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Stage 4 kidney failure in my cattledog
Hi there,
My beautiful 7 year old blue cattle dog has very recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney disease.
She had been off her food for a while and a little lethargic so we took her in to the vet's on the 16th of May and she took a total blood count.
I also requested a Leptospirosis test be done as she has been regularly swimming and wading in a stormwater drain and bush swamp for around 6 months over Summer/Autumn.
Her results were as follows:
Urea - 58.1
Creatinine - 715
Phosphate - 6.80
Lipase -146
Anion Gap -34
Specific Urine Gravity 1.011
All other readings were normal except for a slightly raised White Blood Cell count.
The Lepto test eventually came back and was negative.
The vet just told me she has Kidney failure and referred me onto another Vet clinic for an Ultrasound of her kidneys and other organs.
The ultrasound showed fibrosis and mineralization of both my dog's kidneys, with one being a lot worse than the other. The vet doing the Ultrasound didn't tell us how bad her kidneys are but estimated she only had around a month to live
He said it really wasn't worth doing fluid treatment for her --it would really only prolong the inevitable.
We took her along to a third vet for another opinion and he told us we really should consider putting her down as the blood test results were off the scale' He said giving her fluid treatment was a waste if time and may even make her worse.
None of the them seemed interested in trying to help my dog at all - they have just written her off.
The strange thing is that even though she is not eating properly, has lost a lot of weight and is definitely much quieter and less active than normal, she is still moving around really well and the highlight of her day is going for her customary long walk along the fire trail .
She keeps up with us really well and still chases her ball and sticks almost like normal.
She still has some of her old spirit left and doesn't strike me as a dog who has lost all hope yet.
She has no diaerreah and only occasional vomiting but getting her to eat anything at all is a real struggle and she is losing more weight all the time. She is also having trouble doing bowel motions as she really isn't eating properly.
We have tried her on all sorts of foods including the Hills special renal dog food which she refuses to eat, no matter how we prepare it.
All she seems to like now is a little roast chicken, toast and vegemite, ham and silverside sandwich meat and occasionally a bread roll.
It is heartbreaking to sit by and watch her slowly fade away, especially as she is still so young.
Does anyone here have any suggestions as to how I can help my beautiful Indy?
A list of Meds she is on :
Vet Ace blood pressure tabs
Periactin appetite stimulant tabs
Maxalon anti nausea tabs
Mylanta and Tums tabs for phosphate binding
Zantac anti acid tablets
Please help.
Thank you.
My beautiful 7 year old blue cattle dog has very recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney disease.
She had been off her food for a while and a little lethargic so we took her in to the vet's on the 16th of May and she took a total blood count.
I also requested a Leptospirosis test be done as she has been regularly swimming and wading in a stormwater drain and bush swamp for around 6 months over Summer/Autumn.
Her results were as follows:
Urea - 58.1
Creatinine - 715
Phosphate - 6.80
Lipase -146
Anion Gap -34
Specific Urine Gravity 1.011
All other readings were normal except for a slightly raised White Blood Cell count.
The Lepto test eventually came back and was negative.
The vet just told me she has Kidney failure and referred me onto another Vet clinic for an Ultrasound of her kidneys and other organs.
The ultrasound showed fibrosis and mineralization of both my dog's kidneys, with one being a lot worse than the other. The vet doing the Ultrasound didn't tell us how bad her kidneys are but estimated she only had around a month to live
He said it really wasn't worth doing fluid treatment for her --it would really only prolong the inevitable.
We took her along to a third vet for another opinion and he told us we really should consider putting her down as the blood test results were off the scale' He said giving her fluid treatment was a waste if time and may even make her worse.
None of the them seemed interested in trying to help my dog at all - they have just written her off.
The strange thing is that even though she is not eating properly, has lost a lot of weight and is definitely much quieter and less active than normal, she is still moving around really well and the highlight of her day is going for her customary long walk along the fire trail .
She keeps up with us really well and still chases her ball and sticks almost like normal.
She still has some of her old spirit left and doesn't strike me as a dog who has lost all hope yet.
