Today has been a good-news day for us, with Indy’s unexpected remarkable and significant reduction in his kidney readings.
I always live in the moment and take the wins whenever I can.
As I reflect back, I only made four changes over the last 10 days or so:
- Reduce subcut fluids from 250ml to 200ml – so that the kidneys don’t have to work so hard to get rid of the extra fluids since Indy drinks quite a lot of water by himself.
- Stopped giving him Kidney Support Gold – because it is a herbal anti-oxidant and his other supplements already have anti-oxidants too. Too much anti-oxidants can tax on the kidneys too.
- Indy himself change his staple diet from RC Renal to Hill’s KD (both kibble).
- Started him on a 3/4 dosage of Azodyl five days ago – Azodyl purports that it might work after four weeks.
So which of the above worked to reduce his kidney readings so significantly?
We will never know.
Or, is it factor No. 5?
5. The INDY FACTOR!!
And what, pray tell, is the INDY FACTOR?
Well, the Indy Factor is simply this: “We don’t know how, but he’s getting better!”
Indy: No, actually I do TCM by myself. TCM = Traditional Cat Medicine.
But jokes aside, could it also be the culmination of treatment and supplements given in the last three months since he was diagnosed at Stage 3-4 suddenly? Maybe, right?
So, let’s look back and see what we had done for him since September when he was diagnosed.
- We started subcut fluids immediately.
- I started him on kidney supplements (Renal-N, Astro’s fish oil, Astro’s NC-Scrub, Kidney Support Gold).
But I did notice that the moment we started on the above, Indy’s demeanour improved significantly. It was almost like a turn-around. His appetite improved, he had a zest for life again.
So I think the subcut fluids and all the supplement did give him a better wellbeing.
His kidney condition probably started deteriorating months ago, unknown to me. Or, I dismissed the signs as just symptoms of aging. Indy was being very choosy over food and losing weight gradually. I thought it was just aging.
After I started on the treatment, Indy gained 500g.
Fast forwarding now to last week, Indy has now begun to call out at night again. He stopped doing this for some time now, but he used to do it during his hey day, ie. start calling for me smack in them middle of the night. And very loudly too. I know, it’s pretty annoying as it wakes me up and might even wake the neighbours, so I have to tell him to stop and he would. It’s an “Indy thing”.
He’s started doing it again now. Haha…Indy is back!!
Last but not least, I am all prepared that everything that happens is only temporary. Indy improved right after we started him on the prescribed treatment and all the supplements, then he deteriorated badly. Now, he seems to be on the mend, but he may well deteriorate again in the next check-up.
I am prepared for this.
But I’ll still rejoice in today’s win!