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Original poster

Blood tests or not?

30 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 18:50

Harry is due to have his vaccinations next month and I'm unsure whether to request blood tests as well.

We were told by his previous vet 2 years ago that he had early CKD and he has Ipakitine in his wet food and 6 months later his readings were back to normal. He has no symptoms, he's eating, drinking and using his tray regularly, he's not losing weight (he may have actually gained Blush and he's playing with his toys and being generally cute.

I'm reluctant to have blood tests done as, even if anything shows up (kidney or otherwise) we can't treat it. We can't pill him because of his jaw, he won't eat renal food and wouldn't take any of the other kidney meds. His new vet is pretty laid back and doesn't seem to want to do anything more than necessary.

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 19:13

Sorry, I forgot the pictures!

Blood tests or not?
Blood tests or not?
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viccat · 28/05/2019 19:24

How old is he?

There are other things that can show up on blood tests and it might be beneficial know about his general health if he's a senior cat. And in regards to medication, many can be crushed and added to food and there is also some that are palatable liquid (my elderly cat was on that towards the end, the name escapes me now though...). So I probably would, unless you are completely set on not treating anything.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 19:31

He's 14.

It's not that I don't want to treat him, I'd do anything for him, it's just that he won't take anything other than Ipakitine in his food. Before he had that he had Pronefra, which apparently tastes much better than Ipakitine. He refused to eat. The vet gave me something else for him that they guaranteed he would eat. She was wrong. He can find anything liquid or crushed from a mile away!

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agnurse · 28/05/2019 20:35

Such a gorgeous boy!

I think that if you don't intend to treat him, there would be minimal benefit to doing lab tests.

As an example, when I used to work as a hospice nurse (for humans), we only did vital signs once a week, unless there was a cause for concern. We were treating symptoms, not medical conditions. If they were comfortable and weren't showing signs of distress, vital signs would have been overkill in that population.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/05/2019 21:06

Snorg says hi to her harry. I would have them done just for peace of mind. But only if he cooperates and has it done without sedation.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 21:13

Thanks agnurse, that's a good point.

Toddler Harry waves back to his Snorg. The thing is, I'm not sure it would give me peace of mind as I'd be looking for problems (I'm very much 'look on the black side') whereas at the moment I'm enjoying having a cat who hasn't got a permanently shaved patch!

He's asleep next to me on the recliner at the moment - this was him at the weekend draped over my foot. He's never done it before and I was a bit worried I might lose my leg!

Blood tests or not?
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Lonecatwithkitten · 28/05/2019 22:12

It would be worth requesting and SDMA blood test ( Idexx do it). This picks up kidneys disease much, much earlier than in house or even external labs urea and creatinine.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 22:15

The problem is we won’t be able to treat him even if we know. Why can’t I have the sort of cat that eats anything and takes meds?!?

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Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/05/2019 22:18

Sorry Lonecat I hit post too soon.

Do you come across many cats who are almost impossible to medicate? Harry won’t eat renal food (or any other food he may have liked in the past) and god help us if we try to add anything other than ipakitine to his normal food! He won’t go near it and then refuses to eat the food for days.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 28/05/2019 22:29

Ipakitine is an excellent phosphate binder in early stage kidney disease the advice is that a phosphate binder is as good as kidney food.
SDMA will give an idea exactly where you are is the disease progressing etc.

scaryteacher · 28/05/2019 22:31

My CKD boy won't eat the wet renal food, though all his dry food is now renal (Kattovit). He has Ipakitine as per your recommendation, and was on Semintra, but that made him ill.

He is now on Fortekor, half a pill a day, which I grind down in a pestle and mortar, and mix with half a tube of Sheba creamy treat (looks like a meaty frube for cats). That goes down a treat, and he comes and asks for it if I haven't given him by 2300!

