11+ years old female cat in crisis, pray she lives through it

by Dan
(Canada)

QUESTION:

Our cat is now hospitalized due to the following symptoms and rapid health degradation within the last 4 days:

- stopped eating and drinking
- sniffs food and water, then walks away
- vomits all food and liquid (syringe intake)
- low body temperature (35.5 Celsius)
- severe loss of weight (12 lb. to 7.5 lb.)
- severe dehydration
- severe weakness, especially in the back legs, very lethargic
- sunken eyes, no eye contact, no reaction to movement before her eyes
- hides in isolated places, stumbles while walking
- sits in “meatloaf” position, sometimes in the litter box

I'd like to get a second opinion on her symptoms and blood test results below:

CHEMISTRY
Total protein 94
Albumin 44
Globulin 50
A/G ratio 0.9
ALP 64
ALT 462
Glucose 18.6
Urea 11.1
Creatinine 133
Sodium 149
Potassium 2.6
Na/K ratio 57
Chloride 96
Calcium 2.59
Phosphorus 0.6
Hemolysis 1+
Icterus normal
Lipemia normal

HEMATOLOGY
WBC 9.8
RBC 10.4
Hemoglobin 150
Hematocrit 0.5
MCV 48
MCH 14
MCHC 304
Platelets 213

WBC Morphology - Mild lymphopenia


Dear Dan,

Your values are a little unusual. It appears that some are reported in Canadian units and others in a different system that we use in the U.S. Either that or you have left out a decimal point here and there or added one. I also think you may have reversed the creatinine and urea.

If I am correct and am reading and converting the values correctly, your kitty appears to be in kidney failure. If the creatinine is 11.1 and the BUN 133, that absolutely indicates failing kidneys.

The test results also appear to reveal that your kitty has low potassium which goes along with kidney disease. Anemia also is present if your values and my conversions are correct and that is another effect of severe kidney disease.

The physical symptoms you describe are consistent with severe kidney disease. It sounds as if she may be blind also which happens as a result of the high blood pressure associated with feline kidney disease.

Her condition appears to be quite serious. A few cats can recover from values such as these with IV fluids given at a high rate, potassium supplementation, medication to stimulate the formation of new red blood cells, medication for her blood pressure, and other medication to treat the various problems and underlying cause if one can be found.

I am so sorry she is this ill and hope you will make whatever decision you and your veterinarian arrive at that will stop her suffering.

My very best wishes,
Dr. Neely