay saying goodbye. In any case, for right now life is good and she's snoring away in her comfy warm bed. Bonnie > Cindy, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > goodbye. In any case, for right now life is good and she's snoring away > in her comfy warm bed. ----------- Bonnie, you don't need to be a basket case when you go to the vet. You only need to focus on your subjective impression of how the cat is feeling. When the time came for my Molly, it was because she was really sick and wobbly and not eating, not because of the lab values. The only reason the vet mentioned the lab values at all was because I was feeling guilty, hoping against hope that it was too soon (despite what my eyes were seeing). The vet told me that it was obvious that Molly was really sick and "felt really crappy." And THEN and only then she said, "If it will help you to know that you are making the right decision...here are the lab values. You can see that they're grossly abnormal." There is an in-between point where you will see that your cat is no longer doing well, barely eating, maybe not using her litter box, maybe wobbly or whatever. She will be dehydrated and require subcu fluids. But this point will come before she goes into respiratory distress. I knew for sure I was not going to allow my cat to go into respiratory distress, but I would have done the subcu fluids if it seemed like she still had some quality of life left. But, at that point, I don't think she did. My advice to you is to base your decision exclusively on how your Molly seems to be feeling. Even if her lab values are grossly abnormal, if she seems to be doing okay otherwise, it's too soon. IMHO. Best regards, ---Cindy S. on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:15:57 GMT, "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote: > My advice to you is to base > your decision exclusively on how your Molly seems to be feeling. Even > if her lab values are grossly abnormal, if she seems to be doing okay > otherwise, it's too soon. IMHO. Be careful with that line of thinking. Cats can be quite stoic and grossly abnormal lab values could suggest she is suffering in silence. These decisions are never easy, and sometimes they aren’t obvious, either. I was just in this position 2 years ago with my nearly 21 year old Calvin. He definitely wasn’t himself, but he didn’t appear to be suffering at all. He was still affectionate and his appetite was okay. He just slept a lot, almost all the time. He purred when I pet him and responded to me, so he really seemed okay. However his last lab values told a very different story and I opted to have him put down. I didn’t want him to suffer a minute longer than he might have already. At that age and after having CRF for as long as he did, his lab values were more than enough evidence that his time was up. For me that is. I knew it was all downhill for him at that point and I figured the only reason to drag things out was for my own selfish needs. I just didn’t want to do that to him. I know that had I waited until he was in distress and clearly suffering and afraid that I would have never forgiven myself. He went peacefully, the way I hope to go one day. It’s a very individual decision, but I personally don’t think we “just know” when the time is right. I think at that point we have hung onto them too long already. SignatureLynne > on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:15:57 GMT, "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > know" when the time is right. I think at that point we have hung onto > them too long already. There's truth in what both of you are saying. It's just a rotten decision. I am lab oriented and do look at the numbers--a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing! I have also been in situations with my animals where I thought there was no hope and they've recovered just fine. I think what I was trying to say about Molly is that I think she is getting close to the point where I'm being selfish. I came very close in December to having her euthanized and then she got better with more fluids. So far her lab values aren't that bad and my vet, who I trust implicitly feels that she can still be "managed" by tweaking fluid amounts and the rest. She still seems to be enjoying herself but I know we're on borrowed time--she's old and has CRF. I do NOT want to draw things out just to keep her alive. Every time she has a sniffle I'm paranoid and sure that her time has come. I'm a worrier, especially when it comes to my cats--I have no children and my cats are my kids. I strongly believe that euthanasia is a gift but I'm horribly selfish and don't want to say goodbye. The brain says it's almost time but the heart says no no not yet. I really appreciate both of your comments--with all the craziness that sometimes pervades newsgroups this is one where most people don't think you're nuts for caring so much for your cats! Bonnie on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:34:47 GMT, "22brix" <spamdavidk@pacific.net> wrote: > I think what I was trying to say about Molly is that I think she is > getting close to the point where I'm being selfish. I came very close > in December to having her euthanized and then she got better with more > fluids. We went through the same thing with Calvin, about 4 months before I let him go. His labs weren’t that bad and the fluids made a big difference. When his labs got worse, that was my cue. I’m sorry you have to face this with Molly. It’s clear to me that you love her enough that you will do what’s right for her, no matter how hard it will be. SignatureLynne That's great! I know how wonderful it is to get good news when you have a sick pet. Give her a scritch from me. Rhonda > Molly's been on amlodipine for a week to control her high blood pressure > (last week it was 220). It was down to 99 today and we are going to be [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Bonnie > That's great! I know how wonderful it is to get good news when you have a > sick pet. > > Give her a scritch from me. > > Rhonda She's been getting scritches all day! and loving it! Bonnie |
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