whitereflection (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
whitereflection) wrote2010-11-04 01:15 pm
whitereflection) wrote2010-11-04 01:15 pm
four of four
So, not like it's important to anyone but me, but. As I've mentioned before, Bebop-cat's the one with kidney failure, who went anemic this past summer, common in felines with kidney problems like that. Normal red blood cell values I guess are 29%, we actually got his as high as 34% after they started him on the Epogen injections then.
Today they found he was at 8%. They're trying to find him a crossmatch in order to attempt to give a transfusion, then we'll have to give Epogen every other day for a week (maintenance dose was once a week til now), to see if that brings his RBC counts up. If it helps, we'll have to increase his Epogen dose, even though it's so damned expensive. But if it doesn't work, then it'll be like the vet's cat, where they develop antibodies to the Epogen and cause it to not work at all anymore--in which case, there won't be any more we can do for him, despite the fact that we've still been able to keep his kidney values good.
What is it with this year... Crystal-cat despite being 22 still doing well, Missy-cat with that cancer but still looking okay and hanging in there; but now this. I give up trying to think right now. Have more stuff I need to drive Mom to anyway.
Edit: They can't give him the transfusion after all, because he won't crossmatch with any of the potential donor cats. Either his immune system is going too hyper, or he's got antibodies to the Epogen that are also attacking any and all red blood cells, including his own. Starting the extra Epogen injections anyway, on the chance that he doesn't have antibodies, also extra Prednisone to help the potential hyper immune system. Will see if it helps at all. Prognosis isn't good, the vet was very honest about this.
Today they found he was at 8%. They're trying to find him a crossmatch in order to attempt to give a transfusion, then we'll have to give Epogen every other day for a week (maintenance dose was once a week til now), to see if that brings his RBC counts up. If it helps, we'll have to increase his Epogen dose, even though it's so damned expensive. But if it doesn't work, then it'll be like the vet's cat, where they develop antibodies to the Epogen and cause it to not work at all anymore--in which case, there won't be any more we can do for him, despite the fact that we've still been able to keep his kidney values good.
What is it with this year... Crystal-cat despite being 22 still doing well, Missy-cat with that cancer but still looking okay and hanging in there; but now this. I give up trying to think right now. Have more stuff I need to drive Mom to anyway.
Edit: They can't give him the transfusion after all, because he won't crossmatch with any of the potential donor cats. Either his immune system is going too hyper, or he's got antibodies to the Epogen that are also attacking any and all red blood cells, including his own. Starting the extra Epogen injections anyway, on the chance that he doesn't have antibodies, also extra Prednisone to help the potential hyper immune system. Will see if it helps at all. Prognosis isn't good, the vet was very honest about this.