She has no diaerreah and only occasional vomiting but getting her to eat anything at all is a real struggle and she is losing more weight all the time. She is also having trouble doing bowel motions as she really isn't eating properly.
We have tried her on all sorts of foods including the Hills special renal dog food which she refuses to eat, no matter how we prepare it.
All she seems to like now is a little roast chicken, toast and vegemite, ham and silverside sandwich meat and occasionally a bread roll.
It is heartbreaking to sit by and watch her slowly fade away, especially as she is still so young.
Does anyone here have any suggestions as to how I can help my beautiful Indy?
A list of Meds she is on :
Vet Ace blood pressure tabs
Periactin appetite stimulant tabs
Maxalon anti nausea tabs
Mylanta and Tums tabs for phosphate binding
Zantac anti acid tablets
Please help.
Thank you.
Jan,
I feel it is almost at that point you experienced with Mr Benson - the light and twinkle has just about died in Indy's eyes and she now has that distant gaze that you mentioned ....staring off into the wide blue yonder a lot of the time.
She appears to have almost (but not quite), already left us in spirit and is now so frail and unnaturally quiet - it is heartbreaking to see as she has always been such a feisty, lively and vibrant soul.
She still weakly wags her tail and gives us gentle kisses though.
She is still wanting to go for her late afternoon walk but I sense she is even losing enthusiasm for this.
She is still drinking but barely eating and is fading away to a shadow.
I feel that the time has almost come to take her in and put her to sleep.
Yes you are right in saying she has had a wonderful and active life.
But our pets' lives are so short to begin with that it seems so cruel and unfair that Indy's time here has been virtually cut in half.
I always think of our beautiful dogs as guardian angels sent down from heaven to watch over us.
Your Mr Benson sounded like a simply adorable little boy. You are lucky to have dear old Shelby still with you to provide you some comfort after losing him.
Thank you so much for your caring and comforting words.
Christina
I feel it is almost at that point you experienced with Mr Benson - the light and twinkle has just about died in Indy's eyes and she now has that distant gaze that you mentioned ....staring off into the wide blue yonder a lot of the time.
She appears to have almost (but not quite), already left us in spirit and is now so frail and unnaturally quiet - it is heartbreaking to see as she has always been such a feisty, lively and vibrant soul.
She still weakly wags her tail and gives us gentle kisses though.
She is still wanting to go for her late afternoon walk but I sense she is even losing enthusiasm for this.
She is still drinking but barely eating and is fading away to a shadow.
I feel that the time has almost come to take her in and put her to sleep.
Yes you are right in saying she has had a wonderful and active life.
But our pets' lives are so short to begin with that it seems so cruel and unfair that Indy's time here has been virtually cut in half.
I always think of our beautiful dogs as guardian angels sent down from heaven to watch over us.
Your Mr Benson sounded like a simply adorable little boy. You are lucky to have dear old Shelby still with you to provide you some comfort after losing him.
Thank you so much for your caring and comforting words.
Christina
We took some time away for the week-end too many things here
reminded us of Mr B so took a break.
It is so very hard Christina I realize it's hard when Indy is only 7 but
it sounds like these are AMAZING years and times you spent with
each other,these are precious memories you need to tuck away
and remember...always,when Mr B left,he became my "heart dog."
Mr Benson had was having some of the same symptoms as your
baby girl is now,some days he ate great,drank great,even chased
his brother...other days he would not eat,could not eat and I tried
everything to tempt him and the bad days started to be more.
He would pop back again,listen and turn his litle head at every word
when we talked to him then he would take that roller coaster ride to
the bottom and our hearts would sink....AGAIN.
Then Sunday night when I held him I saw the twinkle was gone from
his eyes,I asked him if he wanted to go to be with his dad,all he had
was a distant look it was then I knew...I could NOT keep him here
any longer as now I was doing that for me because I kept hoping he
would turn around just one more time...BUT it was just not in him,not
this time,I could see he had no more to give.
I took him Monday and set him free,as he laid in my arms,my telling
him how much I loved him and that he was always my good boy,he
left me in peaceful sleep.
No ne can tell another when it is time to "let go" of a cherished,loved
friend,it has to come from from deep within your heart when you see
their quality of life is leaving them,they are past the point of returning
and you must DESIDE FOR THEM to end their pain.
