Yes, I drink all the water I needed...really san...
Megat had to go in for his 6 monthly review for his kidneys. His numbers as the vet said is okay. His BUN is 28 (10-30 being normal) and his CRE is 0.9 (0.3 to 2.1 being normal). His liver and glucose levels are all ok, much to my relief.
Then the vet said BUT his red blood cells or PCV is 31.5% (30 to 55% being normal) and his protein TP is 9 (5.4 to 8,2 being normal). I can see the red flags flying fast across my mind's eye. I asked him what the numbers mean for Megat. He said the numbers read that way because Megat was a little dehydrated. KXBC also told me that the Megat may have been diagnosed as having kidney probelms because when I got him he may have been dehydrated. I think living in the caverns of the dirty carpark will do this to anyone!
I asked him what I have to do to help Megat. He said 'sub cut'. I had read the kxbc's gang's experience with xinxin and I did not think I would have the same courage as xinxin's dad and mom. But I 'screwed up my courage' and saw how he did it. The vet also explained to me exactly how I needed to do this operation. Megat needs this done once every 2 days for a whole month. After that, I would need to bring him back to the vet with his urine sample. URINE SAMPLE?? How does one get a urine sample from a cat? The vet smiled and told me to try. Oh yeah! Try!
While all this was going on, Megat sat quite placidly on the examiner's table. He did not protest when the vet took his blood sample twice and was not concerned when the vet pierced his skin with a needle for the sub cut. Either Megat knows that the vet was trying to get him to be better or he was just a placid well-tempered cat to begin with. (I know he could sometimes be quite devilish:))
He then gave me a prescription for the fluids which he said I could get from C hospital at a cheaper rate. So I went there to get the 10 bottles that he needed for the month. I asked them how to fix the apparatus as the bag was a soft one, not the same hard container that I got from the vet. The front desk (the people giving out the medicines) was surrpised that I needed to ask and she quite obligingly went in to ask the pharmacist. After explaining the whole operation to me she asked me who it was for. "My cat," I said. "Huh?? I thought it was for a human being," she smiled. We both smiled but my smile was a really nervous one.
I guess I would have to see on Wednesday if the whole thing could be done by myself and Cousin R. If not, I would just have to bring him to the vet to get them to do it for me.
Bujang's Visit to the vet.
"If you clip my nail one more time, I am going to bite you!! GRRROOOWLLL! Take that! Take this! Let me go". The vet was a little afraid of Bujang and thank goodness for the clinic manager who knows Bujang very well indeed. He managed to clip only his front paws but that was good enough. We bundled Bujang into his carrier and then we made our way to the hospital. PHEW!!
Some cats do not drink enough. One of my cats with hard round stools, had sub-cut (for other reason) and the stools became softer and more normal as a result.
ReplyDeleteI continued with 100 ml sub-cut once a week and stools stay in good shape & consistency.
Many cat-givers may have to know how to give sub-cut as their cats live longer. You need a reasonably good drip-line too-don't buy the cheapest, hard to get rid of air bubbles. Try out 18G, 21G needles and see what works for you - that depends how yr cat reacts. The smaller the number, the BIGGER the needle is. After 4 yrs, i am using mostly 18G but the needle does look big. You may prefer the short 1" or the longer 1.5" needle. Ask yr vet.
Longer wait at hospital for fluid. Get all supplies from a one-stop supplier with good prices.
All the best.
Oh dear dear Megat...please try to drink more water so that you don't get jabbed, and San won't have to worry about you!!! I hate pokey needles!
ReplyDeleteYou only need to go back in one month's time? What if Megat gets more dehydrated and we didn't realise?
I think KXBCY's dad is an sub-cut expert by now.
I read somewhere that you can use a little metal foil tray, like those used for egg tarts, and slip it under the cat's butt when he pees, to collect the urine.
I myself had a hard time collecting urine samples from Spencer!!!
Waa...have to give injections, esp by yourself, unaided?
ReplyDeleteNot an enviable task. Hope Megat will behave placidly at home for the task. All the best to you.
If you pinch the cat's skin at the back of the neck & the skin does not snap back immediately, the cat could be dehydrated.
ReplyDeleteUrine sample may be used to test for urine specific gravity.
Are you given a sterile container?
If you are, slip container when cat is pee-ing - not as difficult as you think esp if you know pee time.
If you are not doing a blood test at next vet visit, then urine may be just used to test for glucose with a dipstick.
Actually good idea to buy Diastix if you have several cats - less than $10. Or to be more accurate, get a glucometer but that would be $100+. The test sticks are the expensive items, meter is almost free with sticks if on offer. Short expiry dates.
Blood sample easy to collect from edge of cat's ear, i use a fine 23G needle.
I get my supplies from TTSH. 1 bag of fluid is $4 and 1 drip is around $3. Needle cost is negligible.
ReplyDeleteYour vet may have told you already but you can only use the same bag and drip for max 3 days. Needle has to be changed every time you poke into his skin. Drip no need. Even if there is still remaining fluid in the bag after 3 days, throw it away or you risk infection on Megat. Needle has to be disposed at the vet's. The bag and drip can be thrown down the chute.
After injecting, you can leave the old needle with the drip and bag and change it only when you inject the next time.
You will note that he will form scar tissue under his skin after a few weeks of repeated injection. It makes it harder to jab but still can be done.
I have not jabbed XX for almost a week already. She is well hydrated now as she drinks on her own. Wet food once a day helps in the hydration.
If you need help, give me a call.
To collect urine sample, the vet told me you can line the litter box with cut Mcdonalds straw (the big ones) and let him pee in there. The straws will catch the urine. No need for litter as it will contaminate the urine sample. I have never tried before though so not sure if it will work.
Before you do the sub cut on your own, practise a few times at the vet to get the confidence. It helps though it is more expensive than doing it at home since they charge for the fluid (I got charged $10 per 100ml).
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I forgot to mention. Do the sub cut at different times of the day. Don't make it a routine or he will learn to hide. If someone is coming over to help you, make sure that it's not injection time everytime she comes over. Sometimes she can just come over and sit there and do nothing. Must always have element of surprise.
Drink up, Megat and get better under San's TLC.
ReplyDeleteyeah i think most cats dun drink much... dunno how to make them drink more as welll tsktsk...
ReplyDeletei recently bought this chlorophyll thingy to add into their water... not sure if they will like it.
It's true cats don't really drink much water, that's because naturally they get the moisture they need from their fresh meat. I give mine wet food and dry food. His stool isn't too hard when I give him the wet food. Wet food is expensive, I know.
ReplyDelete