Vinorosso74 · 29/05/2019 08:31

Lovely Harry! Would you want to know if he has any other issues which the blood tests could flag up or if the kidney disease is progressing? If so then have the blood tests. If not don't.
Sounds like you have the right sort of vet for Harry so may be see what they recommend.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 29/05/2019 11:47

HARRY! I didn't realise he was a medium hair until the lap photo! I hope he is well. He certainly isn't all skin and bone :)

bodgeitandscarper · 29/05/2019 11:55

I think blood tests would be pretty pointless if you are unable to medicate, he's happy and apparently healthy, so Id follow his lead and accept that and not go looking for something you can't fix. Sounds like you have a good vet.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 29/05/2019 12:16

Why can’t I have the sort of cat that eats anything and takes meds?!?
That's a dog you're thinking of.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 29/05/2019 12:32

Vinorosso I don't know if I do want to know to be honest. He's had so many issues over the past few years that I'd forgotten what it was like not to be planning for the next vet visit!

Spartacus I think his fur looks longer than it is in that picture, although my Mum used to say he was a 'semi'. He's definitely not skin and bone, he's, erm, fluffy.

bodgeitandscarper The new vet seems pretty good. He seems content to let Harry potter along and treat where necessary. One of the other vets at the practice wants to test for everything (she offered to look up in a book to see if there were any more tests she could do on William, my old stray) so I avoid her where possible.

UtterlyUnimaginitive you're right, although my colleague's cat will eat anything so they do exist!

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Vinorosso74 · 29/05/2019 20:36

In that case I'd say no. Your vet knows he has kidney issues and that you're a responsible owner and doing the best by Harry.

RockCrushesLizard · 05/06/2019 17:26

I just wanted to add, my pill hating cat (who has managed to avoid taking pills being given by three vet staff at once) will take them easily when I wrap them in ezy-pill - it's like a putty stuff you put round the pill to disguise it. So it might be possible to treat it?

ifonly4 · 06/06/2019 12:01

Oh, he's gorgeous. Having had a cat with CKD, I think I'd want to know what his levels were. If they were up, you might not be able to pill push, but you'd know to try and increase water consumption (ie adding water to wet food etc) to help him. He might not eat renal food, but some foods contain less phosphous, which builds up if kidneys aren't working. Also, blood tests can pick up other issues that are easier to deal with at an early stage.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 11/06/2019 19:01

Sorry, I've only just seen these replies.

We tried ezy-pill. He looked at me as though I'd lost my marbles and walked off!

We were told he had very early CKD a couple of years ago and then 6 months later his levels were back to normal. He drinks regularly although not to excess and his food is very wet - James Wellbeloved senior turkey in a delicious (apparently) sauce - so I know he gets plenty of fluid there. His biscuits are senior so lower in phosphorous and he has Ipakitine in his wet food so I'm comfortable we're doing every we can. Well everything he'll allow us to!

He's having his vaccinations next week and we're going to see what the vet says then. If he recommends a blood test we'll take him back but if not we're going to leave him to it and monitor him.

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scaryteacher · 11/06/2019 19:23

My vet tried three times to get blood from my cat last week. I stopped her after the third attempt.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 11/06/2019 20:50

Oh bless her, I don't blame you for stopping. I hope she's ok. They had a problem with Harry once as they couldn't get blood from his neck so tried his leg and then his neck started bleeding. DH was about to tell them to stop.

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scaryteacher · 13/06/2019 19:02

He is OK, but has a bald patch on his neck. He is OK with blood from his leg. so I don't know why she went for the neck. he was badly injured by a car when he was younger, so is very good with the vet, but he was growling, which is very unlike him.

Original poster
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 21/06/2019 18:49

Harry saw the vet tonight for his vaccinations and the vet didn't mention a blood test so we didn't ask. He was pleased with him, his weight is stable, his heart hasn't got and worse and his breathing is stable. The only slight downside is there is some plaque on his teeth but the vet said it's nothing to worry about at the moment and he doesn't need a dental.

It's so nice to come away from the vet feeling positive and not thinking they are looking to find things wrong with him!

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YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/06/2019 21:36

Well done, Harry darling!

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