QUESTION:
my grandfathers kidneys have shut down...what does this mean??
I mean i understand that they dont work (he is in the hospital now) and that he will be starting dialasis this morning...but i still dont understand what this means for him. can they start working again after dialasis? can he die from this if they dont? possible surgery? even after his kemo treatments? do they even have kidney replacement? can you live off of one kidney?? please help me understand this more, i have so many questions. my family is keeping alot from me since i am 3 months pregnant and dont want me to worry but someone accidentally told me about this and im freaking out cuz i dont know anything about this. he is one of the most important people in my life and i need some answers PLEASE. i know you cant tell me exactly everything but anything or an answer to any or my questions would be great. thanks so much in advance....

• ANSWER:
  http://www.medicinenet.com/kidney_failure/article.htm
  Treatment

  The first goal is to treat the illness or injury that originally damaged your kidneys. Once that's under control, the focus will be on preventing the accumulation of excess fluids and wastes in your blood while your kidneys heal. This is best accomplished by limiting your fluid intake and following a high-carbohydrate, low-protein, low-potassium diet.

  Your doctor may prescribe calcium, glucose or sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) to prevent the accumulation of high levels of potassium in your blood. Too much potassium in the blood can cause dangerous irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).

  Dialysis
  Most of the time, you also need to undergo temporary dialysis to help remove toxins and excess fluids from your body. Dialysis is a mechanical way of filtering waste from your blood. It can replace the function of your kidney, albeit imperfectly, while your kidneys are healing. Dialysis treatment for acute kidney failure is usually done at a hospital or dialysis center, not at home.

  The most common form of dialysis used for acute kidney failure is known as hemodialysis. It removes extra fluids, chemicals and wastes from your bloodstream by filtering your blood through an artificial kidney (dialyzer). Blood is pumped out of your body to the artificial kidney through a vascular access that's created surgically, usually in your arm or leg. Your blood moves across membranes inside the artificial kidney that filter out waste. Less than 1 cup of blood is outside your body in the dialyzer and tubing at any one time.

  I often ask the pharmacists any questions, they are always happy to answer. You can also call the hospital and speak to a physician for any questions you may have. I sure hope this helps you out and so sorry for your pain.

QUESTION:
my grandpas kidneys have shut down...what does this mean? PLEASE HELP?
I mean i understand that they dont work (he is in the hospital now) and that he will be starting dialasis this morning...but i still dont understand what this means for him. can they start working again after dialasis? can he die from this if they dont? possible surgery? even after his kemo treatments or is he too weak? do they do kidney replacements? can you live off of one kidney if they can get one to work?? please help me understand this more, i have so many questions. my family is keeping alot from me since i am 3 months pregnant and dont want me to worry but someone accidentally told me about this and im freaking out cuz i dont know anything about this. he is one of the most important people in my life and i need some answers PLEASE. i know you cant tell me exactly everything but anything or an answer to any or my questions would be great. thanks so much in advance....

• ANSWER:
  Hi Glitter Bug. I hate to be the one to give the bad news to you darlin', but your Grandpa is going to be on kidney dialysis for the rest of his life. If he is already in the hospital for other complications, then most likely sweetie, he is dying. People's kidneys usually shut down when other vital organs (like lungs, heart, pancreas, liver. etc.) are also shutting down. They usually don't shut down for no reason at all. The hospital will put him on kidney dialysis, which will take waste out his blood stream, like his kidneys are suppossed to do, every few days or so for the rest of his life. Kidneys, once they shut down do not begin to work again. My suggesstion is, if you want to see him again before he passes, I would get to the hospital as soon as you can to say goodbye. Now I don't know how severe your Grandpa's case is, so he may not be dying, but he's very sick at the least. My suggesstion is to spend some time with him, and tell your family that you are a big girl, and you want, and need to know what's going on, so you can deal with it in small doses instead of one big lump sum. Just because you're pregnant, that doesn't mean you can't, or shouldn't feel, and grieve if necessary. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's the truth. Blessings on you.

QUESTION:
my grandpas kidneys have shut down, please help me understand this more PLEASE!!?
I mean i understand that they dont work (he is in the hospital now) and that he will be starting dialasis this morning...but i still dont understand what this means for him. can they start working again after dialasis? can he die from this if they dont? possible surgery? even after his kemo treatments or is he too weak? do they do kidney replacements? can you live off of one kidney if they can get one to work?? please help me understand this more, i have so many questions. my family is keeping alot from me since i am 3 months pregnant and dont want me to worry but someone accidentally told me about this and im freaking out cuz i dont know anything about this. he is one of the most important people in my life and i need some answers PLEASE. i know you cant tell me exactly everything but anything or an answer to any or my questions would be great. thanks so much in advance....

• ANSWER:
  As you said, and can well imagine, your questions are detailed and impossible to answer without first hand knowledge.

  Perhaps if you tell your family that the stress of not knowing is much much worse than knowing the truth. Perhaps they will tell you what is going on, especially since they have already "spilled the beans."

  But.. to attempt to answer some of your questions, at least in part:

  Kidneys stop qorking for many, many reasons. A few of which are: drug induced, cancer, disease affecting the kidney, and urine blockage somehwere between the kidney and bladder.

  Can kidneys start to work again? Yes, depending on the original pathology and current condition of the kidneys.

  Can he die from it? Unfortunately, yes. You need kidney function to clear the blood of waste and toxins. Good news is that dialysis can do the same thing. As long as his body can tolorate the dialysis, he is healthy enough for dialysis, and he wishes to continue with it, it can replace the function of his kidneys. Dialysis is not easy on the body. It depletes the blood of volume very rapidly and can affect the heart, lungs, and blood pressure.

  Kidneys can be transplanted, but you must be placed on the "list." Depending on outlook of the quality of life and expected remaning life of a person, they may or may not qualify. Also, one must be healthy enough to tolorate such a major surgery as a kidney trasplant, be healthy enough to take anti-rejection meds for the rest of their life, and have a suitable donor.

  Can you life off of one kidney? A healthy person can live with one-fourth of one kidney's worth of function. IF only one-half of the function of one kidney can be restored, he may be able to avoid dialysis in the future.

  You also mentioned Chemo. Chemotherapy is only given for cancer. He must have cancer somehwere. Do you know what kind? Do you know if it was contained in one area? Do you know if it spread? Do you know which organ (or which organs) were affected? If it is kidney cancer, have they asked about removing the affected kidney? Is the cancer, or the Chemo, or someething else causing the kidneys to shut down?

  All these questions that I have answered are all in generalities. It is much too difficult to answer any type of medical question without actually seeing the person affected and knowing quite a bit of back ground information.

  I would seriously speak with my family and ask to be present when the doctor is speaking with your grandfather and /or the family. No one will be able to answer your questions like you grandfather's own doctor(s).

  I wish you and he all the luck in the world. It is very difficult to have someone so close you be so sick and not be able to do anything about it.

  I hope that you get the correct answers to your questions answered, and furthermore, I hope that they are the answers that you are looking for.

QUESTION:
Could withdrawl have shut his body down?
My uncle went into the hospital for pnemonia last week. He has been on methadone for about 20 years and he is an alcoholic. When he first went in, they started giving him a different kind of methadone which he said tasted funny but I guess it did the same thing as what he was use to getting at the clinic he goes too. The next day they had to put him under as he kept trying to take his breathing mask off. A day later his liver and kidneys started to shut down. He still hasn't woken up. Tonight I asked the nurse if he was getting methadone and she said no he wasn't. She didn't know that he had been getting it originally. I remember him saying once that if he ever stopped taking it his major organs would shut down and he would die. The nurse said that if he was going through some sort of methadone/alcohol withdrawl it wo uld show on the machines, his bp would skyrocket, etc. Is this true or did stopping his treatment and putting him under make his body shut down like that?
I know his liver wasn't the greatest before he went to the hospital (he drank everyday) but for it to just shut down after going there is weird to me. He went there for pnemonia and then all of this other stuff happened.

• ANSWER:
  o.k. in short, stopping the methadone and ETOH suddenly like this would cause your uncles problems.
  Now for my rant...
  I think you got a "new" nurse, or one that hasn't a clue about A. what (s)he is doing and B.addiction/withdrawal....I hope and pray the nurse was "new"
  #1. Shame on the hospital for not taking a complete inventory of medications (I'm assuming that your uncle started out on a regular unit and was moved to the ICU) and continuing those on to the new unit.
  #2. Double-double shame on the doctor for not taking a complete history on his/her patient. Had they done this, they would have known about the methadone & alcohol abuse.
  #3.Had there been a history & a med list done BIG TIME shame on the MD for not ordering the methadone, and ativan and librium for the ETOH withdrawals and it also goes to the nursing staff for not pressing the issue of the lack of methadone and medication support for ETOH withdrawal (I am a nurse and if I received a patient that has these two problems and NO meds were ordered and the doc refused, I'd get the nursing supervisor in on it pronto to help back me up before things started happening with the patient, not to mention the withdrawals would more than likely start for the next shift)
  Shame on the nurse for relying on the machines to show him/her what is going on...one needs to look at the patient to get the bigger picture...yeah, the B/P might be fine, but from what little you have told me, it sounds like withdrawal. Also, shame on him/her on not knowing more about the history of the patient! Especially if the patient is in the ICU!
  There is a lot more I could add, but I'm now stepping off my soap box....
  Sorry to hear about your uncle.
  Oh, and as far a Lassie's comment, if you have a good nurse, that nurse will know just as much, if not more than the MD...I've worked in ICU's where the MD's highly valued the RN's input. I actually heard one doc tell his med students "If that nurse, nurse Susan A. tells you that her patient needs X, Y & Z, give that patient X, Y & Z, and tell me in the morning" Not to mention that I personally have been told by several docs that my opinion was valued because I work with the patients and see these things on a daily basis where they do not. Just my 2 cents

QUESTION:
How long does it take to know if dialysis is working?
So today at 8am my dad is going to have surgery to implant the portal for dialysis. He is 74 and has been sick for 2 and a half years. His kidneys are shut down, and he has several other health issues. How long should it take to see if this Dialysis is going to work and extend his life? Like how many treatments before they know if it"s working?

• ANSWER:
  Dialysis starts working from the first time itself. But during the first dialysis the procedure is for a short period of time and there may be certain side effects also but as the time passes the person gets used to with the procedure and it goes on for the rest of life. Keep regular follow up and be under the supervision of the family doctor. See to it that the fistula is taken care of nicely.

QUESTION:
can cancer shut down veins/arteries? is a lesion the start of a new tumor?
my fam member has laryngeal cancer, for almost 2 years. he is dying as the treatments have not worked. he had formed a blood clot which i believe is now gone, but now he gets major swelling in his face to where it almost closes his eyes and my grandmother explained the doctors said his veins arent draining fluid, and they are shutting down because the doctors have to use much longer needles now to get blood from his thigh port.

and also his report of either a CAT or MRI shows his kidney has a lesion of 1.1 cm, and his left lung has a lesion of 1 cm as well that 'abuts' the chest wall.
yea tsnuami i just googled lesion, it sounds like he is getting more tumors. his suffering will be over soon and im glad, i dont like seeing him like this

• ANSWER:
  A lesion can be either benign or malignant. Simply having one doesn’t mean anything. However, given his disease and their size they are likely mets, the reports would state what they are. Cancer can shut down and invade veins and arteries. I’m sorry this is a horrible disease and an even worse way to die. Someone close to me died of this disease one year ago this month. It still breaks my heart. He was 54.

QUESTION:
Kidney failure after heart cath?
My husband's great aunt is in the hospital. She went in on Monday and was told she had had a heart attack. A heart cath revealed total blockage in one artery (in front) and 95% blockage in another (in back). She's 79 so by-pass was ruled out as an option- the doctor said she wouldn't survive the surgery. She was going to have a balloon treatment yesterday but they found massive clotting in her heart. Now her kidneys have shut down. The doctor said that happens sometimes because of the dye used during the balloon procedure and they're hoping her kidneys start back up soon. My question is- how common is it for the kidneys to shut down like that and shouldn't she be getting dialysis since they aren't working? The doctors are giving her 50/50 at survival. Does that sound about right?

• ANSWER:
  First of all, I am sorry to hear about your husband's great aunt. It sounds as if she is experiencing multi-system failure. When this occurs, some patients survive, endure this, and live to come home to live a year or two afterward, but others pass quietly at the hospital.
  Some patients do indeed react to the dye used during the balloon procedure, but very often, the same process of atherosclerosis which has lined her coronary arteries with plaque has done the same to her renal arteries which supply her kidneys, leaving her more vulnerable to issues from the dye. The reaction from the dye can cause an acute renal failure, which is different from the chronic renal failure of a kidney patient in that in acute failure, their kidneys can begin to concentrate urine again in a day or two. It is possible that she will receive dialysis one or two times in the interim. The intensivist who is following her case is watching her, and her labwork very carefully meanwhile.
  When coronary vessels begin to fail, and then renal arteries involve the kidneys, a 50/50 assessment sounds reasonable. However, never bet against any patient, because only God knows, and even He, on occasion, appears to change his mind.
  Very best wishes.

QUESTION:
Advice Please?
I'm 22, my Boyfriend is 25, we've lived together for 3 years, dated for 4, own a house together, both finished college and are employed full-time.
I have really painful and large kidney stones, and am lined up for ESWL treatment, however I got pregnant and they can't do the procedure because of the effects it could have on the embryo.
I told my BF about the pregnancy the minute it was confirmed by the doctor. He said it has to be wrong it's not right, and he's been telling me horror stories about how my kidneys could shut down and I will be extreme pain if i choose to ignore these stones and go through with the pregnancy, and that all the medical professionals suggest termination. other then that (2 weeks ago) he hasn't even as much as asked me about the pregnancy, or how i am, I've made some comments and he just shrugs them offm I don't want to terminate unless i absolutely have to, I am going to do everything i can to have this baby. How do I get him to talk to me about this?

• ANSWER:
  I think your bf is not really interested in being a father. You need to find out what the real deal is. He sounds like he is only interested in being young and having fun, and not being tied down with a partner and baby, being the sole bread winner. This is a major problem with living together. You have not had to really think through a commitment, and what that commitment would entail. As such, you are roommates, sharing expenses and having sex. Get to the bottom of this ASAP. If you need to move back home with your parents to get the help you need, do it.

QUESTION:
Yellow Lab diagnosed with kidney failure?
On monday my 7 1/2 year old yellow lab was diagnosed with kidney failure due to lymes disease which apparantly she has had for quite some time. I always check for ticks and haven't found one on her for probably a year and a half. She got really sick about a week and a half ago, throwing up, quit eating, etc. When I brought her in the vet said her kidneys had completely shut down and since I have had her going in for i.v's and antibiotics. She has shown some signs of feeling a little better, drinking more on her own and urinating normally. She's had a little energy, running around the yard and on her feet more. My vet today said after her treatment she is going to send her home with sub q fluids that I will give her myself and some oral meds. She also is going to have me change her diet to some human foods that will help with her kidneys. I was just wondering if I'm just delaying the inevitable or if she could bounce back and have a decent quality of life? I'm up to 00 at the vet right now and just about at my breaking point but willing to do what it takes to keep her here if she'll be around for a while. Thanks for any input anybody could give.

• ANSWER:
  I wish I could be optimistic, but kidney failure in dogs is very serious. I put my beloved dog through hell because a specialty vet thought we could pull her through. My dog's kidney failure occurred when a chemotherapy drug went toxic in her system, so I had a sick dog to begin with. Since her case was a poisoning, the hope was that she could recover kidney function. I lost her about 6 weeks after her diagnosis--1/2 the time she spent in ICU. And it was very, very expensive.

  You will want to regularly monitor the BUN and Creatinine levels as these give the best idea of kidney function. Diet changes and sub-Q fluids can help. It honestly depends on how severe the damage is--the kidneys don't repair well. Elevation of BUN and Creatinine don't show up in bloodwork until the kidneys have lost 70-75% of their function.

  I wish you luck, but please be prepared. My dog was able to come home for two weeks before relapsing. Kidney failure is horrid.

QUESTION:
Is it normal to have a cyst in your kidney?I have one in each kidney and have had cancer before in the left.?
I always have blood in my urine,protein,and most of the time i have kidney stones.I've also had kidney failure in the past but i no longer have to get that treatment.I'm just wondering if i should go back to the cancer doc.I'm always in pain from my kidneys and i'm only 27.My liver has also shut down on me before but i got that back 100%,i started having seizures in 2002 just out of no where.Please somebody help me i've been tested for lupus but thats always neg.I know it can take awhile to get a postive one if u have it but does anybody else have anything they can think of?Help would be wonderful. bren

• ANSWER:
  NO IT IS NOT NORMAL YOU MAY HAVE TO GET IT SURGICIALLY REMOVED...PLZ SEE A DOCTOR

QUESTION:
Is there a higher chance of getting cancer if someone in your family has had cancer?
My Granddad and my Auntie both had cancer and it got me thinking, is the chance of getting cancer higher if a family member had cancer.
My Granddad (my fathers dad) had lung cancer and died November 2009 (he also had pneumonia and suspected emphysema). The lung cancer, pneumonia and suspected emphysema all contributed to his heart attack. I watched him gradually get sicker and sicker, watched how the treatment for his lung cancer affected him and saw how he always made an effort to smile and be happy and take an interest in the lives of my brother, sister and myself. He always asked how our day was and about school and always messed about with my brother every time he saw us and he seemed so strong. I miss him more and more every day.
My Auntie (not genetically related to me, my fathers brothers wife) had skin cancer and died 1st May this year. She had skin cancer 7 years ago and had treatment for it. She was cleared of cancer 12 months ago. Then she was training for the London marathon and she became ill. She went to the doctors and was told she had probably just caught a mild infection because she was training so much. She stopped training for a few weeks but she still did the marathon. She walked pretty much the whole of it and my uncle and cousin walked the last few miles with her. She managed to finish it in 7 hours 50 and got her medal and picture taken. She returned to the doctor on Tuesday 26th April because she still felt ill.The following day she was taken to hospital. On the Friday her and my uncle were told that she was suffering from skin cancer again and that it was shutting her kidneys down. She died on 1st May at 6.55pm, the exact time she had finished the marathon 2 weeks earlier. I miss her so much and what makes it harder is that my cousin is only 10. I miss my auntie so much and it is doubly hard for me because her death brought back all the memories from my granddads death.
What I'm basically asking is, is there a higher chance of my cousin or my brother, sister and me getting cancer as we have relatives who have had cancer?
I'm a 16 year old girl from the UK. Please don't say anything mean or hurtful because I'm still trying to recover from losing both my relatives and I don't really know that much about cancer.
As far as I know my granddad never smoked.

• ANSWER:
  There is absolutely nothing in the information you give here to suggest you, your siblings or your cousin are at any increased risk of cancer.

  Cancer is rarely heredtary; fewer than 10% of all cancer cases are hereditary, and cancer diagnosed after the age of 50 is even less likely to be hereditary.

  You don't inherit a general tendency to develop cancer; there's no general 'cancer gene'.

  A sign that cancer MIGHT (only might) be hereditary within a family is when several members of the same side of that family have had the SAME TYPE of cancer, especially if some were diagnosed at a younger than usual age.

  Two of my grandparents and both my parents had cancer; so did my aunt, uncle and two cousins. No members of my immediate or extended family have ever been considered at increased risk of the cancers they had, and of my parents' 6 children - all now in their 50s and 60s - I am the only one who has developed cancer, and mine too was non-hereditary and unrelated to theirs.

  With one in three women and one in two men developing cancer over a lifetime of around 80 years, it would be a rare family where nobody had had non-hereditary cancer

QUESTION:
What is the chance of my dog still getting sick?
As I have already posted about, my dog ate grapes off of the counter at around 6:30 AM yesterday. My parents had taken her to the vet at around 7:30 AM, because the vet had told them to bring her in right away (that was when the vet opened). Though, she was not showing any symptoms and seemed healthy. Then, at 8 PM, my dad and I took her from the vet to the animal hospital for treatment, and she still seemed fine. Her kidneys obviously didn't shut down because she peed like 3 times (once actually on the floor) and pooped a ton. What is the chance of my dog still getting sick from the grapes?
She is staying at the hospital for 2 days on an IV because they want to keep an eye on her. We were only taking her from the vet to the animal hospital for 24 hour care because of the IV

• ANSWER:
  Well first what did your vet say?

  Reports showed vomiting developed within six hours of ingestion; the estimated amounts of grapes or raisins eaten ranged from nine ounces to two pounds. Other commonly reported signs included diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy and abdominal pain, and all of the dogs developed evidence of kidney disfunction.

  Clinical signs lasted for several days--sometimes even weeks. And after aggressive treatment, which included intravenous fluids and medications, half of the dogs recovered, while the others died or had to be euthanized.

  At present, the exact role of grapes or raisins in these cases--what exactly is the toxic component--is still unclear. But a dog who has ingested large amounts can now be diagnosed and treated successfully. The first line of defense is decontamination, and the canine should be hospitalized and placed on IV fluids. If the blood work appears normal after three days, it's unlikely that kidney failure will occur; if there is evidence of renal failure, more aggressive treatment--including fluids, medication and possibly dialysis--is called for.

  For more information on treating and posion signs visit online APCC.

  Hope your dog is better real soon.%0

QUESTION:
Update on Pregnancy...or the lack of?
How's everyones pregnancy going?

Gabrielle Kathleen was born April 24, 2010 at 938pm. She was born at 33 weeks and has be in the NICU since the day she was born. She has been breathing on her own since she was born and we hope to bring her home on Monday. I was put on bed rest at my home at 31 weeks due to Toxemia (sp) and then at 32 weeks 3 days I was admitted to the hospital for sever migraines and not 5 days later I was transferred to Kansas City at 33 weeks because I had developed pre-eclimpsa (sp) while on bed rest. My blood pressure was so high that nothing would bring it down and I had a 24hr migraine and on breathing treatments and oxygen because I couldn't breath. They rushed me to Overland Park and they said she was head down and I was 3-4cm dilated already by the time I got there. They gave me an epidural and broke my water...finally I was able to sleep, which I hadn't done in almost 30hrs. They were going to let me try labor but then my urine out put almost stopped and they had to do an emergency c-section because my kidneys were about to shut down. Well...that's my update...I hope your pregnancy is going well.

• ANSWER:
  Oh my goodness! I'm so glad everyone is doing well, that would be a very scary ordeal. I hope you get to bring her home on time and everything goes smoothly.
  Congratulations on the little girl!

  Btw, we must live somewhat close because I'm in Topeka!

QUESTION:
Is there anything you can do to report unjust treatment from a corrections officer while in jail temporarily?
i was wrongfully incarcerated for 17 hours and treated especially bad by one or two particular corrections officers. I was sick, menstruating, had a fever and cough, and hadn't taken my medicine or eaten in at least 12 hours. and, it was freezing cold which made the fever worse. to top it all off, i had a kidney infection and they wouldn't let me get water or wash my hands. they would scream "sit down and shut up" and "you are an inmate". i could hear them discussing my case and laughing and making fun of me. it was awful. i have never gotten in trouble before so this was horrifying. i can't believe i did not have a heart attack or something from the stress.

• ANSWER:
  You can contact a local civil rights attorney to see what can or should be done.

  You can also file a formal complaint with the sheriff's office or city police (wherever you were incarcerated at), which actually is the FIRST action you should do. Document everything to the best of your ability and always keep a copy of what you send them. Demand an investigation into the treatment you received and if you are not satisfied then it's time to call an attorney.

  Criminal or not, you still have basic rights afforded to you such as humane treatment, medication, food and water, and a right to certain privacies.

QUESTION:
What causes Septic shock in otherwise healthy 35 yr old?
Today marks the 15th day that mu 35 yr old cousin Bobby is in ICU with septic shock. I need some kind of help. Here is the story

On November 19th 2009 we got a phone call from my cousin that his brother was admitted into ST LUKE'S hospital and was unconscious. We rushed down to the hospital right away. Bobby had been found in his room on the floor unresponsive. When the EMT's got to him, his blood pressure was 60/34. They admitted him into ICU and further tests revealed that he had septic shock. Doctors had a meeting with the entire family that night and told us that his mortality rate was VERY VERY HIGH. They told us that Bobby's Kidneys and Liver were failing. His bowel system was completely shut down. The only thing Bobby has going for him is his age, and he has a strong heart. They said that had he been a 70 yr old man, they would be advising us to prep for a funeral. They maxed him out on Blood pressure meds, and also gave him dialysis treatments. His WBC were "astronomically high" . He is on a ventilator and oxygen. The next day they flew in platelets from Bergen county NJ. We went through this for a few days and Bobby started to respond to us. He shook his head yes and no, and had hand movement. On Monday 11/30 an Xray, and cat-scan showed that Bobby had an air pocket in his intestine, they were not sure whether he had a hole in his stomach, colon, or intestine. Bobby needed emergency surgery, or he would die. The surgeon advised us all that Bobby's chances of making it through surgery were very low.. During surgery they removed a 3 ft section of his intestine, and his lower colon. They put him on a colostomy bag. After surgery his BP was 50/27.. They told us if he survived the night, it would be a miracle. So, Bobby made it through. The following day Bobby was bleeding out. His coagulation factor was well above 150 they told us they like to see it below 45. They began blood transfusions. From 1pm on Tuesday 12/1 to Wednesday 12/2 bobby received 15 units of blood (15 separate transfusions). They were changing his bandage every hr. The doctors advised us that it was now hr by hr for Bobby. Finally, yesterday Bobby stopped bleeding. He is no longer maxed out on BP meds and holding pressure on his own 146/80. My sister just called me and let me know that Bobby is receiving another dialysis and they plan on doing it for 3 and half hours. She talked to the Doctors, and they said that it's pretty much a wait and see thing. His WBC is still in the upper 30,000.. They told her they like to see it below 10,000. My question is what could have caused this? They say they don't know, and probably never will know. I see the mortality rate for septic shock is high, but even higher with multi-organ failure. What can we expect? I heard it all from DR's, but sometimes I feel "wait and see" is scary to hear...
I forgot to add that Bobby was on anti-psychotic medication. He is schitzo-effective. He was getting blood work done every two weeks to check his medication levels. This has been ongoing for the last 10 yrs. He is not a drinker, and he also has OCD. Other than that Bobby was otherwise "healthy". Another thing... They had said Bobby colon was massively dilated. He did have constipation problems, however the surgeon told us that he does not believe this was cause by constipation because when he opened him up, the stoole was all liquid..I am very thakful for every one of Bobby's doctors. I understand the communication "barrier" when it comes to "wait and see". I just read up on septic shock, and it's scaring me that after all this time, he could still die. . .He has held his own BP last week, however that changed rather quickly. Emotional Rollercoaster!!!

• ANSWER:
  Not much else you can do except "wait and see."
  Did you say he is holding pressure on his own? That is a good sign!
  I guess the doctor is very "conservative" and "cautious." regarding to your loved one's condition and prognosis. He just does not want to say something to set himself/herself up because ICU patients are walking a thin line when it comes to life and death. And no one can predict what is going to happen for the next 15 minutes.
  I wish him well and I will definitely pray for him.
  Please email me a message regarding to his outcome...if you don't mind!
  By the way, septic shock caused by widespread infection. It is the most common cause of death in ICU in the U.S. When the EMT got to him, he was in the later phase of the septic shock....characterized by low cardiac output and low blood pressure...no longer produces urine and multiple organ failure may/may not occur.

QUESTION:
Help......!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
I dont know how 2 do an essay & i need ur help to see if this good or not.

Over one million American seek short cuts to larger muscles and greater endurance with anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Steroids are drugs that act like chemical in the body. Most steroids are transformed into testosterone when they enter the body. Testosterone is a male growth hormone. While user may gain short-term results, they are seriously changing their health.

Some of the ill effects of the drugs are damage to the kidneys and liver. A person can also alter the balance of the natural hormones. This can cause detrimental affects to the body. The effects of you natural hormones being out of balance can last several years after being off the drugs. Some male user form breasts due to the use of steroids. Because of the increase in testosterone, steroids can cause serious acne problems. When used by teens it can cause stunted growth. Other side effects include genital changes, water retention, yellow eyes, coronary artery disease, ligament injuries, high blood pressure, changes in cholesterol levels, sterility and liver disease. Some people fall into comas after injecting the drug, some may even die from the injection.

Although steroids have many negative effects, they have many needed medical purposes. Androgens have many legitimate medical uses, such as the use for treatment of hypogonadal men to compensate for the lack of endogenous production. Anabolic steroids are also helpful for the treatment of certain adolescent diseases, some types of anemias, and for a relatively rare form of edema. Other clinical uses focus on the tissue building and anti-catabolic effects, such as in the treatment of burn victims, AIDS, or HIV positive patients. The most well known reason for people using steroids is for the quick muscle growth. At first they were hailed for their ability in improving strength and stamina but now they are condemned as unnatural and dangerous to the health of an athlete.

In conclusion, I think that people shouldn't use steroids because they can damage your body after only one use by shutting down hormones and hormone producing glands in the body.
Shud i change something about it....or everything....???

• ANSWER:
  I don't want to read it all but make sure your essay follows these guide lines.

  http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/template.html

  Seriously, this is what your teacher looks at and do not forget to say your thesis in the last paragraph!

QUESTION:
My cat was diagnosed with feline chronic renal failure (kidney failure) about 5 months ago. Resources/support?
It's not a question of if my cat is sick, but how severely.
Our family cat that passed 6 years ago didn't show signs of discomfort or pain until she was dying, and the euthanasia was very difficult because her body had already started to shut down and her veins collapsed.
My cat started throwing up a while ago (she is ten years old, and had always seemed very healthy before that) and blood tests showed she had f.c.r.f. The stress of taking her to the vet and the iv for liquids stressed her out, more like traumatized her than just stress, and she went downhill within a few days and almost died. We were able to find a vet who helped us get her better at home without meds, but she recently started throwing up again, has lost her appetite but is more thirsty, is urinating like crazy, her eyes that were a vibrant green with a bit of blue are now a dull green, and the major thing is she accidently urinated while she was asleep yesterday. From the research I've done, "leaking" is a flag for kidney failure, and I don't have the money (literally) to do any kind of treatments (I'm paying my way through college right now on my own).

My cat has been like my shadow, inseperable, since we got her as a kitten when I was ten. I feel like she is a part of me, and I know she is not healthy, although she would seem ok to someone who doesn't know her. My worst fear is for her condition to worsen to the point where she is in a lot of pain, and for the euthanasia to be painful or difficult.

I have a phone appointment with the vet this afternoon, but if anyone knows of any websites with advice or similar stories, I would really appreciate it. I am looking for some support, and to make sure I do what is best for her.
Thanks, I will definitely look at those groups.
Unfortunately, when she first got sick and diagnosed, we tried the tablet for naseau but she would not take it, even in her favorite treats or crushed into food. We also tried the at home IV thing to hydrate her, but even that made her panic and we didn't see any improvement. After a while, it was clear they were making her more stressed and just feeling worse, we were finally able to get her relatively healthy by changing her diet (to canned food mixed with water).

• ANSWER:
  There are some very good CRF cat groups over on yahooGroups, just put the term in the search field. There's also been discussion on it over on the Handicats group over there, so there are a lot of owners familiar with the reactions.

  Has your vet suggested a 1/4 tablet of Pepcid A/C for settling the stomach? It's safe for cats. Phone and ask them. Has your vet taught you how to syringe water into your cat or give fluids? It's do-able at home and extremely helpful for the cat to be hydrated without the stress.

  There's also several very good CRF sites online, google CRF feline and you;ll find it.
  Here's one -- http://www.felinecrf.com/

QUESTION:
Cat Recovery from "organ failure" (LONG Q)?
It is beastly late (early) here but I was just up checking my girl Bonnie and making sure she didn't need more treatment so that maybe I can catch a few hours of ZZZ's before my daughter wakes me up. So if you see this question hours from now, please still answer, if you can.

Some history:

I caught Bonnie as a feral kitten from a sickly inbred feral community in my former neighborhood when she was about 5 weeks old. She fit in my palm. One of her eyes was so severely infected it was partway oozing out of her head. Oral antibiotics and creams did no good so her eye was surgically removed at 6 weeks old. (vet did a great job, BTW, lined up the stripes perfectly!)

Due to such a dubious start in life, Bonnie never really grew, and now, 10 years later, she still only weighs 3.3 lbs and measures only about 16 inches from nose to base of tail.

It is extremely common (according to several area vets) for ferals in this area to have myriad problems due to inbreeding and horrible prenatal and infant nutrition, so Bon started losing her teeth a few years ago. I brush her mouth out regularly but due to my household's lack of work for almost 18 months, no additional oral vet care could be provided. Still, she was my boss cat, ruling the house with an iron paw, and the big boys (12-14 lb males) and even the dog got out of her way. She's never been sick since the very beginning.

I foster kittens for the local shelter and one of them brought in this crazy bug and all my cats got it even though the kittens are on the porch. Both males responded to Clavamox but Bonnie got it really bad and it seemed to go into her mouth. I noticed her mouth looked inflamed when I gave her the Clav a few days ago but she was otherwise normal so I let her be-just kept the eye on her.

Yesterday morning I found her on bathroom rug slumped over and breathing heavy- mouth was really swollen with some pussy looking fluid around her remaining teeth- also she was COLD to the touch and extremely lethargic- so we went straight to vet. Her temp was 96F- vet says a degree away from dead. He also pronounced her very dehydrated. He gave her subcu fluids, a B12 shot, put her in an incubator to bring her temp up and then sent her home with subcu for me to use here + instructions to continue the Clav for 5 more days.

His diagnosis was not that the illness from the kittens is causing her condition- it's that her condition is naturally poor due to horrible start in life (see above) and frankly was shocked to learn her age (given her size) and that she had lived a healthy life for as long as she has. He thinks she has organ failure and the infection in her mouth is a side effect of her immune system shutting down.

He did tell me that if I had the funds there was a specialist who would charge me between 00-00 to ICU her for a few days but that she might very well die in a day or two anyway. He also agreed with me that if it is kidney/liver failure that blood tests at this point are moot because the readings will all be skewed.

So. She's home, eating a prescription canned food, getting subcu 2x day, still on the Clavamox, and after about 36 hours looks MUCH better than when I found her, but not herself. Vet is off for the next day, so I came here with my question.

Can organ failure (if that is the case) be staved off with fluids, antibiotics, and prescription diet? If the antibiotic works and she throws off this infection, will she recover, or will she always be on the verge of some other catastrophic illness?

I am perfectly willing to do what I can afford to keep her happy and comfortable and with us as long as possible (and that includes pulling teeth when/if she recovers) but I cannot spend 00 on an ICU.

Just thought I'd toss this out and ask for some (hopefully) knowledgeable opinions.

Checked her- she's sleeping comfortably in the bathroom sink. Lined with towels, door closed. It's a nice warm room. She ate about 1/4 of the can of food.

Thanks in advance.

• ANSWER:
  It depends on the organ that is failing. If your cat has developed fatty liver from not eating, yes, she can recover but she MUST eat. You may need to look into assisted feeding. I'm guessing your vet gave you wet A/D for her? Try warming it up so it smells to encourage her to eat. Otherwise, you will need to do assisted feeding The A/D can be spooned it into a dosing syringe (you can get one at a pharmacy) and squirt the food into her mouth. Don't worry about trying to force her mouth open. Place the tip of the syringe in the corner of her mouth (there is a gap between the teeth that a syringe fits into nicely) and squirt a little bit at a time toward the back roof of her mouth (you don't want her to be able to spit it all back on you and you may end up wearing a bit so don't get frustrated, it just makes it more difficult for you because the cat picks up on your stress.) She needs to eat at least a 6 (or 6.5) oz can each day. You can break it into portions and put the rest of the can in the fridge. Always warm it before feeding her. Dont' try and force her to eat it all in one setting or she will throw it back up.

  If her body temperature drops again, Put a heating pad on low and covered with a towel for her to lay on.

  If she has developed renal failure, you can give them a good quality of life but once the kidneys start to go, you don't know it until they only have 25% kidney function left. Fluids greatly improve their quality of life.

  I'm sure that there must be other organs that could be failing but I do not have experience with those.

QUESTION:
do you think my vet did all they could? - people in the know please advise?
on weds night my 10 year old cat appeared to have a slight stiffness in his hips/back legs. in the morning, he could not control his back legs, swaying everywhere. Panicked obviously, I called the vet and described it. They said they could not fit him in until 9.40am. He was still normal in terms of his demeanour and personality.

At the vets, they said looking at him, that it seemed like poisoning, that he was displaying neurological problems. BUT I had put bob martin's spot on on him the night before, first time as frontline ran out and vet was shut. She said it's well known for causing problems. And 1 week earlier, he'd had an abcess from a cat fight, quite close to his spine which had healed but which she said couldn't be ruled out.

At 11.30 she called and said he was the same, so she would do some blood tests and keep him on fluids. That she'd given him abath to wash off the bob martin stuff.

At 4pm, she called, said he'd had a fit but it could be from all the meds and stresses but now he could not walk on his front feet either. She said i would need to come down and pick him up and take him to the British Veterinary College in London but it would probably take me 2 hours now as it was rush hour traffic. Panicking, naturally I got myself to him asap, she said the blood tests were not back. He was heavily sedated and this upset me, she gave me a diazepam rectal tube in case he fitted again on the way.

They billed us £234, covered by insurance with the following items:

Consultation, Fluid Therapy, Urine Test, Extended Basic Profil (is this blood test?), Cerenia, Diazepam Rectal Tube (she said he was on diazepam anyway), valium x 2, Duphalyte, Synulox Rtu injection, Admin call to Vet Info Poison Service.

Almost at the college, i rang the vets for any blood test results. They said no nothing yet. I said what if it comes in after you shut, they said, well nothing we can do really. But the college will probably do their own anyway.

Then they called back and said high levels of quite likely anti freeze in his blood and honestly prognosis not good and that the college was expensive and dont be talked into treatment that i wasnt sure would help him.

At the college, they continued him on fluids. They'd received the blood test results from my vets and confirmed very high levels and his kidneys were not functioning properly.

By morning, his potassium levels had increased but were good but slowly drifting back up. They said that decision time but fluids were not enough and pertineal dialysis was the only shot for him. But that he would only have a 5% chance. Tough decision but emotionally I tried this dialysis. He made it through the operation and then 45 mins later had a heart attack and died. Completely distraught, I have now lost him.

I have to know that everyone acted in his interest and not their own. I have some questions to pose to the vets, I would like to know if a. These sound right things to ask and b. based on all i've said I have a good amount of reason to ask.

1. IF poison was suspected in the beginning (and since he died, the vet did say he was in the early stages of toxicity when i took him in), why did she keep him in on a bunch of maybe this maybe that for 6 hours, when she did not have the equipment to deal with a poison?
2. Did he really need ALL those meds leading up to his admittal to the college?
3. At what time was the call to Vet Info Poison Service made and why am I being billed £25 for this for information she did not know?
4. If poison was suspected, would blood test results, when in poisioning time is of the absolute essence, taking 6 hours be an acceptable amount of time?
5. If she did not have the facilities to help with poisioning, shoudl she have taken the precaution and sent me to the college immediately?

Please please help if you know your stuff here, I'm so devastated at losing my cat. I don;t want to talk to her like I'm looking to blame someone, but IF there is someone to blame, I want to make sure they are in the knowledge of being blamed.

Thank you so much in advance

• ANSWER:
  I have to agree that the vets sound as though they acted in the best interest of the cat and could not of done any more. However I do think you are right to question them about the phone call they have charged you for as this seems to be a very unfair charge as it was not at your request that they phoned the poison service so why should you be charged for it? apart from this I think that your other questions are ones that should be kept for a while and when you have got over the shock of losing your cat re look at them and consider then if you would still like them to be answered. I am so sorry for your loss in such awful circumstances I hope I've helped

QUESTION:
my grandfathers kidneys have shut down...what does this mean??
I mean i understand that they dont work (he is in the hospital now) and that he will be starting dialasis this morning...but i still dont understand what this means for him. can they start working again after dialasis? can he die from this if they dont? possible surgery? even after his kemo treatments or is he too weak? do they do kidney replacements? can you live off of one kidney if they can get one to work?? please help me understand this more, i have so many questions. my family is keeping alot from me since i am 3 months pregnant and dont want me to worry but someone accidentally told me about this and im freaking out cuz i dont know anything about this. he is one of the most important people in my life and i need some answers PLEASE. i know you cant tell me exactly everything but anything or an answer to any or my questions would be great. thanks so much in advance....

• ANSWER:
  I hope your grandfather's kidney shutdown is temporary. If he has cancer, it could be a sign that he is not going to survive the cancer, but there is a chance that his kidneys will start to work at some point later on. Good luck.

QUESTION:
How did bin laden get dialysis treatment for his kidney problem for 6 years without anyone spotting him?

• ANSWER:
  got a link or source for that old (and horse-sh*t) "dialysis" claim ???

  ya know the "dialysis" story was debunked a long time ago

QUESTION:
Can u help money 4 my dyeing friend suffering from Sepsis&Kidney problem,admitted inCMRI,Kolkata,? Pl help.?
My best friend ,Subrata Banerjee,aged 43 is admitted in Calcutta Medical Research Institute,Kolkata,India at High Dependency Unit, Bed No-11. suffering from Sepsis & acute Kidney problem.Treatment is about to stop for financial crisis. He has his wife and a 5yr daughter and widow mother. We all tried and helped him financially but 8 to 10 lakhs more is needed for his treatment. Begged to all known to us but still inadequate. Situation is going to stop his treatment and make him die for want of money. Can we not save the life of a young who is dyeing for want of money? Imagine the face of his 5yr old daughter. Praying all to help directly or arranging otherwise. Begging to all the NGOs also. Please, please & please.

• ANSWER:
  sure.. how much

QUESTION:
Is tetracycline the best antibiotic for treatment of mrsa?
I have had an open wound on both feet for years now. I also have a saint judes valve in my heart live rand kidney problems.
I have also been diagnosed with acidoses and admetted to the hospital with 5 times in the last few years. What do I need to do to stop this?

• ANSWER:
  Yes that would be given for that infection,when you are allergic to penicillin.Vancomycin is used in both MRSA and VRE infections. To help yourself,you need to practice some more effective infection control methods at home,along with any family members.Hand washing is the most important,using antibacterial soaps,and washing frequently and effectively,and using hand sanitizing gels in between. You must keep the open wounds covered completely,and sealed with tape,change dressings everyday and dispose of soiled dressings in a small plastic bag.,tied and put in the garbage If your wounds have allot of drainage,use under pad like those used in the hospital, on your bed linen or wherever you sit.You can easily spread these germs,especially to the elderly,and those who have open sores or cuts. Never share personal items,keep your bedlinen and towels washed in hot water and drying in a hot dryer.Change the bed and towels at least 3 times a week etc.Remember to keep hard surfaces around the house wiped down with a antibacterial cleaning agents like "Clorox clean-up" spray.Pay close attention to food prep areas the handset to the phone,and computer keyboard,and bathrooms.I hope you get better soon,remember washing your hands frequently ,is the key for you and the family.Use no other medications or ointments on the open sores except what your MD recommends Take care. SW RNP

QUESTION:
Is tetracycline the best antibiotic for treatment of MRSA?
I have had an open wound on both feet for years now. I also have a saint judes valve in my heart liver and kidney problems.
I have also been diagnosed with acidoses and admitted to the hospital with it 5 times in the last 3 years.
What do I need to do to stop thisfrom happening?

