Akira

 

Akira this evening, sleeping on the couch, feeling much better.

Akira has had chronic pancreatitis for about 5 years or so but it was only this March that she suffered her first pancreatic flare. She was hospitalised for a week and suffered through many tests. The vet said that pancreatitis can only be managed and not cured and sent her home with some meds. She was ok for a few months until last month when she began the morning with diarrhea (as she has IBD) and then she vomitted her food. I read from blog posts that the IBD usually precedes a flare. My vet did not tell me this though. And that pancreatic flares are very painful to begin with. 

It has taken us 6 weeks for her to recover from this flare. She also had very bad indicators for her failing kidneys and her phosphorus was 7.3. So since there was nothing new that the vet could offer my cat, I decided on a regime that would be workable. So instead of ALOH which would take us a long time and stress her out even more, I decided on Niacinamide, which the Kidney FB recommended to bring down phosphorus quickly. I also decided on Astro Oil, protein and creatinine scubbers. She also gets the triad meds for a flare - buprenorphine (pain meds) (very expensive here), cerenia (anti emetic) and mirtazapine (for her appetite). After 4 weeks we did all her tests again and I am glad to say her numbers are a little better. I can now just give her the pain meds only once a day instead of twice and the mirtazapine only when she needs it. 

Although I don't think she will be her old self again as she is now thinner and had lost much of her muscle tone, she is cheery at home and eats well enough (with assisted feeding as well). She hangs out at new places in the house and yesterday actually reprimanded Rez for disturbing Bujang. She is also now sleeping better and getting up on the couch more. Even though her creatinine and BUN indicators were a little better, it is too soon to say  if she her kidneys are better. The vet said it cold be because she has less muscle. What is important now is of course her quality of life and I think she still has that one down. We hope for prayers and good thoughts.