10 year old kitty with kidney problems. WWYD

[Thefitfatty]

My lovely 10 year old kitty has just spent the last 4 days at the vet on fluids and antibiotics for a kidney problem. The vet just called and she's ready to go home, but she'll need a weekly dose of fluids for the remainder of her life. Which means weekly vets trips most likely.

We have 2 kids, 3 other cats, and a pretty tight budget.

Part of me thinks we should put her down, because I don't know how we will afford this. The other part hates me for thinking that.

WWYD.

Has the vet given any sort of prognosis? How long is this 'remainder of her life' likely to be?

A few years I suppose. She's otherwise a healthy cat.

Do you have pet insurance that will cover jt?

So you haven't actually asked the vet? (And really listened to what they say.) It's just that weekly fluids sounds a heavy solution to me. It sounds like a fairly serious kidney problem to be frank.

We live in the UAE, and they don't offer pet insurance here.

I'm at work, my DH just relayed what she said to him. Which was that she will have to be administered a fluid every week for the rest of her life. They said we might be able to give it at home, but if not we will have to take her in for them to give it.

The vet told me it was fairly serious when I last spoke to her but that she was really improving.

I'd see if you can have a word with the vet yourself and maybe try for a 'full and frank'. I don't see that weekly fluids is entirely supportable myself, I'm afraid.

We're going to pick her up at 6. I will speak to her then. I don't see how it is either. :(

Good luck. Let us know how you - and she - get on.

Ok, not great but not horrible. We need to go for weekly blood tests for awhile to make sure she continues to improve, and they may give her fluids if needed then. So not forever just for awhile. Phew. Hopefully she will keep improving

That's a bit better then.

Weekly fluids is common in hotter, drier climates than the UK.

Thanks for that, Lone. Would that typically be done subcutaneously or by drip?

From what she said, they'll put her on a drip if she needs it when we take her in for check ups.

The improvement in her when we picked her up was massive. And the vets agreed on a payment plan so we can afford it. We all agree that if her kidneys haven't improved to the point she no longer needs weekly checkups in a month or two that it will be time to put her down. But she's made big improvements already, so lets hope it continues.

She's 10 but she's normally acts like she's a kitten, so it would be a shame to lose her.

Subcut is very common particularly in the Southern States of USA, in hot weather kidney cats give a 40ml of fluid weekly. Some vets train owners to give it themselves.

Well that's a bit more positive, fit.

Thanks Lone.

Lone I think the subcut ones are something we might talk about if she fails to improve as well.