• ANSWER:
  MRSA has different sensitivities in different area. What works for community-acquired MRSA in my community doesn't in a city an hour away, and vice versa. For hospital-acquired MRSA, the primary drug as of now is still generally considered to be vancomycin, especially with your artificial valve, but additional antibiotics may also be needed, and vancomycin is a really unpleasant drug that must be given intravenously. Your question left out what the "this" is that keeps happening, but if your valve has been infected, then it's possible you may have to have a prolonged course of antibiotics with a valve replacement and more antibiotics in hopes the infection is beaten back enough for the new valve not to be infected. Unfortunately, it's very difficult and sometimes impossible to clear infections when a foreign body is involved, and your valve is foreign material that you can hardly do without.

QUESTION:
I need help editing my research paper. I'm really bad at papers.....please help!?
Well, its on lupus. I have the intro and two body paragraphs, and I still need to do the conclusion. So, I was wondering what I should change on my paper, and what I need to add..? I also have to do a powerpoint based on the paper, that should last a minimum of 5 minutes up to 15.

The reason why I chose this topic was because my dad has lupus, and I wanted to know more about the topic. He was diagnosed with lupus when he was about fourteen years old. He still receives treatment for it by going in for blood tests and taking medication He has the most common form of lupus, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), in which causes the antibodies to react against his own normal tissue. He has arthritis and joint problems, but nothings wrong with his internal organs. To support my dad and other lupus survivors, my family and I all go to the lupus walk in honor of remembering the people who had lupus that died. The things the audience can expect to read in this paper are the different types of lupus, the symptoms, the treatment and cures.
Lupus is the result of an unbalanced immune system that can be destructive to any organ in the body. It can be categorized into three groups: discoid lupus Erythematosus, systemic lupus Erythematosus, and drug-induced systemic lupus Erythematosus. DLE is always limited to the skin and is identified by a rash that may appear on the face, neck, and scalp. It can evolve into the systemic form, which can affect any organ or system of the body. Systemic lupus Erythematosus is more severe than discoid lupus and can affect almost any organ or organ system of the body. No two people with SLE will have identical symptoms. Drug-induced systemic Lupus Erythematosus occurs after the use of certain prescribed drugs. It is more common in men, because the drugs are given to them more often.
Lupus is hard to diagnose because it has a wide range of symptoms involving various parts of the body; and symptoms differ from each person. Most people develop painful joints and a rash, but lupus may also cause fatigue, depressions, and kidney problems. The treatment of lupus varies from person to person because each person has different symptoms. Most people with SLE require a regular blood test to check for lupus flares. Medication is the primary medical treatment for lupus. Presently, there are no other methods available to treat lupus because there is nothing else that can have the necessary impact on the immune system. Currently, there is no cure for lupus, but with early diagnosis and proper medical treatment it can significantly help control the disease.

thanks. it would be much appreciated!!!!

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
has anyone heard of NHV Tripsy for cats with kidney disease?
i have a 15 year old cat in the early stages of kidney disease. i like my vet, but he doesn't know about any holistic treatments. i see this stuff on the web NHV Tripsy, and their product reviews are great, but i don't know anything about it. if you have 1st hand experience with this or other holistric treatments for cats with kidney problems, please let me know. thanks.

• ANSWER:
  I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about.

QUESTION:
90 yr old aunt refuses medical treatments so what happens with kidney problems and return of breast cancer.?
I have a 90 yr old aunt under our care in assisted living. She is doing well, but doctors tell her that she will eventually have an option to go on dialysis if needed as her kidney function is failing. Breast cancer of 10 yrs ago returned, and she took 3 hormone shots that are once a month. All of a sudden, she just wants to be on meds that she has been on for the last 15 years meaning the blood pressure med and diabetes meds. The new doctors are changing things and she claims she does not feel well and she knows her body. Her body is telling her to stop these new treatments. What will happen if she keeps refusing the new meds and how long does kidney failure take. She is on Phosbo to rid the kidneys of phospherous and is no longer taking the b p med and lasix. She only takes the phosbo and I believe the medication for blood sugar, which is a pill. She is not on insulin. She also does not put in the drops for glaucoma. She self medicates.What is her prognosis and time?

• ANSWER:
  My mom was in her 70's when she had kidney failure. She did dialysis for like 3 days. She decided she didn't want to live like that and refused treatment. She was gone with in 3 days.
  My mom had been a fighter for many years, she was a lupus patient and slowly but surely it infected all her organs. She had heart problems had a 5 bi-pass surgery then 15 years later a stroke. Problems with her liver but the kidney failure is the actual cause of death.
  I am not a doctor and dint know your aunt but I do know once they call in Hospice you don't have much longer. My sister had breast cancer and lived 1 year after Hospice was called. My mom 2 weeks after Hospice was called. and My dad just 3 days once they called in Hospice.
  Stand by your aunts bedside. Feed her ice chips when needed. Help flip her over when she wants to turn and give her permission to die. Tell her you will be ok. I will miss you but we will be ok.

QUESTION:
remaining stone in kidneys making problems! help please!?
i had a stone in my kidney 9 months ago and i get laser treatment 7 months ago..laser burst the stone and then after more than a month i feel pain in my testicle,back on the kidney side and on the side of the thigh.doctors kept stud for a month inside my body.and it works only for one and a half month.after that i get pain again...i consult doctor and he found crystals and acid in my pee..i get medicine from my doctor and whenever i used medicine i feel better and i completed my dose and i get pain again,.the medicine i used was nouric,and even now i feel pain in testicle,kidney back and side thigh.please help me and advice me sum cure for this problem!

• ANSWER:
  i have had about 30 of them and i can say go get the herb gravel root and take it ,it helps to relax the muscles and it will come on out

QUESTION:
PLEASE answer soon - Relapse several days into kidney infection treatment?
I am currently house sitting for my mom. Her cat Happy is at least 15 years old that I know of (got her as a stray). She has been Indoors ever since and has dealt with kidney problems several times. Last week she woke up and saw little spots of urine with blood in it and knew her problem was back so she took her to the vet. He gave her albon suspension to give 2 cc once daily and also crush up some vitamin C in her food. She's taken the medicine and eaten her food every day since...but this morning I awoke to the tiny puddles of urine with blood in it again. I gave her the albon and some food but she hasn't touched it and has barely drank any water today. A few hours ago she went up to my mom's closest where it's cool and she goes a lot and has been laying in there. I brought water up to her and keep checking on her but don't know if she's drank any. She's alert in the face/head just not really moving her body much and purrs when I'm in there.

I'm afraid something bad is going to happen. My mom is out of town for business so I can't get a hold of her right now...and I know that if I did she would just sit and worry until she comes home tomorrow. Happy is all she's had since I moved out. Do you have any advice at all for me? Are there ever relapses within a treatment for kidney infections? I know people will say take her to the vet but I'm not even sure what he could do for her right now. I've been researching all morning on the internet and thought I'd try asking this community before I do anything.

Thanks
The vet is my plan if she doesn't get noticeably better in a couple hours. I just thought I'd try on here first. And she is on antibiotics.

• ANSWER:
  Yeah, boy - I wouldn't wait any longer - your mom's cat definitely needs to see the Vet. If there are kidney problems I'm wondering if your mom's cat is receiving subcutaneous fluids?

  I would actually take her to the vet right now, honestly. Blood in the urine is serious and I'm guessing she is in desperate need of fluids to get some of that toxicity out from the kidney disease. I woudn't wait any longer.

  JUST IF the vet recommends putting her down (and I'm sure you'll agree), DON'T do it until your mom gets back. She needs to be with her beloved cat if it happens to be that time (not saying that it is, but if it is . . .)

  Blessings to your mother's cat and to you for caring so much to come on here to look for suggestions. My personal recommendation is the vet - now - get that cat back to being comfortable again.

QUESTION:
will she survive with this kidney and cell problem?
My boyfriends mother has a kidney problem and she's been on treatment for a while. I'm not sure what problem it is. But now its been discovered that she has a white cell problem.
Is there any treatment for this?

• ANSWER:
  Kidneys are an organ that when theres problems your blood will get messed up because they clean your blood. my grandfather had kidney cancer twice and with any reneal (kidney) disease its often white count may be screwy.

  Ask you BF if his mother has ever considered dialysis for time being her kidneys can recover and regain proper function.

  i obtained this knowledge from going to dialysis with my grandpa numerous times as well as the DR.

  good luckk<3

QUESTION:
Can you consume alcohol after you've had treatment for Nephrotic Syndrome?
My girlfriend discovered she had this kidney problem during the summer and she was on pills of several months. shes off of them now and wants to drink alcohol. is this okay?

• ANSWER:
  Alcohol is detoxified in the body via the liver. Once its broken down the waste products are cleared through the lungs (that's why you have alcohol breath tests). So, yes, you gf may drink booze, but in moderation.

QUESTION:
kidney problems?
I have Medullary Sponge Kidneys which I have had since birth, I do suffer with these with stones and infections. My daughter was suffering with the same sort of symptoms, however she has just had a scan and she was told that she has one kidney bigger than the other and she thinks they called it duplicate kidneys?? Does anyone know what this is?

She does suffer with infection like symptoms and pains in her kidneys?

what would the treatment be for this??

x
Sorry I meant to mention that I have made an appoint ment to talk about this with the DR but we have to wait till after christmas... x

• ANSWER:
  the doctors never discussed treatment options with you? Call your doc back and perhaps get a second opinion. Its the worst thing in the world to watch your children in pain, I wish I knew something to help your situation but all I can suggest is to see another doctor

QUESTION:
Problems with my kidneys, can anyone help?
I had a 5mm kidney stone back in May, I had alot of problems with it, I live in Spain but the treatment was terrible so I went back to uk for a holiday and was treated there when I was taken ill, the stone went but I had a infection were the stone had been inside me for so long. I was put on different antibiotics I was home for about a month, I was told to rotate the antibiotics cause I was having problems shifting the infection. I am since back in Spain and still having pain in the kidney area, I am still taking the antibiotics, they seem to work for a few days but by the time I have finished them, I am in pain again. I have been to see a doctor here and he said it can take a while to completely get rid of a kidney infection. Is he right is this normal, I also find white particles in my urine, they are very fine little specks I have been having these since may when i was first diagonosed with the stone, I have been told these are normal. Does anyone have any answers for me, thanks.

• ANSWER:
  In ASIA kidney & Gall stones are easily flushed out using simple ancestorial grandma remedies.

  I believe the size u said may be easily flushed out with excessive drinking of clean water frequently for weeks.
  If you have already removed it then still try antibiotics seriously under medical care you need to stop infection.

  Option
  You may explore the websites below and order for Ayurvedic herbal formulations and get it flushed for now or in near future too.

  1 ayurved
  http://www.cochinayurvedic.com/medicines/destone.htm
  2 unani
  http://www.unanidoctors.com/onlinetreatment.htm
  3 ayurved
  http://www.fairpharma.com/feedback.htm
  4 ayurved
  http://www.gpinstitute.com/fullchronic.htm
  5 Herbs
  http://www.divine-herbs.com/id32.html

  The important facts of PREVENTING and TREATING Kidney & Gall stones using FRUITS & VEGETABLES is recommended for your practice in daily life.

  Avoid Intake of excess of Spinach, Tomatoes etc during the problem of Kidneys stones.
  Avoid a combination of SPINACH & TOMATO.

  USE
  There are many options in home remedies for Kidney stones and Gall stones using kitchen ... but how ?

  Removal of Kidney Stones

  A study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed and Ammi majus fruit on experimentally-induced kidney stones. Oxalate urolithiasis in male rats was produced by the addition of 3% glycolic acid to their diet. After 4 weeks, highly significant deposition in the kidneys was noticed and changes in water intake and body weight recorded. Daily oral treatment with T. foenum-graecum significantly decreased the quantity of calcium oxalate deposited in the kidneys thus supporting its use in Saudi folk medicine. The effects obtained by A. majus were, however, not significant.
  SOURCE:
  http://www.divine-herbs.com/id23.html

  Whats the importance of ALTERNATE MEDICINES ? read more ...
  http://www.unani.com/comparison.htm

  Disclaimer:
  Do not try online suggestions without prior consultation of your doctor.
  (It is wise to go for second opinions always)

QUESTION:
weight loss question?
when I was told that I have IBS 2 years ago I was a XXL but since I was taken off my meds I've noticed that I've gone from that to a M. Is it normal to lose weight this fast? Why would my weight of dropped after being taken off the meds?

Other Info:

I was taken off my meds (due to problems relating to the side effects) about 8 months ago.

Before my doc figured out I have IBS I was given treatment for a kidney problem that I was later told I didn't have.

• ANSWER:
  All drugs have side effects and the effects can vary widely between people. If only 2% of the test group have severe side effects, it may be noted, but it will not be taken off the market. All drugs are toxic.

  If a healthy diet and moderate exercise could be packaged and sold as a drug, it would be the most effective and profitable drug on market. I've lost 80+ pounds quickly and easily by simply switching to a low-fat planned pure vegetarian diet. It consists of raw and steamed leafy green vegetables, colorful vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits. It's supplemented with flax seed (ground), B12, and D3.

  The reason I stay on a who plant based diet is that I feel many times better when I avoid processed foods. Sadly, most physicians will pull out the prescription pad rather than look at what might be the real cause of a health issue. Drugs don't cure disease, they merely treat symptoms.

  Diet and lifestyle choices are what will make a difference.

QUESTION:
high potassium liver with excessive enzymes and shrinked, hardened kidneys?
what is the indication if the diagnosis is high potassium liver with excessive enzymes and shrinked, hardened kidneys? what is the necessary diet and treatment for such problem? thanks! God bless

• ANSWER:
  There is no such condition such as High potassium liver. Excessive potassium may be found in blood. The body cells release potassium when there is burning.and trauma to the tissues.

QUESTION:
I HAVE A DAUGHTER IN ILLINOIS WHO SUFFERS FROM BATTERED CHILD SYNDROME?
I AM A FATHER OF A NOW 18 YEAR DAUGHTER WHO WAS WRONGFULLY REMOVED FROM MY CARE WITHOUT DUE PROCESS 16 YEARS AGO BY DCFS AND SHE WAS MISDIAGNOISED AS AN ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILD WITHOUT MEDICAL PROFF OR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. NOW THAT SHE IS BACK IN MY CUSTODY I HAVE DISCOVERED THE REAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT MY DAUGHTER HAS ENDURED WHILE SHE WAS IN FOSTER CARE. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DIAGNOISED WITH [POSTTRAUMATICSTRESSDISODER] SHE HAS ASTHMA, SHE HAS KIDNEY PROBLEMS AFTER BEING RAPED BY MEN OVER 700 HUNDERED TIMES, SHE HAS RESPIRARITORY PROBLEMS. BACK PROBLEMS FROM PHYSICAL BEATINGS BY FOSTER FAMILY MEMBERS. SHE HAS NO EDUCATIONAL SKILLS DUE TO NEVER FINISHING 9TH GRADE , SHE HAS BEEN WRITTEN OFF DCFS. SHE HAS SUFFERED EMOTIONAL TORTURE ANIEXITEY DEPRESSION FROM LONG TERM SEPARATION FROM HER PARENTS AND HER THREE BROTHERS AND TWO SISTERS. WHAT IS MY DAUGHTERS RIGHTS IS THERE A LAWYER IN CHICAGO ILLINOIS THAT CAN HELP MY DAUGHTER TO GET JUSTICE IN ORDER FOR HER TO SURVIVE AND GET TREATMENT FOR HER PROBLEMS BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT HAVE A MEDICAL CARD. I REALLY FEEL SHE QUALIFIES FOR SSI BUT SHE IS BEING DENIED HER MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RECORDS BY DCFS AS WELL AS HER EDUCATIONAL RECORDS IN WHICH SHE HAS A NOTORIZED LETTER REQUESTING EVERYTHING ABOVE .THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP THAT CAN BE OFFERED AND A PLEA FOR A LAWYER TO TAKE HER CASE ON A CONTINGENCE FEE BASIS FOR PERSONAL INJURIES SHE HAS ENDURED.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
What are the symptoms of Kidney damage in a puppy?
My two puppies have been on the recalled food (canned Nutro Natural Choice chicken, rice, and oatmeal puppy food) and have been very sick with vomiting and bloody watery stools. They have gotten better with veterinary treatment and since they are not on the food, but now one of them is drinking a lot and her urine is clear. Does it mean that she is having problems with her kidney's? What are the symptoms of kidney problems?

I have already called the vet, but since it is after hours I am waiting for them to call me back. So please no "go to the vet" replies. There is not a 24 hour clinic in my area, so I have to wait for my vet. I will take her as soon as the vet calls, I am just worried now.
Also, they have had all of their shots and tested negative for both parvo and intestinal parasites.

• ANSWER:
  Even if your pups are not ill, wait till monday have the vet do do blood test from that they can check if values relating to kidneys or liver are abnormal, if so they can do further diagnostics, also lodge and complaint, their may very well be compensation for those dogs affected.

  I hoped your dogs are okay

QUESTION:
I have diabetis, kidney problems, high blood pressure, vision problems any suggestions to eliminate amonia?
I am scheduled to start taking a kidney transplant class, and then take dialisis. I have read many articles about dialisis and I really don't want to go through this procedure. I would like to take herbal supplements and/or foods that will flush the kidneys. My amonia levels are high. I am thinking on detox my body for this purpose. Any ideas? I am taking prescription medications for all these conditions. I strongly believe in stem cell treatment, and for this reason I am taking Stem Cell Plex which is a capsule type of supplement to induce my own stem cell growth.

• ANSWER:
  Herbal supplements are not a substitute for dialysis. Many herbs are metabolised in the kidney and if your kidneys are not working then you could suffer an overdose or other ill effects from supplements.

  Do not take any supplements includign the Stem Cell Plex without first showing them to your doctor.

  BTW, stem cell therapy involves injecting stem cells from fetuses into you, you cannot stimulate your own stem cells as adults do not have stem cells.

QUESTION:
anyone have experience with kidney problems in cats? i have a 5 yr old inside only male cat...?
I took him to the vet today because i noticed he looked a little thin, but was still acting normal and didnt appear sick. the vet said he was dehydrated and gave him fluids. he felt his organs and said they were all good, but his kidneys felt small. he also took blood and urine. he said the urine was clear, which it shouldnt be. Im a wreck...did this happen to anyone else? what did you do for treatment? I am so anxious to get the blood results tomorrow to see exactly whats going on
I feed him fancy feast. Him and his brother share a can in the morning and eat dry fancy feast during the day. He is drinking his water.

• ANSWER:
  Is this cat a Persian? Persians, Exotics and Himmies can all have PKD - Polycystic Kidney Disease - an early onset form of renal failure and a PKD+ cat can die as early as four years old.

  Some of the tainted food that was on the market also put cats into Renal Failure. What do you feed him?

QUESTION:
Kidney problems after metronidazole and tetracycline combination?
I took metronidazole and tetracycline for suspected stomach parasite of no known origin. I took it for 10 days, at a dosage of 1500mg a day of each. Of course the dosage was spread evenly throughout the day 4 times daily. Anyways my stomach problems seem to be gone, but a week after stopping treatment, I noticed I been having more foamy urine than usual, and I have a white coating on my tounge that doesn't go away no matter how much I clean. I read this could be a side effect of the meds, has anyone experienced anything similar. How long did it take to dissipate. I am concerned that the meds gave me kidney damage.

• ANSWER:
  i would suggest going to your family doc. the coating on your tongue is probably thrush and they can give you a prescription for a mouthwash for that ...good luck and hope i helped.

QUESTION:
alernative treatment instead of partial prostate gland removal for bladder not emptying properly please?
husband was told yesterday that his bladder isnt emptying properly so has been told he needs a partial prostate gland removal.yet his gland isnt that enlarged.he was also told he has back pressure on his kidneys.he doesnt want to have the op so has anyone been in this situation and found alternative treatment for this problem? any advice appreciated. one worried husband.....sue

• ANSWER:
  Go see another urologist! I had the same problem and just take a daily pill which works wonders. I would not even tell the new urologist he has seen anyone else, just so he has a completely impartial opinion. Partial prostate removal is usually one of the last and most drastic measures.

QUESTION:
Canine Medical Experts: Do you agree with my vet's course of treatment?
My 5 year old rescued male shih tzu has been miserable for about 2 months now with worsening symptoms. He's got allergies and has been generally uncomfortable. He has very poor conformation up front (legs as crooked as my vet's ever seen) and his back is way long (like a dachsund) so he is just setup perfectly for pain!

Let me preface the treatment plan by saying, I started the meds yesterday and I'm not kidding... he made it on his walk this morning for the first time in a month. Recently he would lay down after only 1/4 mile and I'd have to carry him home.

DRUGS:
Zyrtec 5 mg twice a day
Rimadyl 25 mg twice a day
Cosequin DS 1 capsule per day

He feels that the zyrtec is very, very safe and effective for treating allergies without drowsiness. As for the Rimadyl, I'm a bit more concerned about this drug given its assoc w/ kidney problems. He said we won't use it long term but just for now to calm things down.

Opinions?
What should I watch for as reaction to Rimadyl?
Wow, such great answers already! Just as a side note. I also switched my baby to Canidae lamb & rice formula dry food just a few days ago. I am told this is a better food, so hopefully will help him. He is my angel!

• ANSWER:
  I'm sure the Rimadyl will be fine. Especially if your not going to be using it long term. For right now it's just helping with the pain. I've seen dogs on Rimadyl for years without any problems. If you are really concerned there is a newer drug out there that doesn't have the sideeffects of Rimadyl. I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. If you ask your vet I'm sure he'll be able to tell you. It's on the newer side so it's probably more expensive.

  I'm sure that your dog will be fine. Keep in contact with your vet and let him know whether he has any change in his daily behaviour like drinking alot, urinating alot or if he seems like he is in any pain. Give him lots of hugs and kisses and relax. Enjoy having a dog that is in less pain and is able to do the things that he should be able to do. Good luck

QUESTION:
my cat has kidney problems (...sobbing)?
I am the one who posted about my skinny cat yesterday.
the vet called me today to tell me that she probably has kidney problems as indicated by a blood test. I have to take her to the vet again tomorrow for urinalaysis....

I found myself sobbing uncontrollaly when I heard this.... I am worried about the future cost (I am still OK with teh one-time urinanalysis and stuff) and the suffering that she has to go through.

I have not noticed her drinking plenty of water and urinating a lot, though. She acts normal and plays fetch with me all time. and she is never very active to begin with.

Is treatment (e.g. diet) for such kind of disease expensive?

I am still a poor student on a rather tight budget. maybe I made a wrong decision to have a cat to begin with. I love her so much.... this is very sad.
thanks everyone.
I still find it hard to believe it, to be honest.

she still does not drink or poo excessively. whenever she drinks she does so in small sips. and she eats in small portions - very 'lady-like'
i heard that crf causes cats to drink a lot of water - but then, of course, maybe it's my cat's unwillingness to drink water that caused the problem....

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
how i get treatment for kidney blockage?
i have a problem ,my kidney are pain prevailing to my organs leading to weakness in bed

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
hy sir,my brother is cure for kidney problem and he is mentally challenged kid his age is 29+. plz help me out?
do u have good treatment 4 kidney or not?

• ANSWER:
  Other then dialysis I don't know of any kidney treatments.

QUESTION:
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder...?
Hey everyone, I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder about 3 months ago and placed on 300 mg of lithium and 25 mg of serequoel. I was wondering if taking lithium can lead to severe kidney problems, and what can be done to prevent it, if anything. Thanks!!!!

• ANSWER:
  If it doesn't happen in the first month it is not likely to happen.... They should be doing regular blood tests to make sure everything is fine as it is more likely to cause liver issues btu that is usually over the long term. You are on VERY low doses of both of those medications. A typical dose of lithium is between 900 and 1200 mg and the Seroquel is usually prescribed at 200 to 400 mg.....

QUESTION:
Will pregnancy affect my health when i have a kidney problem?
Will pregnancy affect my health when i have a kidney problem?
am 20 and single but was just wondering if anyone knows if pregnancy will affect me as i have blood and protein in urine for the past 13 years. for treatment i take enalapril

• ANSWER:
  Your kidneys will have to work harder because they will also have to clear out the baby's waste as well as yours. Check with both your doctor before you become pregnant, because some drugs are dangerous for the baby. Check with your ob/gyn so he/she knows to watch for kidney problems during the pregnancy. No-one can tell you precisely what the effects will be, but with proper care you shouldn't have much trouble.

QUESTION:
Would Banfield Vets lie about a fatal diagnosis just to get more money?
Took my cat to Banfield yesterday to get a dental cleaning & the dr. called to say that they couldn't do it because his bloodwork indicated he had kidney problems, then after a urineanalysis he said it was kidney failure, a genetic condition. This appt. cost more than the dental itself; the office visit, bloodwork & urinalysis - 0. Then he said I need to take my cat in for another blood test, a sonogram and a possible biopsy. The whole thing will cost over 0. What bothered me was he was unsympathetic & also looked like he was getting away with something. I researched Banfield and came up with all these horror stories on bad treatment, overcharging, fraudulent "wellness plans", unexplained deaths and misdiagnosis. I will take my cat to another vet but right now he's too traumatized and tired (I also heard they can be rough & abusive). Has anyone had similar experiences w/Banfield & would a vet actually tell you your pet has a terminal illness just to get more tests/money??

• ANSWER:
  Banfield has a bad reputation and deserves it. There isn't much I would put past them.

  Do take your cat to another vet and have them obtain its records and lab results from Banfield. Then you will have a better idea of what your cat's situation is and what if anything needs to be done.

QUESTION:
Whera can I find the best, reliable and guaranteed NATURAL treatment for kidney stones?
Please only serious answers, I want people who has experienced my problem and understand what I have gone through.

• ANSWER:
  I've also have good experience with the kidney stone guide. After having a lot of pain in my stomach I found out that it were kidney stones. I did some research on the internet and found http://www.kidneystoneguide.org/. Especially the audio book was perfect. I had dissolved my kidney stones in around six weeks and i'm aware of tactics to prevent kidney stones.

QUESTION:
FEC-T Chemo and Milk Thistle? (doctor's advice please - very urgent)?
-Breast cancer patient (Stage 2b)
-Patient taking FEC-T Chemo
-Liver enzymes 3 times above normal
-Liver enlarged 2 times
-Chemo delayed 2 weeks
-Kidney problems
-Hepatitis A positive

Next chemo treatment currently set for July 8th. July 7th is a blood test to determine if it is safe to proceed with this treatment.

I read that milk thistle (a powerful anti-oxidant while chemo is oxidant) is good for the liver... could it be safely used with FEC-T chemo without lowering its effectiveness?
If it isn't safe, how long does milk thistle stay in the body?
Also, are there any other substances that are potent for helping the liver and kidneys recover (this is very dangerous and the patient is worried that it will delay her chemo treatment further)!!!

• ANSWER:
  You should not administer any type supplement or herbal without asking the patients doctor first . . the doctor is the best person to advise you whether it is safe to take anything with this type of chemo.

  Patients undergoing cancer treatments should never take anything unless they are 100 percent sure it will not interfere . . there are some supplements and herbals that can actually help the cancer grow.

QUESTION:
Need some help!!Urgent(Treatment for anemia+diabetes) patient...?
My grandma has diabetes about 20years something, so she need to take a lot of medicine to control the disease. Last month, she went to see the doctor, then the doctor told her, because she took a lot of medicine for a long period, so she got kidney problem...
But today, the doctor told my grandma, she got anemia...But my grandma cannot take a lot of medicine anymore, so suggest me few "natural" treatments that can increase her red blood cell???

I need suitable foods or drinks with no sugar (Just like i said, my grandma has diabetes)& NO medicine..
Thanks...
Maybe she can has some pill that gain more red blood as long as it does not hurt her kidney...

• ANSWER:
  She can eat green leafy veggies, berries, chicken, things like that.

  Without knowing the kidney problem, it's hard to suggest much.

  Spinach has a lot of iron in it.

  She can drink English Breakfast Tea (has no caffeine in it), crystal light, caffeine free diet soft drinks, milk.

  Liver has a lot of iron in it, but may exacerbate kidney problems due to the protein.

  I have diabetes and no meds either. I just carefully watch what I eat, and when I eat bad things, it's in small controlled portions so I don't spike too much.

  She can even eat a little sugar free chocolate in moderation.

  Can she take iron pills?

  5 ounces of dry red wine can help a lot too!

QUESTION:
chronic kidney stone problems?
for the past year ive had a few small kidney stones made up of uric acid in my kidneys and they cause pain quite frequently and there is always microscopic blood in my urine. like i think there is a stone permanently stuck in one of those tubes (whatever they are called) or in a bad place in a kidney. im really worried this will cause cancer eventually or something. ive had so many tests but tests and treatments arent good for uric acid stones. any advice please? will this cause cancer? thanks

• ANSWER:
  I hope that you are seeing a urologist! If you have a painful stone stuck your doc might try an ultra sound method to break down the stone.

  Those kidney stones are one of the most painful things on the plante to experience. Both myself and my boys have had them. One thing we have in common is not drinking water or enough water. My oldest son has water with him all of the time he never wants another kidney stone in his life.

  Try drinking purified water. Purified is important. You might have well water where you live that contributes to your stones.
  Don't just buy any bottle water. Some are straight out of a pipe or a tap somewhere not so desirable. Make sure it is purified.

  I have never heard of stones causing cancer. Too many stones can really compermise the health and effectivness of your urinary system.

  http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/kidneystones/KS_prevention.html check out this site. It will give you information. Important to learn how to eat to prevent the buildup of the stones. And bottom line.........water water water water.

QUESTION:
advice may have kidney problem may not anyone suffering a uti n kidney infection that wont go?
after 6 weeks of treatment for uti and kidney infection its not gone in fact id say its got worse been suffering kidney pain for bot 1 year but never had uti till now 25 n female had xray but no stones,had 4 diff antibiotics so now theyve sent urine to lab which is back but doc hasnt viewed it yet great?
also waiting on scan of kidneys to check there ok etc.
but i keep getting so much pain,almost tired all time even sat here,cold,leg/arm pain,very bad headaches.
now for past few weeks i keep vomiting esp after taking painkillers that had no probs with b4 in past.its clear liquid but i take tablets then 2-3 hrs later i get bad pains near/over kidney then puke up .
any ideas or any one suffering the same

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Anybody else having problems with the VA medical care in Ohio??
I had an emergency and the VA expects me to travel 1 1/2 hrs to the VA ER. And that any reasonable person would not go to the ER for treatment of kidney stones anyway. I have a letter from my specialist who states that a lot of people go to the ER for this and that traveling 1 1/2 hrs away is unreasonable for someone to travel, especially when there is an ER 10 minutes away. If I would have blockage, then it could do damage to my kidney, or maybe even life threatening. I tried to get in the local VA clinic a few days before the ER because I suspected something was wrong, but the stupid people canceled my appt. because they didnt have any paperwork filled out by me for that year. Gee I wonder what happened to the paperwork I received in the mail and filled out back in February of this year. Did the lose it? I went to the VA clinic & filled out the same paperwork in person that I had already mailed in b4 this happened. MOST people who work in the VA dont know what they are doing.

• ANSWER:
  My husband was seeing a VA doctor in Ohio till he also filled some paperwork out and then they decided to ask him to refund some money !! I have no idea why plus he lost all VA benefits. Good luck to you

QUESTION:
Why does my Dog smell of ammonia (her EYES & FAECES)?
My dog, Sami is a female 2.5 yrs old, and hasnt been de-sexed yet. Her father is a Rhodesian Ridgy x Bull Arab and her mother is a Kelpie x BoarderCollie. She is full of life and has an abundance of energy all the time. Her appetite is normal.
I had a dog Jesse who unfortunately died a fews years from kidney failure, kidney dialysis treatment didnt work. I noticed Jesse always had an ammonia smell but didnt think anything of it back then, and now I am wondering if there is a link here. Could a dog from an early age who is healthy be susceptible to kidney problems in the future?? if so, then there's a good chance it can be prevented through diet and/or medication.
My dog is due for a vet check up soon so I will mention this to the vet but in the meantime Id love some input please.

• ANSWER:
  I've never had dogs, only cats, so whether or not this counts for dogs I'm not sure...but unneutered cats "spray" their territory with a liquid that has a very strong ammonia odor. Was Jesse a male? I don't think females do it...but that may be what you smelt

QUESTION:
What is wrong with my kidneys? Kidney Disease?
Hello,
for some time now I have been exeperiencing alot of problems with my kidneys (currently getting investigated). They feel like they are inflamed quite often and I feel so exhausted. Sometime when I move in a certain direction a feel them twitch. I think I may have kidney disease? Does anyone have it? If so what are your symptoms and treatments etc? Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Darren L, The first thing that doctors go is for kidney Stones the can get pretty big and somes times inpossible to pass, there will be test to determine how to take care of the problem. You will need a urologist but your insurancce may require a referral by your primary doctor. If you go to web md maybe your symptoms will lead you to the problem, either way you are gonna have to go for a check up for this the doctor can tell by a couple of things in your blood test results. Do not delay a doctor's visit. Feel Better Darren

QUESTION:
When I see my doctor for two issues at once, and one is not covered by insurance, I get billed for both...?
I originally went to a urologist for male infertility. My insurance does not cover fertility treatment, so I understand why I was billed. I went back to him 2 months later for a kidney problem, and he "killed two birds with one stone" by also continuing my infertility treatments during these same appointments. However, my insurance is rejecting the entire bill because the infertility code shows up among the other covered billing codes. In one instance, my insurance covered one of my fertility treatments because they picked up the kidney treatment code first - so I got a freebie there.

Can I (should I) contest the other charges? Is this a doctor issue or an insurance issue? I run the risk of them going back and realizing they may have covered some treatments that they should not have, but I will continue to keep getting rejected bills for the things they should cover. Thanks for your help.

• ANSWER:
  i would say your running a good chance of ALL the visits being rejected if you contest... it's on record that you were originally seeing the doctor for the infertility, you have not done an insurance scam thus far... i wouldn't push your luck, and accept that you got some treatments covered... if you want you might mention to the doctor to be sure to submit his invoice the way it was submitted when your receiving the kidney treatment and fertility combined...

  edit:
  this is a moral issue, not an insurance/doctor issue, some peoples morals are a little looser than others... you get in life what you deserve,,, sooner or later...

QUESTION:
Adequate Dialysis?
First of all i'm 14 years old. I am wondering if i'm getting the right treatment. My problems started 3 years ago when i caught a strep infection which apparently reached my kidneys and cause a small amount of damage. it was supposed to get better and was but next year i was hospitalised for an mysterious stomach ailment. 2 weeks later im in the ICU and soon start dialysis. after i left the ICU 3 months later i started inpatient hemodialysis. I was diagnosed with FSGS, HLH, Wenckebach block, and Abdominal TB. During the hospitalization i was on immunosuppresants, steroids, and chemotherapy. i used to be on dialysis 4hours 3 times a week, but now i'm on 3.5hours 3times a week. My most recent GFR is 17. I'm taking herbs to help and i also take BIRM-www.ecuabirm.com. I have hopes that it's better by now. according to an estimat based on creatinine it's about 23. Just Wondering do I even need dialysis and if so how much as a minimum.
sorry the estimate is 57 ml/min/1.73 m2 according to the Schwartz Formula and 35 ml/min/1.73 m2 according to the Counahan-Barratt formula. Creatinine was 2.01. Cuz I was looking at the wrong sheet

• ANSWER:
  I am sorry to hear you've been through so much at your age! There are lots of other kidney patients and caregivers who can answer your question on the dialysis message forum at www.ihatedialysis.com. I wish you the best of luck.

QUESTION:
Should I sue the gynecologist for my wife?
In 2001 my wife was Pregnant and saw the doctor who realized that the pressure had been raised, and decided to deliver the baby and said it was dangerous to continue increasing the pressure and state of pregnancy, well after the birth My daughter did not make any subsequent examination nor were there any recommendations that we should not have children or if there was any risk if she became pregnant after 4 years and she became pregnant with my second child, but when she saw her gynecologist, he said it was a high risk pregnancy because she had only one kidney and that had already failing, which the wise and when she gave birth to my first daughter, told us that he had only one functioning kidney and the other was the size of a bean.
and when he said it was dangerous for her to continue with the pregnancy he suggested an abortion, he said it was more because conbeniente ran the risk of dying both, of course decided to go ahead with the pregnancy but had to see several specialists who all coincided to ask, was not told the risks of getting pregnant after your first pregnancy? to do so so long, pregnancy achievement, and my son is 6 and is very healthy, but on the other hand, my wife lost operation of the second kidney and was on dialysis for 18 months, after one of his brothers donated a kidney and she is very stable, the problem is that during all these years of treatment and problems because of this disease that I can avoid, my family had many economic and psychological problems because my wife recently went to the hopsital and was diagnosed with diabetes, which is not very favorable for transplantation, but I call it the intention that one of the coordinators after talking history because my wife was in that cituacion told us, is not too late for you to do something, because the gynecologist did a bad practice, and because of that has not lost any lives, but they have been a lot of damage not have prevented the risks.
now what to do, we are in a critical and cituacion not do if sue the doctor or not and do not know if this has any responsibility, and if the economic and psychological damage can be grounds for a lawsuit.

• ANSWER:
  Sounds like whatever happened was years ago, a lot of the time courts will throw out this kind of case simply because it was so long ago. You say you're in a bad situation, are you thinking of suing just for the money? Very very bad idea. Speak to a lawyer, you might be able to get a free consult, but to sue for the money rather than to actually make up for damage caused could land you in trouble, especially as this question could be used as evidence against you should the defenders find it and prove it's you.

QUESTION:
Sub:- Harassment personally & phone calls by bank employees?
To,

Chief Manager/Manager General,
ABN-Amro Bank,
New Delhi.

Sub:- Harassment personally & phone calls by bank employees

Sir/madam,

I took a loan of Rs 2,82,560/- in July 2006 & gave all installments in time i.e 10648/- each month. afterword this loan is top up by bank under loan a/c no.9359705 after top up loan a/c no.9420262 & paid me 90,654/- after deduction about Rs. 14595/- from my loan amount in the shape of misc.charges, intrest, processing charges etc.etc. and then i also paid the refund installment of Rs.10498/- well in time. Due to kidney problem(i.e swelling on whole body) I was admitted to the Hospital and could not pay the instalment, so, they reduced the installment amount to Rs.7547/-. That also I gave them timely. Due to my kidney problem i spent money in medicine/ hospital/ medical tests. I am not in position to pay more in the form of installment. Uptill date i paid over 220000/- in the shape of installment. This time i am in critical position due to cronical disease.I already spent Rs.3,50000/- on my treatment uptill date.
My monthly net salary is only 15000/- pm most part of salary is spend in medicine/medical test and admission of hospital repeated in three to four time in a month for injectioning & other treatment.

The agent of the bank commit the rate of interest i.e 18% reducing balance but bank charged 21% pa. To this effect, i sent email as well as phoned to bank but bank did not responded any time.but I paid bank installments well in time.In regard of interest I request to the bank employees but they had no response to me for this interest.
Apart form the above past history is goes like this - I have been requesting since May'09 ABN Amro Bank collection executive for telling us my loan amount outstanding is around Rs.270000/-.Every time they use to say your loan outstanding is always Rs.270000/- I told to executive to satelle my loan in short payment and one payment on principal outstanding amount . Executive says that your outstanding is Rs.270000 not possible in short payment.
Now they required full amount immediately and threatening me and my family members that we shall catch you & beat you up or get punished by police or in the court of law & they misbehaved with my family members in my house. In this regard i already contacted to customer care on phone but no response. one employee of bank Mr. gaurav from chandigarh office threatened now & then & says that more than 3 lacs still due on your head , we already paid all installments upto April 2009.

I am single hand earning member of my family and undergoing treatment for kidney disease & not able to pay, now i am not in position to pay more. I request you to settlement for min. principal amount. if they (bank people) harrass me or my family members, i have to knock the doors of consumer court. I request to bank kindly see my problem & settled the case in minimum principal amount.

I humbly request you to please kindly setelle my loan.

I says that my condition is not able to give this amount please settled the case on principal amount.

with regards

yours Sincerely

Ramesh Chand

• ANSWER:
  these are actually a Mumbai numbers

  visit http://pankajfox.spaces.live.com/blog select listed by “category” & then select ”knowledge” category

  or

  visit http://pankajfox.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!AB44F1E03019D763!191.entry

  I hope you will get some answer from the bank people only once you call on the given number.
  these people tell you what to do related to your case.

QUESTION:
Spironolactone and facial hair?
I have facial hair, and I've had it for years, since I started puberty. My doctor did a blood test, and my testosterone levels are within a normal range, so they prescribed Spironolactone. I read about it, and it says it is for the treatment of high blood pressure, low potassium, congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and kidney problems, none of which I have. So does anyone know why this is prescribed for facial hair, or has anyone had this prescribed to them for facial hair, and if so, does it actually work and reduce the amount??

• ANSWER:
  Spironolactone has some effects on progesterone and androgen receptors because its chemical structure is steroid-based. It has been evaluated by some small studies for use in women with excessive hair growth (hirsutism) and found to have a significant effect on subjective hair growth. This indication has not been FDA-approved though, which is why you won't find it mentioned in most of the resources available to consumers. Physicians, pharmacists, and other health care providers know how to identify and interpret the studies that have been conducted, and because the medication itself has been FDA approved for other indications (and thus the side effects have been well-characterized), we can use that information to safely apply the medication to situations where it has demonstrated some positive results.

QUESTION:
A lady born on 23/8/1948 suffering from kidney problem.Will she be saved?
A lady born on23/8/1948 at 14-30 hrs(2-30pm) in Tirunelveli,Tamilnadu,India is suffering from Kidney problem for the past years.She has been taking treatment.Will she undergo surgery and kidney transplant or no need for that?Why is the problem astrlogically?What is her longivity. Astrology experts please help.

• ANSWER:
  She is likely to have suffer since year 2004. Year 2010 is going to be harmful to her. She will eventually lose her walking ability(wheel bound) and follow by bedridden and then...

  Astrology reading could tell us what is to come but unable to cure. Chinese fengshui believes it has something to do with her sleeping position and environment.

  Meanwhile, it is better for her to receive necessary treatment/kidney transplant by seeking doctor's advice. Many blessings to her.

QUESTION:
any advanced treatment for retina(eye) problem due to diabetes?
he has lost his both kidneys. any medicines are availabel to get him comfort

• ANSWER:
  Retinal Surgery. They can do laser surgery to try and carterize any ruptures. If that fails further surgey may be necessary. It involves two needles going into the eye and cleaning up the blood that may be blinding the patient and replaces it with air, saline, or oil. If it fails to repair the problem or if the blood pressure continues to cause problems, then that eye is probably a goner. At that point it is best to deaden the nerve to that eye. The pain will be gone but the eye will be dead and need cosmetic replacement. See a specialist. These prceedures have serious side effects. The optic nerve can make you deathly ill, migranes and extreme naussea. The anerage eye doctor can not perform the later procedure. See a retinal specialist.

QUESTION:
What is the law concerning bipolar parents and keeping their children?
I just had my first child 8 days ago. My pregnancy was quite complicated. I had a difficulties with my liver and kidneys. I also had hyper emesis, which lasted the whole nine months instead of just the first three. I also had two UTIs and developed cat scratch fever. My son had to be delivered at 37.1 weeks, after two amnios to check to see if his lungs were mature.
On the day that I was to be induced, I was told that my placenta was extremely low. It was located just above his head. The chances of bleeding were high with a normal delivery, so they recommended a C Section.
The original anesthesiologist who came in my room was very rude. She did not want to listen to me or go over my allergies. I have a crooked back and an epidural is not possible. She wanted to try it anyway. I refused on the grounds that I did not wish to be put through unnecessary pain.
I had also had repeated problems during my pregnancy when I had come into the ER for treatment. They had refused to do any kind of lab work on me and always told me that I was fine. The only reason that I was diagnosed with the liver and kidney problems is because of my GI doctor. He is also the one who found one of the UTIs. The other was found because after being told there was nothing wrong with me, I refused to go home in pain. I walked from the special women's ER over to the main ER where a doctor and nurse were kind enough to talk to me. They forced the women's ER to recheck me and they also discovered I was dehydrated.