I am so very sorry I wished you had been given more time together
but "life is not always measured by the number of breaths we take
but by the moments that take our breaths away." I will never forget
the many times Mr Benson took my breath away in all the precious
things he did or in his actions...I was blessed to have that.
Not that I wish bad things but Mr Benson's mom is 15-1/2 years old
I had always thought Shelby would be the one to leave my heart first
we just never know when they will turn to us for help at the end so
they can walk away and go onto a place without pain...Shelby doesn't
walk real well now but hery eyes light up a room and they sparkle so
bright so I know/hope she can stay a bit longer.
I guess the best we can do is find a way to accept the joy we had,then
let go,keep them in that special place in our heart where they can never
leave us...this is where Mr Benson rests now.
Jan
reminded us of Mr B so took a break.
It is so very hard Christina I realize it's hard when Indy is only 7 but
it sounds like these are AMAZING years and times you spent with
each other,these are precious memories you need to tuck away
and remember...always,when Mr B left,he became my "heart dog."
Mr Benson had was having some of the same symptoms as your
baby girl is now,some days he ate great,drank great,even chased
his brother...other days he would not eat,could not eat and I tried
everything to tempt him and the bad days started to be more.
He would pop back again,listen and turn his litle head at every word
when we talked to him then he would take that roller coaster ride to
the bottom and our hearts would sink....AGAIN.
Then Sunday night when I held him I saw the twinkle was gone from
his eyes,I asked him if he wanted to go to be with his dad,all he had
was a distant look it was then I knew...I could NOT keep him here
any longer as now I was doing that for me because I kept hoping he
would turn around just one more time...BUT it was just not in him,not
this time,I could see he had no more to give.
I took him Monday and set him free,as he laid in my arms,my telling
him how much I loved him and that he was always my good boy,he
left me in peaceful sleep.
No ne can tell another when it is time to "let go" of a cherished,loved
friend,it has to come from from deep within your heart when you see
their quality of life is leaving them,they are past the point of returning
and you must DESIDE FOR THEM to end their pain.
I am so very sorry I wished you had been given more time together
but "life is not always measured by the number of breaths we take
but by the moments that take our breaths away." I will never forget
the many times Mr Benson took my breath away in all the precious
things he did or in his actions...I was blessed to have that.
Not that I wish bad things but Mr Benson's mom is 15-1/2 years old
I had always thought Shelby would be the one to leave my heart first
we just never know when they will turn to us for help at the end so
they can walk away and go onto a place without pain...Shelby doesn't
walk real well now but hery eyes light up a room and they sparkle so
bright so I know/hope she can stay a bit longer.
I guess the best we can do is find a way to accept the joy we had,then
let go,keep them in that special place in our heart where they can never
leave us...this is where Mr Benson rests now.
Jan
Thanks so much for your kind thoughts and words, Janis.
I am finding the people on the forums here so much more informative and caring than the vets " treating" Indy.
Sadly,I don't think she has long to go now and there's really not much more we can do for her.
So all I can do now is just be there for her and shower her with as much love, comfort and security as I can.
Such a cruel, unpredictable disease - just when I think she has "had it" because she is looking so miserable and can't go on any longer, she pipes up and barks at the possums or trail bikes going past, runs inside to lie under her favourite armchair or sits at the back gate waiting for her beloved walk.
Every day I resolve to take her in and get her put to sleep but when she brightens up briefly and does these things I crumble and put things off for the next day.
She is barely eating or drinking now though so realistically I don't think she can go on for much longer.
I am just finding it hard to deal with the fact that, at 7 years old, she is so young - she hasn't had her time on earth yet and doesn't deserve to go through this horrible illness that is slowly robbing her of her spirit and life.
She is such a sweet and stoic girl.
I am so sorry to hear about your little dog, Mr Benson.
Making the decision to put him to sleep is so incredibly heart wrenching but watching him suffer and deteriorate is much worse.
Sounds like you loved him very much.
Christina
I am finding the people on the forums here so much more informative and caring than the vets " treating" Indy.
Sadly,I don't think she has long to go now and there's really not much more we can do for her.
