Miss Teia's Birthday may be wrong

[Piparskeggr]

Miss Teia was straining to eliminate and vomited 2nd breakfast this morning.  Called the vet and was able to get her in at 16:30.

Saw Dr Ironmonger instead of the usual Dr Bennett.She was very gentle and Teia seemed to like her.

A thorough exam was made, including blood and urine samples.  Physical exam was good, everything normal, no blockage felt when her abdomen was palpitated.  She is down to 6 pounds.  Will have the test results by Thursday.  Recommended we make sure to give Teia a little Miralax every day.

Biggest surprise Dr Ironmonger thinks Teia is older than we thought according to what we know of her back story.  Our little Miss may be as much as a year older, 19 instead of 18.

[Jade59]

:) :) :)

[Piparskeggr]

Woo Hoo, Miss Teia made a solid deposit today...2 Days in A Row.  Very unusual for her, it's usually every 2 - 3 days.

Dr Ironmonger called to check and see how our old gal is doing.  Said she'd like to see Teia again next month.

[Piparskeggr]

I'm thinking that Miss Teia's kidney trouble may not be anything other than mild.  Her pee seems to have more color, which the vet said is a sign her kidneys are filtering and concentrating the impurities properly.

We'll find out in a couple weeks when I bring her in for another check.

[opus88]

♥ good job miss Teia....wishing many more good days ahead for you sweet girl

[AppleBr]

:-)

[opus88]

♥

[Piparskeggr]

Started Miss Teia on Calcitriol to see if this will help her kidneys (early stare renal failure) this past Sunday morning, dose 2 this evening.  Will bring her in to get her blood work rechecked 2 days after dose 5.

[Piparskeggr]

She seems to be responding well to the thyroid medicine.

[Piparskeggr]

Just back from the vet clinic with Miss Teia.
She was stopped up a little, also needed blood work to check how the thyroid medicine is working.

Over all, she looked good for her age, even gained a few ounces since last time.

Blood work results were good, no surprises. Kidney numbers are still at the low end of too high.

Thyroid, liver, calcium, electrolytes and blood count were all good, too.

Got subq fluids, considering taking her in every week or so for that.  She will not stay still long enough at home for us to do it.

First thing she wanted when we got home was food, which is a change from earlier today.

[FurballsMom]

I haven't been on MH for a long time either.  I'm glad Miss Teia is doing better than she was at the beginning of this thread.

[Piparskeggr]

She's straining a little this morning, but we'll get her righted.

[Piparskeggr]

Miss Teia is getting to be very insistent that she be given a bit of the people food we are eating:  Sunday - grilled lamb, Monday - roast beef, Tuesday - baked chicken, Wednesday - potato salad (though, Anita just let her lick the mayo residue off her plate).

[Piparskeggr]

New Pix of Teia, Cooper and Buff.

http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/759476?personal_page_id=40606
http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/759474
http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/759472

[Piparskeggr]

A week later. Miss Teia seems to be doing just fine, back to her routine of ejecting solid waste every other day and liquid waste over night.

[Piparskeggr]

Monday night, Miss Teia was having the pukes again, did not keep down either food or water.

Got her in to see Dr Ironmonger Tuesday at 11:30.  Vitals were good, she had pooped before we left the house, but was still a little full on examination.  Will try upping her daily dose of Miralax a little as Doc thinks Teia is a little constipated, likely wages of being as elderly as she is.

Blood was taken and Doc gave her subq fluids, anti-nausea med and a mild appetite stimulant.  Will have blood counts today full results next week.

Miss Teia has become quite the lap kitty, even letting Buff sleep near when she is on Anita'

[Piparskeggr]

Just got the call, her thyroid number is back in normal range, so the mild dose is working.  1 kidney number is a little high, but the other is normal.  Liver number that was high is back in normal range, side effect of treating the thyroid.

We'll re-evaluate in 3 weeks or so.  May start bringing her in for subq fluids once a week since she tolerates the vet doing it.

[Piparskeggr]

...and, Miss Teia Honey continues to impress people who meet her for the 1st times, new vet tech yesterday. She could hardly believe that Teia is a former feral.

[zodiacqueen]

Hi Pip.  It's been a long time since I've been on here.  Just wanted to check to see how my buddies are doing and am sad to read that Teia is having issues.

I am wondering if Teia needs to increase her sub q fluids.  I know that with kidney disease they do end up dealing with constipation.

Hope that you get good news with the test results.  I also hope that you're doing well, too.

Hugs
ZQ

[Piparskeggr]

Hey there, good to "see" you again.

We tried subq with her, but it was too stressful.  I add a little water to her food, plus she does drink water throughout the day.