Now that I have had my baby, the women's ER has made a report that I am not a fit mother. They have involved the department of children's services. They made reports that I was violent and had anger issues. My friends and church members are baffled by this. My regular doctors who know how much trouble I had at the ER have stated that if I had any anger issues they made me that way.
I know that there is a law that was passed in 1997 that is supposed to keep families together at all costs if there is no neglect or abuse involved. That isn't possible since he was just born.
I don't smoke, don't drink, don't do drugs. I got off all my dangerous meds as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I am back on all my psych meds. My doctors all believe I can handle taking care of the baby.
I know that there has to be some law to protect my rights as a disabled person. Please help.

• ANSWER:
  Let me explain what is happening here:
  You received bad medical attention at the women's ER. Because you went to the regular ER and were seen by professionals who re-directed you to the women's ER, a report about your mishandled medical case was filed at the hospital.
  And so,the people on duty at the Women's ER are in trouble and have to answer for what they did. To retaliate, they made a complaint to child authorities...but here's the deal:
  The law in EVERY state provides that it must be proven that you have been harmful or neglectful to your child BEFORE any charges can be brought against you. By law, you must know these charges, be represented by legal counsel and have a right to defend yourself. A child can only be taken away when and if neglect or abuse is PROVEN in a court of law.
  Many states want to keep families together if at al possible and so they have wonderful programs to teach parenting skills and give families every chance possible.
  So, look. You have this going for you:
  You have probably taken your baby in for all of his check ups and the doctors and nurses have charted that he is being well taken care of.
  You have returned to your doctor and you are compliant with medical treatment for your bipolar disorder and are back again on your regulating medication. Your doctor can certainly attest to this.
  So where is the proof that you are a bad mother? Because you lost your temper with medical professionals who wouldn't listen to you....Honey, get in line with the rest of us! Who hasn't had an experience like yours?
  Relax.
  It's the personnel in the women's ER who are in trouble and not you! Their claim has no basis. Your child's doctor can testify that he is being well taken care of and so can your doctor! They've got nothing, believe me!

QUESTION:
What's your story???
Everyone has a past, whether we like to admit it or not. I'll start by sharing mine. I grew up in a foster home with a wonderful family, their adopted daughter, Natasha is still one of my very good friends. My birth parents had drug problems and anger problems, so they did parenting programs and such and worked VERY hard to get me back and at the age of five, i got taken home with my birth parents. Life was good, and then my sister was born, she was so cute, and of course I was a jealous little brat then as we got older, my dad started taking his anger out on us. not in physical, though he did threaten, but he would call me names (such as "b****" and "idiot" and whatnot,) and would threaten us over the littlest of things. I was scared of him. if the dishes weren't done, BAM, flip out. He was unkind to my mother, and for about three months, they broke up, but inevitably got back together. A few more years passed, and my mom was diagnosed with Leukemia. She had Chemotherapy almost every day, and I became the "runner of things" so if somethign wasn't done properly, it was immediatly on me, but I didn;t mind. i thought that i was helping my mom, and I was doing the best I could, and if I got in trouble, than I obviously wasn't doing enough. But it was never enough to make her better, never enough to make my dad love me, never enough to be perfect. Then, one day, It just happened. I started cutting myself. No, I'm not emo. I'm a bubbly, usually happy girl who suffered from a common disorder. At first it was just scratches, then it slowly progressed and got deeper and deeper, harder and harder. Then one day, my mom was cured, and life was perfect again. That heaven lasted about three months, before she was diagnosed with Colon Cancer and Kidney problems. It was all happening again, and I was spiralling out of control. I attacked myself with everything I could find. Then one day, when i saw the scars I had made, I cracked. I finally saw what I had been doing to myself for all this time, and it wasn't right. I went to my mom. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Partly because of shame, partly because of fear, and partly because of love. When you tell someone you care about something as burdening as this, it feels horrible. You're taking their innocence away, and burdening them with your problems, and she had enough to deal with. Needless to say, she took it like a champ. I never knew she could be so understanding, but she was my saviour, my fallen angel, everything a mom could ever be. She got me help, she understood me, even when I slipped up and got mad at her for getting mad at me for cutting, she never once turned and said "Your crazy and messed up and I don't know how to handle you."She understood about my dad being emotionally abusive, she understood my pain from seeing her in pain, and she understood how much it hurt for me to tell her. Now, I'm no longer self-injuring, my dad is still an a**hole sometimes, but I have found new ways to handle him. My mom is going in for 6 months of radiation treatment for her Colon Cancer, and is currently undergoing Dialisis for her Kidneys.

I have no doubt that she will pull through.
She is probably the strongest person I have ever known, and she saved me.
If she can do that, she can save anyone, including herself., along with me and my family's help.

Life has it's up's and down's, and I want to hear your story! I will not judge you as long as you don't judge me, and I have been completely honest with you, and I hope you will do the same with me

Crystal, age: 14
Haha, I had to look up "bamf" to find out what it meant, and yes, I realize it's long. I made it as small as possible, and honestly I wouldn't have put it at all but I thought it would make people feel a little more trusting and open. I'm here for anyone who wants to share experiences, being good or bad. And honestly, I think I'm almost glad that I've gone through these things. They've made me the person I am today and they've made me have an insight into some situations that others may not have, and though they did hurt me at the time, they've only made me stronger. (though I appreciate being called bamf ) When you're in situations like that, you learn to take it one day at a time, and live through it, you don't focus on the present, you focus on what's next looking for that silver lining in the storm cloud.
Brianna, you are very strong for going through something like that, and as a fellow teenager I can only offer some advice. Focus on the happy! I'm not saying don't have dark days. Have them, and let them be dark, but there always comes a time when the sun has to come up, and we step forward and let it go, and it seems that you have learned to do that very well, and I have the utmost pride and respect for you. Cheeky Girl, your psychoanalysis was probably the most wonderful thing I've ever read, because I've actually now had someone tell me and confirm of who I've become as a person, and I will definitly take your advice on the feelings related to my family, and to everyone else, thank you so much for telling me that I'm, and i quote "bamf" ( look it up!) but all of you are just as "bamf" as i am because you each have your own hardships, and you each have your own way of overcoming them, even if your life is perfect, then you still are "bamf" simply because you know how to appreciate wh
Stephanie, I am so sorry for your loss, both of your parents and your boyfriend and the seperation from your brother. I can only wish you the best, and I wish that I could do more, but look at yourself for a moment. You have been through so much, and your still here, your still alive, and you have a job and you've made something of yourself even though you started from basically nothing. And if your boyfriend broke up with you over your brother, then can you really think he would've been a good man to live with? I'm sure your a wonderful and beautiful and amazing person, and anyone would be inceredibly lucky to have you in their life. I'm here to send u an "internet hug" and tell you that even though you may not think it, you're strong and smart and you can do anything if you set your mind to it, and I'm sure your parents would agree.
Christian, can I just say that is such a touching story, to hear about a kid who's gone through so much and yet still found time to enjoy the little things (such as having a room all alone w ur brothers ) And, just a suggestion, have you talked to your mom about her alcohol problem? I know it doesn't seem like much, but a small tap could maybe set all the dominoes in motion, and I would also like to suggest something else. Though the past may hurt, and though it may be hard to move one, it does not do you any good to dwell on it, or on the bad things in your present right now. I mean, yeah, take it for what it is, look at it analyze it, break it apart, piece by piece if you have to, but in the end, put the pieces down, and look to the future, is your dad leaving or your mom's alcohol problem going to hamper what YOU can do as a person? Even your brothers? No. It may affect it, may change the paths, but it will never hold you back. You don't need gangs, you don't need any of that stu

• ANSWER:
  Well my mom had me when she was 18 and it practically ruined her life she couldn't go to college and had two other boys my brothers we had lived in a good sized house and we lived in it with my grandparents my great grandma and 2 of my aunts one had a husband but they moved out my other aunt had lived with her 2 kids my cousins and we slept in a big bed (me and my bros and my mom) until we got bunk beds my great grandma had slept in a room we made in the garage (we didn't use the garage) until we switched. We slept in the garage and it was pretty cool the we had gotten kicked out (we payed rent and the guy sold the house (bitch) ) and then we moved to Orange it was ok we down graded to a mobile home but my aunts and cousins didn't live with us. Me and my brothers got our own room and everything was good until I entered 4th grade my mom had started drinking and eventually became an alcoholic now I'm in eight and she still has a problem and its BAD to top it off o started getting involved with gangs and stuff (in not in one) and because of that my mom doesn't believe that I want to become someone and her alcoholic problem has really affected my life. I would've had a pretty good life of my dad hadn't had left (sorry if I forgot that) and of my mom wasn't an alcoholic.

QUESTION:
When being treated for clostridium difficile toxin with vancomycin, then kidneys failed. Doctor mistake?
On 12/6/09 the patient tested positive for CDT. Doctors began treatment with vanco and on 12/10/09 drug monitoring revealed 23.1 level of vanco. On 12/13/09 a kidney sonogram revealed acute kidney failure. On 12/14/09 vanco levels were a 47.8. My question is was the patient gien too much vanco which could have caused his kidneys to fail? Previous tests revealed no problems with the kidneys.
The reference range for vanco is 10-20. The theraputic drug monitoring chart showed his level of vanco was at 47.8 which is at panic status. The footnote stated he then notified the physician of the markedly abnormal result. The question is: WAS THE PATIENT GIVEN TOO MUCH VANCO WHICH THE KIDNEYS COULD NOT HANDLE RESULTING IN ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
cat with kidney problem?
male cat (unknown age, till recently a stray) has kidney problems- as the vet said-, his gums are also in terrible condition - i don'tt understand, they look "black".
Vet gave him medicine for one week treatment and after the week: either the treatment will save him or he will be put into sleep.

Is there anything else we can do for him?

Cat was recently picked up from the street by rescuers.

• ANSWER:
  Don't put him to sleep. He was surviving till now, wasn't he? To rescue a cat in order to kill him is an oxymoron. Give him food for renal problems and let him live as long as he can!

QUESTION:
Should we put her down?
This breaks my heart and i've been crying for days at the thought at having to put down my wonderful dog. She is only 7 years old and is suffering from Kidney problems, and neither really have a cure and lead up to renal failure. We found out because she was acting funny so we took her to the vet. We have an appointment at the specialist to see what exactly she has.

Right now she has excessive urination to the point where she is wearing diapers 24/7, she is losing weight, she eats but can't keep it down, she is dehydrated barely drinking any water. When we took her to the vet she was in pain cause both her kidneys were enlarged....fever, shaking, stumbles when walking...

My family and I know she is in discomfort and in pain, but we love her so much.

We don't want her to suffer at all ...but putting her down sounds so cruel...and I know im not ready to let her go and i don't think she is either.

What would you guys do? There is treatment but only to give her time, in some cases the owner had to take the dog everyday for fluid therapy. Should we do everything we can, any treatment we can possibly do even if it only gives her a few more months?or should we put her down painlessly before renal failure and other painful problems kick in?

how do you know its the right decision? How do i make sure I don't regret the decision?

As much as I love her, i just want to do whats best and make sure she doesn't suffer.

p.s She is a beagle they think its either Amyloidois where she doesn't retain any protein or glomerulonephritis where with a biopsy its rare to find the cause, and when the cause is found there isn't any treatment for it (cancer, infection, ect)

• ANSWER:
  It is so hard to make that decision. When the time comes, I hope that this will help you, as it helps me:
  May I go now?
  Do you think the time is right?
  May I say goodbye to pain filled days
  and endless lonely nights?
  I've lived my life and done my best,
  an example tried to be.
  So can I take that step beyond
  and set my spirit free?

  I didn't want to go at first,
  I fought with all my might.
  But something seems to draw me now
  to a warm and loving light.
  I want to go
  I really do.
  It's difficult to stay.

  But I will try as best I can
  to live just one more day.
  To give you time to care for me
  and share your love and fears.
  I know you're sad and afraid,
  because I see your tears.

  I'll not be far,
  I promise that, and hope you'll always know
  that my spirit will be close to you
  wherever you may go.
  Thank you so for loving me.
  You know I love you too,
  that's why it's hard to say goodbye
  and end this life with you.

  So hold me now just one more time
  and let me hear you say,
  because you care so much for me,
  you'll let me go today.

  - Written for a beloved pet & friend, by Susan A. Jackson

QUESTION:
Is there am actual working, natural substitue for Vicodine pain killers?
My hubby has been in treatment for a back problem for over a yr. Nothing helps the pain except vicodin, he tried to do without it but is miserable. We worry about taking it too much. Drs has him on 800 mg Ibuprofin but bothered his stomach and kidneys Other NSAIDS didnt do much of anything.. looking for a good natural alternative that will reduce pain.

• ANSWER:
  Opium IS natural.

  Too bad the government has to tell us what we can and cant put into our bodies.

  I have been a pain patient for years and nothing else has worked other then my current medication, Opana.

QUESTION:
about my elderly cat?
I have a 19 year old cat. She has had a good life and recovered well a few years ago from a bowel operation. We weren't sure at the time whether to put her through the operation but she has had no problems. However, a few weeks ago she stopped eating. We took her to the vets and she was kept in overnight for blood tests and to be put on a drip as she was dehydrated. The blood test showed that she has kidney problems but was given tablets to help. For the first week after we brought her home from the vet she improved and was eating about three small meals a day and taking the tablet. A few days ago she started to eat less and yesterday would not eat at all. I tried everything. The special cat food for kidneys from the vets. Her usual senior food. Fresh chicken and cat milk. She wouldn't eat any of it. Today I took her back to the vet. The vet said that she thought she may have fluid around her heart and suggested an xray. The xray showed that it was not fluid but there was a small mass on the top of the heart and this was distorting the trachia. The vet said that the condition would not get any better but we could consider leaving her at the vets for another overnight stay to be rehydrated. I have bought her home as I am not sure what to do. I would have further treatment if I thought she would have a good life but she doesnt seem very happy and she is also having trouble walking. This is due to arthritis in her back legs and also because she is weak from not eating. I know I should consider having her put to sleep but I don't want to make the decision. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone may have. Is enough enough now or should I keep going with more treatment for her. Thanks.
Thank you all so much for your answers. The vet has said that my cat does not appear to be in pain but may be uncomfortable because of the breathing. She is still breathing through her nose and not in distress or anything, but she just looks so sad. I think I know what I should do it is just being brave enough to make the decision.

• ANSWER:
  This must be your decision after talking with her vet. I can only tell you my experience when my beloved 19 year old cat Stickers was put down. She had kidney disease. She started wobbling and although she could eat the vomiting came frequently. I saw in her face the pain. Because I had another cat of 18 years that I let go to long, I made up my mind that I could never let another one of my wonderful cats suffer like Mickey did. He went into a coma and I took him in to have him euthanized.The vet said that if I waited he could have gone into violent seizures that would have been very bad. Stickers was the love of my life. Everything was getting so difficult. She could no longer jump up onto the sofa, she was too tired to give me those daily kisses. She was sick and I could tell that she was hurting badly. My vet agreed that this should be done and not to wait as she may last a few more days or a week. I loved her too much to let her suffer because I didn't want to say goodbye. It was a decision that I had to make for her. I miss her dearly but she is now at peace and she never left. She is with me all the time in my heart and soul.
  God Bless You. Remember how fortunate you are to have such a wonderful loving cat all of these years. Not everyone is as fortunate as you.

QUESTION:
can dialisis, diabetic patient can be cured through homeopathy treatment?
I saw in a newspaper that kidney disorders and who is under dialisis can cured by homeopathy treatment. How for is it true.

• ANSWER:
  It is not true and stick to main line treatment and management.

QUESTION:
Ayurvedic/nature cure or Homeopathy treatment for cyst in the kedney?
I am patient of high blood pressure for the last 22 years and now it has been observed that i have cyst in my left kidney..I shall thank , if someone can suggest the remedy either nature cure or ayurvedic or homeopath and suggest good diet to keep kidneys healthy..I am pure veg no drink, no smoke.

• ANSWER:
  Why do you want to treat it when it doesn't bother you?
  Kidney cysts dont need any treatment unless they are very large and cause problems. Incidentally, they can't be cured with medicines, only operation or removing the fluid with a needle (by a doctor) will give a cure.

QUESTION:
Is there treatment for stone in kidney in homeopathy.if yes how much time it will take to remove yhe stone?
i have pain in my leftgroin also

• ANSWER:
  You need to drink a lot to help flush it out-I heard cranberry juice is good.

QUESTION:
Please help by giving treatment for Kidney stones?
One of my relative hs multiple kidney stones in both the kidneys. He has done many time the laser therphy treatment, for 6 to 7days there are no stones, but angain he starts getting the pain , this has been repeating for quiet a long time with him.The size of the stone is quite big. Is this situation harmful in long term? He drinks 2-21/2 Lt water a day. Should he go for homeopathy med? who is the best homeopath doctor in bangalore?

• ANSWER:
  http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/Kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/

  He should have it removed. It could be life threatening if it is too large for them to pass it on their own and it is left untreated.

QUESTION:
Any homeopathic remedies for dissolving kidney stones?
My father in law has chronic recurring kidney stones. I have never used homeopathy as a form of treatment so I am pretty new to all of this. I have read about it and understand the basic concept of it but since there no homeopaths here where I live I would need specific information on how to administer it & a good website so that I can purchase remedy. I have asked him what his sympthoms are and all he says is that he has pain in the kidney area and can not urinate all in one round. He walks, & jumps around alot and can not sitdown or lie down. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance~
Something for pain would also be great.

• ANSWER:
  Homeopathic treatment for Kidney Stones :-
  1. SILICEA 6X
  2. KALI PHOS 6X
  3. MAG PHOS 6X
  4. CAL FLOUR 6X
  Four tablets each of the above Cell Salts together with BERBERIS VULGARIS "Q" (Mother Tincture) 20 drops in a half a cup of hot water thrice a day half hour before or after meals will dissolve and cure Kidney Stones. Keep me posted about your progress after taking them for a week. If you can send me his complete details i might be able to help him better.
  Take Care and God Bless you !

QUESTION:
Can anyone please let me know, the best and the most safest place of transplanting a kidney in India?
For my auntie, aged 41, she is under dailysys.Is there any otherway out,except transplant and dailysys, as she is not financialy sound. My uncle is also nomore. Is there any treatment avaliable in ayurveda, yoga or homeopathy?

• ANSWER:
  Its a tough situation.
  Either you get an expensive but safe kidney transplant, like in the Apollo or other private hospitals.. You are guaranteed safety.. But it is expensive.

  Other hospitals and govt organisations will be cheaper, but they arent safe.. Plus. specially in kidney transplants, the risk of rejection of the kidney by the body is quite high..

  Actually, I think you have heard of Swami Ramdev Maharaj.. His yoga program comes in Aastha channel everyday.. If you are in India, you most probably have heard of him.. Certain yogic exercises that he prescribes have been proved to cure such cases.. I suggest you take a visit to Haridwar to his yoogpeeth..

  Best of luck.
  I hope your Aunt gets well..
  God Bless..

QUESTION:
All the doctors and general public of India are requested to please help me ?
All the doctors Allopathy , Ayurvedic , Homeopathy , Unani, and the citizen of India (having general knowledge regarding this matter ) are requested , is that true that the cancer patient , heart patient , kidney patient , liver problem patient , are getting treatment with one of the doctor whose hospital is situated in versova ( andheri ), this doctor is giving only one type of medicine to all this type of patients , and is collecting Rs 15000/- for approx 300 ML ( for one month medicines ). He had also given his 2 website which do not open , WWW. cancercurable.com , WWW .heartcurable .com , and also giving one sort of advertisement in news channel( India TV ), is that true should we start the treatment , please help me .

• ANSWER:
  Im a doctor and hav not got such type of news, so plz confirm such news before investing da money. It would be better if u confirm by some indian medical authority

QUESTION:
Cushing's and hip dysplasia, is it time?
my dog is about 17-18 years old, she has cushing's and hip dysplasia. i took on treatment myself (under the supervision of my veterinarian/mentor) and she has done great a complete 180. however the past few days she has been doing increasingly worse and i think it may be finally coming to an end. i've been trying to look up the end stages of cushing's and syptoms of kidney failure and what to look for that would kinda push me in the direction of thinking it's time and to know what i'm looking for. also do to her hip dysplasia she hasn't moved in almost 6 hours from the spot she was in when i woke up this morning. If anyone has any suggestions for me to make her more comfortable I would greatly appreciate it, I am a firm believer in homeopathy and would prefer suggestions in that area but at this point I'll do anything just to make her more comfortable at this time.
Also, if you know of any books you can suggest that I can do some reading, i'd really appreciate it.
the vet recommended ars. alb. which would help her with fear of death.

i'm only 22 so she's been here for most of my life and about a year ago i lost 2 puppies that were only 5 days old and i was a wreck for months, i can't even imagine what it's going to be like without her

• ANSWER:
  I know this is a very difficult time, but you have to remember that our pets look to us to make the best choices for them and care for them. When they are no longer enjoying life, then we know its time to send them to a better place...and they do count on us for that!

  That fact that your dog has Cushings can be difficult because once you start treatment for it and the excess corticol is removed, other inflammatory conditions are unmasked, one of those being arthritis, which can reduce the animal's quality of life.

  If your pup cannot get up, then that means there is alot of pain involved with movement. Did the vet have your dog on any medications for the arthritis pain? Because of the Cushings I am sure there was a limit as to what could be given, but some dogs to well on Tramadol, although my concern is that your pup may be past that point.

  Do you think the dog has Kidney failure? Kidney failure can present in many ways, most common being lack of appetite. They will also start having accidents, and become lethargic. Dogs in Kidney Failure create a bi-product called Uremia. You can smell this in the dogs breath if they are secreting it. They can end up with sores in the mouth as well. These are all end stage symptoms.

  I used to work for a homeopathic vet, and I do not think there is anything you could give at this point that will actually make a difference. Homeopathy is great, but only for the right candidates. If your pet no longer seems to enjoy the things she used to, and seems unhappy then you know its time.

  Its okay to let go....maybe you can call your vet and ask their opinion, and see what options are left for you. I just always feel your pet will continue to live until the very end stage, but do you think its fair to make them travel to that point? Its hard to get over our grief, but we need to do whats best for our pets, not us. It sounds like your dog has lived a full life of giving you lots of love...dont you think its time to return the favor? Asses her quality of life, not yours, and make your decision-no matter how hard it may be.

  I hope everthing works out for you, and wish you the best for whatever you decide to do...

  I found this website for homeopathy for dogs, and lists certain conditions, I thought maybe you would want to check it out, then check with your vet if you see anything helpful
  http://www.holisticvetpetcare.com/dogs_preview.htm

QUESTION:
Lingering pain after treatment for kidney infection?
Is it normal to still feel a little flank pain in the infected kidney after finishing antibiotic treatment? All other symptoms are gone. Could this possibly mean it is still infected and I need more antibiotics or will it go away on its own?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
PLEASE answer soon - Relapse several days into kidney infection treatment?
I am currently house sitting for my mom. Her cat Happy is at least 15 years old that I know of (got her as a stray). She has been Indoors ever since and has dealt with kidney problems several times. Last week she woke up and saw little spots of urine with blood in it and knew her problem was back so she took her to the vet. He gave her albon suspension to give 2 cc once daily and also crush up some vitamin C in her food. She's taken the medicine and eaten her food every day since...but this morning I awoke to the tiny puddles of urine with blood in it again. I gave her the albon and some food but she hasn't touched it and has barely drank any water today. A few hours ago she went up to my mom's closest where it's cool and she goes a lot and has been laying in there. I brought water up to her and keep checking on her but don't know if she's drank any. She's alert in the face/head just not really moving her body much and purrs when I'm in there.

I'm afraid something bad is going to happen. My mom is out of town for business so I can't get a hold of her right now...and I know that if I did she would just sit and worry until she comes home tomorrow. Happy is all she's had since I moved out. Do you have any advice at all for me? Are there ever relapses within a treatment for kidney infections? I know people will say take her to the vet but I'm not even sure what he could do for her right now. I've been researching all morning on the internet and thought I'd try asking this community before I do anything.

Thanks
The vet is my plan if she doesn't get noticeably better in a couple hours. I just thought I'd try on here first. And she is on antibiotics.

• ANSWER:
  Yeah, boy - I wouldn't wait any longer - your mom's cat definitely needs to see the Vet. If there are kidney problems I'm wondering if your mom's cat is receiving subcutaneous fluids?

  I would actually take her to the vet right now, honestly. Blood in the urine is serious and I'm guessing she is in desperate need of fluids to get some of that toxicity out from the kidney disease. I woudn't wait any longer.

  JUST IF the vet recommends putting her down (and I'm sure you'll agree), DON'T do it until your mom gets back. She needs to be with her beloved cat if it happens to be that time (not saying that it is, but if it is . . .)

  Blessings to your mother's cat and to you for caring so much to come on here to look for suggestions. My personal recommendation is the vet - now - get that cat back to being comfortable again.

QUESTION:
Homeopathic treatment for Kidney infection?
Does anyone have an homeopathic treatment for a kidney infection? And how long until I would get relief?
Hmmm... I should have mentioned that I have diabetes. Cranberry Juice has too much sugar in it. Even the Lite Juice.

• ANSWER:
  Since you have diabetes, I would suggest cranberry capsules, which have virtually all the sugar processed out of the cranberry but leave the good properties. Drink a lot of water to help flush out your kidneys. Chamommile tea seems to help as well, as does green tea. Since they are light diuretics, they can get your kidneys working a little overtime to flush out the infection a little quicker. Something I've found useful as well is to take an Airborne tablet every day while you're trying to get rid of the infection to help boost your body's immune system (I plop on in a cup of hot chamommile tea). Be careful when bathing as well to use a very gentle soap, one without glycerine as glycerine can irritate the sensitive tissues down there (you don't want a UTI in addition to the kidney infection).

QUESTION:
what is the best cure or treatment for kidney infection?

• ANSWER:
  antibiotics! also, force fluids (water)

QUESTION:
19 weeks, yeast infection treatment pain....?
i was treated for b. vaginosis. now i'm being treated for yeast infection, 7-day treatment, miconazole nitrate 2% to be taken as a cream suppository...
has anyone had any experience with this? the doctor said it iss safe, so i don't think its really hurting the baby...but it is kind of hurting me?
after i put it in i go to sleep, when i wake up to go pee in the middle of the night it hurts to go. its possible that it is not because of the cream that it hurts...maybe i have some sort of UTI? but it doesn't hurt any other time, and every time after the first pee gets a little less painful.

plus, they've sent my pee out to the lab multiple times and it hasn't come back that i have any kind of UTI or kidney infection, as far as i know. should i just tough it out, or is the pain not normal?

• ANSWER:
  i had to do those treatments twice while pregnant. they hurt me pretty bad too. it is from the cream, but it wont hurt the baby.

QUESTION:
whats the treatment for a kidney infection?
am due to see doctor later but just wondered how long have to take anitibiotics for and which ones am I likely to get?

• ANSWER:
  A badder infection ( UTI) is far more common than a kidney infection, and much less serious. Usually treated with Bactrim for the bacteria and Pyridium for the painful urination, expect 7-10 days of medication, and take it ALL, even after symptoms subside.
  HINT: do NOT take Pyridium on an empty stomach < speaking from experience !
  if you do have a true kidney infection, depending on the severity, a short hospital stay may be required.
  hope you feel better soon~

QUESTION:
Treatment for horse kidney infection?
Hi, my mother and I just recently rescued a horse from starvation. This horse was running in a field for three months strait with out food or water. His feet had not been done for a whole year. He is a 17 hand thoroubred gelding. he is 13 years old and we have found out he is very well trained. He has gained a a couple 100 pounds so i have been rideing him and jumping him and he loves it. my trainer noticed him waving his head in the air after each jump and she told us to look up treatment and symtoms for kidney in fections. So if any one knows any symtoms or treatments of kidney infections please tell me. Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Kidney infections or conditions, although not exactly common, do occur quite regularly in horses.? Signs are similar to those of people with kidney problems.? Trouble urinating, excess (or not enough) urination, strong smelling or thick urine.? Excessive thirst, tying up after exercise, sore backs, lack of well being, etc.? There is quite a long list of symptoms that can show from kidney trouble but I am not sure how detailed you need us to be. I would have your vet come out and have his back checked. Sounds from your description throwing his head after landing a jump sounds like a sore back if nothing more. Most emaciated horses upon rescuing will show signs of kidney issues within the first 10 days of rescue. You are well past that point! Please let us know what it is when you get him vet checked.

QUESTION:
what's the treatment for a bad kidney infection?
I think I have a kidney infection (urinating blood,nausea,back pain,chills) and I was wondering what the doctor would do? Would I be in and out of the hospital? ( I can't miss school) Would this be gone soon,it's really bothersome.

• ANSWER:
  Your first step would be to call your nurse or go to the doctor. I'm wondering if you possibly had a urinary tract infection and then it turned into a kidney infection? You need to drink a lot of fluids, but even better would be lots of water. It may be possible that you have a kidney stone as well. The doctor may have you hospitalized if it is really bad. I had a horrible UTI that turned into a kidney infection and the doctor gave me pills that relieve the pain when you pass uring (similar to the AZO pills)...they turn your urine reddish orange...and some antibiotics. If you seem to have reoccuring UTIs or kidney infections, you might want to think about having a cystoscopy. It is an easy procedure where a camera is threaded inside of the urethra (it's numbed via numbing gel) and a camera looks to see if there are any tears or abnormalities in the bladder and/or kidneys. When in doubt, get it checked out! The longer you wait without any treatment, the worse it will get.

QUESTION:
what are the treatments for the kidneys infection?

• ANSWER:
  Visit nephologist he will tell you.

QUESTION:
How long would it take the bacteria from a bladder infection to multiply and cause a kidney infection?
I am wondering because I know that I have a bladder infection right now and I dont have insurance so I am going to have to go to the hospital for treatment. I have had this infection for about a month I think so how long would it take the bacteria from the bladder infection to travel to the kidneys? Please let me know. Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Depending on the rate of growth of the bacteria, it can be from 2 days to 2 weeks. Generally if a UTI is not treated promptly, bacteria may then go up the ureters to infect the kidneys (pyelonephritis) Persistent moderate to severe low back back pain, usually w/ fever, are classic symptoms. There are urgent cares out there that offer cash discounts to patients w/out insurance. Nevertheless, you need to get treated before, permanent damage is done to your kidneys, or the infection travels into the blood stream and your are then what is called "septic."

QUESTION:
Is it possible, even after a round of antibiotics, for a kidney infection to come back full force?
I went to the ER a little over a week ago and they told me I had a kidney infection. They gave me a shot and prescriptions for pain killers and antibiotics. I took all of my ABs as directed and now, two days after I finished my treatment, it seems like the infection has come back. The pain is back and I feel nauseous. Could it be something more serious? Should I go back to the ER or see my regular doctor?

• ANSWER:
  If it's an emergency, you need to go to the ER. If it's not, you need to see your "regular doctor". It is entirely possible that the antibiotics weren't prescribed at the correct strength and that the infection remains.

QUESTION:
how do i know if a uti has developed into a kidney infection?
had a uti, was on antibiotics for 7 days!!! Got low dull back pain on either side and feel extremely light headed and lethargic, the pain not too bad but it is hurting......

If it has gone into kidneys what would be the treatment with me all ready having been on 500mg cefradine 4 times a day for 7 days.

• ANSWER:
  A UTI which stands for urinary tract infection includes the entire urinary tract which of course includes the kidneys. Are you asking if a bladder infection can spread to the kidneys? If so the answer is yes.

QUESTION:
bladder infection..i'm getting scared..treatment without going to the doctor?
I've had a bladder infection for about 2 months now..I have to pee constantly and it is becoming very annoying..I don't have health insurance at all and that's why I haven't been to the doctor.. I'm scared to go to the emergency room because I dont know how much they'd charge me.. I've been drinking cranberry juice alot and I took AZO but it's not going away.. lately i've had small pains in my stomach and back.. I'm getting really worried that it's going to turn into a kidney infection soon.. I just don't know what to do I won't have insurance for another 30 days....Is there any way to treat this without going to the doctor?

• ANSWER:
  Go to a state emergency room if you have to -- their cheaper.
  If it spreads to your kidneys you will be in a lot of pain. If in the kidneys it could turn into a number of different things, you really should get it checked out.

QUESTION:
Can a Kidney Infection go away with just Water Treatment?
I got a bad Kidney Infection on Sunday night
so Bad it knocked the wind out of me. i didn't know that was possible

I made the appointment Monday morning
but my doctor was booked until today!

I went in I told him what I thought it was
he asked for a urine sample so I did
the results came back a negative on a kidney infection

Im wondering since it took me 4 days to get in the doc
and I drank more that at least 2 liters of water a day
could I have gotten rid of it during those days?
cause I feel little to no pain as of today

is that possible
it is eiather infection or stones
I was taking hair and nails Vitamins
that has biotin in it I guess I didn't drink enough water

it was a dull burning pain
on my lower/mid back?

every 20 minutes and sometimes last for a few hours especially after I ate

• ANSWER:
  a true infection really needs antibiotics to go away that fast.
  not sure what your symptoms were that made you think you had an infection???

QUESTION:
How would a python get a kidney infection and what is the diagnosis for it?
A friend has a python that has been diagnosed with a kidney infection. He was consistently shedding . I am curious how a python would get a kidney infection, how it would be diagnosed and what the treatment for it is. Does the snake have a good chance of recovery?
I have found out that all infections caused in snakes are usually from stress and being kept at incorrect temperatures.

• ANSWER:
  Kidney infections present with 'sloppy' stools. The feces should be dark and firm, and uric acid should be the consistency of 'cream cheese' when first excreted, but harden as the ecreted calcium solidifies. Although you don't give much detail I say, if in doubt - consult a veterinarian !

QUESTION:
Kidney infection due to UTI? - Please help me?
I have gotten recurrent UTIs (urinary tract infection) and i usually go to the doc for it. However, one time it happened it past and i culdnt go to the doc. the UTI came back again a couple of days ago but i am having back pain as well. i took some uristat to calm it down for now. I am going to the doctor on monday (tommorow). i dont have the urgency to pee that much anymore. but it feels as if my kidneys are hurting. is there a chance of having a kidney infection since i couldnt get medical attention last time? and if i do end up with the infection, is the treatment really bad?
thanks for your help

• ANSWER:
  You can Absolutely get a kidney infection from a UTI and also the opposite.

  I am not a great fan of antibiotics used for UITs because they also knock out the friendly flora in your intestinal tract. I would suggest that you follow through with acidophilus after the course of antibiotics. Perhaps as yougurt although I would recommend getting a bottle from the refrigerated section of a good health food store.

  I prefer the supplement cranberry which is available at any Health Food type store. The less complicated the better. Capsules a preference over tablets (no binders) and take two 4X a day in the same pattern as the antibiotics. You will need to take with a full glass of water and continue to drink water throughout the day to aid in the flushing process.

  Someone once mentioned to me that cranberry acts kind of like silicone and keeps the bacteria from clinging to the walls.

  You also need to drink plenty of water if you treat this conventionally.

  Don't neglect a kidney infection or they will become a recurrent issue.

  Do you know what caused the UTI in the first place? I can't take bubble baths, for example.

  I know what horrible pain this can cause if it is in your kidneys. Act rapidly.

  One last note: not cranberry juice - the sugar will only aggravate the condition.

QUESTION:
Can I take a yeast infection treatment even if I'm not sure it's present?
I've never had a yeast infection before, but it seems like I'm dealing with a lot of the symptoms. Mostly burning and pain with urination, no discharge or itching. After 2 rounds of antibiotics in the past month it would certainly make sense.
I know it's not an STI, although it may be a UTI or kidney stone, I've had those in the past.

But I'm not sure and can't see my doctor for at least another day, can I take an over-the-counter treatment even if I'm not certain? Is it safe?

• ANSWER:
  yes it is safe.
  and very likely you do indeed have a yeast infection. eats lots of yogurt too.

QUESTION:
advice may have kidney problem may not anyone suffering a uti n kidney infection that wont go?
after 6 weeks of treatment for uti and kidney infection its not gone in fact id say its got worse been suffering kidney pain for bot 1 year but never had uti till now 25 n female had xray but no stones,had 4 diff antibiotics so now theyve sent urine to lab which is back but doc hasnt viewed it yet great?
also waiting on scan of kidneys to check there ok etc.
but i keep getting so much pain,almost tired all time even sat here,cold,leg/arm pain,very bad headaches.
now for past few weeks i keep vomiting esp after taking painkillers that had no probs with b4 in past.its clear liquid but i take tablets then 2-3 hrs later i get bad pains near/over kidney then puke up .
any ideas or any one suffering the same

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Doctors: Upper respiratory infection and treatment?
Hi there, me and my husband temporarily moved to the South for work and he has become very sick, he has developed a kidney stone and currently has an upper respiratory infection. I fed him very healthy and organic foods when we lived in NY, but since we've moved here and it's all about fried foods and alcohol, he's kinda gone nuts and only been consuming that. We have seen 2 doctors here about the kidney stones and the infection, he was given antibiotics for his infection (which haven't helped at all, it's going on almost 2 weeks of his sickness) and both doctors have said kidney stones have absolutely nothing to do with his diet and have offered no further advice other than refer us to someone to break it up and make it easier to pass when he refused surgery. I work in sales, I don't know a thing about medicine, but I did research and upper respiratory infections are usually viral I thought? Also, I have been reading that kidney stones can result from diet/lack of water/alcohol consumption! The education level in the South is too often criticized(hope I'm not offending anyone), I'm wondering if we just got unlucky with doctors and they are just idiots. Or maybe I am the idiot and they are right? I know there is no way to break up the stone naturally, but I just need some advice on prevention/diet or what foods to avoid since these two knew nothing sadly and I don't believe them that it has nothing to do with diet and alcohol. Any advice I appreciate! Thanks!

• ANSWER:
  Anyone who tells you that a crappy diet and alcohol have nothing to do with ill health of any kind is a twit. Dehydration can facilitate kidney stone formation. That's a no brainer to someone who knows something about orthomolecular medicine (the study of nutrition on health). Sad fact is that MD's get little or no training in nutrition. Their job is to prescribe drugs and refer to specialists and surgeons. No help there.
  Kidney stones CAN be dissolved and eliminated naturally.
  http://www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-get-rid-of-kidney-stones-painlessly
  Some people swear by 2 tbsp. of olive oil mixed with 2 tbsp. of lime juice (follwed by a large glass of water).
  Sometimes just drinking organic apple cider vinegar (1tbsp)mixed in a cup of hot water and inhaling the vapour can knock out an upper respiratory infection/bronchitis. High doses of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) work wonders (around 10,000mg/day in divided doses).
  Hint: it's not you who's the idiot.

QUESTION:
A 45 year old HIV positive woman using continuous intravenous antibiotic infusion to manage a kidney infection
developed a 39 degree C fever. Cultures of blood, the needle tip, and the insertion site revealed large ovoid cells that reproduced by budding. What is the preliminary identification of the infecting organism? How might the antibiotic treatment have affected this patient? What do the findings suggest about the portal of entry for the infection?

• ANSWER:
  I would say the infecting organism is yeast, which probably was there before the IV but got the upper hand because of the constant antibiotics killing off its predators. Usually happens in the gut, but can happen elsewhere. Now she'll need IV antifungals.

QUESTION:
What is the difference between a UTI and a kidney infection?
Are the antibiotics for treatment the same? What are they called?
I'm aware of how they feel. I've had them since I was a child. I'm only interested in specific differences between the two, if any.

• ANSWER:
  A urinary tract infection (UTI) affects the urinary tract and/or the bladder. A kidney infection effects the kidneys and can be caused by an untreated UTI. A kidney infection is much more serious and I'm sure the antibiotics would be different. I get UTI's fairly often and one time a UTI turned into a kidney infection. It was awful!! I still had the symptoms of the UTI but I was very weak with a lot of pain in my lower back. I was put on strict bed rest and potent antibiotics for 3 days. I can't remember the antibiotics name, but they were VERY expensive (0 for 3 pills).

QUESTION:
Possible yeast infection or something else, help?
Over the past few days, I have had itchiness and pain in my vaginal area. I am sexually active; one partner and almost always a condom. I had a bad UTI and kidney infection a couple weeks ago but treatment is done. It hurt to have sex for some of the time and peeing is almost like a relief to the itch. I have no discharge/bumps but it is a bit swollen.

• ANSWER:
  it sounds like the uti has come back

QUESTION:
How would you know if a back ache is from your kidneys?
I have had really bad pack pain in the middle of my back on the right side for a couple years. I went to a GP and they said that I don't have a kidney infection. I went to a chiropractor and she said that it's muscle. I have had several treatments with her and no luck. I truly believe that there is something wrong with my kidneys. While at the hospital while pregnant, I was given some tests. The nurse told me that "my kidney levels were low" but I didn't hear anything else about it. What does that mean? Today I have really bad back pain and nausea. I'm just scared this is much more than just a back ache.

• ANSWER:
  get a second opinion from a urologist who specializes in kidneys=will at least ease your mind

QUESTION:
How long can you put of treating a possible UTI / Bladder Infection / Kidney Infection?
I can't see my doctor until most like Wednesday or Thursday but I'm feeling like I have a bad UTI with some bladder and kidney involvement since I am having flank and back pain.
I am really not in the position to see a doctor right now, is there any possible way I can delay treatment for maybe three days?

• ANSWER:
  It is very dangerous to put off treating a UTI/Bladder/Kidney infection.

  The only minor thing you could do is drink lots of water and cranberry juice BUT , I don't even like to suggest this.
  Please try to go to an Urgent Care Center or even an ER - because you could do serious irrepararable damage to your kidneys etc.
  You can do without 1 kidney but not 2 kidneys - then you would be on dialysis the rest of your life.
  You are dealing with something serious, so don't delay until Wednesday or Thursday.
  Call your doctor's line and most doctor's leave an emergency number to call and they should call you back with some advice and maybe even be able to phone in a prescription for you if the doctor thinks it might be a kidney involvement.
  Don't Delay!
  I wish you well.

QUESTION:
What is Double Kidney Infection, please help quick 10 points!?
My Fiance had some back pain and went for some tests and some more tests and turns out that she has Double Kidney Infection, I am not anywhere near Science please someone tell me how serious is this and will she be fine? How long is the treatment? I'm really scared right now, it sounds very serious. I don't know what to think please help

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
I'm 16 years old, and may have a bladder/kidney infection?
I have had problems with this bladder/urinary tract infection for a while.(without treatment)
But just recently (today, as of 8/8/08) I had blood in my urine.
It does not burn when I have to pee, but it burns (sorta like the feeling that I have to pee again) immediately after I pee.
My urine is cloudy and it does have a foul smell.
When I do feel that I have to pee, it's an urgent thing and if I don't hurry to a bathroom then I won't make it in time.
I (just last night) had a fever of almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit (99.3) and I had pretty bad chills. Along with the fever and chills came body aches (sorta comparable to menstrual pains.
Is this a kidney infection, or a bladder/urinary tract infection?
Thanks in advance!

• ANSWER:
  You need to go see the doctor. Go to an Urgent Care or ER. This could be either. Fever and chills are more common with kidney infections and those are treated more aggressively than bladder infections.

QUESTION:
What are the treatments possible E-coli infection in urinary tract and kidney?
My brother is suffering from Urinary tract infection since Nov. last year. Inspite of lot of antibiotic treatment given almost throughout the last six months, it is recurring. This infection is interfering with the treatment of his stage 4 B-cell nonhodgkin lymphoma also with Rituximab by causing reducting in Haemoglobin and BP. Is there any alternative treatment for UTI and lymphoma.