So all I can do now is just be there for her and shower her with as much love, comfort and security as I can.
Such a cruel, unpredictable disease - just when I think she has "had it" because she is looking so miserable and can't go on any longer, she pipes up and barks at the possums or trail bikes going past, runs inside to lie under her favourite armchair or sits at the back gate waiting for her beloved walk.
Every day I resolve to take her in and get her put to sleep but when she brightens up briefly and does these things I crumble and put things off for the next day.
She is barely eating or drinking now though so realistically I don't think she can go on for much longer.
I am just finding it hard to deal with the fact that, at 7 years old, she is so young - she hasn't had her time on earth yet and doesn't deserve to go through this horrible illness that is slowly robbing her of her spirit and life.
She is such a sweet and stoic girl.
I am so sorry to hear about your little dog, Mr Benson.
Making the decision to put him to sleep is so incredibly heart wrenching but watching him suffer and deteriorate is much worse.
Sounds like you loved him very much.
Christina
My heart hurts that more can not be done to give you and Indy a bit
more time together...I hoped someone had answers that could give
your precious girl more time.
I feel for you both. I myself came here looking for help but a different
reason brought me here,my little man had heart problems and then
found he had PLE which is protein leaking from his intestines. He put
up a hard fight and wanted so much to live but Monday Mr Benson
crossed over to be with his dad and aunt,he would have stayed but
things had advanced and his tiny body could fight no more,I had to
love enough to let him go before the pain took over.
While my heart aches for him I found all the amazing people here on
this forum have brought me some peace,so should the day come you
need to make the choice for Indy need to let her go( NOT for some
time I pray) folks here understand as too many of us have had to let
go and do the last loving thing we can for our beloved fur kids.. while
some have found ways to help their fur kids have more quality time...
Again I am so very sorry about Indy and hoped there was a way to
help her,you are in my thoughts.
Jan
more time together...I hoped someone had answers that could give
your precious girl more time.
I feel for you both. I myself came here looking for help but a different
reason brought me here,my little man had heart problems and then
found he had PLE which is protein leaking from his intestines. He put
up a hard fight and wanted so much to live but Monday Mr Benson
crossed over to be with his dad and aunt,he would have stayed but
things had advanced and his tiny body could fight no more,I had to
love enough to let him go before the pain took over.
While my heart aches for him I found all the amazing people here on
this forum have brought me some peace,so should the day come you
need to make the choice for Indy need to let her go( NOT for some
time I pray) folks here understand as too many of us have had to let
go and do the last loving thing we can for our beloved fur kids.. while
some have found ways to help their fur kids have more quality time...
Again I am so very sorry about Indy and hoped there was a way to
help her,you are in my thoughts.
Jan
Hi Janis,
Thanks for your information.
As Tony has commented above, I have contacted him for advice regarding my preciousl girl.
Sadly I feel she has probably come to the end of the line and there is not much more we can do for her but give her lots of cuddles and make her as comfortable as possible.
Christina
Thanks for your information.
As Tony has commented above, I have contacted him for advice regarding my preciousl girl.
Sadly I feel she has probably come to the end of the line and there is not much more we can do for her but give her lots of cuddles and make her as comfortable as possible.
Christina
Hi Jan. Thanks for your kind words ... and for promoting the CKF in DOGS User Group. I'm pleased to say indy33 has joined the group and I've tried responding as best I can to her post there.
Tony
Tony
First I am so very sorry to hear your precious girl is having kidney
problems.
I URGE YOU to look to the right and you will see an area for
"communities-experts and groups" Please click on GROUPS
it will take you to an area CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE IN
DOGS...click on this.
There are a LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE in this specialized
group who are going through what you are and TONY who heads
up this group has great insight into kidney issues with our fur kids.
I am sure Tony or someone there can offer excellent information,
Jan
problems.
I URGE YOU to look to the right and you will see an area for
"communities-experts and groups" Please click on GROUPS
it will take you to an area CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE IN
DOGS...click on this.
There are a LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE in this specialized
group who are going through what you are and TONY who heads
up this group has great insight into kidney issues with our fur kids.
I am sure Tony or someone there can offer excellent information,
Jan
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