My cat Felix is a 13 year old male. Around january of last year he had
laryngitis & trouble swallowing. I took him to the vet and
incidentally his protein level on labs was high. No one thought
anything of it. The laryngitis cleared up after a shot of steroid.

Around may/june I took him into the vet because his urination had
increased and his appetite had decreased. Labs showed elevated BUN/Cr
and he was diagnosed with Chronic renal failure. Looking back at the
labs the protein level was even more elevated but the vet didn't
address it. His ultrasound showed no abnormalities other than some
kidney changes consistent with chronic renal failure. X rays were
normal.

I treated him with subcutaneous fluids every other day, cyproheptatine
as an appetite stimulant and pepcid for vomiting.

I thought I should take him to a specialist to make sure I was doing
all the right things so I took him to the Animal Medical Center in
manhattan to see a nephrologist. She found his BUN/Cr even more
elevated so we changed the fluid schedule to every day 100 cc Subcut.
She also noticed the protein level being even more elevated so we did
a protein electrophoresis which showed he had a monoclonal gammopathy.
We did a bone marrow biopsy to rule out multiple myeloma and it was
negative. As were repeat ultrasounds and x-rays.

I continued to treat him for CHF with fluids, pecid, cyproheptadine &
now norvasc since he developed high blood pressure. On a follow up
exam his BUN/Cr was 130/4.9. I admitted him to the hospital for IV
fluids. They only decrease his BUN to 122 and his Creatine stayed the
same at 4.9. Also the vet mentioned the fluid might be pushing him
into heart failure because he developed a 4th heart sound. But she
didn't give him any heart meds. She decided it was time to address the
monoclonal gammopathy as it could be what was destroying the kidneys.
We started him on steroids (solumedrol) and antibiotic (baytril).
Almost immediately I noticed he started urinating less. Still more
than a normal cat but half of what he usually did. A few days later
his belly seemed distended and felt like it had fluid in it. And he
did not seem to feel well. Also a tremor/chill, which he had before,
had gotten worse.

I tried to call my vet at the AMC to see what to do & she never
returned my phone call or my email so I took him to a local vet that
someone recommended. He took labs (it was now 1 week later from when
he was admitted to the AMC and got IV fluid for 3 days) and his BUN/Cr
was 130/8.9.
Also he did an xray that indicates there is fluid in the abdomen.
He also found that he's anemic & has high phosphorus which my previous
vet, a nephrologist, neglected to tell me or treat. So we started him
and epogen & amphogel & gave him some vitamin B shots.
(Also he hasn't pooped for 8 days and the vet only suggested laxatone
which he won't eat.)

He suggested I admit him to the clinic for a few days of IV fluids. I
didn't want to admit him, the place is unstaffed at night and being
that he could die at any second I don't want him to die alone in a
cage without me with him. (it's a quality of life issue at the point,
he get terrified at the vet) (plus last week, 3 days of admission & iv
fluids didn't help so why put him through that again?) I brought him
in for some IV fluids in the day (I was going to take him home and
continue IV but moving him to the car blew the IV access). So we
decided to take him home, and bring him back the next day for more IV
fluids and see what happens. (he no longer is absorbing subcutaneous
fluids.)

So here I am, it's the next day and I'm writing this with my very sick
cat in my lap. Can anyone see anything I missed that can make any
difference? I've been frustrated with the discrepancies between how
the vets I've seen treat, (for example even in the local vets office
the 2 vets disagree about how much fluid he should get today, one says
250ml the other say that's too much because it will overload his
heart.)
Did the baytril make him worse?
Did the steroid make him worse?
Can anyone help me know what to do? I love him and it's killing me to
know I'm can't help him.

http://www.angelfire.com/stars/vs/Felix.html
victoria900@hotmail.com