She's back on her poop every other day regular schedule.

Main change, is she's become very much a lap kitty.

Her appetite is good and she has taken pretty well to having the cream in her ear every day.

[Piparskeggr]

BTW, posted new pictures:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/755718 - Teia
http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/755720 - Cooper
http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/755722 - Buff

[Jade59]

Happy to hear Teia doesn't have an infection.  Is she eliminating and keeping her food down now?  May I ask what the kidney med is called?  

[Piparskeggr]

Miss Teia has been eating, drinking and elimination fine since I brought her home from the 1st visit of this round.

As for the medicine, begins with a C, but I'l find out and let you know.
Vet also gave us a sample of prescription food, Teia seems to like it mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with her regular canned.

[Piparskeggr]

Addenda:  from doing some online research, it looks like what the vet will prescribe is a phosphorus binder.  When I find out, will let you know.

[Piparskeggr]

Saw Dr Ironmonger at my employer's store today.  The medication is called Cholecalciferol .  It is a vitamin D-3 based compound that helps kitties excrete excess phosphorus and maintain healthy calicium levels.

[Piparskeggr]

However, we're going to see if she'll eat Science Diet KD food first.  Between that and the thyroid medicine, Doc wants to recheck her blood levels in a month and then go with the 2nd medicine if indicated.

I really like that this practice is conservative in throwing pills at everything.

Missy T does seem to be feeling a bit better, She's acting more spry.  For the 3rd or 4th time since I got home 45 minutes ago, she has jumped from the couch to the end table and back again.  This is an almost 18 3/4 year old cat, jumping a 3 foot gap.

[Piparskeggr]

Dr Ironmonger called, nothing in the culture. We'll be starting Teia on a twice a week dose of kidney medicine.

[Piparskeggr]

Gave Mss Teia the 1st treatment this morning.  it's usually twice a day, but since the numbers are just over the border, Dr ironmonger wants to try a half dose.  We'll take Missy T back in to the vet in May after 3 months to get her blood checked again.

[Piparskeggr]

Missy T took dose 2 today just fine after a little ear twitch.

[Jade59]

It sounds like Teia's issues are a clone of Jade's.  We were offered the gel for thyroid, too.  Unfortunately, it was too expensive for us.  I'm glad you can afford.  And kidney med compounded as well; that's great!    

Thanks for keeping us updated.  I'm sure you're worried, Pip.  Sending hugs.  

[AppleBr]

WoW .I never see a inner ear gel product for cats here.But I have no problem giving pills to my girls.Liquids are the hell - thank Lord joy is again a good eater and I could give up that messy sugared vitamine
Sorry for the need of needle sample from the bladder

[Piparskeggr]

Dr Ironmonger called, Miss Teia is now, officially hyperthyroid, by just a few points.  Bringing her in tomorrow so they can use a needle to withdraw a sample from her bladder.  She wants to culture it to make sure Missy T isn't running a low grade infection, which would explain the kidney function to some extent.

The thyroid medication is to be compounded into a gel we can rub into her ear once a day.  The kidney medicine into a tuna or chicken flavored liquid we can mix with her food once a day.

[Piparskeggr]

Dr Ironmonger called...Teia's blood work looked okay except her thyroid number is tight against the top of normal, so she's having the lab run a T4 count.  Also, 1 kidney number is high and her urine was more dilute than normal.

She said there is a medication for both, which can be compounded so we will not have to stress Teia by trying to pill her.

I also asked again her opinion on Teia's age.  She looked at her notes, apologized.  Said she's rarely seen a cat as old as Teia.  Thinks her first impression was incorrect, but Teia IS likely about 6 months older.

Missy T will be 19 in June.

[Piparskeggr]

Just got back from Miss Teia's follow up, no more blood taken as other sample was enough for what Dr Ironmonger wanted.  She did get a good sample of her bladder contents, expect culture results on Friday.

T4 count came back as in the very low end of hyperthyroid, so we will start her on a gel to the inner surface of her ear tomorrow (it just came in the mail).

New thing for Teia, Vet took her blood pressure, which turned out to be in the normal range, even taking into account "white coat fever."

If there is a low grade infection, Dr Ironmonger said that can be treated with a mild antibiotic, otherwise, we'll start the kidney med.

Teia did gain .4 pounds, up to 5.8 from 5.4.

[AppleBr]

Girls is getting 20, wow!! Wishing her a fast recover.

[Piparskeggr]

Called this afternoon to see if results were in yet (there was a chance) but it will be tomorrow.

I asked about Dr Ironmonger's opinion, it kind of flew by as I was concerned for Teia.  Estimate is she may be 1 - 2 years older than we think.  So yes, 20 is a possibility.