2nd Year Anniversay

14 Jun 2010 came and passed. It was Xin Xin's 2nd year anniversary since she was diagnosed with CRF and HCM in 2008. We were very glad she passed that milestone as the vet had mentioned that cats with such conditions rarely live past another 2 years. Various literature on the web had also mentioned the same 2 year milestone.

Last Thur (1 Jul), I had noticed there was vomit when I reached home. I did not think anything of it as Chang Chang has a rather weak stomach and often vomits his food. All 6 f them were eating, playing and behaving normally. We thought nothing of it.

When we reached home on Fri (2 Jul), we noted that Xin Xin did not greet us at the door. We became worried immediately as she will always be the first one to squeeze her head past the opening door to greet us. We found vomit again and this time we found undigested medicine. The vomit could only be hers as she is the only one on daily medication.

Xin Xin was hiding in the cat tree situated in their room. This was highly unusual as she had seldom been seen in that area. When we tried to scoop her out, she ran out to the kitchen, her stomach almost touching the ground.

And from that point, her condition deteriorated throughout the whole night. She went from being fully hydrated to dehydrated. We kept her in our room with us so that we could monitor her. We awoke several times during the night as she called out in agony, cries so untypical of her.

3 Jul 10, Sat
We sent her to the vet first thing in the morning. The blood test confirmed our worst fear. She had suffered a relapse. Her creatinine and BUN levels shot through the roof.

1. BUN (10 - 30 normal): Off the chart (Sat 14 Jun 08); 180 (Wed 18 Jun 08); 70 (Mon 23 Jun 08); 25 (Sun 6 Jul 08). It was 13.8 on Sat, 3 Jul 10. According to a website, we need to bring it down to 60 - 80 for a kidney patient.
2. Creatinine (0.3 - 2.0 normal): 19 (Sat 14 Jun 08); 10.9 (Wed 18 Jun 08); 3.3 (Mon 23 Jun 08); 2.2 (Sun 6 Jul 08). It was 149 on Sat, 3 Jul 10.
3. Phosporous (3.4 - 8.5 normal): 8.7 (Wed 18 Jun 08); 6.1 (Mon 23 Jun 08); 5.9 (Sun 6 Jul 08). It was 6.2 on Sat, 3 Jul 10.
   
4. Calcium (8.0 - 11.8 normal): 12.0 (Wed 18 Jun 08); 11.9 (Mon 23 Jun 08); 11.5 (Sun 6 Jul 08). It was 8.8 on Sat, 3 Jul 10.

She was hospitalized immediately and put on a drip with Ringer solution. The vet told us she had suffered an acute kidney failure again, is slightly dehydrated and has a heartbeat of 240 (compared to her normal vet visits which were in the region of between 180 to 210). Her weight had dropped to 3.95kg from the normal 4.2kg.

Our hearts went down to the pits. Although her numbers were better than that in Jun 08, she was on medication now and somehow, the medication does not seem to be supporting her organs from failing. When we visited her in the evening, she looked slightly better though she was still not eating. Her breathing had become less ragged.


4 Jul 10, Sun
We visited her in the afternoon. This time, she looked much better. She ate some 20 kibbles from our hands willingly and was able to pace around the vet's table unaided. Her breathing had also improved.

Our hopes went up a little.

5 Jul 10, Mon
We visited her in the evening. She looked alert and bright. She walked around the vet table, stretched and groomed, all with the drip stuck to her front leg. Her breathing had improved a little. She ate 20 another kibbles from our hands willingly though we still syringe fed her half a can of k/d wet food as we knew she may not have eaten much on her own. Although the vet assistants tried, we knew that they were not very successful in syringe feeding her as well. Xin Xin has always been a stubborn little girl and will only yield in our hands.

Our hopes went up a little again.


6 Jul 10, Tue
As I was blending the k/d wet food at home to bring to the vet, Dr Miles called. He said he had good news. A miracle he said. He conducted a blood test on Xin Xin in the afternoon and all the critical indicators were within the normal healthy range. He wanted us to bring her back home that same evening as he felt that she would be less stressed than at the vet.

BUN (10 - 30 normal):

• Off the chart (Sat 14 Jun 08);
• 180 (Wed 18 Jun 08);
  
• 70 (Mon 23 Jun 08);
• 25 (Sun 6 Jul 08);
• 149 (Sat, 3 Jul 10);
  
• 18 (Tue, 6 Jul 10)
• According to a website, we need to bring it down to 60 - 80 for a kidney patient.

Creatinine (0.3 - 2.0 normal):

• 19 (Sat 14 Jun 08);
  
• 10.9 (Wed 18 Jun 08);
  
• 3.3 (Mon 23 Jun 08);
• 2.2 (Sun 6 Jul 08);
• 13.9 (Sat, 3 Jul 10);
• 1.9 (Tue, 6 Jul 10)
  

Phosporous (3.4 - 8.5 normal):

• 8.7 (Wed 18 Jun 08);
• 6.1 (Mon 23 Jun 08);
• 5.9 (Sun 6 Jul 08).
• 6.2 (Sat, 3 Jul 10);
• 5.8 (Tue, 6 Jul 10)
  

Calcium (8.0 - 11.8 normal):

• 12.0 (Wed 18 Jun 08);
  
• 11.9 (Mon 23 Jun 08);
• 11.5 (Sun 6 Jul 08);
  
• 8.8 (Sat, 3 Jul 10);
• 11.6 (Tue, 6 Jul 10)
  

She's home again finally. She is now weighing 3.9kg, losing 50g in those few days. Her eyes look bright and alert. Her breathing is now back to that of her pre-hospitalization days.

She went around the whole house, sniffing and rubbing scent. She has a very confident stance. Her strides look strong and purposeful. She could even jump up to the bed though we do not want her to.

The gang was a little hesitant as she smells so much different. However, they are slowly accepting her back.


The vet was not able to confirm what triggered her relapse, if you can even call it a relapse. There was no poisoning from the results of the blood test. He said the only logical explanation may be that it is accumulated stress etc which made the heart pump less efficiently, thereby depriving the kidneys of the much required blood which in turn caused the kidneys not to function normally in processing the urine in her.

We are not sure of the exact cause either. It could be added stress since she is not really fond of May May which joined us this Apr. She views MM as direct competition for our affection and time. XX can be a very jealous girl.

The only other change was that we introduced a new wet food to XX last Wed night. She liked it and ate everything given. We are not sure if it could be that new food which induced the vomiting which in turn made her throw up her undigested medicine which made her kidneys work so much harder. The vet does not think that missing one or two medication is the cause. We are not too sure ourselves but whatever it is, that wet food will no longer be fed to the whole gang.

They say cats have 9 lives. I think XX is now well into her 3rd life. Hopefully, she will still have another 6 to go. Fingers crossed.