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Original poster

Beginnings of kidney failure

12 replies

scaryteacher · 21/11/2018 16:51

One of my beloved feline overlords has the starts of kidney disease. He has medication and I have bought Royal Canin renal food. Does anyone have any advice ob food, guidance etc?

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ifonly4 · 21/11/2018 17:28

Sorry to hear about you boy. My boy had CKD. One major thing is to keep them hydrated, so wet food and a couple of water bowls - as it progresses liquid will move through the kidneys faster. Lots of cats don't like renal food (but obviously try it). My boy was ok with it and then I put in a bulk order, he wouldn't touch it. In that case, it's far more important to keep food going in and hydrated.

Original poster
scaryteacher · 21/11/2018 19:26

He has always had wet food and I have water bowls dotted around the house and outside. He has always been a thirsty cat,

I have started mixing the renal food with his wet food, and have changed his dry food over to renal as well.

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Original poster
scaryteacher · 27/11/2018 22:53

He's not keen on the Royal Canin, even mixed in with his usual Sheba fine flakes. Will try Hills as well...does anyone have any other renal food recommendations? The other feline overlord is fine on his wet Iams.

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SabineUndine · 28/11/2018 05:03

Royal Canin was the only one my late pusscat would eat and only the chicken flavour I think.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/11/2018 07:06

Mine won't even entertain the idea of renal food so he has a phosphate binder (Ipakitine) in his normal food.

Original poster
scaryteacher · 28/11/2018 15:26

Do you get Ipakitine from the vet?

I've been looking at Beaphar and Kattovit renal food for him, if the Hills isn't a success.

I'm in belgium, where the vet says he has to be on renal food completely for 8 weeks and his meds before we can do another blood test. I'd rather he ate than didn't eat because he doesn't like the renal stuff. Even mixed with his usual stuff he eats around it.

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PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/11/2018 19:54

We buy it online as we haven't had an insurance claim for Harry's kidneys for a while and we've got a high excess. I pay about £30 for 3 months supply as opposed to £75 from the vet.

I tried Harry on renal food but there was no way he was going to eat it. The vet agreed that it was more important for him to eat something, even if it was his normal food. We tried a couple of other phosphate binders but he left the food. The vet wasn't keen on him having Ipakitine as apparently there are newer, better treatments but I pointed out that are only better if he'll take them! In the end she agreed and he's been taking it ever since.

Fooferella · 02/12/2018 13:53

My cat has had ckd for years and has hated all renal wet food so we just feed her not.al wet. She will however, tolerate the royal canin renal dry food which we always have down for her along with plenty of water. Our vet said not to worry about the phosphate binder unless her tests indicated it was a particular problem. Better that she eat. But she's very old now and I'm more concerned about making her happy.

Fooferella · 02/12/2018 13:53

Not.al = normal

Original poster
scaryteacher · 03/12/2018 00:57

Am still trying with the renal stuff, but he doesn't like it. Will have to go and talk to the vet. better he eats than he doesn't imo.

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Original poster
scaryteacher · 14/12/2018 12:09

Have ordered the Ipakitine, but the vet seems to think that won't help his kidneys - only he combination of renal food and the Semintra will do that.

He's eating now the renal food isn't about which is great, will see how he goes with the phosphate binder.

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Original poster
scaryteacher · 01/02/2019 12:15

OK, O wise ones; help needed again.

My lovely boy has been on Semintra for about 3 months, seemed to be doing better, but he wouldn't eat the renal food, neither Hills nor Royal Canin.

The past week he has not been right - third eyelids up both eyes, very subdued, off food, but peeing and pooing and drinking as normal.

Bloods done for possible hyperthyroidism and to check progess on semintra.

Blood pressure OK when I took him in the other day.

Blood results (bear in mind these are Belgian measurements, not UK ones), his urea is down from 84 to 77, and his creatinin from 186 to 168. However, his SDMA is high. He doesn't have a thyroid issue.

The vet has said to rake him off the Semintra and feed him renal food (which he won't touch).

I haven't yet tried the Ipakitine, as I wanted to see what effect the Semintra was having on its own.

I am not convinced that this is all due to the semintra, as I think he may be running an infection, but the vet doesn't seem to think so.

I am going to order Kattovit and Beaphar renal foods and see if he will touch those.

Basically, help...any advice appreciated.

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