• ANSWER:
  For urinary tract infection i have a very good medicine, herbal.
  You have to grind one gourd, remove skin and seeds , the one which is used to hang on newly constructing house and used for inauguration of new buildings and on festivals etc,with 25 leaves.a certain plant.
  This plant i do not know the name but i can explain, it grows in every garden or where grass grows.
  It has roundish curly leaves, size like small to a big button. it grows spreading on the ground but not a creeper, but it spreads on the ground faster.
  It has small violet/purple flowers and the bottom side of the leaf is whitish and the top side is greener.
  Together you have to grind and have it as much as you can litle by little. you can keep in the fridg and use daily for 2 or 3 days but finish one fruit.
  I am sure you will be completely cured, if you can find out his plant accurately.
  It can be repeated when ever you get burning urine sensation.
  I wish i could show you in person the plant.

QUESTION:
How long before a UTI can become a kidney infection???
I have a UTI and I wanted to get treatment right away, BUT it has taken me almost a week to find a free urgent care place to go to (I have Medicaid and there were no doctors in my area which would accept my plan) and I am going to go tomorrow morning, the only problem is I experienced severe back pain yesterday and although it seems to have dissipated, I have had a pretty bad headache all day today, I keep having to take more and more Advil for it.

My actual UTI has gotten better due to massive intake of cranberry juice, not all better but it hardly burns at all when I urinate and I have less need to urinate in-between the times I am using the restroom. But from reading posts here and other places, you need antibiotics to fully cure this, so I am off tomorrow to get some.

So my question is, with the back pain and (possible) fever is it now for sure a kidney infection???? I really cannot afford a hospital stay. Which I have read may be necessary.

• ANSWER:
  If you have a fever and pain, you may very well have a kidney infection. This is not a horrible thing. Antibiotics, not hospital, is what you will most likely get.

  If your fever jumps way up, and you cannot get it down with Tylenol or other meds, only then do you have to go to the hospital.

  When you go to the doctor, that is probably what they will tell you. Just make sure to take all the antibiotic, even after you feel better.

QUESTION:
Treatment for Crohn's Disease?
My boyfriend's mother has crohn's disease and she has had some problems with it. She recently took a vacation to visit us (12 hrs away), and the day she got back home she went to the hospital for chemotherapy treatments. She told my b/f that it was nothing to worry about that it was just treatment for her crohn's. I don't know much about crohn's/treatments, but I have never heard of chemotherapy as a form of treatment for this disease. She has lied to him once before when she was having renal failure and she told him that it was just a simple kidney infection. Is chemotherapy a treatment used for crohn's disease?

• ANSWER:
  i think so. theorpy means cure.

QUESTION:
Urethral stent, kidney infection, dizziness...?
So i had a urinary tract infection and went to get treatment, they gave me bactrim for 3 days. i went to the hospital 10 days later due to pain in my lower back. it had not killed the infection, and it ended up moving to the opening and into my kidneys. so they kept me in the hospital for 3 days and placed a urethral stent in me. they kept it in for 13 days and gave me levaquin for 10 days. i have had the stent removed for 9 days and am now getting lightheaded more frequently and easily. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem and what i should do.

also, they saw inflation at the opening of my kidney, and they are going to do a follow up in a week and a half to make sure it was only from the infection and it has subsided. so, i'm not sure if that has to do with it.

• ANSWER:
  anything that interferes with kidney function can cause you to be "lightheaded," as it disturbs your fluid balance. Drink lots of water.

QUESTION:
Kidney Infection still?
I still have a kidney infection after a 10 day treatment, and after being off antibotics for 3-4 days. I did another urine test and my doctor just called my mom and told her that I STILL have a kidney infection after allmost 2 weeks. I am 18 years old and have to go back on antibotics. Is this normal?

• ANSWER:
  sometimes the antibiotic they use does not clear the infection completely. you also have to drink lots of fluids. water and cranberry juice are very good for the kidneys. drink as much as you can, take your antibiotic at the same time each day. hope you get well soon.

QUESTION:
Is it a Kidney infection or stones?
I got treated for UTI with antibiotics this past week. I experienced lower back pain and cloudy urine. I'm already finished with the treatment and my lower back still hurts especially on my left side. What could it be? I can't even bend over because it hurts, it hurts even when i'm sitting down and I put my head down. What could it be?

• ANSWER:
  Its been a few days since you asked this question. If you are still having this problem please see a doctor. Good Luck

QUESTION:
How bad of an infection do I really have?
I went to the ER for a kidney infection and he showed me a piece of paper that said the infection was greater than or equal to 100,000. that was the only piece i could see before he pulled it away and told me that it was a quote "rip-roaring infection". Then he only gave me a shot of gentomyacin and claimed to give me a Rx for pain meds which I never got. So is that a bad sign of infection or what? Also the fact that I had flank pain, nausea, and other various symptoms for a week. My primary care physicians are idiots and wouldnt know a good treatment if the AMA descended upon them and graced them with answers. Got any insight?

• ANSWER:
  Im sure its going away by now.

QUESTION:
what are some treatments for a swollen labia minora?
I'm currently dealing with a serious kidney infection and due to constantly using the bathroom, my labia minora was infected from the bacteria in the urine, an ICD. it's inflamed, swollen and more uncomfortable than the kidney infection, what are some treatments I can do now to help reduce and sooth these symptoms?

• ANSWER:
  Bathe in a weak solution of soda bicarb in warm water. Use it every time you go to the bathroom.
  If you are on antibiotics for the kidney infection it should clear up all infection you have.
  The soda bicarb solution is comforting.
  there are ointments that contain a small amount of local anaesthetic.
  If you type in sore labia there is a lot of information online.

QUESTION:
i think i am suffering from a kidney infection then the pain goes away for a couple of weeks?
if the pain goes away for a few weeks could it be that the infection keeps coming back cos of no treatment

• ANSWER:
  go to the doctors and get it checked
  if it is a kidney infection you could damage your kidneys if you dont get any treatment

QUESTION:
Ear Infection in Dogs.... Treatment?
My dog is a 7 year old female cocker spaniel. Of course, cockers are known for ear problems. We have cleaned her ears several times a week all of her life.

We took her to our vet because she randomly started rubbing her ears on the carpet and moaning. She seemed in a lot of pain.

The first vet I saw in the practice said she thinks her ear drums are ruptured. Gave me an oral antibiotic medication, told me to come back in 2 weeks for a re-check. I came back, saw another vet in the practice. This vet said she seems to have a terrible ear infection and can't tell if her ear drums are ruputured. They ran tests and took an ear culture - which 2 weeks to get back from the lab. They have prescribed Baytril ear drops and an antibiotic called Amikacin - which is injectable and must be given with fluids to flush her kidneys. The side effects to Amikacin are pretty severe -kidney failure and deafness.

I am very nervous about giving her Amikacin and I am bordering on not doing it. The side effects seem to great. This dog is like my child. I do not want to risk giving her ANYTHING that could cause Kidney failure or make her deaf. Of course, I want to do anything I can to help her, so I am just concerned.

Please help with any suggestions to alternative treatment

• ANSWER:
  Call the vet back or get a second opinion, they should be willing to explain the risks in detail with you and explain alternative treatments. Trust them, they go to competitive intense schooling for 8+ years for a reason.

QUESTION:
Kidney pain, swelling, nausea, loss of appetite?
My left kidney area is incredibly sore around the side, and edging towards the back a bit, and also edging somewhat to the front of torso. I also am very hungry but have no desire to eat, however i have an exam in a while so i had to eat something and immediately i am feeling sick. The nausea seems to be very acidic.

i recently had a kidney infection 2 months ago, after which the doctors discovered i had a kidney stone in the pelvic area after doing an X ray (not injected with dye though), also had an ultrasound but they could not see my left kidney properly which was where all my pains were during the infection. My treatment for this is not to begin until 8th may.

I had difficulty sleeping last night due to an uncomfortable pressure sensation on the left side. My left flank area also seems to be swollen and more risen than the right side.

Any helpful advice (apart from go to doctors, will do that after exam!)? Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Drink barley oats.Poor boiling water on and strain it when it´s cool enough to drink...it releases the pain,it´s great...
  Make sure you drink plenty of water as well.

  Calcium — There is little evidence that consuming large amounts of calcium (from foods and drinks) increases the risk of kidney stones,so try to avoid them these days,ok? You´ll probably have less pain.
  Excessive intake of vitamin C can increase the pain a s well.
  During the initial phase of kidney stone symptoms, many patients require only pain medication and fluids until the stone is passed. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen [Advil, Motrin] or naproxen [Aleve]) may be prescribed for pain and can be taken in pill form.

  Hope you get well soon

QUESTION:
Can anyone recommend an excellent veterinary hospital in Los Angeles area?
My dearest little Pookie needs treatment for failing kidneys and respiratory infection. He needs to be admitted to a veterinary hospital for hands-on treatment and observation. Can anyone recommend a veterinary hospital in the Los Angeles area, where the people actually LOVE animals, want to help animals and don't have dollar signs on their eyeballs?

• ANSWER:
  If you can make the short trip, I HIGHLY recommend the VMSG (Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group) in Ventura. I've taken 2 of my cats there. They are basically a vet-referred hospital, but if you have an emergency, you can go right in. They have everything your cat needs to pinpoint exactly what is going on and the best treatment. These doctors are surgeons, oncologists, neurologists, etc. - the finest there is, and they have a great 24-hour staff there. It's a big place and a wonderful place to take your ailing pet! I can't say enough about them.

  VETERINARY MEDICAL AND SURGICAL GROUP
  2199 Sperry Avenue
  Ventura, CA 93003
  Phone: (805) 339-2290
  Fax: (805) 339-2291
  www.vmsg.com

  Everything is state of the art there! I took one cat there who got a C.T. scan for her cancer and they are so compassionate there, you will love the doctors and they care so deeply for your animals.

  I took my other cat who has kidney disease and hypercalcemia there, they knew exactly what needed to be done. Diet change, Sub-Q fluids (which I administer myself daily - it's taken away her hypercalcemia completely).

  Also, since your baby will most likely need the Sub-Q fluids for life, ask your vet to authorize your buying them from the Fosters & Smith website. Instead of paying - per 1000ml bag, I pay only .00 for FIVE 1000ml bags with FREE shipping (if you buy more than 4 bags). It needs to be authorized by your vet, though.

  The VMSG is where I would recommend anyone to go. They are right off the 101 and not too far of a drive. I drove 2.5 hours both times for my cats to get there. (I'm close to Pismo Beach)

QUESTION:
I might have a kidney infection?
I'm only 15, i've had a bad cold for two days and yesterday i had "period cramps" though no blood appeared and i'm not due for it another week, i didn't really think much of it because my mom just thought i was achey from being sick. Then this morning i was feeling fine, and all day today i felt alright, then this afternoon around 4p.m. i got severe cramping in my lower stomach, i thought it was just constipation because i was having trouble going to the bathroom, then i threw up an hour or so later, and felt much better afterwards, so far this is the only time i've vomited. Then tonight i went pee and a little bit of blood came out with the urine but it didn't hurt to urinate and it didnt have a funky smell, but it was followed by back pain its hard to distinguish whether this is just my period coming early or a kidney infection because i don't normally puke during my period. I did lose my virginity two weeks ago but i'm not convinced this is pregnancy.
I also should mention i haven't had a fever during any of this.
Has anyone had a kidney infection, did you have these symptoms? Should i visit the doctor in the morning and get checked for a kidney infection? How do they check for a kidney infection, a urine test? and Whats the treatment?
All help is greatly apprechiated.
Could it also be a urinary tract infection?

• ANSWER:
  I have had several kidney infections and they feel like death. Your back hurts so bad you can't stand it, you have to pee a lot, and it hurts. You puke, and have the poops. When I say death, I mean it. I have 2 children and kidney pain is worse then labor by far. They check by running a test on your urine. Good luck and I hope your feeling better soon:)

QUESTION:
does someone w/aids can survive a kidney infection?
my brother has aids, he didnt take any treatment for a year and he was just diagnose with kidney infection and a severe anemia. do you know anyone who has survive something like this?

• ANSWER:
  There are ongoing studies of HIV patients and kidney failure/infections. It seems that is is relatively common for HIV sufferers to have or develop kidney problems. Here is a site addressing clinical trials for the HIV Kidney problem: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/NCT00153621;jsessionid=C15E17A6FEB6B98580400901040B1856?order=8

  Here is another related article from the Mayo Clinic. It basically is about Kidney infections, but there is some comment on how HIV can affect the kidney. http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00593.html

  The prognosis isn't bad, but it is not exactly good either. It depends on your brother's state of mind and how hard he is willing to work for his own cure for the kidney infection. There are some fine doctors out there. I would say that not being treated for a year is not the best choice he could have made. Sounds like he may also be depressed.

QUESTION:
Viral infection? No insurance and desperate?
So three days ago I developed a fever that is still going strong. The day after the first symptoms I got a severe sore throat and chills. I also had random pain at different joints, and a pain started up on my middle back, above the level of my lowest ribs. My symptoms persisted for three more days even though I took antibiotics and advil/tylenol. The medication would help but it would always return. Today I started taking over the counter Contac, which contains acetominophen. The only real change is that the pain on my back and in my throat has worsened, my appetite is very low, and my urine is always somewhat dark despite drinking only water. There is also some white phlegm like substance at the back of my throat, and my gums have become swollen and painful and bleed easily. My lymph nodes on my neck are also swollen on both sides?

I've written off the throat symptoms and fever as mono or strep throat but my concern is the pain in my middle back, which is inconsistent with a kidney infection. Any helpful suggestions or treatments besides going to the doctor? I have no insurance.

• ANSWER:
  Call your city or county health department. They may be able to refer you to a low-cost clinic or, if worse comes to worse, the hospital emergency room. High fevers are typically signs of bacterial infections, and you need to get this treated.

QUESTION:
Should I take Pyridium for more than 2 days?
I have a kidney infection. According to:
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/phenazopyridine_ids.htm
"When used concomitantly with an antibacterial agent for the treatment of a urinary tract infection, the administration of Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride should not exceed 2 days."

They prescribed me Pyridium for 3 days and I'm taking Cipro for 3 days. Should I stop taking Pyridium after 2 days?

• ANSWER:
  You can finish the pyridium - some doctors give 2 days, some give 3. It is not going to cause any problems. Usually by the end of the 2nd day, the burning and frequency are gone so the pyridium is no longer needed anyway.

QUESTION:
i feel so embarrass with my husband, i need any help? its about vagina..?
let me start first by saying, pardon my english, its not my first language and i dont live in the USA or in a English speaking country. so please be patient with me.
im married for six months now, and for the last 3 month i have been receiving treatment for a kidney infection, and i know have some side effect because of the medication, im on antibiotics.
i developed a terrible yeast infection and another infection that make my vagina to have a very nasty smell, i dont know what to do.

the other night while i was laying on bed, my husband made a comment saying, why my vagina smell soo nasty lately, i was really embarrassed, i did not know what to answer, or how to answer. what can i tell my husband? is there any home remedy to make my vagina smell good again? i dont feel comfortable around my husband no more, i feel depress, i tried talking to my friends but they never had a problem like this with their husband before..
Thanks for your time..

• ANSWER:
  well your english is better than some people that live in the states LOL!

  but sometimes when you have a yeast infection that will happen. if the smell has not gone away and you have completed your treatment for the yeast infection then you need to go back to the dr. and hopefully you have been not having sex because you are not supposed to when you have a yeast infection. so that may be part of the problem as well. antiboitics can have that effect to. but he is your husband tell him i've been sick and that's what the medicine has been doing. don't be embarassed he loves you and it's not your fault it's not like you are dirty or something. you have been sick. so again if you have completed your treatment for the yeast infection then go back to your dr and tell them what is happening. the infection may still be there.

QUESTION:
Does this sound like a kidney infection?
Okay, so for the past week I have felt pretty sick...I figured I just had a stomach virus or something and it wasn't that big of a deal. Well the past couple of days its gotten a little worse,
I have thrown up
I have bad aches on my right side and right side of my back, not one specific spot but it hurts pretty bad.
I have been peeing a lot more than usual the past week
My stomach is hurting as well and I feel nauseous
and I generally just don't feel well.
Do you think these are signs of a Kidney infection? If so what are the treatments? I'm going to go to the doctor on Monday just to be sure but I need a little peace of mind so I'm not worrying constantly about it until then.

• ANSWER:
  If urine is normal color I would say it is very unlikely to have a kidney infection. You probably have some kind of stomach flu, or bug deep in your intestines which cause achy pain like you feel. I particularly think this because you said it is not in one specific spot you feel the pain. Lots of bed rest, water, and standard cold medicine should do the trick...Feel better!

QUESTION:
Idk what to do..(Kidney Infection)?
So around 2 days ago my side started hurting..for the first time (again) in 2 years. I've drank a lot of water and nothing..

I've already gotten treatment for the same kidney before. The last time this happened I had to stay in the hospital for 3 days with an IV. And I HATE hospitals because of that experience.

Now I know from looking at some other questions that you have to go to the Dr. to get these treated..but here's the thing..on Monday I have to go to Lake Ann Camp for a week. We had to pay well over 0 for this camp..So I can't afford to be staying at the hospital for 3 days..is there ANY way they can give me just a prescription and not an IV? Or can I last this week??

• ANSWER:
  You have to go to the doctor and see. Sometimes just oral antibiotics will work. Sometimes it won't. You don't know until you ask. However, your health is a lot more important then some camp.

QUESTION:
fungus infection under the hand nail-plate Under treatment from dermotologists for morethan a year .?
the fungus goes 95% and new healthy nail appears and all of sudden small fungus reappears to spoil completely the new nail.The damage repeats. The drugs administered oral prescription warns of damage to liver and kidney if over/mal dosed.One hand one ring finger is the affected part now. Afraid it may spread to other fingers eventually if not treated. Waiting in anxiety for solutions from kind people at large.

• ANSWER:
  Hi Deva

  I think this is the info you need. Kill a fungus/infection is what you need done. Here are plenty of ideas that will work.

  Symptoms
  Symptoms of infection include redness, inflammation, pain, swelling, and pus formation (abscess) at the site of the infection. Fever, cough, sneezing, fatigue, and bowel dysfunction (diarrhea) can also arise due to infection.

  Note: Antibiotics do not protect against viral infection or inflammatory conditions, although they are often prescribed for such conditions.

  Moreover, antibiotics destroy both harmful bacteria and the beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing digestive and gastrointestinal problems and systemic yeast (Candida albicans) overgrowth.

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Natural Cures

  Aromatherapy: For fungicidal infections, cedarwood is effective, while for infected wounds, frankincense, tea tree, and/or patchouli can be useful.

  Diet: Increase your intake of garlic and unflavored yogurt, and add infection fighting foods, such as diluted and organic (no sugar added) orange juice, apples and apple juice, grapes and grape juice, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, figs, cabbage, onion, kelp, and raw honey to your diet. Avoid sugar in any form, and drink plenty of filtered water.

  Herbs: Herbs that act as anti-infectious agents include echinacea, goldenseal, garlic, Oregon grape, barberry, and adaptogenic herbs such as Siberian ginseng. Grapefruit seed extract also has strong antibiotic-like properties and can be applied topically or taken orally. Olive leaf extract has both antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it useful for a wide range of infections.

  Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment.

  Hyperthermia: Hyperthermia involves artificially creating fever in the body for the purpose of boosting immune function. Hyperthermia can be a highly effective method of eliminating toxins and heavy metals, as well as infectious bacteria and viruses that cannot survive in elevated body temperatures.

  *Purified water is essential for any hydrotherapy or hyperthermia treatment. Remedies for Treating Chlorinated Bath Water offers clear instructions and recommendations.

  Juice Therapy: Combining the juices of carrot, celery, beet, cantaloupe, and ginger can be helpful.

  Nutritional Supplementation: The following nutritional alternative to antibiotics is often effective in treating infection, particularly in the initial stages: vitamin A (400,000 IU daily for five days), liquid garlic extract (up to two 4-ounce bottles a day) or the equivalent of high-quality garlic in capsules or tablets, and vitamin C to bowel tolerance.

  Note: This protocol should only be used only under your doctor`s guidance. The dosages are for an average 150-pound adult and should be scaled down proportionately according to weight. The vitamin A should be taken for a period of at least three days, but no more than five days. In addition, vitamin A in these doses can cause headaches in about 1% of those who use it. Should this occur, decrease the dose.

  Other useful nutrients for dealing with infection include: colloidal silver, essential fatty acids (EFAs), bromelain (an enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties), calcium, magnesium, vitamin B complex, vitamin B6, and zinc.

  Alternative Professional Care
  If your symptoms persist despite the above measures, seek the help of a qualified health professional. The following professional care therapies have all been shown to be useful for treating infection: Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Detoxification Therapy, Environmental Medicine, Magnetic Field Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Oxygen Therapy, Reflexology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine

  Best of health to you

QUESTION:
Would a kidney infection or problem show up on urine sample?
I went to the DR today and had a urine test done! He told me the test came back ok expect for some clue cells. He did not start me on ANY treatment. I think I have Bacterial Vagonsis (as earlier in the week I had diaherra so bad it was even on my front side) anyway I plan on going to the urgent care clinic that opens in the morning and asking for a pelvic exam..but right now I just am worried, my lower back hurts really bad which makes me worry of my kidneys but wouldn't anything to do with my kidneys showed up on the urine test?? I'm thinking so. Also I have a 100 degree temp, vaginal soreness, itchy and burning.......severe abdominal cramps and of course bad lower back pain and all over back/shoulder pain! Any soothing words to help me relax so I can get some sleep before having to drive over to urgent care when they open at 9 in the morning???? I'm so scared!!! Especially since the treatment for BV is anti botics, I've taken so many anti botics in my past 6 years and I'm only 21 all they do is give me anti botic after anti botic sometimes un needed. I worry what will happen I don't want to become resistant or die sorry I'm a worrier especially about health...anyway just please any soothing words for me?? I gotta relax enough to get some sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!

• ANSWER:
  Kidney infections will often show up both with changes in urine as well as in urine samples. Go see a doctor and have them take the urine sample

QUESTION:
Problems with my kidneys, can anyone help?
I had a 5mm kidney stone back in May, I had alot of problems with it, I live in Spain but the treatment was terrible so I went back to uk for a holiday and was treated there when I was taken ill, the stone went but I had a infection were the stone had been inside me for so long. I was put on different antibiotics I was home for about a month, I was told to rotate the antibiotics cause I was having problems shifting the infection. I am since back in Spain and still having pain in the kidney area, I am still taking the antibiotics, they seem to work for a few days but by the time I have finished them, I am in pain again. I have been to see a doctor here and he said it can take a while to completely get rid of a kidney infection. Is he right is this normal, I also find white particles in my urine, they are very fine little specks I have been having these since may when i was first diagonosed with the stone, I have been told these are normal. Does anyone have any answers for me, thanks.

• ANSWER:
  In ASIA kidney & Gall stones are easily flushed out using simple ancestorial grandma remedies.

  I believe the size u said may be easily flushed out with excessive drinking of clean water frequently for weeks.
  If you have already removed it then still try antibiotics seriously under medical care you need to stop infection.

  Option
  You may explore the websites below and order for Ayurvedic herbal formulations and get it flushed for now or in near future too.

  1 ayurved
  http://www.cochinayurvedic.com/medicines/destone.htm
  2 unani
  http://www.unanidoctors.com/onlinetreatment.htm
  3 ayurved
  http://www.fairpharma.com/feedback.htm
  4 ayurved
  http://www.gpinstitute.com/fullchronic.htm
  5 Herbs
  http://www.divine-herbs.com/id32.html

  The important facts of PREVENTING and TREATING Kidney & Gall stones using FRUITS & VEGETABLES is recommended for your practice in daily life.

  Avoid Intake of excess of Spinach, Tomatoes etc during the problem of Kidneys stones.
  Avoid a combination of SPINACH & TOMATO.

  USE
  There are many options in home remedies for Kidney stones and Gall stones using kitchen ... but how ?

  Removal of Kidney Stones

  A study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed and Ammi majus fruit on experimentally-induced kidney stones. Oxalate urolithiasis in male rats was produced by the addition of 3% glycolic acid to their diet. After 4 weeks, highly significant deposition in the kidneys was noticed and changes in water intake and body weight recorded. Daily oral treatment with T. foenum-graecum significantly decreased the quantity of calcium oxalate deposited in the kidneys thus supporting its use in Saudi folk medicine. The effects obtained by A. majus were, however, not significant.
  SOURCE:
  http://www.divine-herbs.com/id23.html

  Whats the importance of ALTERNATE MEDICINES ? read more ...
  http://www.unani.com/comparison.htm

  Disclaimer:
  Do not try online suggestions without prior consultation of your doctor.
  (It is wise to go for second opinions always)

QUESTION:
Can strep throat lead to a kidney infection?
I recently had strep throat that didn't get treated right away. I did take antibiotics for it but by that time I had strep throat, double ear infections, a sinus infection, and was dehydrated. It also had begun to spread to my lungs. It is about 2 weeks after I finished the antibiotics but now I have a kidney infection and it hurts really, really bad. I haven't gotten treatment for it yet and don't know what to do. I was wondering if all of this was caused by strep throat.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
If you have a hard kidney stone on the left, how many times do you have to get the shock treatment procedure?
I am a female, age 28. History with kidney stones- I was pregnant 3 years ago and had a kidney stone-Had a stent put in. Thought I passed it,was a big one too. I wonder if this is the same one. Anywayz, I already had one shock treatment and passed some stones, but my doc says he doesn't know how many more I will need. My stone is 1/2 inch big in diameter. I have been dealing with this for 3months now, its such a pain. I still have a kidney infection too, so it burns when I urinate I am going to have shock treatment again next week. I hope I never have a kidney stone again.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
My Grandmas kidneys are failing, is there a treatment for this? suitable for her age?
I don't think her body can handle a transfer:(
is there any natural way or some way to help her that her fragile aged body could handle?
Please Helpp!!

• ANSWER:
  Not really, this isn't a cure but it helps - keep your body's pH levels high by eating and drinking alkaline food. This is the most natural and effective way. A long list of health problems and diseases are caused by acidic conditions in the body. This is what doctors won't tell you. I haven't had gingivitis or headaches for years cus of this.

QUESTION:
Can anyone recommend an excellent veterinary hospital in Los Angeles area?
My dearest little Pookie needs treatment for failing kidneys and respiratory infection. He needs to be admitted to a veterinary hospital for hands-on treatment and observation. Can anyone recommend a veterinary hospital in the Los Angeles area, where the people actually LOVE animals, want to help animals and don't have dollar signs on their eyeballs?

• ANSWER:
  If you can make the short trip, I HIGHLY recommend the VMSG (Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group) in Ventura. I've taken 2 of my cats there. They are basically a vet-referred hospital, but if you have an emergency, you can go right in. They have everything your cat needs to pinpoint exactly what is going on and the best treatment. These doctors are surgeons, oncologists, neurologists, etc. - the finest there is, and they have a great 24-hour staff there. It's a big place and a wonderful place to take your ailing pet! I can't say enough about them.

  VETERINARY MEDICAL AND SURGICAL GROUP
  2199 Sperry Avenue
  Ventura, CA 93003
  Phone: (805) 339-2290
  Fax: (805) 339-2291
  www.vmsg.com

  Everything is state of the art there! I took one cat there who got a C.T. scan for her cancer and they are so compassionate there, you will love the doctors and they care so deeply for your animals.

  I took my other cat who has kidney disease and hypercalcemia there, they knew exactly what needed to be done. Diet change, Sub-Q fluids (which I administer myself daily - it's taken away her hypercalcemia completely).

  Also, since your baby will most likely need the Sub-Q fluids for life, ask your vet to authorize your buying them from the Fosters & Smith website. Instead of paying - per 1000ml bag, I pay only .00 for FIVE 1000ml bags with FREE shipping (if you buy more than 4 bags). It needs to be authorized by your vet, though.

  The VMSG is where I would recommend anyone to go. They are right off the 101 and not too far of a drive. I drove 2.5 hours both times for my cats to get there. (I'm close to Pismo Beach)

QUESTION:
how long does a person live after the kidneys fail and no treatment or action to make things better is taken?
my grandma is in a nursing home and currently dieing. she has lost 25lbs in the last couple months. she started refusing food and drink, and now her organs are beginning to fail. she has been mostly unconscious for a month or so. (however she had her eyes open today) my aunts and mother were given the option to rehydrate her by moving her to the hospital and being put on ivs or letting her go without any type of resuscitation. they chose the later. today when i went to check on her the urine in her cath bag was purple. does this mean she is septic and her life will end today??tomorrow?? how long will a person live in this state?? it is so hard to watch this, but i am the only family member in this state. i don't want her to be alone in the last hours. should i go be with her now? this is really hard please help with some sound medical answers as to the steps/stages of death in the elderly.

• ANSWER:
  well, yours is a very difficult question, how long can a person with all that you're describing can last. It could be a couple of days or maybe a couple of weeks. As she is in a nursing home, they will keep on giving her liquids at least, and as you state, her kidneys are still functioning (if there is urine, the kidneys work, they can be in failure but still working), even if she is septic, that can take days to get her in organ failure. Just pray she is not suffering and try to be with her

QUESTION:
Eating disorder? Kidneys failing?
Ive met the love of my life a few months ago, I wanna spend my life with her and im so in love with her, she makes me the happiest i can be, ive never felt this way about anyone before. But today she tells me that she has a eating disorder and its really bad, she pukes up blood sometimes, she blacks out, shes had treatment for it before for 2 years then went back to how she was after 4 months, she says that theres no point in doing the treatment again if its not gon work on her. She also told me that her dr called her about her blood tests saying her blood counts are way to low and vitamin levels are shot, and also she told me her kidneys are producing toxins.. yet her dr said that theres nothing he can do, only god can help her, which i think is bull comming from a dr, he should be doing everything he can to help her. All she is thinking about right now is dying, and im really scared and worried cant stop crying, i want to know if she will be okay or if theres any thing that can help
I just dont know what to do or say to her, ive said all i can and tried to get her to get help but she wont cause it didnt work before, i dont know what else i can do. Please tell me shes going to be okay.
Fuck you heartless dickheads, how can you be so cold.

• ANSWER:
  Oh wow, I'm so sorry for both of you. I know how painful it is to watch a loved one suffer from an eating disorder. First of all, you must get her to stop this eating disorder. You need to send her to a hospital or somewhere that will help her get things back on track. Try to find a doctor who specializes in eating disorders and get their help.

  Meanwhile, let her know how much you love her and make each day worthwhile. If she is going to pass, let her know how you feel before it's too late. But remember that hope isn't lost yet. From what you described she can be saved.

QUESTION:
i am waiting for my citizenship and after that i want to bring my mother because she need medical treatment?
She is on dialysis 3-times a week because her kidney failed. What i have to do to bring her here,what hospitals i should contact, any information how to bring her here and who can support in medical treatment

• ANSWER:
  It isn't going to happen. You aren't going to get a visa for a critically ill person who is going to be on the public dole.

QUESTION:
What foods and supplements would help someone with a bleeding stomach ulcer?
(Not me).

Her kidneys failed a few days ago because of the bleeding. She's out of hospital now but living in a very stressful situation.

She's receiving medical treatment but I don't know what exactly.

Thanks for helping my friend.

• ANSWER:
  It sounds like she is under a doctor's care already, but still suffering. There are many things that can help such as aloe juice, marshamallow root tea, cabbage juice, and echinacea is helpful if the ulcer is bacterial. All of these therapies are gentle and safe, but effective without interacting with her medical treatments.

QUESTION:
When being treated for clostridium difficile toxin with vancomycin, then kidneys failed. Doctor mistake?
On 12/6/09 the patient tested positive for CDT. Doctors began treatment with vanco and on 12/10/09 drug monitoring revealed 23.1 level of vanco. On 12/13/09 a kidney sonogram revealed acute kidney failure. On 12/14/09 vanco levels were a 47.8. My question is was the patient gien too much vanco which could have caused his kidneys to fail? Previous tests revealed no problems with the kidneys.
The reference range for vanco is 10-20. The theraputic drug monitoring chart showed his level of vanco was at 47.8 which is at panic status. The footnote stated he then notified the physician of the markedly abnormal result. The question is: WAS THE PATIENT GIVEN TOO MUCH VANCO WHICH THE KIDNEYS COULD NOT HANDLE RESULTING IN ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
I just found out my dad kidneys failed.. ?
He also has terminal cancer, and a tumor.. how long can he live like this. he has been in a hospital for 2 months or more.. but doctors have stopped treatment. the cancer has spread to his bones.. he suffers everyday.. how long can he go on like this

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
How can I get my cat to eat?
My family recently found out that my cat has failing kidneys. Since then, we have taken him into the vet for hydration treatments. Each time we go, it really takes a lot out of him. He has shown no interest in food anymore, and little interest in drinking. The poor thing is almost nothing but skin and bones. What are some methods we can use to try and get him to eat? We have special food for him, but all he does is lick off the juice and walk away. He barely eats enough to keep himself going. The vets say he doesn't want to eat because he has a high level of toxins in his blood due to his kidneys not working properly. This causes him to feel nautious and therefore unwilling to eat. Are there any cat experts with suggestions of how we can get him to eat?

Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  Ugh, I'm so sorry your kitty is sick. That breaks my heart.

  I had a cat go through the same thing. He suffered a LOT. Had we known the diagnosis earlier, as hard as this is to say and do, we probably would have euthenized him before it got so terrible.

  If the prognosis isn't good, meaning, he's only going to decline and you're just prolonging it, and you think he's not feeling well, it might be time to look at what you would want somebody to do for you if you were in that situation. You know they mean well by trying to keep you fed and keep you around because they love you, but you're so tired and sick and you just want relief. Think about what's best for the cat, as terrible and difficult as that is.

  Please don't think I'm a horrible, heartless person...I have a kitten sitting on my lap as I type this and 2 more cats dozing on my sofa...I've had more than 10 cats in my life...shed a million tears over each of them. Lost my baby cat, Attilla the Hunny, 14 years old this past October. God did me a favor and took her from me before she got so bad that I had to make that decision myself, which is the hardest thing to do.

  I'm just saying that I know it's a first impulse to try to help and prolong their life. But if the pain is constant, that's not much of a life for them. You have to be very unselfish and strong, and give your kitty the gift of a life that doesn't end with months of suffering. You don't want to remember him in pain and miserable, you want to remember him as healthy and happy. I'm sure he'd want the same.

  If the prognosis isn't that dire, the vet should be able to help with suggestions or nutritional supplements in gel form maybe that will help him. But you should ask the vet if this might be the time to discuss euthenization, as sad and horrible as that is.

  I'm very very sorry, I wish the best for your kitty and your family. Good luck.

QUESTION:
Is this thrush?
Our baby has had a rash around her mouth. Tonight, I noticed a similar rash around my nipple and aerola. Last week we took her to the doctor about the rash and the ped. said it wasn't thrush because she didn't have the white patches in her mouth, that it was caused by teething and to give antibiotic cream. We have and it looks better but is not gone. I didn't notice my nipples and aerola until tonight when I was in the bathtub.

I have read online and they said:
-genetian violet- where do I get that?
-it said to put myconizole on my nipples- yet that would be ingested by the baby.

I do not have pain when I am breastfeeding at all. I just noticed the rash on my own nipples tonight. 2 weeks ago on was on a strong antibiotic for a kidney infection that came back after the first treatment failed. I wonder if this caused it.

We are calling the ped. on Wednesday morning. Do I need to see my own doctor as well to get my own meds?

Someone fill me in. I have never had this before
Thank you very much and Happy Holidays!
She has had a red rash around her mouth for a few weeks and nothing is clearing it up.

Now, I have it. She has no white patches at all.
I think I am going to take her in tomorrow to find out what is going on. She is on solids and has had no new foods- she eats pretty much what we eat at 16 months but despises eggs.

I am baffled. My rash looks just like hers. Today, she has it under her eyes??? They look like little pimples though.

For me with nursing, it doesn't hurt at all- no burning, nothing. That's why I question the thrush but have no idea what this could be.

Ughhh....

Thank you all...and any other ideas would be appreciated.

• ANSWER:
  That doesn't sound like thrush because it is around the outside of the mouth, that actually sounds more like an allergic rash. I don't suppose you have started solids? Could you be sharing a food allergy? Or maybe an allergy to the antibiotic?

  With the nipple cream, such as the APO which contain anti-fungals you are supposed to wipe of the excess (particularly if you add vitamin E, as babies can easily receive a toxic amount). Also 2 of the 3 commonly used antifungal cream ingredients also come in an oral(pill) form as well so they would be safe. Pretty sure it is miconozole is one, as is nystatin.

  You can get genetian violet at any drugstore and walmart however I really do not recommend you use it. While it is commonly considered to be a natural treatment -it isn't and it has been linked to cancer. In the wrong dosage it can cause ulcers in the mouth as well.

  Grapefruit seed extract is a natural based product, and in my experience it is highly effective. The only side effect I have found listed anywhere is that it can cause an allergic reaction in those allergic to grapefruit (duh). It can be taken orally, and applied topically. If you can afford both I recommend getting the pills and the liquid, however you can start with just the liquid. The active ingredient in GSE is approved for use to disinfect food processing machinery, so it is effective against many things including yeast and e. coli

  Dosages:
  Mom: 10-20 drops in liquid 2-3 times a day. Citrus juice masks the taste well, it is otherwise pretty gross *lol*.
  Topically (in the mouth, diaper area, nipple, mom's vagina, etc) 10-20 drops per oz DISTILLED water (the chemicals in tap water may cause it to deteriorate over time). How frequently to put it on varies, however as yeast can regrow in as little as 90 minutes it is generally advisable to put it in the baby's mouth (with a q-tip) and on mom's nipples (I use a spray bottle to apply to nipples, diaper area, etc but it doesn't really matter) every hour and/or after each feed.

  You MUST continue any anti-fungal treatment for at least 2 weeks after all symptoms have cleared up or it will just come back.

  There is no reason not to use the GSE even if it isn't a yeast rash. Afterall you were just on antibiotics and as I said it is very low risk.
  Source(s)
  http://www.cagenbird.com/candida.htm
  It is a dye derived from coal tar and is widely used as stain in histology, cytology, and bacteriology (definition taken from Tabor’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, F.A. Davis Company Copyright © 1993).

QUESTION:
Second opinion needed. How do we go about getting one? Mom diagnosed with terminal cancer.?
I have electronic copy of reports. Doctors at current hospital refuse to treat her for fear that treatment will cause her already reduced functioning kidneys to fail. They have recommended Hospice care. Tumor is the size of a basketball.

Any support/information regarding Hospice, second opinion, etc is greatly appreciated.
They feel that surgery is not an option because they are not confident that they can control bleeding and fear that she will hemorrhage to death.
additional info...*Yes, Mom wants to fight and she very much wants a second opinion.

*Cytology consult indicates a diagnosis of "MISC, ABDOMEN, FNA (C07-448): MALIGNANT MELANOMA"

My mom is lucid. She is in a lot of pain even with significant amounts of pain medication. The tumor is the size of a basketball and still growing. She is running out of space in her abdominal cavity. She is extremely uncomfortable. Her stomach is as large as someone carrying twins or triplets. She has difficulty turning over in the bed because her stomach is so large. The cancer seems to be contained by drawing blood from a large area inside. The doctors said that the tumor is not a solid mass, but more like jello.

She is able to do very little without assistance. She requires oxygen and she isn't eating. She is on an IV.
Mom is currently at UVa. They are planning to discharge her tomorrow.

• ANSWER:
  First, what does your mother want to do? Does she want to fight this disease? If she does than go ahead with a second opinon. Usually the oncologist will cooperate.

  You need to ask for copies of all her medical records, including recent CT/PET scan from both the hospital and her oncologist. Explain that you want a second opinion. Usually this information can be placed on a CD and sent to another doctor for a review (so your Mom won't need to even go .

  The National Cancer Institute has about 60 or more designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. You can contact them seeking a second opinion:

  http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html

  Seond Opinon Institutions
  http://www.blochcancer.org/articles/xtrnew.asp

  You do not say what type of cancer that your mother has or if the tumor has metastasized. Age and overall health may factor into why the doctors recommend hospice for her. Keep in mind that your mother can still receive palliative care when in hospice and if her overall health improves than the doctors might reconsider treatment.

  Stay strong and best wishes during this difficult period.

QUESTION:
Should they tell him he is going to die in a few days?
It is about a friend's husband, he needs a heart transplant and his kidney failed , he's been on a dialysis machine since 6 weeks but the docs are saying that his heart can't take it anymore. They will stop the treatment tomorrow and they will let him sleap away.....The family is afraid to tell him anything , do you think they should let him know? He is asking if he is going be home for Christmas......

• ANSWER:
  two years ago my mum was admitted to hospital, she had 5 years earlier suffered a brain hem and survived. she had a very enlarged stomach which the drs couldnt understand. after two weeks they decided to drain her tummy and when they did which they did in one day my mum collapsed. she was unwell for a few days later, bit confused but when i was there during drs visits they spoke to here as tho she could understand them, when i pointed it out that mum didnt understand them they said that tey always treated patients with the dignity they they deserved and that they should be told all about their treatment. a few days later the dr was waiting for me and told me that mum had ovarian cancer and that she had days to live, he said that they had explained this to her and it was only a matter of time, we were more upset that mum was. she was then put on the pathway which is they were not going to treat her any more if she wanted to eat and drink she could but they wouldnt force her. she had morphine as much as she needed no problem, i know mum would have wanted to know and i would also as it gives you the time to put things in order and possibly do things that you wanted to do ( if you are able) before its too late, and not be under the illusion that when i go home im not going to waste any more of my life im going to do........... but it will then be too late, i understand that everyone thinks differently and its really up to the individual if they are wiling to accept such bad
  news.
  im really sorry for your friends husband but sometimes people know when they are going to pass away im sure mum did

QUESTION:
RE: My 10 month old female yellow lab had the spaying and has not eaten for several days.?
I took my Kali back to the vet several times and demanded blood work. The vet had told me that it was in fact her kidneys, that they have reduced in function. They brought her in to get an IV for liquid treatment. The vet failed to tell me what will happen? What is wrong with her? What are the short/long term effects? Will she get better?

• ANSWER:
  I am really sorry to read about your dog.

  I am going to guess with her young age no blood work was done prior to the surgery(which would be the norm), and that she most likely had compromised Kidney function already. The anesthesia no doubt stressed her already compromised kidneys.

  Kidney failure in dogs is far less manageable then in cats. It is going to depend on your dogs level of Kidney damage.

  Kidneys are not known to get better. The hope is that they will not get worse.

  Here is a link that will give you an overview of what is going on and what to expect.

  http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/kidney.html

  Best of luck with your poor dog.

  Do call the breeder of this dog and let them know about this so they can warn owners of the other litter mates to check kidney function before any surgery.

QUESTION:
Arms swollen due to clots from multiple myeloma treatment. They wanna give Streptakinase injection. Risks?
My mom is currently undergoing treatment for her multiple myeloma cancer. She had two stem cell transpants last year and eventually went into remission. But this past September, Myeloma was spotted back in 90% of her bone marrow. She has returned to chemo and an aggressive treatment to bring it down.

As a result, she's had several complications that come with the treatments... right now her left arm has swollen up really large because of clotting. Now the doctors are saying they want to administer a streptakinase injection. In order to do such a procedure they have to use a dye-contrast , which we're afraid of using because of my mom's weakened kidneys due to having myeloma. What should we do? It's a tough decision to make... especially after hearing about all the risks. For one, streptakinase is a major blood thinner and the risks include bowel, brain or spinal bleeding, which could lead to a stroke. On top of that, the contrast can cause her weakened kidneys to fail. Help!

