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I feel useless because I really don't know anything about kidneys. :( I can tell you however that I have found that nutrition is not something that is focused on at vet school and that the stuff they sell is a revenue stream so they tend to push it. I know you will question your vet and you have the relationship to do it without offending if need be.
Sending strength and love. Kim
Good Tina. I'm glad to hear that you are giving yourself a break. That is essential. I bet I spent days and days reading about cushings when I first heard it in relation to Molly. It consumes you until you can figure it out. I totally get that. :)
The weekend, whew. It was good, it was fun, I didn't get to bed till 4am and then awake at 7:30. It was a work function, a big one and wow, I am so not the girl I was in my 20s that could do that and then keep going the next day!!!!! I tried though :D:D Poor husband, was not feeling 100% and he just gave up on trying to keep up with me at one point, only to find his energy later. (text to me at 3am, "I'm in our room, where are you?" My reply "Room xxx, after party party, come on up, gangs all here") I thought he was going to die but he came up and it was another hour before got back to our room finally and bed. Now..I am going to just curl up and become a vegetable till I can go get Molly and cross fingers that we don't get that nasty freezing rain they are calling for!
Only thing I am doing is checking on here tonight. :)
You hang in there and try to get some good sleep tonight!!
HUGGERS Tina, Belly rubs Jasper!
Sharlene and Molly Muffin
Oh Kim, don't ever feel useless. You have been and are so much help and support to me and Jasper. And I know what you mean about the vets selling Hills. My vet has never really pushed it until Jasper needed prescription diet. When she prescribed the i/d, I questioned her about it because I didn't like the ingredients as Jasper had been eating Blue Buffalo. She said she really didn't like Hills, but that she really believed in the science behind their prescription diets and highly recommended them.
A couple of other times I mentioned not liking the ingredients, but had to shut up because Jasper really did much better after we switched him to the low fat i/d, and he tolerated it well. I hate to have to switch him again, but hopefully it will go well with the k/d. I will probably ask her a bit about what I read, but feel I need to be careful since she has already said at least twice that that she feels strongly about the prescription diets.
Sharlene - glad you had a fun weekend. I know what you mean, this old gal ain't what she used to be either, lol!! I love the text from your husband at 3 am, too funny. I hope you don't get that freezing rain either. We lucked out here, it stayed just above freezing here all day so we just got rain and fog. The freezing stuff went just north and east, so we were very lucky. I hope you can get Molly tomorrow as planned, I am sure she misses her Mommy.
Hugs, and Jasper says thank you for the belly rubs. :p
Tina and Jasper
The usual reference range for the UPC is =<5, so I understand your vets concern. My non-cush dog, Bear, has Protein-Losing Nephropathy (PLN) and is on enalapril. The enalapril has really worked well for him as there has been no protein loss since being on this medicine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina
My vet also suggested the Hill k/d but since Bear is doing well on his current dog food, I declined. I believe one has to feed their dog a food that the dog does well on and that the dog will eat, so if Jasper eats the Hill k/d and does well on it then I truly think this is the right thing to feed him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina
The main reason that I joined the Yahoo group was to have access to their files. They have a wealth of information concerning canine kidney disease and I have learned a lot from reading their files.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina
Anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to ask, ok?
Love and hugs,
Lori
HI Tina
It is so not fair we have to be worried about kidney problems after all our babies have been through. I am so glad our boy's do not realise the stress they cause their Mum's! Although I am very heartened to read that many dog's do very well once they get on treatment, so remember that when doing the googling!! Sometimes it pays to step away from the computer. I swear I would not have gone ahead with Flynn's surgery if I had relied on all the doom and gloom I read online about adrenalectomy.
Flynn's kidney test is also still high, UPCR 1.5, (meant to be less than 0.5) on Saturday but I was relieved to see only very slight rise from November last year. When I spoke to vet tonight, he said he does not need any treatment until >2.0 but he is going to speak to IMS to confirm this recommendation. I am thinking maybe he should go on something now to prevent it getting worse but will wait and hear the IMS thoughts on this.
I am glad to hear Jasper is going to start something to get it under control and lower your stress levels too :) When is he starting, or did I miss that bit? Flynn took the Benzapril for a bit for his surgery before swapping to phenoxybenzamine, it was only for a week or so but he tolerated it well.
I keep waiting to see if your wee green light comes on as it does sometimes at this time of night when your up to let Jasper out, I was going to tell you my new Motto... "Keep Calm and Carry on" haha I think we could both do with doing that, not that I am any good at it either :):)
Monday was busy as heck here, but one day closer to the weekend :D your work sounds like it is going to take a lot of your energy this week, so try and get enough rest and look after yourself Missy!!
Thoughts are most definitely with you, we will get though this!!
Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Im up early sending more hugs because it is important to start your Monday with a hug;););););):D:D:D Info overload can be a not so great state of mind and the vets no nothing about nutrition use to push the prescription diets. For now if Jasper eats the food, maybe leave it as is and deal with the food a bit later. Otherwise you'll be overwhelmed with finding a different food now too.
Baby steps, sweetie, we are holding your hand.
Yay, how about late evening HUGS!! LOL I missed the morning huggies. :)
Yep, awful weather here this morning, but never fear, hubby pulled out the big 4x4 and off through slush, snow and frozen rain we went to get our muffin.
She is just happy as can be to be at home. Didn't seem to miss us so much this time and I think one difference is the new play time they have there. She seemed to really enjoy it, or so I was told. LOL
How are things going today?
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin (back in the saddle again)
How is Jasper and his Mom doing? Hope you got some sleep last night and work wasn't too crazy for you today, plus did you find some clean clothes to wear?? :D:D:D
Thinking of you Tina and hope your feeling a bit calmer about your baby :)
Trish xxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks for the hugs guys, keep 'em coming! :) Just a quick post since I am up to let Jasper out. Had to work a bit late, and gave the research a rest. The overwhelming feelings of worry come and go. I think I am just overloaded, so really am trying to give it a rest. I have continued to transition him to the Hills k/d diet, he is now on 50/50, so will continue with that for a couple days before advancing it more. Addy, I agree, I am just going to get him transitioned to the kidney diet for now, hope he continues to eat and tolerate it, and worry about that piece later.
Sharlene, glad you got Molly home safely. We had horrible fog here all day and night, and freezing fog in places, but for the most part our temps stayed above freezing. The drive home was a bit dicey, literally couldn't see more than about a car length in front of me, pretty scary.
Yes Trish, I found some clean clothes, Lol!! I did just enough laundry to get by for a couple of days, so will be in trouble again after tomorrow! :rolleyes:
Holy cow, now it is almost 4 am here, better try to get a bit more sleep! I will check in after work. Thanks for the kind words and support, it means a lot.
Tina and Jasper
Awww I was hoping to see you on tonight, glad Jasper likes the food so far. Flynn never used to eat his biscuits on their own, I used to have to put some wet food on it to make it more palatable for him. But he seems to like these new ones so thats good. Also happy you are giving the researching a rest for a bit. I know knowledge is power, but we also have to take time to chill out and just be happy with our babies in the here and now and keep our worrying minds off what the future may bring because who knows really!! Those numbers they quote in the studies are just that, numbers, we have the warm furry friends in our lives and there are many many stories on this board alone of dogs who have beaten the odds and ours are going to join them Tina :D:D:D
Crikey, those weather and driving conditions sound dicey, be safe girls!! So now if I do not hear from you I will worry you have skidded off the road into a ditch or something :eek::eek::eek: See you at the next 4am pitstop :D
Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx