I have used Astro’s Oil Renal Care Package before. It was for Pole and I must say that it gave Pole 4 more months of quality life where she was as normal as any other healthy cat. But we all know that chronic kidney disease is a progressive terminal illness and there is no turning back from it. Eventually, palliative care is all we can give our beloved pets.
I’ve nursed three CKD cats thus far. It started with Vincent, then Pole and then, Bunny. Bunny’s was complicated by lymphoma which began as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD, not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS) and eventually spread to the brain. And from my limited experience, every CKD cat has different needs; sometimes very different needs too, but they all need love and care.
So, after Cleo and Indy were found to have high levels of creatinine unexpectedly, I remembered about this package. Cleo has been a CKD patient for 4 years now and we have been maintaining her on subcut with Renal-N. She’s been relatively alright so far but lately, I noticed that she was more dehydrated than before, and she also no longer runs away before subcut sessions or when I need to feed her her Renal-N. In fact, she comes willingly on her own. It’s just that Cleo is one of those cats who will not allow you to open her mouth (my empathetic vet says yes, there are such cats, no matter how many years you have looked after them) so I have to find creative ways to feed her her supplements and medicines. Despite having had CKD since 2019, Cleo is diagnosed as being in Stage 2.
Indy was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2019 but after 8 months of subcut, the problem resolved itself and his readings were back to normal after that. The vet he did not need subcut anymore. It was still completely normal in October 2022 (just last year). Luckily I took him for a random blood check last week and I was shocked that his creatinine level had shot through the roof. This was totally unexpected because he was not dehydrated at all. I’ve been checking on him through the pinch test all this while. He was getting very choosy over his food, but Indy has the weirdest habits, so I did not see this as a sign of the possible onset of CKD. He also lost some weight since January but again, I thought this was just due to aging and losing a bit of weight was “good” for Indy, actually. I really did not see all of these as signs. An ultrasound was done last week and Indy is diagnosed as having Stage 3 CKD based on the structural degeneration of his kidneys. Unlike Cleo, Indy’s CKD progressed in a shorter span of time.
So, all the more now that their creatinine and urea levels are off the charts, I am opting to supplement their regimen (subcut and Renal-N) with Astro’s Oil’s Renal Care Package.
Luckily there is a local seller now and I do not have to purchase it from Canada as I did before.
She currently did not have stock for the protein, so she sent me the fish oil and Nitrogen-Creatinine Scrub first. Indeed, these two products are more important because Cleo and Indy are still maintaining their weight and so far, do not have protein loss (yet). The two products arrived in less than 2 days. The seller has ordered the protein and will send it to me as soon as the stock arrives from Canada.
Ever since Pole’s time, many parents of CKD cats have written to me to ask about Astro’s Oil and I’ve shared we achieved with Pole where it brought about improvement within one month after being on it. Even though it gave her only 5 months of quality life, those 5 months were precious. After the 5 months, she deteriorated progressively. Pole was diagnosed with CKD in September 2019, given Astro’s Oil package in July 2020, started going downhill in January 2021 and she passed away peacefully in March 2021. So yes, it does help, but eventually there is really no escape from CKD. We all know this.
I didn’t give Bunny this package as his kidney disease wasn’t the primary cause of his deteriorating health. It was the IBD and the lymphoma.
Now, fast forwarding to the present, I am now caring for Cleo and Indy.
Cleo’s readings on 17th Sep 2023:
Crea 467
Urea 24.1
Subcut 150ml daily
Indy’s readings on 17th Sep 2023:
Crea 573
Urea 36.8
Subcut 250ml alternate day
I know these readings are frighteningly high and I’ve never encountered such high readings in any of our CKD cats before. Right now, the vet has prescribed a regimen of subcut and Renal-N for both and she says I can give them Astro Oil’s package too. But it is best to give it at a different time from the Renal-N. So I’m giving it at least 2 hours after Renal-N.
Cleo and Indy started on the package (minus the protein, which will be arriving later) yesterday as soon as it arrives. In 10 days’ time, their creatinine levels will be checked again.
For more information about Astro’s Oil: https://astrosoil.com/
Cleo is the one with the golden mouth so she is difficult to feed. I mix the Nitrogen-Creatinine Scrub powder with Cindy’s baby food just as I do with the Renal-N. Cleo has been on Renal-N since December 2021 so that’s 1 year 10 months already. It showed promising results after 3 months so I just continued giving it to her. Now the dosage has increased slightly.
As for Indy, it’s relatively easy to feed him medicines, so that’s not a problem.
I also found that the oil actually damages the syringe even after being used once, so now, I’ve measured 1.5ml using a small spoon and I’m using the spoon to measure the oil. Cleo cannot be syringe-fed anything, so I just rub the oil onto her mouth.
Cleo
Indy
One thing I’ve definitely noticed is that for Indy, ever since he had his first subcut this round on Sunday, his appetite has returned by leaps and bounds (compared with having no interest in food prior to this) and his general demeanour has improved a lot too. I’m really hoping the subcut, Renal-N and Astro’s Nitrogen-Creatinine Scrub can reduce the toxins (creatinine and BUN) in his body.