• ANSWER:
  Nattokinase is much milder, and can be taken regularly. It is much better than rat poison. the treatments are about as deadly as the cancer. Do your homework, and go to Mexico where at least they don't torture you so badly, and don't charge an arm and a leg. I'm not aware of the need for a contrast dye with the Streptokinase. is it really needed??

QUESTION:
Side effects of feline lymphoma treatment?
Recently my cat did not seem to be feeling well, so I took him to the vet where he was diagnosed with lymphoma that has caused his kidneys to fail. It's weird that the kidney failure happened so quickly-- he had a full blood panel done when I first adopted him 3 months ago that showed no problems with his kidneys. Anyway, I've been administering subcutaneous fluids to combat the dehydration from kidney failure for a couple of days now and he immediately felt better, acting more lively than I have ever seen this 8 yr old.

Today, we started him on chlorambucil (Leukeran) and prednisolone. I know what the side effects are from the information provided, but I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with these drugs on their cats. I was so ecstatic to see him bounce back after the "crash," and I'm afraid that these drugs for the cancer will make him feel unwell again. I gave him the meds a few hours ago. He is sleeping now, but I am anxious to see how he will react. So anyone out there... did your cats experience negative side effects from these drugs?

• ANSWER:
  I had a cat with Lymphoma, and it was a very hard disease to live with. She was too old for chemotherapy in mine and the vetenarians opinion. It wasn't worth it, so we treated her with prednisone alone. I can tell you she sometimes would lose sleep on it, and would get hyperactive. It is a steroid, so expect behavioral changes and weight gain. Eating habits may change, and he will be very thirsty so leave extra clean water around for him. On the Leukeran, he may have some hair and bone marrow loss, for it is chemotherapy. He can become anemic on the medication, so make sure he is properly nourished and hydrated. Keep up your vet visits and I really hope the best for you and you kitty!

QUESTION:
How do you give up on love and forget about finding a relationship?
I am a 29 gay male and I have never had a relationship. When I was 11 both of my kidneys failed. This chronic illness has ruined my body thru massive steriod treatments, surgeries, scars and stretch marks. I have been thru so much and all I wanted to do was to find someone to understand me and love me and be able to do the same for them. In a world of men that objectify beauty and perfection I am wondering where I fit in. I am a good person but that doesnt seem to be enough. I just want to know how to shut that part of my heart and and stop wanting to be loved. Can someone tell me how to give up on love?

• ANSWER:
  This is a most fabulous question and I’m going to take you seriously. I believe that it is a wonderful thing for you to want to “let go” of a debilitating desire that is hurting you.

  You wanted to love and be loved and that’s certainly the most human of things. You have been hurting because of the lack of fulfillment of that deep need. Well, join the millions and millions. You want to quit suffering and just get over the wanting, right? Okay, what I think is the best thing is to focus on all the positives about NOT having Mr.X.

  You do not have to worry about Mr. X lying to you or taking his love away. You do not have to worry about where he is. You don’t have to be pulled down because he is depressed. You have a tremendous amount of psychological freedom that you would not have if you were deeply involved emotionally in a love relationship. No one can betray you. WOW - BETRAYAL PROOF!!! Congratulations. Not a lot of people feel that way. Anyone of the face of this earth can have sex with anyone else and it doesn’t hurt your feelings. That’s pretty invincible. That’s not such a bad place to be.

  Next case: How many people have a partner but their relationship isn’t all that lovey-dovey supportive? Hello - how about millions and millions! Their honey isn’t all starry-eyed for them but rather that other person is critical and judgmental and moody, etc. etc. etc. Love relationships are not all bliss, in fact many of them have no bliss at all. Usually there’s a whole load of pain involved. This is pain you can skip. Spend time reading about troubled relationships. Every relationship counselor out there, every book, will say how “it isn’t easy” and “it takes work” and “you have to compromise...” All the relationship books aren’t just saying “congratulations” no! All the relationship books, websites etc. are all saying what a lot of work it is to be in a relationship and how much struggle and pain it can be. They are all saying how the pain of a break-up can be the most devastating thing in a person’s life. Read it all for yourself. If relationships were so very great why would so many people be in pain, pain, PAIN?!?!

  Okay so that’s one thing - get grateful that you don’t have a moody, negative, judgmental person who you are hooked “in-love” with. Really, be thankful. An attitude of gratitude will go a long way towards making people feel better. You don’t really need a love partner to have a wonderful life. There are a lot of things to enjoy in life and without a partner (i.e. ball-and-chain) you can do much more of what you want when you want how you want.

  This all said, none of it means that you can’t take the plunge if and when you have the opportunity. You can always chuck away your freedom for love if you find someone and you want to risk your heart. Meanwhile, you can feel happy that, as a single person, you are free from the thing that causes the most heart-ache and misery on earth. You don’t really need someone to validate you or approve you. You are fine without a soul-mate a good bit of that stuff is just a myth, there’s a high price to pay for trying to live as a loving couple and often the price is too high and Mr. X isn’t what he was cracked-up to be. When you feel sad about not being loved check out the online places where people lament over the pain they are in concerning the rejection and betrayal and abuse their “loved ones” subject them to. See if you don’t feel better about just hanging with your true blue - YOU! You will never leave you, you will never quit loving you - you have yourself and if you’ll love yourself then you’ve got someone right there you can always count on!

  Finally, make lots and lots of non-sexual friends. The happiest people I know are people who are single with lots to keep them busy. Try giving your time to those in need. Spend your time with people who are suffering and try to help them - perhaps volunteering at a hospital or something like that. Giving really feels good. You’ll get love even if it’s not the kind we see in the movies. I heard a great thing once: A fellow was dying and he said he realized that nobody can really climb into our boat with us. We are born alone and we die alone but it is comforting to look out across the water and see all the other lights from all the other boats bobbing in the night. Maybe that’s what you are doing tonight by posting here. You’re not alone really, no more than all of us are really alone no matter how tightly we cling to the boat next to ours. Choose your thoughts. They don’t just happen you choose them. When you are thinking in a way that’s hurting you, notice it and choose a different focus to think about. Choose to think about the things you are grateful for and choose to think about what you can give, what you can do to make a positive difference in the lives of others. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.

QUESTION:
Who do I contact for a class action suit against Iams for the death of our family cat?
My cat became sick in December before Christmas. On the 5th January I I took her to the vet and they said she may have something going on but were not sure. They took blood work and said it looked suspicious and sent her back to me with antibotics. Approx 3 weeks later she was still sick, so I took her back and they did blood work again and said that her kidneys had failed and her counts were off the chart. I had to have her put to sleep in my arms because I could not afford to keep her on dialysis and treatments that may have prolonged her life they said maybe 4-5 months. Her companion is fine and healthy but lonesome.

• ANSWER:
  There's nothing wrong or greedy about taking legal action against a negligent company, especially for something so terrible which has caused so much grief. In fact, it's great and it helps society in general - they should pay out enormous amounts in damages and this will teach them and other food producers to be much more careful in future. The money won't compensate for the loss of your pet but you'll have done a good duty in the interests of consumers and if you want to feel even better you could donate your compensation payment to a cat rescue shelter and adopt a new companion from the shelter for your poor lonely kitty.
  All the best wishes

QUESTION:
Diet for K9 with Kidney Disease?
My poor dog that I've had since I was 19 (Im currently 31) has failing kidneys. The Vet said that if she were a person she would be on dialasis. Anyhow, she is currently getting liquid treatment under her skin every day and her she is still eating, but not nearly what she used to. I have been giving her people food as she has been staying away from regular canned dog food (which she used to love). Now I give her some canned salmon, rice, carrots, sometimes a scrambelled egg or two. But what she REALLY LOVES is canned vienna sausages and hot dogs. I have been giving her alot of these just so she will take in more calories. I would put her down, alothough it breaks my heart except she is still pretty playful and happy...although not as much as she use to be. My question is what do you think about giving her hot dogs and such as primary meals?

• ANSWER:
  There is a great yahoo group for dogs with kidney failure. The members there have a lot of great advice and tricks to keep your dog with you as long as possible. Please join and seek their advice.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KidneyDiet/

QUESTION:
All these are functions of Growth Hormone (GH) except (plz help me answer this)?
All these are functions of Growth Hormone (GH) except
A. Stimulates uptake of amino acids and conversion into proteins
B. Stimulates breakdown of fats and glycogen
C. Promotes bone and cartilage growth
D. Increased secretion in response to increase amino acids, low blood glucose, or sffess
E. Stimulates cortisol secretion from adrenal cortex

These hormones regulate production of gametes and reproductive hormones
A. Gromh hormone and ACTH
B. Prolactin and FSH
C. ACTH and MSH
D. LH and FSH

Growth factors are local regulators that
A. Produced by anterior pituitary
B. Are modif,red fatty acid that stimulate bone and cartilages
C. Are found on the surface of cancer cell and stimulate abnormal cell growth
D. Are protein that bind to ceil surface receptor and stimulate target cell growth and deveiopment

Which is not a form of communication by cells?
A. Endocrine.
B. Neural.
C. Autocrine.
D. Musculine

Which of the following hormones is secreted by the leydig cell?
A. Thyroxin
B. Androgen
C. Giucocorticoid
D. Prigesterone

Every hormone
A. Is a protein.
B. Is produced in response to stress.
C. Is under the conhol of the pituitary gland.
D. Enters a cell and interacts with DNA.
E. Acts as a signal between cells.

Which of the following hormones have antagonistic (opposing) effects?
A. Thyroxin and calcitonin
B. Insulin and glucagon
C. Growth hormone and epinephrine
D. ACTH and glucocorticoids
E. Epinephrine and norepinephrine

Jet lag occurs when a person moves rapidly from one time zone to another, causing conflict between the body's
biological rhythms and the new cycle of light and dark. Some scientists suspect that jet lagmay result from
disruption of a daily hormone cycle. Which of the following hormones do you think is the most likely suspect?
A. Epinephrine
B. Insulin
C. Melatonin
D. Estrogen.
E. Prolactin

Diabetes insipidus is an inherited endocrine malfunction (unrelated to diabetes mellitus) in which the kidneys
fail to reabsorb normal amounts of water. Victims of this disease produce gallons of urine each day, and their
kidneys soon wear out. Treatment of this disease involves replacing a missing hormone. Which of the following
do you think it is?
a. Glucagon
b. Epinephrine
C. Glucocorticoids
D. Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)
E. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Because only the gland uses iodine to make its hormones, radioactive iodine is often used as a
treatment for tumors of this gland.
A. Pituitary
B. Pancreatic
C. Thyroid
D. Adrenal
E. Testicular

Because only the gland uses iodine to make its hormones. radioactive iodine is often used as a
treatment for tumors of this gland.
a. Pituitary
b. Pancreatic
c. Thyroid
d. Adrenal
e. Testicular

• ANSWER:
  1) E. Stimulates cortisol secretion from adrenal cortex

  This is not a function of GH. Cortisol secretion is stimulated by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which is secreted from the anterior pituitary galnd.

  2) D. LH and FSH

  LH (luteinizing hormone) promotes the secretion of sex hormones in both males and females. In males, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stimulates the production of sperm cells in the testes. In females, FSH is responsible for the growth and development of follicles that house egg cells in the ovaries.

  3) D. Are proteins that bind to cell surface receptors and stimulate target cell growth and development

  4) D. Musculine

  5) B. Androgen

  Cells of Leydig (also called interstitial cells) are located within the testes, and are responsible for the production of androgens (male sex hormones).

  6) E. Acts as a signal between cells.

  7) B. Insulin and glucagon

  When blood glucose levels are elevated, the pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin stimulates the synthesis of glycogen from glucose monomers, thus decreasing blood glucose levels. When blood glucose levels have declined, the pancreas secretes glucaon. Glucagon stimulates the catabolism of glycogen into glucose monomers, increasing blood glucose levels. Glucagon also stimulates the synthesis of glucose from noncarbohydrate substances (gluconeogenesis). Hence, insulin and glucagon have opposite effects.

  8) C. Melatonin

  The pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which is synthesized from serotonin. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythmns, which are patterns of repeated activity associated with cycles of day and night.

  9) D. Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

  ADH is a hormone secreted from the anterior pituitary gland. It functions in stimulating the kidneys to conserve water. Hence, ADH plays an important role in regulating the concentration of body fluids.

  10) c. Thyroid

  I hope this helps! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

QUESTION:
Is there a different treatment method for Kidney Failure?.?
My father has kidney failure and I am worried about his Venous catheter access.I understand this type of catheter is prone to infections and blood clot When they did vein mapping on his lower arms he failed on both. The return blood flow was very slow. Are there other veins they might consider besides the one strait from his heart? This has been very stressful on him and myself as well He's had four treatments And I've noticed a considerable change in him.His good days out number his bad ones. I just want him to be comfortable and happy.

• ANSWER:
  Most likely; your father is on regular hemodialysis for his kidney failure. Unfortunately, this central venous catheter for dialysis (CVCD) on the arm is the access when he's hooked up to the dialysis machine. One of the related problems to this access is infection or sepsis. esp if your father's immune system is compromised.

  Patients with renal failure undergoing hemodialysis are known to be at increased risk of infection. Various defects in immune function may be present including those related to the underlying disease, the uremic state, and the dialysis procedure itself

  The majority of bacteremias are caused by vascular access, with the incidence being greater with indwelling catheters than either fistulas or synthetic grafts.

  If you have small veins that won’t develop properly into a fistula, you can get a vascular access that connects an artery to a vein using a synthetic tube, or graft, implanted under the skin in your arm. The graft becomes an artificial vein that can be used repeatedly for needle placement and blood access during hemodialysis. A graft doesn’t need to develop as a fistula does, so it can be used sooner after placement, often within 2 or 3 weeks.

  Compared with properly formed fistulas, grafts tend to have more problems with clotting and infection and need replacement sooner. However, a well-cared-for graft can last several years.

  If your kidney disease has progressed quickly, you may not have time to get a permanent vascular access before you start hemodialysis treatments. You may need to use a venous catheter as a temporary access.

  What are some possible complications of my vascular access?

  All three types of vascular access—AV fistula, AV graft, and venous catheter—can have complications that require further treatment or surgery. The most common complications are access infection or sepsis and low blood flow due to blood clotting in the access.

  Venous catheters are most likely to develop infection and clotting problems that may require medication and catheter removal or replacement.

  AV grafts can also develop low blood flow, an indication of clotting or narrowing of the access. In this situation, the AV graft may require angioplasty, a procedure to widen the small segment that is narrowed. Another option is to perform surgery on the AV graft and replace the narrow segment.

  Infection and low blood flow are much less common in properly formed AV fistulas than in AV grafts and venous catheters. Still, having an AV fistula is not a guarantee against complications.

  You can take several steps to protect your access:

  Make sure your nurse or technician checks your access before each treatment.
  Keep your access clean at all times.
  Use your access site only for dialysis.
  Be careful not to bump or cut your access.
  Don’t let anyone put a blood pressure cuff on your access arm.
  Don’t wear jewelry or tight clothes over your access site.
  Don’t sleep with your access arm under your head or body.
  Don’t lift heavy objects or put pressure on your access arm.
  Check the pulse in your access every day.

  A permanent treatment for renal failure is pancreas/ kidney transplant.

QUESTION:
why has the scientific community failed to develop a prevention treatment for PKD (polycystic kidney disease)?
since it affects so many americans, and any prophylactic treatment would likely be administered for the rest of a patient's life, it would be extremely profitable for big pharm.
additionally, we also know the gene mutation that is responsible for PKD...

so what are the difficulties in trying to design a treatment strategy for PKD?

is the recent boom in genomics and recombinant DNA techniques likely to lead to a breakthrough?

what about increases in access to totipotent human cells for research or therapy? would this likely lead to advances in finding a treatment?

• ANSWER:
  till genetic engineering becomes a reality there can not be much that can be done for this condition.

QUESTION:
How to deal with death of grandma?
My grandma passed Monday May 28th 2007, I loved her very much and have had a hard time dealing with this, I did attend all the viewings and funeral and I have been back to the grave since but for some reason when I pass the nursing home she was in, it makes so cry and more upset then going to the grave does. why is this? Is it because that is where I last saw her alive?

Details: we knew she was dying and spent many days there with her at the nursing home near the end. Her kidneys were failing and she didn't want treatment because it would take 1-2 hours on a normal person but was taking 4-5 hours because she was old and weak. So on May 17th she asked to be taken back to the nursing home to die, the family took shifts staying with her, we didn't want her to go alone. She died May 28th 2007 at 5:40Am with her granddaughter there by her side. My cousin called me at 5:30 and said get here now. I arrived at 6am, 20 minutes to late. Her rate dropped 80-60-0 in 5 minutes time.
We were all told to be called when her rate hit 80 because she'd go fast from there. When the nurse hooked the monitor back up after changing her, it read 80, then 60, then 0. My cousin called as soon as it said 80. It just went so much faster then we planned.
Did I mention that I just lost my other grandma in Aug of last year.

• ANSWER:
  Mine died 1986 and I still am not over it! Just think that she is always watching and taking care of you. The wind that blows past your ear, shivers down your arms...............Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on the snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain,I am the gentle Autumn's rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die...

QUESTION:
Is there a way you can avoid dialysis when your nephrologist orders you to?
I am a guy who has lupus with nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). For quite sometime I was told that I am already in a very severe state and that both of my kidneys work at 30% filtering capacities. Recently, the protein present in my urine shot up from 4.2 grams to 6.8 grams a day and was told that I should be having any of my arms be prepared for possible dialysis treatment soon. Of course, such a decision must be discussed first with my family so I asked my doctor to wait till my next appointment (a month from now) for my answer. And isn't dialysis treatments done to those whose kidneys already failed altogether? I've always believed that death awaits next to every dialysis machine, hence my delay. But what do you think? Is it worth my marbles to say yes now or should I get a 2nd and 3rd opinion from other specialists before amending the inevitable? Please I need answers. Thanks!

• ANSWER:
  I too have lupus. Im not as progressed as you, but I have done a ton of research and also work in the medical field.

  I would assume that your doctor is a) afraid your kidneys are in the process of failure, or b) worried that even with partially functioning kidneys, the toxins in your body could build up enough to do damage to your other organs/tissues.

  If you are uncomfortable with this doctors opinion, you should definately seek a second. If you just go with what he says, you could end up with regret...and it sounds like there is quit a bit more testing that could be done to detrmine how bad your kidneys really are.

  Dialysis doesnt always mean death. For some, it is less frequent, and if your kidneys are functioning partially you would probably be one of those. I know its a grim concept, as I thought at one time I would be faced with it myself...but, only you can make the choice of whether its worth it to you.

QUESTION:
How to train a dog to pee inside?
Hi there,

I'd like some help from anyone on training my dog to pee inside. Please note this is the opposite from what most people want to achieve. My dog is house trained and she is so good, she simply does not pee inside. However she has recently suffered kidney failure/damage and her kidneys are no longer very effective at filtering so she pees more often and drinks a lot more. As part of treatment she receives extra fluids (subcutaneous), and because of the failing kidneys she has to urinate more often so can no longer be expected to hold on during the day while we are at work. But peeing inside is against all her training and I'm sure she feels terrible when she can't hold it. I want to train her to go on a pee pad or litter box for her own comfort so she can pee when she needs.

How can we teach her to pee inside on pee pads or litter box? I know how to train her to go outside but trying to make her go inside seems really hard at this point so I'm hoping for some ideas. At the moment she just refuses to go inside and holds on as long as she can until there is an accident. Mostly it's overnight but also when we are out for more than a few hours. I have tried adding a few drops of urine onto the pee pad to try and encourage her but so far that doesn't seem to work. Basically we have to un-train her which is proving a little hard.

She's the most wonderful dog and a real sweetheart. We want to make her as comfortable as possible and learn to go inside so she doesn't feel terrible when she has an accident and is free to go as she needs to. It's heart breaking to see the disappointment on her face when she can't help it.

I'd appreciate any help anyone might have.
Thanks.
Wow, thanks for the quick responses guys it's appreciated. Many of the responses support what I've been trying to do so I'll continue with these ideas (adding pee to the pad, also trying to start it outside and move in). It's only been a few days since she's been home from the hospital so it's early days yet and she is getting a lot of fluid. Unfortunately we live in an apartment, so a doggy door or free run of the back yard is not an option . It's been a very stressful time as she has no appetite due to stomach ulcers but we are working through that. The peeing we can deal with (I've been taking her out during the night) and its a small price to pay for such a loving companion. The lino is easy to clean until we make some progress, but the plan is to get her to use a pad or litter box. We just hope we can nurse her back to a good quality of life, she's been a fantastic friend and it's horrible to see her so unwell. Her time left is unknown so we aim to make it the best it can be.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Dialysis and digestive problems???
My father-in-law's kidneys failed in mid-January. He has been diabetic for 7 years. He underwent immediate surgery to have a catheter put in his chest so that dialysis could being immediately. He had surgery on Tuesday afternoon and had his first dialysis treatment on Wednesday at 4pm! He has had approximately 10 dialysis treatments thus far and seems to be doing well with them.

However, he has a very bad and disheartening side effect--every single time he eats ANYTHING, he gets diarrhea and throws up. His doctor told him to drink Citrucel and he has been doing this for a week with no relief yet. My family would like to know if this has happened to anyone else and what was done to resolve the problem. We are new at this whole dialysis thing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU in advance to anyone who can offer us some advice!

• ANSWER:
  I cant help you with personal experience, I am not at that stage yet, but I found the support site below which may help you. Good luck I wish your FIL well.
  Im diabetic (7 months since diagnosis) and diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease 2 weeks ago.

QUESTION:
A difficult question regarding Lupus (SLE type) can a Dr. or other knowledable person tell help me?
Okay, I was dx'd with lupus 23 yrs. ago. My kidneys failed requiring dialysis and a transplant about 13 years ago after a serious flare and a long hospital stay for treatment a Nocardia infection which left me with abscesses in my lungs and brain. The Nocardia was thought to be brought on by treatment for a serious flare in progress which was being treated with a once a month with IV therapy and tablets I took at home. I cannot remember the name of the med. but it was a drug used to treat some types of cancer. Yes, I was very ill, had seizures and required to have a ventilator and tracheotomy to breathe and was on TPN for a month and a half or better. My kidneys failed at that time. After I was well enough I had a transplant and subsequently put on immunosupressives to maintain the graft. I have had no flares since my extended hospital stay for the Nocardia. My nephrologist told me that many times Lupus kind of fizzles out after it destroys a major organ. Why they do not know, one theory is that the immunsuppressive therapy play a part which makes sense. If this is true then why do they not use these medications to treat a flare? Is this due to the potential complications associated with the immuosuppression therapy or another reason? Or is it something associated with losing my kidneys that burns the Lupus out? During the time in dialysis I also had no flares and was actually weaned completely off prednisone I might add.

• ANSWER:
  Sometimes they do use them, but this is only a very recent development. Now that they have made the anti rejection drugs suffer they have been using them in limited cases of SLE and other immune conditions.

  I was recently treated in this way and it saved my kidneys.

  So all I have to say is THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Sadly, your suffering and others like you provides the research to use these medications on people more newly diagnosed.

  I am only sorry they didn't have the chance to use it for you.

  I wish you all the best and pray for your continued good health and longevity.

  My sincerest thanks
  C

QUESTION:
Just a rant b/c I have no one to talk to?
I am about to turn 33 and I believe I have a perfectly valid reason for depression, so I am not looking to be talked out of it. First, the good stuff: I am finishing a PhD; have a very good, secure job in my dream field; have a beautiful apartment; and am reasonably attractive (people keep asking me if I am a model, but I think it is because I look interesting rather than because I am gorgeous and that's fine). Now the bad stuff: my kidneys failed when I was 25 because I have lupus so I started dialysis for 5 years while I worked and began my PhD program. I had very little help; I basically did these years alone. I got a transplant when I was 30 and 8 months after the transplant, I was diagnosed with lymphoma because of the immuno-suppressant drugs I was taking for the transplant. I did chemo for 6 rounds, then while recovering I found this new job in another city. I wanted to be away from all the sickness in the old city, so I moved. It has been good but stressful. A lot of long hours and travel. I found out a few months ago that my transplant is not doing great so I signed up for a transplant list again. After doing all the tests, my oncologist says that I would have to wait 3 years before I can get a new kidney...so my name will stay on the list, but I can't get an offer until 2011. I haven't dating anyone since I was 29 and am starting t feel very self-conscious around my friends and family with their husbands and children. Because of the chemo, I can't have kids (I don't even have my period anymore, so I feel less feminine). I am starting to have a hard time hanging out with these couples with their kids because I feel worse after a day with them than I do just sitting in the house alone. I have gone back and forth with wanting to kill myself, but in the end it is pretty lame though I don't rule it out. My stomach has been bothering me again lately and if it is cancer, I have decided not to treat it. I am going to check if refusal to treat counts as suicide. I want my mom to get my insurance and pension and 401k. If it doesn't, then I will take the minimum treatment. That's it. After a long weekend on the couch; I didn't want to bother any friends because they have their families to take care of. And I don't want to stress my mother out. Thanks for "listening."

• ANSWER:
  You're right that you have many valid reasons for depression, but you also have so many reasons to be proud. One of my best friends died of Lupus at 17, so I know how difficult it can be, and yet you've survived it and thrived in your field and pursued a PhD. I have Hodgkin's so I do know what it's like to battle that disease, and I'm very scared about fertility too. (I'm 17.5 now). There are things you have no control over, and to an extent, there's freedom in that because you cannot berate yourself for failing to reach a mark. Keep on persevering, and seek help for your depression. I've been battling wicked mood swings and depression since starting chemo over the summer, and it's been really beneficial to go to therapy.

  33 is still very young. You have plenty of years ahead of you to marry and adopt, and you are not in a race with anybody else.

  I absolutely LOVE the site I'm Too Young for This, and have linked it below. It's a support group for young adults with cancer, and they're amazing.

  I bet more people admire you than you realize. Keep fighting.
  I admire all that you've accomplished.

QUESTION:
Where can I ask for financial aid for my family?
My son Nathan, now 6 years old, fell ill in 1998 and was diagnozed with meningitis. We could not afford medical insurance and he was taken to a goverment medical facility. The doctors did not have the knowledge or skill (as they were under training) to treat my son in a proper manner. After the 4 th day his kidneys failed and he went into coma without the doctor's knowledge. The 5th day he started to get convulsions from the high fever and started to vomit. A friend of our family were there at the time it happened and we rushed him to a better facility. The better medical facility did not want to treat him unless we submit an amount of 10000 rand (about 1200 dollars) first. There was a risk of brain damage and I rushed with my son into the emergency section and pleaded my case on to a doctor passing by. After he looked at him he decided to take him in and treat him. He spend 10 days in hospital from where he was treated and his heart stopped twice. His condition was very critical and after ten days of treatment the doctor said that he did all he could.My son was dismissed from hospital and was paralized and could not speak. After 6 days out from hospital he started to recover and started to walk and speak again! After this my husband and I had a hospital bill of 7000 dollars and it needed to be paid. We fell into debt trying to make ends meet and wanted to buy a bigger car for our ever increasing family but could not as my fourth a daughter is on the way due November 2010. We could not afford the bigger car due to our debt as we got blacklisted due to hospital bills. Can anyone tell me where I may find financial assistance. I was thinking of suing the hospital that treated him but it costs a lot of money to afford a good lawyer. If you know anyone who might assist us please contact me at voice2heal@gmail.com or +27844037609. Kind regards

• ANSWER:
  Try a Church group if your details are correct then your son was treated very very badly

QUESTION:
How do you feel about paying for dying illegal aliens when many American citizens have NO medical care at all?
ABOUT MILLION A MONTH: More illegal immigrants getting emergency treatment at UMC
'The cost to our taxpayers is astronomical,' commissioner says
By PAUL HARASIM
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Jose Diaz Ruiz, a 76-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, wipes away tears Thursday as he receives dialysis treatment at University Medical Center. More illegal immigrants are currently using the dialysis care than in August, when the Review-Journal first spotlighted the issue.
There are now four more of them regularly making their way to the emergency room at University Medical Center. And doctors say the illegal immigrants coming in for dialysis treatment at University Medical Center are sicker than they were before, making their care even more expensive.
Six months after the Review-Journal revealed that 80 illegal immigrants with failing kidneys were running up about million a month in bills for dialysis and other medical treatment at the only publicly supported hospital in Las Vegas, the situation for both patients and taxpayers only continues to worsen.
And despite promises by elected officials to look into the issue, there are few signs it will get better.
Federal laws that require hospitals to give emergency treatment to patients regardless of citizenship, combined with a lack of enforcement of immigration laws, make the problem insoluble right now, hospital and elected officials say.
Unable to receive the dialysis treatments that all American citizens qualify for under Medicare, illegal immigrants who need such treatment across the nation have increasingly turned to emergency rooms.
UMC officials, who project a budget deficit of more than million for fiscal year 2010, say that encouraging illegal immigrants to return to their home countries for dialysis treatment hasn't worked.
In August, Jon Summers, a spokesman for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the senator promised to find more funding to aid hospitals that help the indigent.
None has been forthcoming to UMC and Summers said recently that Reid now believes only health care reform and immigration reform can address UMC's dilemma.
And talk between local elected, hospital and foreign officials about addressing the issue hasn't materialized.
With nothing being done to correct its situation with dialysis patients, UMC officials say taxpayers can expect to pay more to wait longer for their own emergency services. Nearly every day, about eight illegal immigrants show up at the UMC emergency room hoping to receive dialysis care, hospital officials say.
"The cost to our taxpayers is astronomical," said Lawrence Weekly, the Clark County commissioner who also serves as chairman of the UMC board of hospital trustees. "Many people are justifiably outraged. If this kind of thing goes on, we might have to close our doors. But we're governed by federal law on this issue so some way the federal government has to help us out. We just can't stand by and let people die in the streets. We wouldn't want that on our conscience."
An hour after Weekly made his observations, 76-year-old Jose Diaz Ruiz, who freely admits he is in the country illegally, sat inside UMC Thursday afternoon tethered to a dialysis machine. He sat in one of four dialysis chairs designed for hospital patients who suddenly become ill, and not for those in need of chronic care.
A weary Diaz Ruiz, who could barely keep his eyes open, wept as he talked through an interpreter about how his kidneys began to fail about a year ago. The longtime agricultural worker in Idaho said he was on his way back to Mexico when his deteriorating health wouldn't permit him to continue traveling.
The vast majority of illegal immigrants receiving dialysis treatment through UMC's emergency room are from Mexico, hospital officials say.
Though he had no insurance or money to pay for treatment for his medical problems through a doctor, he heard from friends that UMC's emergency room treated people regardless of financial circumstance.
Often, he said, his condition worsens to the point where doctors must put him in the hospital for two or three days. He said he is grateful to the doctors and nurses at UMC for treating him so he can still spend time with his wife, two grown sons, and grandchildren.
What would he do otherwise?
"Die," he said.
Under the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act, which was enacted in 1986, any patient, regardless of citizenship, who shows up at an emergency department requesting an examination or treatment for a medical condition must be given an appropriate medical screening to determine whether there is an emergency. If there is, treatment must be provided.
When the Review-Journal contacted Nevada's congressional delegation for this story, all said they recognized UMC's problem and that they must play the lead role in solving it. U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., put it this way: "The system is being abused by people using the emergency room for ongoing care, including di

• ANSWER:
  I do not care what becomes of them, we should not have to foot the bill for people who do not belong here and who have disrespected our laws. Since he was on his way back, we should give him a ride but that is all. I have insurance but cannot afford co-pays, so why should they get free medical.

QUESTION:
Can anyone tell me some alternative therapies for this?
For years now, I've put up with crippling nausea, and it has affected me so much that sometimes I just don't go anywhere, as it is too much to handle.
I have a young son too, so not being able to do certain things with him because of my nausea is becoming quite debilitating.

I have been tested for coeliac disease, other intolerances, failing kidneys, infections, anything really , and the only thing they have told me is that it is likely I am feeling so low due to IBS.

So, I was wondering is there any alternative treatment out there for this?
I have had numerous prescriptions for various anti-nausea medications, with only temporary relief, however most things I was given had the side effects of tiredness and dizziness.

I'm really getting at wits end, and any help would be muchly appreciated.

• ANSWER:
  In addition to the excellent answers by Minx,Paddy and fretochose check out these links for homeopathic treatment of your ailment without any side effects or complication.
  http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/vomiting-symptoms-treatment-cure.asp
  The link is just to give you details about the different remedies used for Nausea and Vomiting you can buy homeopathic remedies from any Health and Herb store in USA and EU most of them carry homeopathic remedies.

  Take care and God Bless

QUESTION:
my husband cant pee properly why could this be he is being treated for bladder cancer at he moment.?
my husband has been having laser treatment for bladder cancer, he is finding it really hard to pee and has to sit there straining to pee, we have asked his doctor and they dont know why he cant pee properly. he also is a failing renal kidney patient would this have anything to do with it?

• ANSWER:
  I have had this problem in a very big way with treatment for my prostate cancer. I assume he is seeing a urologist and has tried Flomax as I have. The problems he is having are most certainly related to his kidney/bladder problems and my heart goes out to you both. It is a painful and frustrating condition. I also had the laser treatment and it was either that or the radiation I had that did the damage to me. I wish I had better news for you but in my case the damage seems to have been irreversible. I now have a permanent "supra-pubic catheter" in order to drain my bladder. There is a very real danger of fluid retention called edema which can cause very serious consequences. In my case, my weight went from approximately 230 to over 300 pounds and I developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with a blood clot getting loose and traveling to my lung. It nearly killed me. I made the mistake, a very bad one, by staying with the same urologist that caused all this damage too long. If your husband hasn't done so already, I strongly recommend his getting a second or even third opinion. You can e-mail me using my profile if you think I can answer any other questions. All my sympathetic best wishes to you.

QUESTION:
Pleading for help for any type of treatments for dog kidney failure?
My Pomeranian is 8 yrs old and she's having kidney failure problem. We took her to the vet and the vet told us that 1/3 of her kidney have failed. He gave us some fluid to inject in her every morning and medicine to take once a day. So far we've been doing this for about a week now and it showed very little sign of improvement. She haven't been eating, she lost a lot of weight, she's very weak, and she shakes a lot. I really don't know what else to do besides follow the vet orders and pray that she gets better. So I'm here tonight searching for any kind of help. Any kind of recommendation or experience you may have that might be able to help my dog get better. She's very precious to my family and I can't bare to see her in pain. Please share your wisdom if you can. Thank you.

The Treatment that my vet prescribe for my dog is "Atodyl" to take once a day, change in diet (K/D pet food), and fluids to inject in her every morning.

PS. Have anyone ever heard or tried "NHV Tripsy Treatment"? Here's the link to the product: http://www.petwellbeing.com/dog-kidney-disease-p91.cfm#descrip-tabs

• ANSWER:
  I truely hate to be the one that tells you this, but often times these are fatal.
  Take her back the vet and get an opinion. If she's in too much pain, you may just have to put her down...
  But see the vet says, and i just do everything you possibly can. Pay everything for everthing. Work hard and believe!
  Good luck, to your puppy!!

QUESTION:
Can someone with Wegener's disease live a normal healthy life?
A friend of mine (age 21) was just diagnosed with Wegener's disease. Doctors were saying that the kidneys were in danger of failing, but after tests and biopsy they found out that her kidneys were fine and all her major organs were healthy. She is going to go in for chemo therapy and other treatments, will it be possible for her to live a normal healthy life after this? Is her life significantly shortened?

• ANSWER:
  Anything can happen to your friend at this point, but it looks pretty favorable for her. This disease can be fatal when it is not diagnosed until significant damage has already occurred. When it is treated before damage occur, the disease can sometimes be permanently eliminated with no lasting health effects. Sometimes the disease is stopped with treatment, but it later reappears, and sometimes the treatments don't work. Hopefully, she will respond well to the treatments and never have a problem again!

QUESTION:
What underlying autoimmune conditions do you think I have? Physicians/Nurses/MD's, I'm desperate for help?
Hi may name is Jeb, I'm 22 and live in Ontario, Canada, I'm presenting my case to all of you in the hope you can name some disorders, syndromes, diseases, that go along with my medical history and issues.

Please read what I wrote carefully and help me find out whats wrong with me. I have been going to doctors for 6 years trying to find out what is truly wrong. and lately everything is getting worse. My health is declining and I want to get better and live a normal life, have kits, a wife, work.. I am so ashamed I can't even work.

I have a very rare bleeding disorder called ITP, my disease is chronic and refractory. So, all of the treatments have failed. I have been on Testosterone, Danocrine (which is a modified testosterone), Dexamethasone (a very potent glucocorticoid type of steroid) Prednisone (glucocorticoid steroid), Methylprednisone, which is also a glucocorticoid steroid.

I have tried IVig which is immunoglobulin. It's a blood product, 1 bottle contains donations from thousands of people. So i've had the immunoglobulin of more than 5000 people put in me multiple times.

I ended up having a reaction to it and developed "Aseptic Meningitis" which was extremely painful, as well as rigors, which basically means I was shaking badly. The headache was like nothing you could imagine.

I became desperate after years of having a pretty stable platelet count of 20.

If you have less than a 20 platelet count you are supposed to be hospitalized although here in Canada this won't happen because of lack of beds and overcrowded hospitals.

So, if you have less than 20 a bump to the head could kill you. A punch to the stomach would cause internal bleeding. A punch in the face could and likely would kill you. I bruise extremely easy.

A normal human being has a count of 140 to 400. So at 20 even I am very likely to be injured severely.

I have had multiple bleeds, mostly internally but farely superficial and not involving organs with exception of my lungs.

I cough up blood regularly and it scares me very much.

Having a low platelet count like this really was hard to deal with so I joined a clinical trial. The drug I was on in the trial ended up giving me a pulmonary embolism, actually more than 1.....3 in both lungs.

I was in the hospital for a month. My lungs are left scarred and unable to expand properly because of the scarring. I get about 60-70% expansion of my chest. I noticed immediately after the blood clots I could no longer inhale like I used to.

It has become very stressful fighting for every breath. It's almost like breathing through a straw. I also have bad asthma which doesnt help.

I've had over 20 CT scans in the past 2.5 years looking for clots because every month I have problems where my lungs hurt more and feel like a clot, and I start coughing up large amounts of blood, not just bloody sputum, the blood is coming out of my lungs into my throat when I cough to expel it.

The radiologist from my last scan said I had scarring of my lungs and pleural cavity. He said it looked like I have severe lung disease and it's very serious.

So I have been pumped full of xrays from the CT scan, and also filled with Contrast Dye so they can see the veins and arteries better when they use the diagnostic imaging (CT SCAN). It's very hard on my kidneys. And they are worn out, I have problems with them now. I've also got more than 50 xrays.

My left arm is not fully useable, I broke the end of the shoulder bone. The round ball like part of the bone that fits into the socket. I could not get surgery to correct it because of my blood disorder. The surgeon would not do even though the bone didn't set properly and is more than 1 cm out of place.

Doesn't sound like much but the area that broke/fractured is the area all your muscle, ligaments and tendons rest on and over, so now my arm is very stiff and painful. Writing with a pencil hurts very much. Lifting things hurts.

My doctor wants me to get my spleen taken out but I'm worried it could go wrong because I have no platelets. I will be transfused as they do the surgery but I still worry very much. My doctor is amazing but she is not a surgeon. How can I trust someone I don't really know to cut me up. How can I find out how many patients have died in his care during surgery. I would love to know the information because I could choose the doctor who was better a keeping people alive and not killing them accidentally during surgery.

I'm afraid.

I have also had new symptoms in the past few months, frequent urination, extreme urge to urinate.

Loss of bladder function, I wet my bed 3 times in the last 2 months. I'm 24, and never have wet the bed before except as a very young child maybe 4-5 y/o.

I have a patch on my back which is numb and has no feeling and this is a new manifestation of whatever is going on.

I have been havin
I've been having Vertigo, exactly 5 times this month, where I have days where I become dizzy and nauseas and when I tilt my head my eyes start rollin and moving in strange directions very quickly, and I get the urge to vomit.

It's when I tilt my head I get the problem with my eyes going whacky totally out of my control.

It's very very debilitating. I have to lay down. Walking is almost impossible and I become so unstable I have almost fallen down the stairs.

Thanks for helping me I appreciate it very much.......Even if you just have ideas of what could be wrong with me it is good, I need ideas because i don't know what could be wrong.
I've been having Vertigo, exactly 5 times this month, where I have days where I become dizzy and nauseas and when I tilt my head my eyes start rollin and moving in strange directions very quickly, and I get the urge to vomit.

It's when I tilt my head I get the problem with my eyes going whacky totally out of my control.

It's very very debilitating. I have to lay down. Walking is almost impossible and I become so unstable I have almost fallen down the stairs.

Thanks for helping me I appreciate it very much.......Even if you just have ideas of what could be wrong with me it is good, I need ideas because i don't know what could be wrong.

• ANSWER:
  ....and you figure a bunch of strangers can diagnose you over the computer? you need to pursue this with a medical professional.

QUESTION:
anybody have advice for pancreatitus?
last year, actually december of 05, i was rushed to the emergency room with stomach pains. i was diagnosed with pancreatitus. i got it from drinking. they told me my liver and kidneys were failing and my pancreas burst into my pelvis. they said the amount of alcohol i drank was crazy. by the way, i am only 27 years old. i was given a 50% chance to survive 3 days in the hospital and when i did make it, they told me i had a year and a half to live unless i changed my lifestyle. well, i quit drinking, its been 13 months, quit smoking, been 5 months, went on a strict diet and lost 90 pounds. i feel great. although i am starting to eat more lately and my stomach has been fine. what i want to know is how many people have this or know someone who has this. how has it affected there lives. and for the better? i know i am not the only one, but all the treatment classes i go to for alcoholism, i am the only one who had this happen. i would like to know others stories. thank you

• ANSWER:
  go to webmd.com and search for pancreas

QUESTION:
Do you think I have a right to be upset about this?
Ok, a little back story. I live with my mother, my brother and his preggo wife just moved in temporarily. We have a 3 bedroom which I paid the deposit (900) for and paid the movers (600) and almost everything in the apartment is mine, all of the furniture, pots, pans, dishes, pictures, etc. I contribute about 300 a month in groceries but I haven't worked since I was 32 weeks preggo. I was working in retail. I have been a full-time students for about a year now also. My son is 4 months old, the father is not involved at all and child support still hasn't done anything.

Anyway, I take care of my son all the time except for 2 or 3 evenings a week, about 3 hours each time. I'm off school for two weeks right now so I'm never gone for more then 30 minutes on teh rare occasion I have to go to the store or something. I almost never leave the house. 90% of teh time I ask her to watch him is when he's already asleep and I am not leaving, like when I take a shower (about twice a week) or need to eat (about once a day). I cook, I clean when I can. Both me and my son are sick. I've had a fever and coughing and sinus pain, headaches, etc. I have not gotten more then 3 hours of sleep at a time since my son was born and I have gotten a total of maybe 10 hours of sleep the past 4 nights because of us both being sick. I have also lost a ton of weight! and now I'm underweight and it's starting to affect my milk supply, energy levels, mood. Well, I asked my mother (who only works a couple of days a week) if she could take our cat to the vet today, his kidneys are failing and he has to get fluid treatments every other day. She said no. I aske her why, she said because she doesn't feel good. Thing is, she's fine, she's just being lazy and sitting on the couch with my SIL watching TV. She's not sick. She just doesn't want to. I know my mother well enough to know that she's just being a lazy bitch. Well she walked in the kitchen a few mintues later and I asked her, "whats it going to take? For me to pass out?" She just rolled her eyes at me and wlaked away. Problem is that I'm not joking and I feel like as much as I do for her and contribute to the household it wouldn't kill her to drive the fucking cat to the fuckign vet once!!!!

I know this is long but I'm just at my wits end!

Do you think I have a right to be upset? Everytime I see my dr.. or LC they always tell em I need to ask family for help and get some rest, blah blah blah. Problem is I can't rely on my family at all, even when my health is failing.

I'm so jealous of single moms whose families wil help them.

• ANSWER:
  my goodness, you poor thing! I cannot imagine how bad that must be for you. If you have some friends that can help you that would be good. It sounds like you need to kick your "house guests" out. It seems to be putting more stress on you and ur baby. I would suggest if you dont have a friend that can help you out try and find a sitter for your baby. If you cannot afford it apply for assistance. In your case I think you deserve all the help you can get. So, yes, you totally have the right to be upset. At all of them.

QUESTION:
Kidney failure in only 1 kidney - what's the outlook?
My other half's mum has just found out that one of her kidneys has failed. This was apparently to do with some incorrect drugs they gave her as part of her bladder cancer treatment some years ago (and something they expected may happen) She is already feeling the effects of reduced kidney function, which suggests to me, the kidney has failed suddenly. There are no plans to remove the kidney as yet. My questions are:

She was diagnosed with diabetes around a year ago, which seems to be under control with diet and medication (oral), will this affect her at all?

Should she be aware of potential necrosis of the failed kidney, what are the symptoms?

Will the other kidney try to compensate for the failed one, how long will this take roughly?

Is there any chance the failed one will start working again?

She's 82, not overweight. Only other medical problems are diabetes, bladder cancer and heart murmur (only!)

Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Ok, so you must have heard of live kidney transplants right? That is when a person donates their kidney to someone else, when they are ALIVE. Doctors allow people to do this because the body actually needs only 1 working kidney to function. So, unlike what Arturo says, she does NOT need to watch salt intake etc etc, all she has to do is have regular checkups on the other kidney. Yes, thats all.

  As for the failed kidney working again, that depends on why it failed and how much it failed. So, I'm afraid I can't answer that. Her doctor should be able to answer that though.

  Good luck, and email if you have any more questions.

QUESTION:
How to deal with the loss of your pet?
I have a story to tell if anyone is interested:

About three years ago,I moved out on my own and my wife(she was my girlfriend at the time) got me a dog so I wouldnt be alone. I had her for about 3 weeks when my wife rescued another dog. She told me she went to her friends house to visit and there was a loose dog and came up to her and just was as excited as could be. Her friend said that he was the neighbors dog,but they never took care of him. The owner,ironically,was a cop who got the dog at a shelter because his kids wanted one. The lady at the shelter told the guy that the dog was in that shelter for about 4 months,got adopted,and was pickup up again and brought back to the same shelter and she didnt want to see that again. The dog was always loose,not in a fenced in yard,never had any food,so my wife's friend let him sleep in their outdoor kitchen at night and gave him food. The final straw was when the neighbors went on vacation,and left the dog behind,no one to watch him,no food,or anything. My wife's friend called her and said that if she wanted him,to come pick him up,so she did. He ended up staying with me and I told my wife I couldnt keep another dog,so we would find him a good home,but I got attached so we kept him.

His hair was matted,and he stunk because he probably havent had bath in years. So,I gave him a nice haircut(even though he HATED the clippers) and a bath.After that,he seemed happy. Both of my dogs stayed inside most of the time and they always had food and treats available.

We took him to the vet because I'm sure he's never had a vet visit and everything checked out fine,except he tested positive for heartworms. The vet wanted to schedule him to get treated for heartworms,but me being a college student and only working a few hours a week,I couldnt afford it. The vet told me to call the humane society to see if they could help with the cost. I called them and unfortunately,they could not help because they had a waiting list of dogs to be treated,but she gave me a number of a lady to call that could help me. I called her and she suggested herbal treatments and I bought a 3 month supply. She said that herbal treatments are better because the arsenic treatments they give at the vet's office can cause cancer,and also yor pet has to be restricted at all times. The herbal treatments were natuaral and our dog could play all he wants.

I did the herbal treatments religiously and started seeing signs of improvement. Before treating him,he weighed 11lbs and didnt eat alot. After a few weeks of the treatment,he was more energetic,ate more,and gained 5 lbs. He seemed happier.

After I got married,I built a large outside cage for my dogs. Thinking the heartworms were gone,I started him on heartworm preventative,when I should have taken him to the vet to make sure.

He was fine up until a few days ago. I went outside in the morning to let them loose before I went to work and even though he seemed happy,he wasnt running as much and I saw that he didnt eat as much,but I didnt want to be paranoid so I let it go. I came home that afternoon from work and normally when I get home,they bark until I let them out. I didnt hear a bark. Thinking the worst,I ran towards the cage and he was there,happy as could be,but couldnt bark,and his food bowl was still full,which is not normal. I put him inside for the night,so we could monitor him.

The next morning,I opened the door for him to go outside,and he didnt want to.I had to pick him up and bring him and when he urinated,it was all blood. I told my wife and we hurried to the vet. The vet said that his kidneys were failing and that he was anemic,due to the heartworms. He gave us some antibiotics and gave him some shots to try to boost his immune system to get him feeling better. We brought him home and I went outside every 10 minutes to check on him.

I had to go to a wedding that night for my best friend.If he hadnt asked me to serve in his wedding,I would have stayed home to watch him,but not thinking the worst,we left. We came home about 6 hours later and found him nonresponsive and very stiff. My other dog,was laying next to him not knowing what was going on.

I buryed him the next day,underneath the tree he loved to lay under when it was hot outside. It hurts so much because when I go to the kitchen sink to wash dishes,I look outside and I dont see him. I see my other dog,all alone and confused.

He was a wonderful dog. Even though he was little,he had a big heart. He didnt like any dogs coming into his yard and he let them know. One day it was raining and he would not go into his igloo.He just kept barking,I went outside and put him in his igloo and I walked away. I turned around and he was back out,barking. The reason why is because the igloo opening wasnt facing the house to where he could see. So I turned it and he went inside and layed down.

He was a true mutt. A mix between a yorkie/poodle/maltese,and cocker spaniel. Wha

• ANSWER:
  Your story is so heartwarming. It is so difficult to have to let them go. On January 19 my fifteen-year-old Cocker seemed to be fine that morning. That night he was obviously not himself. The next morning my husband took him to the vet and they found a large tumor on his pancreas. There was nothing they could do. So we had him cremated. As if this isn't bad enough, I have a ten-year-old Pyrenees with lymphoma. Every day I wonder if it is my last day with him. I spend a lot of time being emotional, not only because of the loss of my cocker, but for the impending loss of my beloved Pyr. It does hurt us so badly, and from your story, youhave truly loved and given your best to this little dog. My heart goes out to you, and I hope healing and peace of mind will come to you quickly. I am in that grieving boat right along with you. Best to you

QUESTION:
Do our beloved pets go with us to Heaven when we die?
One of my beloved cats, Blondie, died on October 13, 2008 when all my efforts to save him failed. I had him 15 years, 11 months and I poured my heart into him and the others. His kidneys failed him and he lost weight, then died despite the IV fluid treatments I paid for and all of the food I gave him. I believe in God and I accept death as a part of the "plan," but would appreciate input as to whether or not there really is a "rainbow bridge" or some other place where they go to wait for us. I say this out of love and sincere grief. I had six cats a few years ago and now only two remain. The thoughts of some of you might help me deal with this loss. I had no choice but to finally end his suffering and have him put down at 10 a.m. that day. He was cold, fairly stiff, barely acknowledging me and he moaned when I picked him up. He barely responded at all. At 6:15 p.m. I sat at home and heard what sounded like his meow from the garage (I'm not making this up). I heard it and waited and then maybe 30 seconds later, I heard it again, only the second time it sounded like something from a spirit, if that makes sense. I took it that maybe Blondie was saying goodbye for now and telling me he was all right. Two days later I drove him 30 long miles to the vet place to be cremated and I admit I cried and cried because I loved him. Your thoughts?

• ANSWER:
  I know just how you feel. Almost to years ago I lost my favorite cat in the world. Her name was Faye. I could do anything to her. Not once did she ever hiss, scratch or bite. She was my baby. I'm a christian and I believe animals go to heaven. You should get the book called Cat Heaven. It's written and illustrated by Cynthia Rylant. It helped me so much. Anyway, all spirits go to heaven right? Well, love is a spirit. If Blondie loved you his love is a spirit. So wouldn't he got to heaven? And I'm sorry about your loss.

QUESTION:
Kidney failure- Alternatives , suggestions, treatments.?
My friend's kidneys got failed few months back. I would like to get some suggestions as to how to handle this.

Right now the Dialysis has to be done once in 3 days.

The reason for this is ,he use to take pain killers since his child hood. The intake of tablets has affected his kidneys.

• ANSWER:
  Sorry to hear about your friend's kidneys failing. I had a grandmother who went through the same thing for four years before she passed away in 2004.

  Unfortunately there are no known alternative treatments than dialysis for renal (kidney) failure.

  His doctor can probably recommend a dietician who can help set up a meal plan for him to follow.

  Renal patients have to follow a very strict diet that consists of a very limited to no sodium intake, as well as low to no phosphorous and potassium intake.

  By cutting out (or limiting consumption of) certain foods that contain any of the above-mentioned elements or minerals, you unfortunately limit the intake of other nutrients required for your body to function properly. Because a lot of dairy products contain potassium, for example, cutting back on the amount of dairy intake will cut back your potassium intake, but on the downside cut down on your intake of calcium. Calcium, as we all know, is vital in bone and muscle health. To combat this, your friend will need to take calcium supplements. His doctor can prescribe them, which may be costly. When my grandmother was prescribed the calcium supplements, the pharmacist told her to just buy a bottle of Tums, and chew four or five tablets three or four times a day. The Tums were a lot cheaper than the prescription, and the dosage was the same amount as the prescription.

  There are several sites on the web that have good recipes for kidney patients. Just type "renal recipes" into a search engine and you find several sites with yummy recipes. You can alter some of your favorite recipes as well, using the recipes you find on the web as guidelines. Remember: you have to cut down (or out completely) on the amount of sodium, potassium, and phosphorous your body takes in on a daily basis.

  Exercise is very important in this matter as well. We all know exercise is an important part of healthy living, but it's even more so for kidney patients. Dialysis machines remove the blood from the body, cleanse it, and put it back in. To keep it "fresh", you want to do cardiovascular exercises at least three times a week. Again, talk to your doctor and see if they can prescribe a workout regiment just for kidney patients.

  Hope everything goes well for your friend.

QUESTION:
mom passed away a couple days ago, how long will i feel this sad?
15 years old, i used to have the perfect family but my mom started drinking and i ended up in a foster home. i tried to save her so many times, but i remember being little and her needing to be rrushed to the hospital because her liver was so bad but now i look back and i look at our messeges between each toher trying to set up visits but she would show up drunk and i didnt know what to do but i was so mean to her and now i feel horrible i thought i was helping her, she went to treatment so many times and right before she got really sick she was sober for 3months and was so proud becausee she went to AA but then she ended up in the hospital and i didnt know what to do. and she was in there for 5 months and she contracted a virus called ensuphulitus which attacks your brain and suffered from brain damage and memroy loss. i hated being with her in public but now looking back i feel horrible and sart cryiung. after she got out of ICU but her liver was so bad that she went into liver failure and the doctors said ther ewas nothing mroe they could do, her kidneys were failing now and she could talk to us, she was in a coma. she would open ehr eyes occasionly but she was moved to hospice last week. and i gave her a rock with 2 bears in it and it says i love you and iu gave it to her when i was 5 but then she gave it back to me and so i gave it to her the day she passed then later when she passed she was holding it.i just remember so many memories, camping, skating competitiions, singing in the car, vacations, and so much more. everyone tells me how much she loved me and i love ehr so much but i dont even know. she alwasy tried to get ahold of me but i never answered or gave her one word answers and before she went into a coma she told my step dad (i dont knoe my dad ) that she hopes i forgive her for ruining my life. and now i miss her so much and i cry everyday at least 8 times. i miss her so much and we had people staying with up and we made a shrine for my mom and the rock was there but then the 3 year old girl took it and put it somwhere, im so upset i dont know what to do. everyone is asking me if im okay and there therre for me. i miss her so much, before she passed i told her i forgave her and i hope she forgives me for being so horrible and how she deserved a better kid then me. but i look at pictures and miss her so much, i think how this wasnt supposed to happen, i love her so much but i was so horrible, and she tried so hard to get me back, and my step dad is a mess and i want to help him but i dont know how because i just cry. i want her back, any one please help me get through this. i miss her so so so much and i wish i couldve tried harder to save her and spend everyday with her loving her. just someone tell me how long im going to feel like this. i couldve saved her i tried so hard. but now shes gone forever.
shes my life, my love, my bestfriend. my mommy

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Can Human Services help me?
Long story short: I'm a single mom of a 7 yr.old. I don't have a drivers liscense or own a car. I dont have a job. I'm currently living w/my parents who can't afford to support me & my child. While stayin here I have taken on responsibilty of takeing care of mom who is on dialisis treatments twice a day. I dont have any friends or family members willing to drive me to and from a job if I were to find one & I live too far out in the country to be able to walk to town. Human Services/Welfare won't give me food stamps or ADC unless I have a mim. of a 20 hr work week or unless I work 40 hrs. a wk for them because my child is over the age of 6 yrs. old. By doin that I would need transpertation to & from location which as I said I dont have. My childs father also refuses to pay support. I could get an apt. at a rental assised place and sign up for the check that pays your electric bill for you each month and have little to no rent to pay just to get started and out of parents home & once out in an apt. look for work in that area that I could then walk to. However without first having a job how do I get food? I have an offer to move out of state by a friend who is offering to help me get my life straight and get my liscense a car and a job an place of my own. But thats if I agree to move to her state an stay with her temp. so she can help me out. My mom is very sick with 1 kidney failed & the other failing I am very close to her and my older bro. and my neices & its hard for me to agree to leave them all behind to take my friend up on this offer. Not to mention the threat of my ex saying he will try to take custody of our child away from me if I move out of state. I dont know what to do or how to go about doing it my family wont help me. I need to get my life straight and get out on my own. Any advice????

• ANSWER:
  I don't understand the part where the ex isn't paying child support but is under the impression he will be getting custody.
  There are free legal service for you and my first step would be to get an attorney and force him to pay the child support he owes.
  You also very much need to learn to drive just to be able to be an independent person.
  Can't your father or brother teach you?
  Best of luck!

QUESTION:
brother has ONE KIDNEY which also stopped working. GO FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT or should he continue dialysis?
I have a borther WITH JUST ONE KIDNEY which has also stopped working. IS IT WISE TO GO FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT OR SHOULD HE CONTINUE WITH DIALYSIS???

I fear what would happen if the transplanted kidney fails completely ??

His condition is chronic with creatinin-6.5, blood urea-95, blood pressure-150/100, haemoglobin-8 even after undergoing regular dialysis.
He complains of breathlessness, ache in legs, legs are swollen.
He undergoes dialysis 3 time a week.
Any remidies, suggestions, alternate treatments and help are welcome please...

• ANSWER:
  Transplant is probably his best bet because even though there is a chance it won't work (in which case he'll be back where he is) there is a good chance it will and he will live a healthy and relatively normal life. I guess it's up to him in the end (depending on his age I guess!). You should talk to him and your family.

QUESTION:
serious kidney questions?
Ok, i know a little about kidney disease because my dad has it, he had a transplant 21 years ago but because he developed PML he had to stop his anti immune drugs (cyclosporin) because they feared the virus would spread inside his brain stem (and it did any way) to make a long story short after 10+ years of living with pml his kidneys have failed again and is on dyalisis.

Now my husband is having problems and his mother (a crazy ex rn) says its his kidneys
his symptoms are as follows:

1. smell of whatever he had drank in his urine (apple juice, coffee etc)
2. constant fatique
3. pain in back and stomach when having to urinate

BUT yet again my husband absolutely drinks NO WATER! NONE ever, he does drink juice but i think that can be even more trying on the kidneys because of all the crap they put in juice to make it sweet.

i am just really scared because i am in way want to see my husband go through what my dad has been through, and he said he wouldnt go on dyalisis or get a transplant because he has seen what my dad has gone through.

my dad got kidney disease from letting multiple cases of infections such as strep throat go with out treatment. my husband never goes to the doctor for anything either.

help

• ANSWER:
  I have those same symptoms. I am going to the doc monday about it. My urine smells like whatever I've drank too, but I didn't know that was a symptom of anything.

  I was thinking I had a kidney infection. I bet thats what it is and probably what your husband has.

QUESTION:
Anyone familiar with elderly dogs with kidney failure/disease?
My Old English Sheepdog is 15 years old, and for a few days he had diarrhea and no appetite, and this morning he started both having diarrhea and puking out blood sometimes. We thought for sure he was going to have to be put to sleep, but we asked the vet her opinion and she said she would do some blood work to see if his kidneys started failing. When the vet came back she said that was the problem, but since he was doing fine just a few days ago and he doesn't really have any other health problems, the vet recommended we should put him on IV fluids for a few days and see what happens afterwards. She said a lot of dogs get better afterwards, and some don't respond to the IV at all. I felt better afterwards knowing there's still hope for him but I'm still worried. I was just wondering who's dog has been through this or know someone else's who has been through it and how well they felt after the treatments.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Help! My boyfriend is seriously addicted to drugs, is there anyone out there who can give me advice?
Both he and I are heroin addicts. I have began methadone treatment program and plan on attending NA meetings and seeing psychologists/psychiatrists on a regular basis. I have relapsed many times but I want this time to really work. Well, my bf of 7 years has yet to quit. I am so worried about him. He moved out and back home which is best for us right now especially since he is still using. He is fearful of quitting because of how sick you get from withdrawl. He can't afford the methadone clinic like I can. He really needs residental, inpatient treatment and somewhere they detox you kindly and not cold turkey with no medicine. He has no job and no insurance. His parents are ready to kick him out and he will basically be homeless. Where do poor addicts go for treatment? Yesterday, he had to go to the ER and they told him his kidneys may be starting to fail from heavy usage of drugs. This is scary. When I met him, he was a very kind, loving guy who only smoked pot. HELP!

• ANSWER:
  You need to get online and investigate any facilities in your area. In some places, charities and other organisations offer some help to addicts.

  I can understand him not wanting to go cold turkey - that wouldn't be everybody's choice. But I don't understand his reason for not giving up. If he's fearful of how sick you get from withdrawal, why isn't he fearful of how dead he's going to get soon if he keeps using? He has to get some help soon or he will have an early and miserable death.

  Also, I'm sorry to sound harsh, but he has to want it for himself. If you're doing all the running around trying to find him some help, and all he's doing is using and getting sicker, you have to ask yourself if he wants to stop.

  You love him and you want the best for him, and he's moved back home so his family obviously love and support him. However much you all love him, if he doesn't get involved in finding his own treatment, he may not ever give up. He needs to decide to quit for himself.

  I hope your efforts to get clean work for you, and I hope your boyfriend also decides to get clean.

QUESTION:
90 yr old aunt refuses medical treatments so what happens with kidney problems and return of breast cancer.?
I have a 90 yr old aunt under our care in assisted living. She is doing well, but doctors tell her that she will eventually have an option to go on dialysis if needed as her kidney function is failing. Breast cancer of 10 yrs ago returned, and she took 3 hormone shots that are once a month. All of a sudden, she just wants to be on meds that she has been on for the last 15 years meaning the blood pressure med and diabetes meds. The new doctors are changing things and she claims she does not feel well and she knows her body. Her body is telling her to stop these new treatments. What will happen if she keeps refusing the new meds and how long does kidney failure take. She is on Phosbo to rid the kidneys of phospherous and is no longer taking the b p med and lasix. She only takes the phosbo and I believe the medication for blood sugar, which is a pill. She is not on insulin. She also does not put in the drops for glaucoma. She self medicates.What is her prognosis and time?

• ANSWER:
  My mom was in her 70's when she had kidney failure. She did dialysis for like 3 days. She decided she didn't want to live like that and refused treatment. She was gone with in 3 days.
  My mom had been a fighter for many years, she was a lupus patient and slowly but surely it infected all her organs. She had heart problems had a 5 bi-pass surgery then 15 years later a stroke. Problems with her liver but the kidney failure is the actual cause of death.
  I am not a doctor and dint know your aunt but I do know once they call in Hospice you don't have much longer. My sister had breast cancer and lived 1 year after Hospice was called. My mom 2 weeks after Hospice was called. and My dad just 3 days once they called in Hospice.
  Stand by your aunts bedside. Feed her ice chips when needed. Help flip her over when she wants to turn and give her permission to die. Tell her you will be ok. I will miss you but we will be ok.

QUESTION:
Possibly Kidney failure?
For the last month and a half i have noticed a drastic decrease on the amount of urine i pass, But my intake remains the same. I also feel more and more lethargic in the last 5 days. these are my only two symptoms. I would like to add that i had a very sever over dose on sleeping pills about 2 months ago and never went to seek medical treatment, I just let it pass thru my system. Bad idea when i think about it now..

I'm worried that my kidneys may be failing, is this a possibility? I plan on going to the doctors office tomorrow but I'm really worried.

• ANSWER:
  They may be failing but the most common sign is jaundice which is yellowing of the skin (maybe eyes too). The best thing to do is not to worry so much. You can check on Web MD or a similar site for what the symptoms may mean.

QUESTION:
Dialysis - yes or no for an elderly person who has diabetes?
My grandmother, who is 86 years old, has been told by her specialist that she should start thinking about whether she wants to pursue dialysis treatment or not. Because of diabetes, she is rapidly reaching the point at which her kidneys will fail completely and so the option was presented to her. Now I've seen many case studies and reports stating that those with comorbid diseases (like diabetes, anemia, etc.) don't have a significant improvement on dialysis and that to put elderly people on this treatment is a drain on the economy and not worth the trouble. On the other hand, there are quite a few who have stated that with innovations in dialysis and delivery as well as proper maintenance of comorbid diseases many symptoms can be improved and that good quality of life can be maintained on dialysis even in these patients. I'm curious if anybody can offer some more insight into dialysis for elderly people with diseases or point to some more literature on the subject. Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  I think we should take economics out of the equation here.

  I think that how your grandmother feels about it is the #1 factor to think of here. Is she overall in bad health? I was on dialysis myself and saw lots of very senior citizens there. Some were very sick, and I wondered why they kept at it. Others seemed to do very well.

  I would say to try it - if she's ok with it, and understand what happens if she does not go. Or she could start, and if it makes everything worse and she is constantly miserable, she can stop. I will add that she could start and may temporarily feel bad until it starts working.

  FYI, I did very well on dialysis. I had been for my 2 mile walk the night I got called for my transplant. I was a Type I diabetic and I did have significant improvement on dialysis.

  I had a kidney/pancreas transplant in 2005. I was 45. If my kidney fails, as I get older, I am not sure I would go back on dialysis.

  I recommend the message boards and info at kidney.org. I hope you can find someone in your situation who can tell you more. Your grandmother is fortunate to have someone who cares about her as you do.

QUESTION:
I was wondering if someone could read my college app. essay?
Please look over my essay, not for grammatical errors, but for just the general flow and feeling of it.
Thank you so much.

The longest five minutes of my life turned out to be the most life changing experience of my twelve years. What I am writing of is the announcement of my mother’s death. I wasn’t sad at the time she died, far from it, it was the fact that she had stopped suffering. Those tears that streamed down my face were tears of bittersweet joy. When I was eight years old my mom took some medication that caused her kidneys to fail. She later had a severe stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side. She was confined, at the early age of thirty-five to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. I really didn’t realize it at the time by she was only surviving to take care of us kids, my sister and myself. My mother’s strength and willingness to survive for unselfish reasons has, in turn, really change the way I perceive the world and the way the world perceives me.
My mom, my sister, and I were a very close ‘family’. At that time, my mom was more than a parent, she was a very good friend. I wish I could say that she was at my side whenever I needed her, but that would be one big fat lie. She was there when she wasn’t in a hospital bed, awaiting her dialysis treatment, or too weak to get out of her apartment. There is one important lesson that she taught and drilled into me. Number One: ‘Nothing lasts forever’. I remember her constantly telling me that she wouldn’t be around forever. She knew that she was dying. I didn’t realize at the time it would be as soon as it was. I thought my mom would break the one hundred mark with flying colors. My mom tried her best to fill our lives with the lost time she wouldn’t be spending with us in the future. My sister and I still jokingly complain how ‘Jump’ by Van Halen from ‘Pets Rule’ still rings throughout our thoughts from the countless times we visited Seaworld.
Through these five years, I haven’t mourned the loss of my mom, Toni, but have celebrated her life by being appreciatory of what I have now and have experienced. My relationship with my aunt and uncle was almost nonexistent before my mom’s passing due to a weak connection between the two sisters and wrongful accusations.
I was practically at my aunt and uncle’s house every week; night and day. They ‘took us in’ like we were their kids. Even though they would never replace my mom, they surely did come close. I definitely appreciated the little moments we shared together; the nights on the couch watching ‘Jeopardy’, my aunt making us laugh so hard that milk would come out of my uncle’s nose or the times we would watch ‘Fluke’ on their ancient television set. To you, these are words on paper, but to me these are moments I will never forget. Yet, thanks to my father, I won’t be able to see my aunt and uncle for a while due to more hostile accusations from him toward them. I am so grateful that they took their time to make the rest of our childhood as best as they possibly could in the time we were fortunate enough to spend with them.
If I was able to see to my mom one last time, I definitely wouldn’t say ‘I love you’; I would show her that love by giving her one hell of a hug, hoping that the last five years of my life were just one giant daydream. In the end, I thank my mom for the well-rounded, open-minded, and individualistic young man she has molded me into. Because of her, now I don’t look at the hardships of my life as obstacles, but incentives to continue to strive toward my dreams and aspirations. Inevitably, I hope to take my understanding of life’s mortality and my mom’s ‘wisdom’ to help others make the best of the rest of their lives. I hope to strive for this goal by ultimately earning a PhD in whatever field I may enter into and becoming a ‘doctor’ in a true sense; one who teaches their wisdom through teaching and spreads their knowledge to others.

• ANSWER:
  Honestly, im not sure I, personally, would choose such a topic. For me, It's banking on the sympathy vote too heavily, really. Maybe if you wrote it differently...(less plot/story, more getting into your emotions and how it changed you?)

  That'd just my two cents. If you don't make any other alterations, please at least reword "one big fat lie." I gagged when I read that, and im sure an admissions officer would too

QUESTION:
Is there any treatment for kidneys which are damaged due to high blood preasure.?
Its 75% damaged and shunk (size 9 x 3.3)cm
i want to know if there is any treatment 4 the kidneys... not how to maintain the blood pressure.

thank you

• ANSWER:
  Prevention is always the goal with kidney failure. Chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes are devastating because of the damage that they can do to kidneys and other organs. Lifelong diligence is important in keeping blood sugar and blood pressure within normal limits. Specific treatments are dependent upon the underlying diseases.

QUESTION:
What's the best treatment for kidney stones especially calcium stones which is very hard to treat?
I've been on medication for some time and still my stones are stuck in my kidneys? the xray shows a .9mm stone. I feel normal though. the doctor did not recommend surgery. Is it ok to take rowatinex and acalka drug for a prolonged period?

• ANSWER:
  I had a relative who developed kidney stones. Very painful for her. Seems to be somewhat genetic as her father and one brother suffered from them as well. She was told to refrain from milk and dairy as much as possible. Drink lots of water. Cranberry juice daily may also be helpful. She did not need surgery as she passed on her own. Good Luck.

  ps--they did not give her any medication

QUESTION:
Is Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural ? i read article in newspaper ?
CLEAN YOUR KIDNEYS IN LESS THAN Rs1.00/ $ 1.00
Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body. With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo cleaning treatments and how are we going to overcome this?
It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley (MALLI Leaves)and wash it clean
Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator to cool.
Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination also you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.
Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural

• ANSWER:
  Parsley is an herb with no specific health properties. It does not clean your kidneys, they do a fine job on their own, having evolved to do that over millions of years.

  Articles in the newspaper are not evidence of anything. Particularly where science and health topics are concerned, the general media usually gets it wrong.

QUESTION:
How long do I have to decide on treatment for kidney cancer?
If one has two small cancers, one on each kidney, how long can one realistically
take to decide on what kind of treatment to begin? How fast on the average do such
things grow? Is there not a scientifically based growth rate pattern average?. Would
ones recovery likely be comprimised by a delay of one month or two before begining treatment?

• ANSWER:
  i am so sorry, you have a lot on your plate from the sounds of things, i have no miracle answers for you, sorry, God Bless You and Good Luck!!!

QUESTION:
Please help by giving treatment for Kidney stones?
One of my relative hs multiple kidney stones in both the kidneys. He has done many time the laser therphy treatment, for 6 to 7days there are no stones, but angain he starts getting the pain , this has been repeating for quiet a long time with him.The size of the stone is quite big. Is this situation harmful in long term? He drinks 2-21/2 Lt water a day. Should he go for homeopathy med? who is the best homeopath doctor in bangalore?

• ANSWER:
  http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/Kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/

  He should have it removed. It could be life threatening if it is too large for them to pass it on their own and it is left untreated.

QUESTION:
Can either testicular cancer or the chemo treatment cause kidney cancer in his son conceived during this time?
My grandson was conceived while my son was being treated for testicular cancer. The baby had a malignant tumor on his kidney, and had to have the kidney removed and is currently undergoing chemotheraphy. Could the cancer be passed through my son's sperm, or be caused by my son's chemo treatment?

• ANSWER:
  The chemotherapy drugs should not have caused the renal cancer in the son of the patient (your son) being treated for testicular cancer. This would seem impossible to prove in any case.
  We hope your son and grandson both recover fully.

QUESTION:
Whera can I find the best, reliable and guaranteed NATURAL treatment for kidney stones?
Please only serious answers, I want people who has experienced my problem and understand what I have gone through.

• ANSWER:
  I've also have good experience with the kidney stone guide. After having a lot of pain in my stomach I found out that it were kidney stones. I did some research on the internet and found http://www.kidneystoneguide.org/. Especially the audio book was perfect. I had dissolved my kidney stones in around six weeks and i'm aware of tactics to prevent kidney stones.

QUESTION:
Lingering pain after treatment for kidney infection?
Is it normal to still feel a little flank pain in the infected kidney after finishing antibiotic treatment? All other symptoms are gone. Could this possibly mean it is still infected and I need more antibiotics or will it go away on its own?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Is there an effective and permanent treatment for kidney stones?
How does it work?

• ANSWER:
  Surgical removal of the stones is a permanent cure (although new stones can still develop).

QUESTION:
is there any treatment for kidney disease which do not need to operate and needle?
my student got kidney disease, she is 15yrs. can she still study in school?

• ANSWER:
  Hi Hammard,

  You are a responsible teacher!

  I' m David Wong from Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital, specilizing in kidney disease treatment.

  We developed Micro chinese medicine osmotherapy (mcmo) after years of exploration. This theraputic method adopts external administration to treat internal disease, without operation and needle.
  Moreover, it resolve the side effect of western medicine,bad absorption of oral medicine.
  Many patients have attained pleasant curative effect and prognosis.

  According to my professinal experience, your student must go to see the doctor and do some regular checks, like urine routine check, blood examination and kidney function test. To ascertain the pathological agent and disease status are the top priority.

  Anyway, encourage your student to keep a good mental status, cheerful and optimistic attitude is helpful to improve our immunity. And if you hope to know more about our therapy, just email me.

  Best Regards!
  David Wong
  Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital, No. 5, Feiyi Rd, Xinhua Dist. SJZ, Hebei, China
  email: cnsjzdoctor@yahoo.com

QUESTION:
Which one is the better indicator for EPOGEN treatment in kidney failure?
Is it Hematocrit levels or Hemoglobin levels?And why?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Has anyone ever had a shock wave treatment for kidney stones?
I have had a kidney stone for 3 weeks now that is too big to pass, the doctors put a j j stint in 2 weeks ago to see if that would help and it hasn't,so Friday I will be having the j j stint removed and they are gonna do a shock wave treatment on the stone and I was just wondering what to expect with that, any info would be greatly appreciated.

• ANSWER:
  thats easy, millions of people have had this done. Other than some discomfort from the bruising and the fear of having it done, you'll be just fine.

QUESTION:
Which hospital is best for kidney treatment in India and in Hyderabad?

• ANSWER:
  Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad- 500082, Andhra Pradesh, India. Phone No. 040-23320332, Fax No. 040-23310076, E-mail: Website:- http://nims.ap.nic.in/
  Osmania Medical College, Koti, Hyderabad-500195, Andhra Pradesh. Phone No. 040-4651936 / 4656992
  Sree Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Thirupathy, Chittoor Dist., Andhra Pradesh. Phone No.08574-87368.
  Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad-500033. Phone No.040-23607777 Extn-5555 / 2000. Fax-040-23608050. E-mail:- apollohyd@apollolife.com.
  Medinova, Somajiguda, Hyderabad.Phone No.040-7805060.

QUESTION:
What is the best alternative treatment for multiple cysts in kidneys?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
I am looking for a homeopathy treatment for melludary sponge kidneys?

• ANSWER:
  Homeopathy is a placebo at best and cannot cure physical problems. See a qualified medical doctor, not a quack.

QUESTION:
Holistic treatment for kidney disease in dogs?
Are there any holistic treatments, diets, minerals, etc. that would work in conjunction with medicine in order to help a dog diagnosed with the start of kidney disease?

• ANSWER:
  Raw food - a raw meaty bones or prey model diet based around whole carcasses, raw meat, meaty bones and organs.

  I would suggest you join one of the raw feeding groups - RawMeatyBones or rawfeeding are two good ones.

  holistic means treating the 'whole' rather than just the symptoms - not necessarily homoeopathic or 'herbal' - surely a species appropriate diet is the first step in this?

QUESTION:
a guy @ work is having some kind of treatment for his liver or kidneys?
The doctor is "sucking" the old blood to the top of his skin- his back/shoulders look like a big hickie & he is sore. What is he having done?

• ANSWER:
  Sounds like cupping. This is not a mainstream medicine practice. It involves placing heated cups on the back, which as they cool create a vaccuum that causes local bruising. This is alleged to pull unspecified "toxins" to the skin's surface. It has no scientific basis.

  For kidney damage a person would normally have dialysis treatments, which do actually remove toxins from the bloodstream. Liver damage previously had no treatment except for reversal of the cause of the damage and/or transplant, but now there is research being done on liver dialysis, which also is known to remove toxins from the bloodstream.

  Alternative medicine treatments rarely have any basis in reality, so if he's cupping it's most likely not for any real medical problem and not doing him any harm (besides soreness and bruising) or benefit.

QUESTION:
What is the best treatment for kidney stones?

• ANSWER:
  blasting

QUESTION:
Which hospital or doctor is best for kidney stone treatment in Bangalore , India?
i have stone in both of my kidneys, though they are small. But i wanted , to keep a track of its size(IVU-intravenous urography) and all, also i am thinking of getting them break down through Ultrasound.Any idea ,where i can have this procedure done in banglore? or any better treatment which are avaliable

• ANSWER:
  You might get a better answer if you post this question under "Travel" "India".

QUESTION:
Whats the survival rate for people who receive treatment for kidney cancer?

• ANSWER:
  Survival is based on stage not the treatment they receive.

QUESTION:
any hospital/nurshing home for free/less-expensive treatment for kidney patient in India?
With respect to all the viewers I would like to put a query to all that is there any hospital/nursing home for free/less-expensive treatment for kidney patient in India? OR is there any procedure to replace the kidney of human with monkey or others animal except human in India, if so please help me by informing me the address if possible please refer the phone number. thank you.

• ANSWER:
  AIIMS is the best and cheapest. Only problem is the long waiting.

QUESTION:
is there a treatment for kidney stones and gull stones?
I was told that I have kidney stones when I went to the hospital the other day. I haven't followed up with the dr. yet but I don't want to if I have to go and pay for it and all they tell me is that they will just pass. If I go to the dr will he give me something to treat them or will it be a matter of it will just pass. I was also told that I have gull stones how server is that and the same question for that.

• ANSWER:
  Gall stones. And its not severe if you're not in pain. The reason you'd be in pain with gall stones, is because they're trying to pass, blocking your bile duct.

  There really isn't any true medicine that I know of to treat kidney stones, they just have to pass. Gall stones can pass, or you can have your gallbladder removed.
  There are several ways to help pass gall stones (google it). Chinese herbs helped me.

QUESTION:
Blood in urine during treatment for kidney stones. Is this normal?
My fiancee found out he has eleven kidney stones. He started treatment for them about a week ago and just noticed blood and kidney stones in his urine. Is this a normal side effect from treatment?
Are there any other side effects we should look out for?

• ANSWER:
  When kidney stones pass they can cut up the urethra. They have very jagged edges. I know from experience. I've had a few myself. I feel for him. God bless!!

QUESTION:
How long is treatment for kidney cancer?

• ANSWER:
  A couple of hours as it is usually surgery.

QUESTION:
Is kidney transplant a treatment option for kidney stones?
Is a transplant ever an option for kidney stone treatment?

• ANSWER:
  Never say never...Kidney transplantation is an abhorrent option for the treatment of almost all urinary calculi. It requires taking a multidrug immunosupressive (which put you at increased risk for cancer and infections) regimen and an incredibly risky surgery when less invasive procedures, dietary modification and is some cases medications can all adequately treat stones.

  But you used the magical word "ever" and there are almost always exceptions:
  Primary hyperoxaluria is a gentic defect in either alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase or glyoxylate reductase/hydroxypyruvate reductase enzymes. This defect results in a high urinary excretion of oxalates and stone formation as well as renal failure. The treatment for this is renal transplantation (best if done with liver transplantation too). The transplant is technically to treat the renal failure or impending renal failure, but it also treats the stones.

QUESTION:
Which hospital is best for kidney treatment in India?

• ANSWER:
  AIIMS is the best hosital in india for all kinds of treatments

QUESTION:
how can i find a way to make a fund to raise money for my kidney treatment?

• ANSWER:
  Talk to the Salvation Army in your area, and to local businesses, and they may be able to help you.

QUESTION:
how much does a holmium laser treatment for kidney stones cost?

• ANSWER:
  Around twenty thousand dollars I had two done over thirty years after treatment it fells like you were hit with a baseball bat around your kidneys.

QUESTION:
In Kidney stone treatment by laser,is it necessary that a small instrument insert in the body?
Is it possible for doctors to emit the laser beam directly to body skin?( without inserting it to body?)

• ANSWER:
  Sorry, but no.

  In the US, it's done under general anesthesia. The device is threaded up through the urethra, through the bladder, and up the ureter to the stone.

  You may be thinking of lithotripsy. High power ultrasound is aimed from outside to the stone.

QUESTION:
which hospital is best for kidney treatment in india- Apollo or wochardt kidney institue?

• ANSWER:
  In my opinion C.M.C. VELLORE. is one of the best institue for kideny
  treatment in INDIA.

QUESTION:
A certain treatment for kidney stones utilizes a water tank in the shape of one of the conic sections.?
The patient is placed in the tank with the kidney stones at one of the foci and a high-energy source at the other foci. The sum of the distanc
es from the side of the tank to each focus is always constant. What is the shape of the water tank?

a. Circle
b. Ellipse
c. Parabola
d. Hyperbola

• ANSWER:
  Both a & b are correct because a circle IS an ellipse with zero eccentricity.

QUESTION:
what will be the best Aurvedic treatment for kidney stone?

• ANSWER:
  Medicines like

  Distone (capsules),
  Neeri (capsules as well as syrups),
  Cystone (tablets),
  Calcurosin (capsule),
  Crush (Syrup)

QUESTION:
Treatment for Kidney stones in the Kidney?
I have a 7mm kidney stone in the Kidney. Can they do a Lithotripsy when the kidney stone is located in the Kidney not in the ureter or bladder?
I heard that they can't do Lithotripsy if it's in the Kidney, fear of damage to the Kidney. Is that true?
I have an appointment scheduled.
Appointment is in a few days this is why asking here before I see dr.

• ANSWER:
  I have had lithotripsy twice because stones were too big to pass through the kidneys on their own. The first time the worst part was anesthesia. I was ok after that wore off. The second time they inserted a stint before procedure. I will never have one of those again. Very uncomfortable. Like the person a few comments ago said, water, water, water. Drinking water can prevent them most of the time.

QUESTION:
which hospital is better for kidney treatment in Bangalore?
monipal? appello? or other?

• ANSWER:
  'The kidney foundation' in Padmanabhanagar is a good hospital dealing with only kidney problems ,have good doctors and facilities.. you can try that...
  Department of urology, N U hospitals C. a, 6 ,15th main , 11th cross , padmanabhanagar , Bangalore 560070
  phone 26392700
  email contact@nuhospitals.com
  www.nuhospitals.com
  Bangalore hospial, manipal hospital , Mallya hospital, Mahaveer Jain hospital , St John's St Marthas and many more hospitals have urology department...

QUESTION:
Using mercury rods as a treatment for kidney cancer? ?
A co-worker told me her father is having experimental treaments from Stanford where mercury rods are implanted in his arm, which have put him in remission. He was doing worse on chemo and radiation. I thought mercury was extremely toxic! Has anyone ever heard of this? She's a little kooky so I wanted to check it out. Thanks!

• ANSWER:
  A google search turned up nothing on this. Mercury in the arms to treat a kidney cancer makes little sense to me. If he is on it experimentally, he will have a copy of the protocol for the treatment with a consent form. Ask to look at it. I can't say it might not be possible, however- just do some research.

  Blessings

QUESTION:
how i get treatment for kidney blockage?
i have a problem ,my kidney are pain prevailing to my organs leading to weakness in bed

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Treatment for kidney stone/s?
This morning i had an appointment with a urologist, he tells me that i will need a CT scan of my stomach to tell them information on the structure of the kidneys and how many stones there are exactly.

After that the doctor tells me that treatment is either "leave it alone and let it flush away on it's own, but it could get bigger" or "we will have to fish it out" ??? what does he mean by that? is it surgury or some other method.

Thanks in advance

• ANSWER:
  There are a couple of treatment options.

  1. The stones could be passed naturally. VERY painful while it's happening, can last for 7 ot 8 hours
  2. The stones could be broken up by ultrasonic bombarding
  3. A Surgery called a laparoscopy. They send a camera and grabber down your urethra, and pull it out. Takes a couple of days to recover fully.

  I've done both 1 and 3. 1 is no fun at all, in fact passing a kidney stone is apparently one of the most painful things that can happen to a human, and I can well believe it. However if the stones are small it could just happen spontaneously. 3 is what would probably be recommended if the stones are larger. It's not too bad overall, just a couple of days when you'll be tender and peeing will hurt like hell the first few times you do it.

  Don't hesitate to ask your doctor/consultant/surgeon about anything and everything. They should be quite happy to let you know everything you need to know.

  After you've had whatever treatment done pay attention to whatever dietary changes they recommend. If you've had one stone(s) you're prone to getting more, and everything you can do to limit that it worth it.

QUESTION:
cost of laser treatment for Kidney Stones?
If you have insurance (blue cross, in this case), how much can you expect to pay out of pocket for laser treatment of kidney stones?

A general ballpark is fine. thanks
I'm in the US. Thanks

• ANSWER:
  max 15,000 rs enough my dear...

QUESTION:
What is the treatment for chronic kidney disease stage 3, with patient being hypertensive and diabetic?

• ANSWER:
  In general, somebody with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease and diabetes:

  1. Goal BP less than 130/80
  2. Good Diabetes control
  3. Monitor Cholesterol
  4. Avoids NSAIDS (Advil, Motrin, Alleve, etc.)
  5. Have periodic blood work to monitor renal function, and check for the presence of anemia and overactive parathyroid glands. These problems can usually be treated with medicines.
  6. Modest amounts of protein in the diet.
  7. Use of ACE Inhibitors or ARB type of blood pressure medicine
  8. Check the urine for protein.

  Your doctor (internist or kidney doctor) should be discussing your individual situation.

QUESTION:
How did bin laden get dialysis treatment for his kidney problem for 6 years without anyone spotting him?

• ANSWER:
  got a link or source for that old (and horse-sh*t) "dialysis" claim ???

  ya know the "dialysis" story was debunked a long time ago

QUESTION:
Would like to know who is considered the top doctor and hospital/treatment center for kidney cancer in the US?
Just diagnosed with kidney cancer and I am trying to seek and obtain information about the best doctors and hospitals/treatment centers that are available in the U.S.?

• ANSWER:
  Mayo clinic in minnasota,and another state I cant remember .Look it up onputer.

QUESTION:
what is the best cure or treatment for kidney infection?

• ANSWER:
  antibiotics! also, force fluids (water)

QUESTION:
Homeopathic treatment for Kidney infection?
Does anyone have an homeopathic treatment for a kidney infection? And how long until I would get relief?
Hmmm... I should have mentioned that I have diabetes. Cranberry Juice has too much sugar in it. Even the Lite Juice.

• ANSWER:
  Since you have diabetes, I would suggest cranberry capsules, which have virtually all the sugar processed out of the cranberry but leave the good properties. Drink a lot of water to help flush out your kidneys. Chamommile tea seems to help as well, as does green tea. Since they are light diuretics, they can get your kidneys working a little overtime to flush out the infection a little quicker. Something I've found useful as well is to take an Airborne tablet every day while you're trying to get rid of the infection to help boost your body's immune system (I plop on in a cup of hot chamommile tea). Be careful when bathing as well to use a very gentle soap, one without glycerine as glycerine can irritate the sensitive tissues down there (you don't want a UTI in addition to the kidney infection).

QUESTION:
Kidney Tumor diagnosis and treatment options? Mom is over 60 .?
Good afternoon,
I posted this question last night and it seems like I may have missed out on some information.
My Mother is well advanced in her age, around 74, still sharp and semi active though retired.
My mom's side of the family does have a medical history of high blood and Diabetes.
Just last week she was found to have a tumor at her kidneys. Upon further examinaton via MRI
The tumor is found to be 3x3 cm big growing outside her kidney.
No biopsy has been done yet, however it was mentioned that the tumor is malignant.

I am highly unfamiliar on the treatment and diagnosis of kidney tumor and my queston are as follows

1. What are the possible treatments for kidney tumor. How will it be further dianosed/ tested?
2. At my mom's advanced age is surgery a safe procedure for her? is it survivable? I am not familiar with this

3. Is a 3x3CM tumor a bad thing? Is it cancerous at this point with that size

4. What are the common symptoms, what should I be concerned of?
5. is there any related literature I can read
6. hat is the mortality rate of a Kidney Tumor

My mom lives with my dad, and since my other siblings have a family already, I am obligated to drive her around when needed and my dad recently suffered a stroke so he could no longer drive. I am just preparing myself for things to come.

At this point I am working with my brothers to find a specialist to get a 2nd opinion just to weigh out options. My mother is indeed visibly upset about the situation

• ANSWER:
  Tumours are not always cancerous, although they may be. A tumour that is 3x3cm is not huge, but it is still a tumour that needs to be looked into. Size does not determine if it is cancerous or not, the cellular composition does. She should not sit around and wait to take action, she should have it looked into as soon as possible in case it is cancerous. Nothing will put her mind at ease until she has some answers.

  The tumour may be biopsied to analyzed. Your mother's age makes this the most likely option. After that, a diagnosis will be made and treatment will proceed depending on the diagnosis. It may also be surgically removed. If your mother is in, otherwise, good health, she may be a good candidate for surgery. The surgeon may remove just the tumour, or as much as the whole kidney (called a nephrectomy) and surrounding lymph nodes and tissues may be removed, depending on what the tumour has adhered to. My son had a complete nephrectomy the day he was born to remove his left kidney and a baseball sized tumour. He had a form of childhood kidney cancer called a Wilms' Tumour. It can be found in adults but it's extremely rare. Most diagnoses are in children under 3 years of age. Some sort of carcinoma is much more likely in a person your mother's age.

  Some of the symptoms we saw in my son immediately were a lump in his side, blood in his urine, and pain when his side with the tumour was touched. Most of these symptoms are just of a tumour in the kidney in general, that would just tell you something is there, not if there is cancer or not. My son's tumour was treated with 18 weeks of chemotherapy after his kidney with the tumour was removed. Treatment will be different for patients depending on what type and stage of cancer they have. Another common treatment is radiation but thankfully since my son's tumour was only a stage I favourable histology he did not have to go through radiation.

  I attached a website below in the sources that I think does a good job of explaining kidney cancer in general. At my son's first diagnosis I chose not to look at survival rates. It does nothing productive in treating my son. To some rates may give false hope and to others, it may give hopelessness to one who would otherwise survive. Sorry I can't help you out with survival rates.

  I hope this helped you out some and I hope nothing but the best for your mother. If you have any more questions feel free to email me (crazycanuckj@yahoo.ca) or IM me (crazycanuckj).

QUESTION:
is there any treatment for kidney cancer in india?
Is there any best treatment for kidney cancer in india

• ANSWER:
  The best treatment for kidney cancer is surgery. It doesn’t matter where on the planet you are.

QUESTION:
My partner has a slight kidney disorder. What treatment can he have in South Africa and is it treatable?
He is in constant pain. He was in ICU for a few weeks and thereafter he was recovering from his illness. I heard that it can be treated but it is incurable.

How can the kidney disorder be treated? I do not what type of kidney disorder he has.

• ANSWER:
  There are many kidney disorders- so you need to find out what it is.

QUESTION:
Stem cell transplant for treatment of kidney cancer ?
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=17254&page=2

I had no idea it had been used on other than leukemia.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
does the treatment for kidney stones hurt?
i found out the other day that i have kidney stones, and have have to have a wierd thing with sound waves (sorry i cant be more specific, i was nervouse and wasnt listening) to help get rid of the stones, i was just woundering, what exactlly does this treament do and does it hurt?? thanks

• ANSWER:
  Hello,

  The procedure to remove the kidney stones is pretty simple and not scary at all. The ultrasound machine will be directed to your kidney area with no incisions and it will vibrate and brake up your kidney stones.

  Depending on the size you could pass the kidney stones with little to no pain/discomfort. Experiences can vary, but one thing is for certain you must get rid of them before they any bigger.

QUESTION:
Is ESWL treatment for kidney stones bad?
Is Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy bad since the ultrasound waves can affect the body in any way (mutate cells )???

• ANSWER:
  It's not ultrasound it is exactly what it says "Shockwaves" these are generated by the equivalent of a spart plug in a water medium thesend shock waves through the body, you are generally lightly anesthetized for this.

QUESTION:
what is non surgical treatment for kidney stones?

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
is there any treatment for kidney disease which do not need to operate and needle?
my student got kidney disease, she is 15yrs. can she still study in school?

• ANSWER:
  Hi Hammard,

  You are a responsible teacher!

  I' m David Wong from Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital, specilizing in kidney disease treatment.

  We developed Micro chinese medicine osmotherapy (mcmo) after years of exploration. This theraputic method adopts external administration to treat internal disease, without operation and needle.
  Moreover, it resolve the side effect of western medicine,bad absorption of oral medicine.
  Many patients have attained pleasant curative effect and prognosis.

  According to my professinal experience, your student must go to see the doctor and do some regular checks, like urine routine check, blood examination and kidney function test. To ascertain the pathological agent and disease status are the top priority.

  Anyway, encourage your student to keep a good mental status, cheerful and optimistic attitude is helpful to improve our immunity. And if you hope to know more about our therapy, just email me.

  Best Regards!
  David Wong
  Shijiazhuang Kidney Disease Hospital, No. 5, Feiyi Rd, Xinhua Dist. SJZ, Hebei, China
  email: cnsjzdoctor@yahoo.com

QUESTION:
Holistic treatment for kidney disease in dogs?
Are there any holistic treatments, diets, minerals, etc. that would work in conjunction with medicine in order to help a dog diagnosed with the start of kidney disease?

• ANSWER:
  Raw food - a raw meaty bones or prey model diet based around whole carcasses, raw meat, meaty bones and organs.

  I would suggest you join one of the raw feeding groups - RawMeatyBones or rawfeeding are two good ones.

  holistic means treating the 'whole' rather than just the symptoms - not necessarily homoeopathic or 'herbal' - surely a species appropriate diet is the first step in this?

QUESTION:
stage 4 kidney disease, without treatment what things can we exspect to happen.?
Our 87 year old friend refuses treatment for his kidney disease, he accepts that he will die from it. we want to know what signs to look for as it gets worse.

• ANSWER:
  Blood pressure increase, bringing a greater risk of hypertension or congestive heart failure.

  Urea accumulation, leading to azotemia and eventually uremia. Uremia symptoms may range from lethargy to pericarditis and encephalopathy.

  Potassium accumulation in the blood (hyperkalemia). Symptoms of hyperkalemia range from malaise to cardiac arrhythmias.

  Decrease in erythropoietin synthesis, which may lead to anemia, and symptoms including fatigue.

  Fluid volume overload, with symptoms rangin from mild edema to life-threatening pulmonary edema. Edema was formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy.

  Decrease in phosphate excretion, leading to hyperphosphatemia.

QUESTION:
What is the treatment for chronic kidney disease stage 3, with patient being hypertensive and diabetic?

• ANSWER:
  In general, somebody with Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease and diabetes:

  1. Goal BP less than 130/80
  2. Good Diabetes control
  3. Monitor Cholesterol
  4. Avoids NSAIDS (Advil, Motrin, Alleve, etc.)
  5. Have periodic blood work to monitor renal function, and check for the presence of anemia and overactive parathyroid glands. These problems can usually be treated with medicines.
  6. Modest amounts of protein in the diet.
  7. Use of ACE Inhibitors or ARB type of blood pressure medicine
  8. Check the urine for protein.

  Your doctor (internist or kidney doctor) should be discussing your individual situation.

QUESTION:
What is the best dog food for a dog with kidney disease?
Well, my newly adopted dog was just diagnosed with kidney disease. They said it's not bad yet, but that I should feed her some special kidney disease food. I take her to the vet in Petsmart (Banfield), so she recommended Hills K/D (the only kind they sell there).

Anyway, I was wondering what anyone thinks is the best dog food for kidney disease "treatment". Thanks for any suggestions!!
ps: it's chronic kidney disease, in case it matters. And she's only 3 years old. Thanks again!

• ANSWER:
  The veterinarian I work for always recommends Hill's K/D for kidney problems. Don't get it confused with C/D. It helps bladder problems. Oh, and don't feed her table scraps. Human food can damage the kidneys and liver.

QUESTION:
when will medicine be able to use stem cell therapy for kidney disease?
i've read a lot about some of the research. i was wandering will medicine be able to use this as a treatment options for kidney disease. im interested in becoming a kidney specialist.

• ANSWER:
  It's probably already being tested, give it a few years. They are already using stem cells to help people with arthritis.

QUESTION:
Kidney Disease??? Please help.?
I randomly get this pain around the area where my left kidney would be...maybe once a month or once every two months. I tried researching what it could be and it seems like there is more of a possibility of it being kidney disease than a kidney stone. Are there treatments for kidney disease or will it have to be removed? Also, does anyone know what tests they'll have to run to find out if I even have kidney disease? PLEASE help.
Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Mm..if the disease is related to kidney,then you wouldn't feel the pain at your front area,but at the back of your kidney.It may be something else.I also get that pain(exactly like yours).But usually,i'll have A LOT of 'white fluid'(i dunno the english words for it)while,before,and after the pain.But i'm not sure if this related to the pain coz we have our ovary at the right,not at the left.So,that's is all i know.Meet your doctor,it would be better.

QUESTION:
why has the scientific community failed to develop a prevention treatment for PKD (polycystic kidney disease)?
since it affects so many americans, and any prophylactic treatment would likely be administered for the rest of a patient's life, it would be extremely profitable for big pharm.
additionally, we also know the gene mutation that is responsible for PKD...

so what are the difficulties in trying to design a treatment strategy for PKD?

is the recent boom in genomics and recombinant DNA techniques likely to lead to a breakthrough?

what about increases in access to totipotent human cells for research or therapy? would this likely lead to advances in finding a treatment?

• ANSWER:
  till genetic engineering becomes a reality there can not be much that can be done for this condition.

QUESTION:
kidney disease, and treatments?
My wife had multiple cist in both kidney,now bith have failed she is on dialysis.
how can i get new kiodney for her ?
what are the prevention required?

• ANSWER:
  in most cases, a healthy donor of the same blood time is required for kidney transplant. If your wife has any relatives, such as brothers or sisters, contact them immediately to get tested for compatibility. If no donor can be found within the family, your wife will go on a medical waiting list to receive a kidney most likely extracted from the cadaver of a consenting patient.

QUESTION:
Treatment for cat with "critical" kidney disease?
My 4 year old cat was diagnosed a few hours ago with kidney disease. At this moment, he is receiving an IV. My vet was very surprised at how high his numbers were and spent a lot of time with me discussing my options but said that once they flush his system and his numbers don't increase-- I need to start thinking about putting him down.

• ANSWER:
  Don't give up on him just yet. CRF cats can live for a long time with proper treatment. My cat was diagnosed last summer and is doing very well on his diet. I don't use the prescription food the vet recommended. I feed him Wellness wet food. It's actually much better than the prescription stuff. Here's a great website on kidney disease in cats that will help alot. Print off some of the articles and go over them with your vet. Good luck to to your kitty.
  http://www.felineoutreach.org/Education/Kidney.html

QUESTION:
Treatment for Crohn's Disease?
My boyfriend's mother has crohn's disease and she has had some problems with it. She recently took a vacation to visit us (12 hrs away), and the day she got back home she went to the hospital for chemotherapy treatments. She told my b/f that it was nothing to worry about that it was just treatment for her crohn's. I don't know much about crohn's/treatments, but I have never heard of chemotherapy as a form of treatment for this disease. She has lied to him once before when she was having renal failure and she told him that it was just a simple kidney infection. Is chemotherapy a treatment used for crohn's disease?

• ANSWER:
  i think so. theorpy means cure.

QUESTION:
My brother suffering frm Nephrotic syndrome(disease of kidney) i need sugesstion plz help?
My brother (15 year old) is suffering frm Nephrotic Syndrome.So, i want to know that which country is best for its treatment.his disease started in 2004.He was started on steroid and develop multiple relapses.During his illness he recieved course of levamisole,course of cellcept,then was kept on cyclosporine since 2005.While on cyclosporine he continued to have multiple relapses.In doha his treatment is contimued but I and my family is not satisfied so, plz help.

• ANSWER:
  I am NOT a doctor but I have been reading a lot of information that is health related recently and may be able to point you in the right direction.

  The first thing I would recommend is to find yourself a good nutritionist or Natuopathic Physician. Medical doctors are great [when you find a good one] for diagnosing a condition but they are pretty much trained ONLY in drug therapy and know very little or nothing about treating the body with natural treatments. (And even if they did - it is unlawful in the USA to claim that anything other than a drug can cure or treat a disease.) You have to remember that the text books used in medical schools are provided by drug companies.

  There are a few things that I would recommend. The first one is to add at least 6 ounces of seafood to your brother's diet every day. The reason for this is that ONLY seafood contains the 72 trace elements that are missing from all other food. Seafood will likely not produce immediate results. It can take up to 90 days or more for the trace elements to build up in the body to get the maximum benefits. However, you should not try to rush this by taking a supplement that contains the trace elements unless you take ONLY the recommended amount of the supplement daily. The heavier trace elements can be toxic if overdosed. Eating as much seafood as one wants is okay, however. Avoid the larger fish like tuna and swordfish and shark due to mercury content. Also eat only wild salmon and not farm-raised. If you have a garden do not use commercial fertilizer but instead use fertilizer or mulch from seaweed and this will put the trace elements into the vegetables you grow. For information on this see the first link posted below. Note: If seafood is out of the question due to sodium intake concerns then a trace element formula would be recommended. Try Concentrace tablets. These are recommended at www.truehealth.org and the tablet form is recommended instead of the liquid for reasons mentioned there.

  Second, and since this is a kidney related problem, I would recommend a bowel and kidney cleansing program be started immediately. There are numerous products available from different companies. Personally I would recommend Dr. Schulze's 30 day detox which consist of 2 bowel cleanses, a kidney cleanse and a liver cleanse. My wife and I have both used this regimen even though it cost 0 (Use 3rd link below and then click on "Life-Changing 30 Day Detox). Regarding the bowel cleanse: It consist of 2 formulas: #1 & #2. Take formula #1 by taking one capsule per directions in the evening and if that doesn't give the desired effect [bowel movement the next morning] then take 2 capsules the next evening - if that doesn't give the desired effect take 3 capsules the next evening etc. Once you obtain the desired effect begin taking formula #2 per directions while continuing to take formula #1 each evening [increased by one capsule and held at that level for the duration of taking formula #2]. Any questions contact me or the websites featuring the various products or protocols.

  Third: Particularly since reading the information at the 4th link posted below and it's indication that nephrotic syndrome is often associated with inflammatory conditions, I would recommend investigating the use of the enzyme serrapeptase [links 5 & 6]. While I have not yet used this supplement I have just placed an order for it for myself, my wife and my father. Please note that serrapeptase can be found on the web under various names such as serratiopeptidase, serraphase and arthrozyme and others. It is important that the supplement you choose be enterically coated. If it isn't one would have to take twice as much to get the same benefit.

  Another enzyme called nattokinase is useful for preventing blood clots and may help treat the clotting tendency associated with nephrotic syndrome but if your brother's doctor has him on blood thinning drugs it would be advised to check with the doctor before adding nattokinase to the regimen. Nattokinase can be taken as a supplement or as food called Natto. Natto is a traditional Japanese food and is commonly eaten for breakfast in Japan. See the last link below.

  The only other thing I can add is to eliminate all processed foods and meats containing hormones or antibiotics. In other words eat as healthy as possible. .. Organic when possible. if not organic then "Natural" and fresh foods rather than canned and boxed. You may have success without doing this but the more you can do in the way of eating healthy, the better.

  Hope this helps. If you try this and it works after a couple months please let me know. I would be most interested in the results either way.

  jkrmn@bigfoot.com

QUESTION:
What is wrong with my kidneys? Kidney Disease?
Hello,
for some time now I have been exeperiencing alot of problems with my kidneys (currently getting investigated). They feel like they are inflamed quite often and I feel so exhausted. Sometime when I move in a certain direction a feel them twitch. I think I may have kidney disease? Does anyone have it? If so what are your symptoms and treatments etc? Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Darren L, The first thing that doctors go is for kidney Stones the can get pretty big and somes times inpossible to pass, there will be test to determine how to take care of the problem. You will need a urologist but your insurancce may require a referral by your primary doctor. If you go to web md maybe your symptoms will lead you to the problem, either way you are gonna have to go for a check up for this the doctor can tell by a couple of things in your blood test results. Do not delay a doctor's visit. Feel Better Darren

QUESTION:
Where can I buy cheaper Lactated Rigers for my dog who has Kidney Disease?
My dog has recently been diagnosed with Kidney Disease. He is supposed to get subcutaneous fluid injections to help his kidneys deal with the problem. But my Vet charges per bag of fluid, which only lasts for 3 treatments! I cant afford that, but dont want to put my dog down when there is a treatment so readily available. Is there someplace I can get these bags of fluid for cheaper (hopefully much cheaper)? Im not even real sure which type I should be looking for- what the vet gave us is NDC 0409-7953-09 made by Hospira, 1000 ML. I am willing to buy by the case, either locally or online if anyone can point me in the right direction!

• ANSWER:
  There are many companies that sell it online, you just have to have your vet send them a prescription for it. The last link has a case of 12 for .99 a bag plus free shipping, which is the cheapest that I have found. Also, I have ordered from Valley Vet (the last link) before, and I really thought they had great service. Just FYI: there is no difference between LRS for farm animals and for pets, they are just marketed different.

  http://www.entirelypets.com/lari.html
  http://www.allivet.com/Lactated-Ringers-Solution-Rx-p/25211.htm
  http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=30e072f0-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

QUESTION:
Sub:- Harassment personally & phone calls by bank employees?
To,

Chief Manager/Manager General,
ABN-Amro Bank,
New Delhi.

Sub:- Harassment personally & phone calls by bank employees

Sir/madam,

I took a loan of Rs 2,82,560/- in July 2006 & gave all installments in time i.e 10648/- each month. afterword this loan is top up by bank under loan a/c no.9359705 after top up loan a/c no.9420262 & paid me 90,654/- after deduction about Rs. 14595/- from my loan amount in the shape of misc.charges, intrest, processing charges etc.etc. and then i also paid the refund installment of Rs.10498/- well in time. Due to kidney problem(i.e swelling on whole body) I was admitted to the Hospital and could not pay the instalment, so, they reduced the installment amount to Rs.7547/-. That also I gave them timely. Due to my kidney problem i spent money in medicine/ hospital/ medical tests. I am not in position to pay more in the form of installment. Uptill date i paid over 220000/- in the shape of installment. This time i am in critical position due to cronical disease.I already spent Rs.3,50000/- on my treatment uptill date.
My monthly net salary is only 15000/- pm most part of salary is spend in medicine/medical test and admission of hospital repeated in three to four time in a month for injectioning & other treatment.

The agent of the bank commit the rate of interest i.e 18% reducing balance but bank charged 21% pa. To this effect, i sent email as well as phoned to bank but bank did not responded any time.but I paid bank installments well in time.In regard of interest I request to the bank employees but they had no response to me for this interest.
Apart form the above past history is goes like this - I have been requesting since May'09 ABN Amro Bank collection executive for telling us my loan amount outstanding is around Rs.270000/-.Every time they use to say your loan outstanding is always Rs.270000/- I told to executive to satelle my loan in short payment and one payment on principal outstanding amount . Executive says that your outstanding is Rs.270000 not possible in short payment.
Now they required full amount immediately and threatening me and my family members that we shall catch you & beat you up or get punished by police or in the court of law & they misbehaved with my family members in my house. In this regard i already contacted to customer care on phone but no response. one employee of bank Mr. gaurav from chandigarh office threatened now & then & says that more than 3 lacs still due on your head , we already paid all installments upto April 2009.

I am single hand earning member of my family and undergoing treatment for kidney disease & not able to pay, now i am not in position to pay more. I request you to settlement for min. principal amount. if they (bank people) harrass me or my family members, i have to knock the doors of consumer court. I request to bank kindly see my problem & settled the case in minimum principal amount.

I humbly request you to please kindly setelle my loan.

I says that my condition is not able to give this amount please settled the case on principal amount.

with regards

yours Sincerely

Ramesh Chand

• ANSWER:
  these are actually a Mumbai numbers

  visit http://pankajfox.spaces.live.com/blog select listed by “category” & then select ”knowledge” category

  or

  visit http://pankajfox.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!AB44F1E03019D763!191.entry

  I hope you will get some answer from the bank people only once you call on the given number.
  these people tell you what to do related to your case.

QUESTION:
has anyone heard of NHV Tripsy for cats with kidney disease?
i have a 15 year old cat in the early stages of kidney disease. i like my vet, but he doesn't know about any holistic treatments. i see this stuff on the web NHV Tripsy, and their product reviews are great, but i don't know anything about it. if you have 1st hand experience with this or other holistric treatments for cats with kidney problems, please let me know. thanks.

• ANSWER:
  I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about.

QUESTION:
What is the treatment for lead poisoning ?
I was shot with a shotgun in 2005, now my doctor says I have elevated lead levels. My spine and kidneys are full of buckshot. Will treatment for lead poisoning have to be continuous ? What are the risk for me during the treatment. I have copd & heart disease

• ANSWER:
  The person best qualified to answer your question is your doctor (or he can refer you to someone who can answer your question). People on YA have no way of knowing how serious your condition is. Many of us are not doctors.

QUESTION:
kidney disease questions?
1.What is the name of the disease? What is the origin of the name of the disease?
2.Is the disease communicable or non-communicable? What is communicable / non-communicable?
3.Historical background of the disease. Give a TIMELINE of the disease (beginning to present).
4.Date the disease was first discovered.
5.Name of person responsible for the discovery.
6.How did it/does it affect society, in general and from the standpoint of treatment cost and care?
7.Were/Are any historical figures affected by the disease (if no historical figures, who is affected)?
8.How does the disease spread / progress? Both outside and inside the body.
9.What are the symptoms and how is the body (body systems) affected by the disease?
10.What are the causes of the disease? What is the incubation of the disease?
11.How is the disease diagnosed? What tests are used?
12.What are the treatments for the disease? Is there a cure for the disease? What medications or vaccination?
13.How many people die/affected from the disease (month/year/ever) and what is the average age of onset?
14.What and Where research was or is currently being done to find a cure or treat the disease?
15.What role has research played on the discovery, treatment, and/or cure of this disease?

• ANSWER:
  Try doing your report on Glomerulonephritis
  Sorry, I'm not going to do your work for you, so thats all I can offer.

QUESTION:
For my cat with kidney disease also has a heart condition is the sub-Q therapy/liquid the only choice she has?
I dont want my severe kidney disease suffering cat to receive the subcutaneous fluid therapy (sub-Q) because it would be too painful for her and she is 15 years old and suffers a heart murmur (a sort of heart condition). I've been told cats who suffer from a heart condition shouldn't receive this sub-Q treatment because it's dangerous. I need to know what other options are out there instead of the subcutaneous fluid therapy/liquid (sub-q), there has to be other options. The vet i'm taking her with isn't very helpful he offered that option, and I really need to know what to do so her kidneys get better fast, right now she doesn't have a treatment or an adequate diet:-( I need urgent speedy help to find a better vet (preferably holistic) in Chicago. If anyone knows please let me know i'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  There's not a lot you can do about this. Normally they'll try to "restart" the kidneys with an IV of fluids, but with your cat having heart problems, and I would imagine that this is congestive heart failure (CHF)...besides her heart murmur, you're vet is giving her IV fluids sub q so she's not overloaded quickly with fluids. I hate to say this...but you need to consider that the time for your loved cat is just about over. If she continues to go down, then you really need to consider euthanasia. I wish you only the best of luck.

QUESTION:
i heard that there are medicines out there that someone can take to help prolong kidney disease?
i've heard about different treatments that are available for people with kidney disease like medicines that can be taken to help prolong kidney disease and it helps slow the disease down. i also heard oh yeah dialysis works ... do the treatments for a while and go to work while u are having the treatments. does anyone know anything about this?

• ANSWER:
  Peritoneal dialysis is a type of dialysis that people do while they go to work. There are also various ways you can do hemodialysis in your home that can make dialysis more compatible with work.

  There are a number of medicines that you can take to slow or even reverse your diminishing kidney function - which medicine or strategy depends on what is causing your kidney disease. If it is diabetes or high blood pressure - two leading causes of kidney disease - controlling those underlying conditions can slow the progression.

  Often when the kidney disease is caused by damage to the nephrons - the little filters in the kidneys that do all the work - steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs will be tried. If you are ever in doubt that you are receiving the best care from your doctor you should always feel comfortable getting another opinion but sometimes getting the best medical care available is still not enough to save the kidneys.

QUESTION:
Paranoid about my kidneys? Can xray miss Chronic Kidney disease?
Had bad UTI 5 years ago because of crap doctor not listening. Had protein and blood in urine. They did an xray and said I was fine. I had the UTI for quite some time. Maybe a month or so before I received treatment. Was on cipro, levaquin, bactrim to get rid of it. Turned out had shortened urethra. So to my question..? I'm really scared.
Also anemic, but have always had this problem as far as I know. I guess I feel paranoid because I have shortness of breath as well. I guess fatigue doesn't really count because I have a newborn.
I do pee once a night.. at like 4am

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Why is my cat up meowing at night after going to the vet for treatment?
She was treated for a urinary tract infection yesterday. I know she was lethargic and drinking a lot of water, so we'll have to wait and see if she has beginning stages of kidney disease. She'll be fine, but I won't. I am pooped. She was up 3 separate times meowing last night. I think she's happy. Maybe she was in pain for a while and is now relieved the pain went away. Have you folks ever dealt with something like this? Normally she goes to sleep with me. It was weird.
She was at home and didn't stay overnight at the vet. I was trying to sleep. The twit kept waking me up. When I tried to get her to stop, she seemed like she just wanted to play.
Yes, they did a ton of blood work. Three hundred bucks worth and now I have to put her on pricier food from them for cats with kidney issues. My other cat's a mut and dang---she NEVER has any problems.

• ANSWER:
  just probably happy she isnt in pain

QUESTION:
How would I go about getting a genetic test for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)?
My mum and my grandad have both had it, and have had to be put on dialysis for treatment. My mum has always been against me being tested as she believes its putting a timeline on your life.
However, I really want to know if i have it.
I'm 18 now, but I'm unsure of how to actually get tested, as in where do I go?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  Blessings .....
  Just go to your doctor, talk to him/her about your history and ask if there is a test to be done to find out whether or not you are a candidate.

  Take care.
  Rhapsody at www.rappingonamleody.blogspot.com

QUESTION:
dear collegues,my sis is suffering from a disease can u guide me 4 her treatment,giving her details...?
ashwini 20 yrs,ocassionaly weakness and fatigue.
investigations-
BUN(blood urea nitrogen) 63mg/dl
SERUM CREATININ 5mg/dl,(11mg/dl before hemodialysis)
HEAMOGLOBIN 6gm/dl
ANTI NUCLEAR ANTIBODY POSITIVE
ANTI HISTONE ANTIBODY POSITIVE
ANTI DNA ANTIBODY POSITIVE, BUT NOT SLE.
RENAL BIOPSY-END STAGE RENAL DISEASE INVOLVING BOTH KIDNEYS.
X-Ray chest cardiomegaly.

history and present condition-
she was alright 4 yrs back when her doctor sister noticed her pale and investigated.physically well built & a university player.
SHE IS NOW ON DIALYSIS every 8-10 days.
FAMILY HISTORY-HER MOTHER(38),SISTER(22) DIED OF SAME PATHOLOGY FEW YRS BEFORE.
PRESENT MEDICATION-high doses of steroids,erythropoietin.
we r considering for renal transplant,but surgeons deny it cuase of antibodies present.
she is having one more sist and a brother,
PLS GUIDE ME FOR HER MANAGEMENT TO A GOOD PHYSICIAN.WILL B VERY THANKFUL 4 U.
arunmoregsa@rediffmail.com, arun_sups@yahoo.com
Dr Arun,India.

• ANSWER:
  I'm a nurse here in the U.S.

  I'm sorry to hear about your sister's illness. Given the lab values you cited..this definitely sounds like an autoimmune process going on. I have SLE and this sure sounds familiar. I spent several years of going to different doctors and being diagnosed with various "strange" diseases before I found my current physician who figured out it was SLE all along. SLE is the great imposter. It can mimic many diseases. Are you certain it's not SLE?

  Your sister needs a good rheumatologist. There is a very good one in Denver, Colorado at National Jewish Medical Center. His name is Dr. Richard Meehan. Here is the website for National Jewish. Perhaps you can contact him or one of his colleagues through this site.

  www.nationaljewish.org

  Best of luck to you, and prayers for your sister's health.

QUESTION:
what is the life span of end stage renal disease with one kidney dead other less than 10% no dialysis/transpnt
also the person has diabetes, skin cancer, breast cancer, shingles, is on methadone, and 20 other pills from blood pressure, capapril? pacsil, and many others, also was on perocet, fentenal, now on methodone, doctors gave her 5 years to live from cancer going on 11 yrs. doctors also gave her 2 months to live with refusing treatment for kidneys, been 2 months, she also gets sick a lot, throws up blood sometimes, she is my boyfriend's mother, she refuses home nurses, free care, etc. some web sites say 6 months tops others says many years, how longs before the toxins build up in her system, also she only eats once every three days, refuses food, sick, when she eats its deep fried egg rolls or fried eggs, milk, bread, and she drinks approx. 15-20 cups of instant reg. coffee a day, smokes 5 cartons of ciggs. a month, sometimes she is out of her mind, some days fine, how long is her lifespan? she is 62yr. thanks.

• ANSWER:
  I would say "death is iminent", but sometimes the body defies all the plans, numbers, and statistics that the medical fields can come up with.

QUESTION:
Which army regulation covers disqualifying conditions for deployment pertaining to Polycystic kidney disease?
My unit is currently on orders for deployment. I'm not afraid to go, I knew there was a chance when I enlisted. I have Autosomol Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). I'm just wandering what kind of treatment will be available in Iraq? I was diagnosed with it in 2000. My mom and her siblings have it. My Aunt and Uncle are currently undergoing dyalisys for their ADKPD.

• ANSWER:
  You will have to ask the Army medical staff - if you remind them that you have it they can look up the regs.

  It might not disqualify you at all if it's not severe or if the treatment is not complicated.

QUESTION:
Why can't medical study results on men apply to women as well?
For example, I just read this morning the following: "New guidelines from the American Heart Association - It is the first time guidelines have urged all women to consider aspirin for preventing strokes..."

A ton of research seems to center on men initially. Men and women's bodies differ in some ways, but when studies focusing on treatments for diseases of the heart, kidneys, blood, etc., (something all humans have), why shouldn't the results for the new standards of treatment apply to both men AND women?

• ANSWER:
  Average size and weigh differentials have an effect on dosages.
  The actions of hormones have a lot to do with metabolizing some medications for heart, kidneys and blood, and I think in the beginning they used men for the research because they didn't have to worry about them getting pregnant and testing unknown drugs on both the patient and a fetus. In fact it was assumed that what men used could be used on women, but that turned out not to be true. Women even present with different symptoms of heart disease which led doctors to misdiagnose a heart attack in women as something else.
  It may surprise you to learn that although the elderly take more prescriptions than the young, testing ages usually stop at 50 and never go above 75 so it a drug is rarely tested on its intended target age.

QUESTION:
HOMEOPATHY: IS HOMEOPATHY GOOD FOR KIDNEY DISEASE?
MY FATHER IS SUFFERING FROM POLY CYSTIC KINDEY DISEASE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOMEOPATHY TREATMENT WILL BE EFFECTIVE ORNOT?

• ANSWER:
  HOMEOPATHY Is a Scam.

QUESTION:
i hav STONE problem for last 15 yrs... pls tell me its treatment.?
I hav stone in my kidneys, i hav been eaten many typ of medicines, bt no any recovered me..... stones are of calcium. pls tell me if u hav knw d proper treatment fo dis disease....

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
What are the treatment options and recovery chances for a patient with Goodpasture's Syndrome?
A friend of mine has been hospitalized with Goodpasture's Syndrome. I'm having trouble finding out what the treatment options and chances of full recovery are for this disease.

What can you tell me about the disease besides that it's an autoimmune disorder that targets the lungs and kidneys?
This is the first time he's been hospitalized. He's had issues with anemia for years. He was originally hospitalized for pneumonia in both lungs. I've been estranged from this particular friend and his family for several years, and I guess I'm trying to find out how serious it before I decide what action (if any) is appropriate on my part.

• ANSWER:
  Your friend and the family will have been informed of this and if you know the family well enough, you might ask them.

  Goodpasture's is a chronic, relapsing pulmonary (lungs) hemosiderosis (increased iron deposits in tissue) and is usually associated with glomerulonephritis (an inflammation of the glomerulus of the kidney). There is usually a cough with hemoptysis (bloody cough), dyspnea (difficulty breathing), anemia, and progressive renal (kidney) failure.

  Mild forms may respond to corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs. Severe recurrent cases have a poor prognosis and hemodialysis and kidney transplant are the only treatments. I have no way to know the severity of your friend's situation and you have not stated this. You may not know. Is this the first time for hospitalization?

  Despite what another has told you, there is no homeopathic "cure" for this disorder. I'm so very sorry.

QUESTION:
where i can get best treatment in India for kidney related diseases?

• ANSWER:
  You can go to CMC Vellore this hospital is very good my mom had kidney stone and we took her to there she is now ok doctores are good and service is also good.

QUESTION:
Diet for K9 with Kidney Disease?
My poor dog that I've had since I was 19 (Im currently 31) has failing kidneys. The Vet said that if she were a person she would be on dialasis. Anyhow, she is currently getting liquid treatment under her skin every day and her she is still eating, but not nearly what she used to. I have been giving her people food as she has been staying away from regular canned dog food (which she used to love). Now I give her some canned salmon, rice, carrots, sometimes a scrambelled egg or two. But what she REALLY LOVES is canned vienna sausages and hot dogs. I have been giving her alot of these just so she will take in more calories. I would put her down, alothough it breaks my heart except she is still pretty playful and happy...although not as much as she use to be. My question is what do you think about giving her hot dogs and such as primary meals?

• ANSWER:
  There is a great yahoo group for dogs with kidney failure. The members there have a lot of great advice and tricks to keep your dog with you as long as possible. Please join and seek their advice.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KidneyDiet/

QUESTION:
Have you had experience with Celebrex in conjunction with a heart murmur?
I already asked this on the dog list, but I thought I would repeat it here because the COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex is similar to the Deramaxx that has been recently prescribed for my dog.

I have a 14-year-old male Airedale terrier with lumbar disease. Treatment with Tramadol and Gabapentin was not satisfactory and the vet recommended Deramaxx.

Becket is free of kidney and liver disease. His blood levels look good. But he has a heart murmur.

The heart murmur is congenital; he's had it from the age of 6 months. So he can't really be said to have "heart disease."

Nevertheless I'm concerned as Deramaxx is not supposed to be given to dog's with heart disease. So I would like to hear of any experiences, good or bad, anyone else has had with this.

His recommended dosage is well within the 1-2 mg/kg of body weight recommended by Novartis, and he tends to have a healthy and regular elimination schedule--so I'm not too concerned about the possibility of a build-up in his system. But I am concerned that COX-2 inhibition, over a long period of time, could result in increased blood pressure in an older dog with a heart murmur.

Thanks in advance!
I'm sorry to say, Aziz, that this article has done little more than convince me of how stupid people can be when administering drugs. Previcox is not Deramaxx. The people writing the article actually talk about how ridiculous the vets were for telling them not to give aspirin (which causes serious ulcers in dogs very frequently). They also saw an adverse reaction on half a tablet, and then gave another whole tablet anyway. Please don't post general information that is a waste of time--the content of my question should convince you that I'm looking for serious, knowledgeable answers only. If you don't have them, then don't answer.

• ANSWER:
  pls go through this article http://www.k911.biz/Petsafety/DeathByPrevicox_Information.htm

QUESTION:
Is a chlorine dioxide dental treatment safe for cats with early renal disease?
My beloved kitty is almost 12 yrs old and has declining renal function. She also has some dental problems. She is scheduled to undergo a dental cleaning and exam, but I came across some products that advertised that they would help make the cleaning easier and would help prevent against tartar/plaque build up afterwards. While I am skeptical of how much good they will really do, my main concern is that it might be harmful to her kidneys. I couldn't really find much evidence either way. Anyone with any knowledge on the subject? Thanks in advance

• ANSWER:
  Bless you and you "kitty".Our old girl had renal failure and i had 2 put her on iv 2 help flush out her system.She lived a good 4 years and was full of life,But we had 2 be very careful of anything she was given.I would really talk 2 your vet before proceeding 2 give her this product.May she have many more wonderful healthy years.

QUESTION:
Treatment for kidney stones?
I have been suffering from this disease for the past 15 years and it seems that the stones are coming out but not getting over as they are reproduced weeks after weeks, I have tried allot of medicines from many doctors and now I am too tired of this disease, therefore I am here asking on what to do to get rid of the kidney stones???

• ANSWER:
  Hi,...

  You should drink a lot of water every day (including 4 glasses of water just as soon as u wake up and before u eat or drink anything else.).Drink parsley tea( boil some water to 100 celsius and then add it to some parsley and keep it in the mug for 10 minutes to infuse)...drink daily.

  Ofcourse if there are already big stones you should consult a Nephrologist / Urologist to get rid of them first.

  For further info please contact me :

  albasil000@hotmail.com

QUESTION:
Can a physically fit person die from alzheimer's disease?
My aunt is 85 yrs old and has been declared physically fit, heart lungs kidneys etc all in good health; yet she is suffering from the onset of Azheimer's and is suffering from unsteadiness when walking. She becomes disoriented and has word finding problems. She is currently in rehab for treatment of Vertigo.

• ANSWER:
  Alzheimer is deterioration of the brain the physically fit body has nothing to do with it. The are meds that can be given to slow the progression of this disease.

QUESTION:
Can someone with Wegener's disease live a normal healthy life?
A friend of mine (age 21) was just diagnosed with Wegener's disease. Doctors were saying that the kidneys were in danger of failing, but after tests and biopsy they found out that her kidneys were fine and all her major organs were healthy. She is going to go in for chemo therapy and other treatments, will it be possible for her to live a normal healthy life after this? Is her life significantly shortened?

• ANSWER:
  Anything can happen to your friend at this point, but it looks pretty favorable for her. This disease can be fatal when it is not diagnosed until significant damage has already occurred. When it is treated before damage occur, the disease can sometimes be permanently eliminated with no lasting health effects. Sometimes the disease is stopped with treatment, but it later reappears, and sometimes the treatments don't work. Hopefully, she will respond well to the treatments and never have a problem again!

QUESTION:
Dog has early kidney disease?
The vet just diagnosed my rescue chihuahua as being in the early stages of kidney disease. She give my dog 14 days worth of antibiotics, however told me to give her 7 days worth, cease for 10 days and then continue antibiotics for 7 days. Anyone understand what the 10 day period of no antibiotics in the middle of her treatment is about?
Thanks in advance for your serious answers.

• ANSWER:
  Which antibiotic are you using?

  Some antibiotics have effects other than their primary antibiotic effect, which might be what we're chasing after here.

  The only other thing I can think of, is that there might be problems giving the drug for 14 days straight (due to side effects of the drug), and there might be enough residual activity left to keep working for a while (carry you through the 10 day break), and then you start back up again once the system has had a chance to equilibrate.

  Best thing to do though, is talk to the vet directly. I'd be quite curious to know what they say (I'll check back on this question later, or you can e-mail me directly).

QUESTION:
What is the safest treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats?
Our cat was just diagnosed with hyperactive thyroid & my parents want to do the methimazole treatment. I heard that there are lots of side effects including liver & kidney damage. I prefer the radioactive iodine cause I heard it's a cure for the disease.

Anyway, if you have a cat with hyperthyroidism, what course of action did you take? Which do you recommend if safest method?

• ANSWER:
  I'm sorry I can't help specifically, but wanted to suggest another source for info that might be helpful to you. Although I haven't joined any for feline hyperthyroid, I do know from first-hand experience (feline cancer group) that these specialized groups typically have a lot of information about the conditions, treatments, etc. and the folks are very friendly and helpful. These three Yahoo Groups specifically mention feline hyperthyroid, the first is dedicated to that specific condition:
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-hyperT
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Hypertension
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FelineDiabetics

  Hope this helps & best of luck to you and your cat!!

QUESTION:
Please I need a very good advise for this problem?
Hi I am in India. One of my friend's younger brother has been diagnosed with a kidney failure problem. Both of his kidney are damaged and they are very poor. His father's income is only Rs. 5000 a month and the total cost of Medicine is Rs. 20 000 a month. Currently he is getting treatment from AIIMS delhi. Can he get some financial help from any institution, NGO or government. Or what they should do in order to get a good treatment of this disease. Please Help!!!

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
All these are functions of Growth Hormone (GH) except (plz help me answer this)?
All these are functions of Growth Hormone (GH) except
A. Stimulates uptake of amino acids and conversion into proteins
B. Stimulates breakdown of fats and glycogen
C. Promotes bone and cartilage growth
D. Increased secretion in response to increase amino acids, low blood glucose, or sffess
E. Stimulates cortisol secretion from adrenal cortex

These hormones regulate production of gametes and reproductive hormones
A. Gromh hormone and ACTH
B. Prolactin and FSH
C. ACTH and MSH
D. LH and FSH

Growth factors are local regulators that
A. Produced by anterior pituitary
B. Are modif,red fatty acid that stimulate bone and cartilages
C. Are found on the surface of cancer cell and stimulate abnormal cell growth
D. Are protein that bind to ceil surface receptor and stimulate target cell growth and deveiopment

Which is not a form of communication by cells?
A. Endocrine.
B. Neural.
C. Autocrine.
D. Musculine

Which of the following hormones is secreted by the leydig cell?
A. Thyroxin
B. Androgen
C. Giucocorticoid
D. Prigesterone

Every hormone
A. Is a protein.
B. Is produced in response to stress.
C. Is under the conhol of the pituitary gland.
D. Enters a cell and interacts with DNA.
E. Acts as a signal between cells.

Which of the following hormones have antagonistic (opposing) effects?
A. Thyroxin and calcitonin
B. Insulin and glucagon
C. Growth hormone and epinephrine
D. ACTH and glucocorticoids
E. Epinephrine and norepinephrine

Jet lag occurs when a person moves rapidly from one time zone to another, causing conflict between the body's
biological rhythms and the new cycle of light and dark. Some scientists suspect that jet lagmay result from
disruption of a daily hormone cycle. Which of the following hormones do you think is the most likely suspect?
A. Epinephrine
B. Insulin
C. Melatonin
D. Estrogen.
E. Prolactin

Diabetes insipidus is an inherited endocrine malfunction (unrelated to diabetes mellitus) in which the kidneys
fail to reabsorb normal amounts of water. Victims of this disease produce gallons of urine each day, and their
kidneys soon wear out. Treatment of this disease involves replacing a missing hormone. Which of the following
do you think it is?
a. Glucagon
b. Epinephrine
C. Glucocorticoids
D. Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)
E. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Because only the gland uses iodine to make its hormones, radioactive iodine is often used as a
treatment for tumors of this gland.
A. Pituitary
B. Pancreatic
C. Thyroid
D. Adrenal
E. Testicular

Because only the gland uses iodine to make its hormones. radioactive iodine is often used as a
treatment for tumors of this gland.
a. Pituitary
b. Pancreatic
c. Thyroid
d. Adrenal
e. Testicular

• ANSWER:
  1) E. Stimulates cortisol secretion from adrenal cortex

  This is not a function of GH. Cortisol secretion is stimulated by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which is secreted from the anterior pituitary galnd.

  2) D. LH and FSH

  LH (luteinizing hormone) promotes the secretion of sex hormones in both males and females. In males, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stimulates the production of sperm cells in the testes. In females, FSH is responsible for the growth and development of follicles that house egg cells in the ovaries.

  3) D. Are proteins that bind to cell surface receptors and stimulate target cell growth and development

  4) D. Musculine

  5) B. Androgen

  Cells of Leydig (also called interstitial cells) are located within the testes, and are responsible for the production of androgens (male sex hormones).

  6) E. Acts as a signal between cells.

  7) B. Insulin and glucagon

  When blood glucose levels are elevated, the pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin stimulates the synthesis of glycogen from glucose monomers, thus decreasing blood glucose levels. When blood glucose levels have declined, the pancreas secretes glucaon. Glucagon stimulates the catabolism of glycogen into glucose monomers, increasing blood glucose levels. Glucagon also stimulates the synthesis of glucose from noncarbohydrate substances (gluconeogenesis). Hence, insulin and glucagon have opposite effects.

  8) C. Melatonin

  The pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which is synthesized from serotonin. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythmns, which are patterns of repeated activity associated with cycles of day and night.

  9) D. Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

  ADH is a hormone secreted from the anterior pituitary gland. It functions in stimulating the kidneys to conserve water. Hence, ADH plays an important role in regulating the concentration of body fluids.

  10) c. Thyroid

  I hope this helps! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

QUESTION:
solution to severe itching due to kidney disease?
my mom has stage 4 ckd she has had a lot of severe itching episodes and then her skin gets dry and rashy what is the best natural treatment for this condition

• ANSWER:
  I use a lotion called Uremol, you can get it at Walmart or any drugstore.
  The best way to control the itching is to not shower too often. If your Mom is staying home that day, tell her to skip the shower and just have a sponge bath.
  Also, she MUST stick to her diet plan. When eating items that are on your "avoid" list, your body has a hard time processing the potassium, sodium and phosphates that are in these foods. This will also contribute to the itchy skin.
  Have her keep to her diet, take her medications, and exercise regularly, and these symptoms will slow down after a while.
  I have been stage 5 kidney disease for 4 years now, and I'm doing pretty good.

QUESTION:
does anybody have the kidney disease nephrotic syndrome and what are your symptoms and what are your?
treatment for it

• ANSWER:
  Symptoms of nephrotic syndrome are frothy urine, anorexia, sick feeling, puffy eyelids, abdominal pain, wasting of the muscles, and edema (fluid retention). You can also develop fluid between the lungs and the chest wall. Treatment usually involves corticosteroid treatment (prednisone). MDs may also try ACE inhibitor drugs. Diet changes to include the right protein and potassium levels and low saturated fat levels and sodium. You will also need to slowly increase your exercise level.

QUESTION:
End stage kidney disease, brain damaged, diabetes and pneumonia how long can someone survive With all this?
Hi all, I have a question I would like to ask, a relative of mine was rushed to critical care on tuesday after suffering from Pneumonia we have been told that her kidney is slowing deteriorating and that because she fell into a Diabetic coma over 7years ago and is now brain damaged she is not suitable for dialysis or transplant. I have also been told that even though she has been taking antibiotics now, it is more than likely that the Pneumonia will come back, also that her kidneys on a scale of 0-120 are at a 15. What does this mean and roughly how long can she survive without any treatment.

Thanks
Sofia

• ANSWER:
  I think the answer to this one has to be that she'll live as long as she'll live ,I doubt that anyone could put a time on this it depends on the strength of the person. just be there for her and tell her you love her even if you think she can't hear you.

QUESTION:
My cat's kidney disease?
I have a 12 year old cat whom I love a lot. My wife thinks that since the new year he has been drinking and peeing a lot otherwise she thought maybe he had an occasional bad day but he was acting his normal self otherwise. September 2009 his blood work including thyroid levels were all normal (March 2009 he had a successful partial thyroidectomy). So I took him to the vet 2 weeks ago. I ended up going to a new vet who is across the street rather than his usual vet because he hates car rides. The vet just did a cursory exam and drew some blood and gave him his Rabies and distemper shots. The BUN Creatinine came back high and she said that this was chronic renal failure. All other blood work including sugar and thyroid were normal. When I asked for a workup for the cause she said it did not matter as the treatment is the same. She scheduled him for admission the following Monday for IV fluids. He rapidly deteriorated so last Friday night we rushed him to the ED of the hospital where his regular vet works. His BUN/Cr were worse so they admitted him and did IV fluids. They found no evidence of hypertension, no anemia even after hydration, normal kidneys on U/S and Xray, and no proteinuria (culture is still pending). He responded very well to 4 days of IV fluids (Cr came down from 9 to 5 and BUN from 135 to 56) and he was sent home with enalapril, antibiotics and sq fluids +/- renal diet. He is due to go back next Wednesday for blood work. Now since he is an indoor cat with no exposure to toxins or infection my wife (a "human" dermatologist) thinks that he indeed has chronic renal failure, because of the 6 months of drinking and peeing, that was exacerbated by the distemper shot. The Vets at the hospital think this is something acute given normal BP, hct, U/S and Xray of kidneys.
Can a cat have chronic renal failure and have no hypertension, anemia and normal kidneys on both XRay and U/S?
Can a cat be exposed to a UTI causing bacteria or a toxin in the house without ever going out?

The reason I ask is if he does have chronic renal failure it is going to be very hard for him to get the sq fluids every day. He hates it and i don't want to put him through that.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Kidney Disease and Pain?
My sister was married in 1996.She is 36-years old.Unfortunately she couldn't conceive until now.Since 6-months she is experiencing kidney pain.Then we took her to doctor for medical check-up.They recommend us to do few tests.After tests,they said kidney is ejecting protein via urine and if we dont start medical treatment then it is possible that her kidney will be damage.They give us medicines and we started the medicine but there is no improvement.She is still experiencing the kidney pain and same thing as earlier so there is no improvement.Can you kindly let us know what should we do.We wanted to start her medication immediately.I am waiting for your immediate reply.If you recommend us to do few tests and send you the copy of that reports.I think that might help both of us to understand the whole situation.Thanks

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
how to hold a successful fundraiser for a child with rare kidney disease?
I have a family friend who has a 12 year old son with a rare kidney disorder called Nephrotic Syndrome. He has been battling this for about two years now and his parents are almost to the point where they have no choice to ask for help. His mother takes him to they hospital 4 times/week for dialysis. Last month he had an emergency surgery to have both kidneys removed so he is now living off dialysis. Within the last few weeks his weight has dropped dramatically to less than 60 lbs.

We had the idea to have a beef n beer at perhaps a local firehouse's social hall. Also we have thought about door prizes. Today I came up with the idea to contact the phillies and see if possibly one of the players could come out and sign autographs.

Okay now.. someone PLEASE help! This boy is the sweetest, funniest kid you will ever meet and he and his family deserve this more than anything.

so, can anyone give advice about..
1) how much should tickets be?
2) any more detailed ideas for door prizes?
3) any knowledge as to if it would cost for a professional athlete to attend and if that is even possible?
4) and anymore ideas that would help this family pay for treatment, travel, etc!!!

We are open to ANY ideas!!!

thanks

• ANSWER:
  Wow I hope the child gets better. I am not religious but I am part of a meditation group and I will put a word out for him. Although as far as getting a sports player to come, I am not for sure if they would be willing to do something like that but believe it or not there are still good people out there. This is going to take alot of work but it will be well worth it. First I would print out some flyers and take them to every college bulletin bboard in your area and further. Second I would see if you could contact the student government Association in each college around, even community colleges. I have worked with colleges doing things like this and the results weere phenomenal. Like I said ths will be a lot of work and take lots of phone tag and communication with other people, but definately necessary. These parents must get help. I tell you what this is where the health care bill would be needed. You could also set up a free website through somewhere like microsoft officelive and register with paypal which is free as well. Then you post a paypal link to the site and people will donate, especially if you post the website all over yahoo and other forums and groups. As far as the raffle I would say keep the prizes decent but simple. Also you want to make a sort of plate sale and bake sale, it can be affective. You need to sell tickets for this event so that you can keep track of how many people are going to attend. You could sell raffle tickets for prizes before the Fund Raiser or you can see if people will buy them at the fund raiser. The food you prepare should bring a significant profit. I knew someone who did meatball subs, potato salad, and beans. The ingrediants cost 100 bucks and they raked in 400 dollars, but there were only like 60 people. The plates were like 8 bucks a peace. So if you charged like ten bucks a plate and whatever for raffles you should se some results.

  Get Busy and GOOD LUCK

  BLESS .

QUESTION:
how can i plan a good, successful and profitable fundraiser for a child with a rare kidney disease?
I have a family friend who has a 12 year old son with a rare kidney disorder called Nephrotic Syndrome. He has been battling this for about two years now and his parents are almost to the point where they have no choice to ask for help. His mother takes him to they hospital 4 times/week for dialysis. Last month he had an emergency surgery to have both kidneys removed so he is now living off dialysis. Within the last few weeks his weight has dropped dramatically to less than 60 lbs.

We had the idea to have a beef n beer at perhaps a local firehouse's social hall. Also we have thought about door prizes. Today I came up with the idea to contact the phillies and see if possibly one of the players could come out and sign autographs.

Okay now.. someone PLEASE help! This boy is the sweetest, funniest kid you will ever meet and he and his family deserve this more than anything.

so, can anyone give advice about..
1) how much should tickets be?
2) any more detailed ideas for door prizes?
3) any knowledge as to if it would cost for a professional athlete to attend and if that is even possible?
4) and anymore ideas that would help this family pay for treatment, travel, etc!!!

We are open to ANY ideas!!!

thanks

• ANSWER:
  First off I wouldnt charge a fee for a ticket. This will limit you. Say you charge for the ticket but someone (or maybe a couple) were willing to donate ?? See what I mean? You may also want to set up something at the bank so people that cant come to the dinner but would still like to donate can drop off donations at a local bank.

  I do this all the time for events that I plan. Make up a donation request letter. Give the info you gave above. You write very nicely. Distribute your letter to ALL the buisnesses in your town that you can. Have people volunteer to help you do this cause it can get time consuming. Have a list for each person so they arent hitting up the same place. You can find a list of buisnesses in your town on the local website for
  your chamber of commerce or go thru the ads in your newspaper.
  You will get some donations and those can be door prizes. You can also ask for food donations. Grocery stores will donate but hit them up at the very end of the month so they will donate at the begining fo the next month. They get hit up alot so you have to be the first one that month. Meat packing places (we have Kahns nearby) will donate hot dogs. Walmarts will donate a gift card to shop for plates, charcoal ect.

  if you cant get a pro athlete maybe a semi pro would come. Do you have anyone local?? I have no idea what this would cost. I know a few years ago I tried to get Rupert form Survivor and he wanted ,000! and I had to supply him a 12x12 spot to sell his Rupert merchandise. We did not get Rupert! Maybe think local band?? I think they would be more likely to come for free.

  Where I live cornhole is real popular. You could do a tournament for glory only. Have everyone pay to be in in and than make the winner King for the night. Special chair maybe a cheap crown. They pay to play but you keep the money.

  You can ask people to donate White Elephant items and have a White Elephant sale or yard sale. GO around to yard sales on saturday afternoon. Explain what you are doing. Lots of folks will box everything up for you to take away instead of taking it to good will. Have a yard sale or auction the night of the dinner.

  Before I forget to mention it>>>its not what you were asking for but I want you to know I did a great fundraiser in my small country town and raised 00 in two months for my daughter's gymnastics. Look up Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser. Its lots of fun and silly too. the problem was I live so far in the country the gas became expensive but if you live in the city its easy. Get flamingos from Oriental Trading, Buy some plastic but get some cardboard ones too. I used cardboard and made huge signs and than went to kinkos and bought yard sign metal thingys to hold the sign up. I covered my signs in plastic wrap becaue kinkos wanted to much to laminate. anyway, you may want to look inot this. Its different and catches peoples attention.

  Ok back to your questions..... Dont pay for anything. Make sure you can get a donation of the hall if not find another place. You should organize a group of people to work on this and assign them each different parts so you dont become overwhelmed.

  For travel expenses you can place jars at gas stations and collect the money. You can than transfer teh money into gas cards (which will make the gas stations happy and more likely to help out)

  Mom and pop shops will donate alot. Big places need corporate approval so ask for donations early enough so you can get everything else in.

  Also, is there any truth to the fact that you can trade pop top tabs for diallysis?? You can get your local schools involved. Flier the schools with half sheet or 1/4 sheet papers.It dont have to be big. Ask for pop tops and make a pretty box in the office (big opening) for the kids to put pop tops in. and dont just do one school. Even in my small town we have 4 schools. Private schools will want to help to. Check with your school board first to make sure its ok to distribute fliers.

  and beyond that you can collect cans. pull the pop tops if you want but smash the cans and take them to the recyclers for money. You can ask churches to collect cans. When you get the money go to the local Goodwill and buy the biggest basket you can find. Fill it with all kinds of comfort snack foods and drinks for when the parents are at the hospital and riding in the car. Put in some tylenol and baby wipe, kleenex whatever you can think of that may be useful if you werent at home.

  thats about all I got off the top of my head and I have to go pick up my daughter who I thank God for everyday because she is beautiful and strong and healty. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. If you need more help you can email me at mntnlvr64@yahoo.com. I dont check it very often but I will try to keep an eye open for you just in case you have any questions. I hope I was helpful and sorry about the long post.

QUESTION:
What branch of medicine focuses on ties between infectious disease (ecoli) and inherited ones? (diabetes)?
Have you ever seen the movie, The Princess Bride? In it, the Hero, Wesley outsmarts Vasilli by spending years acclimating his body to trace amounts of a deadly poison. When Vassilli drugs his drink with the poison he is not killed because he has built up a resistance. Both Ecoli and Diabetes attack the kidneys. are there treatments that are not working for Ecoli that might work in trace amounts over a longer period of time to prevent onset of Type II diabetes.?

• ANSWER:
  Hi
  This is a great website for diabetics. You can post your Question there too
  http://www.diabetesforums.com/

QUESTION:
How can I take the meds I need when I don't feel sick?
I am 25 years old. Last year I was diagnosed with a long complicated term for a type of kidney disease (membraneous glomerulonephritis). The doctors have put me on 6 different pills, 11 pills a day. At first I took them religiously but then I'd accidently miss a day here and there, now I'm on no schedule at all.

When I was taking the pills I sometimes felt worse than when I wasn't taking them. There is no pain associated with this disease, mainly just fatigue. The major treatment pill I take or supposed to take costs several thousand a year. My doctors have managed to get them for me for free until I can get coverage for myself. If these pills don't work I am then to take a kind of chemo pill.

I find the seriousness of the situation hard to take in when I don't feel like there is anything wrong but all the tests I had done show otherwise.

Am I really just in denial?

• ANSWER:
  you condition is not to be taken lightly and your medication are for long term purposes and not just to make you feel better for the moment .you can discuss with your nephrologist different regimens and your concerns .kidney failure is not a good thing to end up with .take your chance because you still do have a choice to live a normal life

QUESTION:
Pleading for help for any type of treatments for dog kidney failure?
My Pomeranian is 8 yrs old and she's having kidney failure problem. We took her to the vet and the vet told us that 1/3 of her kidney have failed. He gave us some fluid to inject in her every morning and medicine to take once a day. So far we've been doing this for about a week now and it showed very little sign of improvement. She haven't been eating, she lost a lot of weight, she's very weak, and she shakes a lot. I really don't know what else to do besides follow the vet orders and pray that she gets better. So I'm here tonight searching for any kind of help. Any kind of recommendation or experience you may have that might be able to help my dog get better. She's very precious to my family and I can't bare to see her in pain. Please share your wisdom if you can. Thank you.

The Treatment that my vet prescribe for my dog is "Atodyl" to take once a day, change in diet (K/D pet food), and fluids to inject in her every morning.

PS. Have anyone ever heard or tried "NHV Tripsy Treatment"? Here's the link to the product: http://www.petwellbeing.com/dog-kidney-disease-p91.cfm#descrip-tabs

• ANSWER:
  I truely hate to be the one that tells you this, but often times these are fatal.
  Take her back the vet and get an opinion. If she's in too much pain, you may just have to put her down...
  But see the vet says, and i just do everything you possibly can. Pay everything for everthing. Work hard and believe!
  Good luck, to your puppy!!

QUESTION:
Where can I buy cheaper Lactated Rigers for my dog who has Kidney Disease?
My dog has recently been diagnosed with Kidney Disease. He is supposed to get subcutaneous fluid injections to help his kidneys deal with the problem. But my Vet charges per bag of fluid, which only lasts for 3 treatments! I cant afford that, but dont want to put my dog down when there is a treatment so readily available. Is there someplace I can get these bags of fluid for cheaper (hopefully much cheaper)? Im not even real sure which type I should be looking for- what the vet gave us is NDC 0409-7953-09 made by Hospira, 1000 ML. I am willing to buy by the case, either locally or online if anyone can point me in the right direction!

• ANSWER:
  There are many companies that sell it online, you just have to have your vet send them a prescription for it. The last link has a case of 12 for .99 a bag plus free shipping, which is the cheapest that I have found. Also, I have ordered from Valley Vet (the last link) before, and I really thought they had great service. Just FYI: there is no difference between LRS for farm animals and for pets, they are just marketed different.

  http://www.entirelypets.com/lari.html
  http://www.allivet.com/Lactated-Ringers-Solution-Rx-p/25211.htm
  http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=30e072f0-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

QUESTION:
Kidney distress caused by dog food?
I've just come from my vet's office where I was told that my dog is in kidney distress because of the food she was eaten. My dog is a previously healthy 4 year old beagle, who was on a perscription food purchased at the vet's office. My vet told me that the food she had been eating caused this, and that he has seen this problem before. I called the company that makes the food, and was informed that the information my vet gave me was incorrect, there is no way a food could have caused this problem. My dog is now in a lot of pain, has to be on antibiotics, and has to eat a special food for urinary health, that was quite expensive. The vet is also my brother-in-law and there is no way he would give me misinformation. Is the company that made the dog food lying so they won't have to pay for my dog's treatment, food, ect?
Any information will be helpful. Thanks in advance.

• ANSWER:
  I hate vet prescription diets.THeir basically the same junk as other foods but over priced and sold by vets

QUESTION:
How do I tell if my dog has acute or chronic kidney failure?
My dog started vomiting last Saturday and didn't want to move at all. I took him in for blood work on Tuesday as he still vomited a few times. The result came out as he is having kidney problem. All the index were above normal for 300-400%. However, his RBC is still normal. He is in the hospital for IV fluid treatment right now.
On Thursday, the doctor told me my dog should be having acute kidney failure as his last blood work done in last November shows it's normal. Today, the other doctor told me it's hard to tell it's acute or chronic at this moment. He said the best way is to proof it by time. If it goes away after the whole treatment, it's acute. If it comes back soon, it must be chronic.
My question is, how are the 2 different from each other? How long does chronic case to develop as his blood work was absolutely prefect 5 months ago. He is 13. He is old, but he lives in a healthy life style.
I just want to have myself ready for the up coming battle.
Thanks Alissha and ScottieDog for great answers. I like both the the answers, but ScottieDog answered my question more directly. So I will pick ScottieDog for the best answer.
My dog is home. Now without IV fluid, it's critical for the next few days. It's either win or lose the battle

• ANSWER:
  k.c., I'm sorry. Kidney failure is a beast. I lost a dog to this and there aren't words to describe the pain.

  It can be difficult to determine acute from chronic. Acute may happen when a dog ingests a poison. It may be possible to reverse acute kidney failure. Now, that said, if the damage is too great, the dog then has chronic kidney failure even if caused by an acute episode.

  Chronic kidney failure is typically seen due to age (and your guy is elderly) and/or disease process. It can't be reversed. Fluid therapy can help short-term. The sad thing with kidney failure and the reason it is so horrible, is that the problems don't begin to show up until the kidneys have 70-75% failure. So, your dog could have been suffering some damage at his blood panel 5 months ago, yet not reached the tipping point for it to show up on the blood work. I wish you all the best. Please talk to the vets and make well-informed choices for his benefit. I really hope you won't have to say goodbye. It hurts.

QUESTION:
What is the likely prognosis for kidney failure in dogs?
and what treatment is available?

Two years ago, my Miniature Schnauzer started to have kidney problems and was put down. He was drinking and peeing a lot, without having control of where he was doing it.

My mum decided to put him down, but I've since read that he could have had a good quality of life for several more years with treatment. I'm angry with my mum, as a similar thing happened with another dog. We had a cairn terrier who had a lot of medical problems as he was the runt of the litter, but he lived to be nine. He was almost put down at 2 because mum developed histrionics when she brought him to the vet.

What would his quality of life have been like if he had lived? He was only 8 when he died, and I still feel cheated two years on.
Thanks everyone. I'm still angry that he died at such a young age, but I'm glad he didn't have to suffer.
I'm very well aware that 8 isn't old for a Mini Schnauzer. Telling me that doesn't exactly make me feel any better. It isn't like I can do anything now.

• ANSWER:
  My lab of nine got kidney failure, and we kept them in the vet against the odds we fought to get him better. It cost a lot in vet bills but this was a member of the family. One day we visited and the nurse said his temp had come down and we would try to walk him outside to the toilet. As soon as he stood up black stuff was ozzing from him back end. I never forget the nurses face, she got the vet who investigated. He said we had Min's with him as the rest of his organs were shutting down. He dies in my arms 20 Min's later. All in all, since the diagnosis of kidney failure he was gone in2 weeks. His life was cut short. I have the other feeling to you, we should have had him put down when we know, it would have saved him 2 weeks of pain. You have to tell yourself you did the right thing.
  I feel for you.

QUESTION:
Why does my Dog smell of ammonia (her EYES & FAECES)?
My dog, Sami is a female 2.5 yrs old, and hasnt been de-sexed yet. Her father is a Rhodesian Ridgy x Bull Arab and her mother is a Kelpie x BoarderCollie. She is full of life and has an abundance of energy all the time. Her appetite is normal.
I had a dog Jesse who unfortunately died a fews years from kidney failure, kidney dialysis treatment didnt work. I noticed Jesse always had an ammonia smell but didnt think anything of it back then, and now I am wondering if there is a link here. Could a dog from an early age who is healthy be susceptible to kidney problems in the future?? if so, then there's a good chance it can be prevented through diet and/or medication.
My dog is due for a vet check up soon so I will mention this to the vet but in the meantime Id love some input please.

• ANSWER:
  I've never had dogs, only cats, so whether or not this counts for dogs I'm not sure...but unneutered cats "spray" their territory with a liquid that has a very strong ammonia odor. Was Jesse a male? I don't think females do it...but that may be what you smelt

QUESTION:
Vet costs for kidney failure in my large breed dog?
I posted yesterday about my sick dog. After speaking with the vet again last night we r both leaning towards kidney failure. His appt and testing is this afternoon. Has anyone else had this problem with their large breed dog (I have a Bernese Mountain Dog) and if so about how much did it cost u for treatment? I applied for care credit but I only want to use it if absolutely necessary depending in how much it will cost. I don't like financing things but will when it comes to my dogs health bc i want to be prepared for anything. If u have had this type of problem can u please tell me about how much it cost you? Thank you!

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Ear Infection in Dogs.... Treatment?
My dog is a 7 year old female cocker spaniel. Of course, cockers are known for ear problems. We have cleaned her ears several times a week all of her life.

We took her to our vet because she randomly started rubbing her ears on the carpet and moaning. She seemed in a lot of pain.

The first vet I saw in the practice said she thinks her ear drums are ruptured. Gave me an oral antibiotic medication, told me to come back in 2 weeks for a re-check. I came back, saw another vet in the practice. This vet said she seems to have a terrible ear infection and can't tell if her ear drums are ruputured. They ran tests and took an ear culture - which 2 weeks to get back from the lab. They have prescribed Baytril ear drops and an antibiotic called Amikacin - which is injectable and must be given with fluids to flush her kidneys. The side effects to Amikacin are pretty severe -kidney failure and deafness.

I am very nervous about giving her Amikacin and I am bordering on not doing it. The side effects seem to great. This dog is like my child. I do not want to risk giving her ANYTHING that could cause Kidney failure or make her deaf. Of course, I want to do anything I can to help her, so I am just concerned.

Please help with any suggestions to alternative treatment

• ANSWER:
  Call the vet back or get a second opinion, they should be willing to explain the risks in detail with you and explain alternative treatments. Trust them, they go to competitive intense schooling for 8+ years for a reason.

QUESTION:
Question about English bulldog and a blood draw for heartworm treatment?
After having my dog for 1 week I took him to the vet and he tested positive for heart-worm. The previous owner claims to have given him preventative but he still somehow got heart-worm. Anyway, the vet gave me the preventative pills (heart-guard) to give to my dog for 4 months to kill off the babies. I went in today for the blood draw to make sure my dog can handle the treatment. I was there for 45 minutes and 4 different techs attempted to draw blood and none were successful. Needless to say, my english bulldog was not happy with this as he was probably stuck about 15 times. I understand he has tough skin and that his wrinkles make it difficult. They apologized and told me this has never happened and were embarrassed. They want me to bring him back on Thursday and they are going to take a chest x-ray instead of the blood-work. Has anyone else had problems with their dog getting blood drawn? Also, the vet assured me that an x-ray would show them everything that the blood work would but I find that hard to believe...I mean can you tell liver and kidney function from an x-ray? Any input would help...I'm just nervous about this as the actual heartworm treatment is harsh. Thanks.
They attempted the blood work in the front and back. I did get a second opinion on the heartguard treatment and the vet said the same thing. By giving him the heartguard for 4 months it would eliminate the babies therefore, only leaving the adults. With the test they did look at it under a microscope and I had 2 different vets do this. I will not continue with the heartworm treatment unless the bloodwork is done as an x-ray is not good enough.

• ANSWER:
  Sometimes you have good days and bad days for drawing blood... seems hard to believe that 5 people had a bad day. The person rolling the vein may not have been doing it well enough. If they needed blood and couldn't get it from a front they should have tried a back leg or the neck. Dogs with stubby legs typically have crooked veins and run off to the side more often then down the middle but any experienced tech should know this. I have never heard of an X-ray giving the same results as blood work. ALSO! Giving a dog that tested positive for heart worms a heart worm preventative could kill it. My advice would be to go to a different vet and have the initial heart worm test done again because I have seen them read wrong in the past. If a dog tests positive for heart worms the test is usually done again right after to make sure of this OR they take the blood and put it on a slide to look at it through the scope to check for heart worms. This is called a direct ware as the snap test the probably used is called occult. Take your dog to a different vet hospital definitely!

QUESTION:
Dog suffering from epileptic seizure? help please!?
My dog is pretty healthy we adopted him about 3-4 yrs ago from a shelter, his owner had returned him..
But almost a year ago he had a seizure, but that passed and we were happy...
but for some reason it came back, yesterday he had one which scared the hell out of us but we were glad it was over, but when it also happened today i am a little more concerned..
what can i do??

I am not going to take him to my vet because i already talked to a friend who was one, and she said that the treatment they give works, but causes other problems in the kidney/liver.. i dont want that!
so what can i do?
please help me, i really love my dog, and i want nothing bad happening to him!

• ANSWER:
  Regardless of what you friend has said your dog has had a second seizure and needs to be seen by HIS vet. That's just responsible pet ownership.

  you need to figure out the cause of the seizures which can be a number of things, hypoglycemia , lead poisoning, distemper, proto systematic shunts, hydrocephalus, tick borne diseases and chemical/environmental substances.

  He's had two within the span of 48 hours. See his vet.

QUESTION:
Anyone familiar with elderly dogs with kidney failure/disease?
My Old English Sheepdog is 15 years old, and for a few days he had diarrhea and no appetite, and this morning he started both having diarrhea and puking out blood sometimes. We thought for sure he was going to have to be put to sleep, but we asked the vet her opinion and she said she would do some blood work to see if his kidneys started failing. When the vet came back she said that was the problem, but since he was doing fine just a few days ago and he doesn't really have any other health problems, the vet recommended we should put him on IV fluids for a few days and see what happens afterwards. She said a lot of dogs get better afterwards, and some don't respond to the IV at all. I felt better afterwards knowing there's still hope for him but I'm still worried. I was just wondering who's dog has been through this or know someone else's who has been through it and how well they felt after the treatments.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
My dog is sick, I need some info please!!?
I have an 11-year old beagle with a heart murmur. She started bleeding profusely from her "girl parts". At first I thought she was in heat (she's an outside dog, so it's kinda hard to tell) but late yesterday I noticed it was a LOT more blood than usual. This morning I took her to the vet, where they told me she likely had kidney and bladder stones (I think that's what they said) plus her heart is so enlarged that it's pressing against her windpipe and causing a fluid buildup in her lungs. In other words, she's a sick pup. (By the way, none of this is new information- we've been battling the bladder problems and heart defect for a while, but treatments haven't worked and she's gotten worse with time, which they said would happen). The doctor said I should leave my dog with them for the day so they could treat her. Doctor said her heart is the bigger concern at this point even though she's lost a lot of blood, that they can't do too many things to fix her bladder/kidney because of the problems with her heart. I just talked to the vet tech- my dog is not any better and they want to keep her over night and then I should talk to the vet in the morning.

I'm freaking out here- I don't know what's going to happen and I feel like everyone's dodging me because it's bad news. I need a realistic idea of what happens next. Can anyone give me an idea?

I'm scared the vet is going to tell me that there's nothing they can do and recommend that I put her down. I'm scared, I don't know what to think, and I don't know what to do.

• ANSWER:
  It is very realistic to think it's time to put your dog down. If the vet isn't able to turn her around pretty quickly, you will need to step up and make that decision to spare your friend much suffering. Sorry to hear about this though.

QUESTION:
Possible causes of kidney area and abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, and fatigue?
Please don't just tell me to see a doctor! I've been going to the doctor for a month now and so far they have no idea what's wrong with me. I'm waiting on some more test results, but hoping that somebody on here may have had similar issues that could shed some light on the situation.

Here are my symptoms:
-Kidney area pain on the right side (Originally thought it was a kidney stone, but all tests show my kidneys are fine)
-Abdominal pain also on the right side slightly above and inward of my hip bone
-Very small amount of blood in my urine
-Slightly elevated white blood cell count and higher levels of calcium (still within "normal" range)
-Nausea which occasionally turns in to vomiting
-Fatigue (Sometimes mild, sometimes feels like mono)
-Very small, itchy bug-bite type things all over my body (Possibly unrelated. I haven't given my dogs a flea treatment in awhile, but my husband doesn't have any "bites")

Most of these symptoms come and go as far as extremity. It seems like each day, or portion of the day a different symptom is the dominant issue and the others are barely noticeable. Sometimes they all come on together. Like I said, this has been going on for a month now, and I'm starting to get scared because of where the pain is and the vomiting. NOT good signs...

About two weeks before this started, I was diagnosed with a sever Vitamin D deficiency, my doctor said it was the second lowest she'd ever seen! They had me taking 50,000 UI of vitamin D once a week, they have since told me to stop, but my problems are still occurring.

I have had an x-ray, CT Scan and ultrasound to search my abdomen and everything looks normal. No inflammation, no stones. I've had a 24 hour urine collection, as well as a LOT of blood tests (sorry don't know what they were all for) but everything is normal. I am currently waiting on test results for Hyperparathyroidism. I have been doing a lot of my own research and everything I've found, keeps pointing me to this, so I requested the doctor to run the tests.

I was laid off last week and my insurance is only good until the end of the month, so on my next appointment I want to go in with a list of things for them to check before my insurance is up, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
Thank you so much for the quick response! I forgot to mention that before all this stuff started, the doctor thought I had an ovarian cyst... I've now had two ultrasounds to look for that and I'm waiting on the results.
Just got test results... No Hyperparathyroidism, and I have an ovarian cyst, but it's pimple sized. The doctor said it's so small that they wouldn't bother removing it and it's not causing my current issues.

• ANSWER:
  Could be pregnancy, micro cysts or ulcers, stomach virus/bug, an internal infection, hemorrhaging, botulism, or just consistant cramps. A friend of mine had somewhat similar issues. And the doctors honestly didnt know $&*@

QUESTION:
More info on Dog Food Recall?
My dog has been effected by this recall. I took him to the vet for odd urination and found out he was in kidney failure. she did not know why since he is a healthy 3 year old. The store that we bought the food at did reimburse for the food and he is under going treatment to try and reverse the problem. i have called the number several times for menu foods but there line is busy. if you go to menufoods they have a list of the effected foods. there is a long list. i have been told it does not effect the dry food but i have taken my dog off all of it and he is on a special prescription food for now. is there anyone out there that knows more????
Has anyone got threw to this number and spoken with anyone at menu foods???
ol roy was on the list i saw. i would suggest going to the website for menu foods and look at it extrememly closely. i would also suggest taking your dog to the vet anyway. my dog had no symtoms of being sick just odd behavior. if i wouldn't have taken him when i did it would have been fatal. he still isn't out of the woods but they are treating him.
ask your vet to put your dog on iv and flush his system with fluids to clear all the toxins. my dog had no signs either.

• ANSWER:
  I am so sorry that your dog was affected by this recall. I was lucky that my puppy was okay. This is why I switched to natural food from smaller lesser known companies instead of the big commerical chains. I actually had found out about a publication through yahoo! answers that does extensive evaluations on all dog foods and matters relating to dog care. So, I started using foods that were on their lists. They even sent me an email with the recall alert before I even saw it on the news. (Only a few of the foods on their extensive list were affected). If you are interested, here's a link to the alert that is posted on their site: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/news/food_recall_march07.html

  I hope this helps and wish your dog well!

QUESTION:
please any surgeon doctors advice me?
i have 6 years aged germanshepard dog it got one bulge at backside one yaer before now it was one cricket ball size i have taken it to govt veppary medical hospital in chennai (tamilnadu),doctors taken blood test they told kidney was very week that is they are telling me some creatanine value is 3.5 and bunn value is 14. so that if they give anestheticia it will be problem,only when kidney function is good operation can be done is the answer of doctors.But one doctor is telling no problem do it.I dont believe him.If anything is happening for my dog i will die.so please help me doctors...........what to do.
one doctor says that giving only anesthetic at that place alone it can be removed ,no need of giving full anesthetic.so even though kidney is problem this type will workout is his suggestion.i cannot leave as it is also bcz pus is comming from it. and is there any treatment for kidney please tell me and is there any place which they take more care for pets?
my cell no 09846891853..

• ANSWER:
  Is the bulge near the dog's rectum? If it is, it sounds like it could be an impacted anal gland. Sometimes they rupture on their own if they become abscessed and they leave a small opening near the rectum that has to be cleaned and sometimes, sutured. If the "bulge" is a tumor more invasive surgery may needed.

  If it is just an impacted anal gland, the surgery can be preformed with just a light muscle relaxant such as Xylazine (Rompum) and a local anesthetic (Lidocaine)

  Under no circumstance would I choose a general anesthetic if your dog have poor kidney function. Hopefully the vet has your dog on a low sodium, prescription diet for his kidney problem.

QUESTION:
Elderly dog please help?
We have a 15 year old fox terrier who has lived a full and happy life and always been energetic and a bit mad. She had a health problem when she was a puppy which means she only has one kidney and what the vet describes as a fairly serious heart murmur but other than that she has always been fine and shown no symptoms.

In the last few years her age has become apparent. She has gone very thin despite eating lots, she trembles alot, is deaf and i think her sight is not great. She sometimes gets very agitated and i think is a bit senile but has always been hyperactive. For the last few months she has been weeing much more and wetting her bed. This week she has developed a bowel problem, which means she has diarrohea but also strains to have a bowel movement as if she has constipation.

From reading this i know it seems she is on her last legs and maybe i should have her put to sleep, but she is still very very happy. She is not in pain and looks fragile but fine. Should i wait for her to deteriorate and i will know when she has had enough or should i think about putting her to sleep now? It is difficult at the moment, but is that a good enough reason to have her put to sleep? She is happy sleeping in the garden and gets up to greet me and still begs for food, but we wake up every morning to awful mess and i don't know what i would do if i couldnt put her outside in the nice weather. The vet knows she has done very well for age but would not help me make the decision. She is too old to go through any intervention or treatment so i don't want them to start looking for diseases now as she couldnt get throught it. Do old dogs just lose control of their bowels like this? I am not afraid of losing her, i just want to be sure its her time and not too soon. I am sure because of her happy and slightly nutty nature she will just carry on regardless despite the physical problems she may be suffering. I hope this isnt an awful question, but i could do with some guidance on this. Thank you so much.

• ANSWER:
  i just lost my 11 year old dog, had her since she was 9 weeks old, and she went blind, had issues with bathroom , wetting, and such, i had finally had to put her down, as she was in misery, could barely walk and had to be guided outside, and guided to food bowl, It was painful for me to do. But, i did not see her having anymore fun with me, she was my best buddy, followed me in the yard. used to hunt for lizzards, and was a blast to have around. but this was not her best time. she was in misery, it was hard, but i could not see her like this any longer. It was a tough choice, but, you will in the near future have to do the same thing. I now have a new puppie, but i stilll miss my 11 year old friend.

QUESTION:
Should we put her down?
This breaks my heart and i've been crying for days at the thought at having to put down my wonderful dog. She is only 7 years old and is suffering from Kidney problems, and neither really have a cure and lead up to renal failure. We found out because she was acting funny so we took her to the vet. We have an appointment at the specialist to see what exactly she has.

Right now she has excessive urination to the point where she is wearing diapers 24/7, she is losing weight, she eats but can't keep it down, she is dehydrated barely drinking any water. When we took her to the vet she was in pain cause both her kidneys were enlarged....fever, shaking, stumbles when walking...

My family and I know she is in discomfort and in pain, but we love her so much.

We don't want her to suffer at all ...but putting her down sounds so cruel...and I know im not ready to let her go and i don't think she is either.

What would you guys do? There is treatment but only to give her time, in some cases the owner had to take the dog everyday for fluid therapy. Should we do everything we can, any treatment we can possibly do even if it only gives her a few more months?or should we put her down painlessly before renal failure and other painful problems kick in?

how do you know its the right decision? How do i make sure I don't regret the decision?

As much as I love her, i just want to do whats best and make sure she doesn't suffer.

p.s She is a beagle they think its either Amyloidois where she doesn't retain any protein or glomerulonephritis where with a biopsy its rare to find the cause, and when the cause is found there isn't any treatment for it (cancer, infection, ect)

• ANSWER:
  It is so hard to make that decision. When the time comes, I hope that this will help you, as it helps me:
  May I go now?
  Do you think the time is right?
  May I say goodbye to pain filled days
  and endless lonely nights?
  I've lived my life and done my best,
  an example tried to be.
  So can I take that step beyond
  and set my spirit free?

  I didn't want to go at first,
  I fought with all my might.
  But something seems to draw me now
  to a warm and loving light.
  I want to go
  I really do.
  It's difficult to stay.

  But I will try as best I can
  to live just one more day.
  To give you time to care for me
  and share your love and fears.
  I know you're sad and afraid,
  because I see your tears.

  I'll not be far,
  I promise that, and hope you'll always know
  that my spirit will be close to you
  wherever you may go.
  Thank you so for loving me.
  You know I love you too,
  that's why it's hard to say goodbye
  and end this life with you.

  So hold me now just one more time
  and let me hear you say,
  because you care so much for me,
  you'll let me go today.

  - Written for a beloved pet & friend, by Susan A. Jackson

QUESTION:
How can I cope with triple pet bereavement?
I lost a cat on May 7th. He was eight days short of his eighteenth birthday and I'd had him since he was a kitten. Then his littermate brother died just on Monday, which was also very painful, but expected since he was old and bonded pairs tend to pass away soon after each other. Just when I thought the situation couldn't possibly get more painful, I took my dog to the vet today, and learned that I may soon be faced with the decision to put him down. He'd lived with health problems for a few years and handled them well, but he just came down with kidney failure, and it may have reached the point that euthanasia is more humane that subjecting him to the treatments that would keep him around. I love my pets so much and can't imagine going on without them. This is all so unfair! My pets mean the world to me and they all deserve to be alive, healthy, youthful, and happy forever! Have any of you ever been faced with a similar situation? How did you cope? Is there ever closure?

• ANSWER:
  I know just how feel because this year I lost three of my ferrets in the first five months of the year. Two who'd been battling insulinoma (tumours in the pancreas) and the third I didn't even know was sick. I took him to the vet because he was acting very lethargic for a couple of days and had started to breath heavy. He went into respiratory arrest while the vet was examining him and died. Xrays revealed his body was riddled with lymphoma. And now a couple weeks after losing him I've found my newly adopted only five year old Persian has kidney disease. And this after he'd been just thrown outside and starved by his previous owner. You're right - life isn't fair - I totally agree.

  I'm really sorry you're going through so many losses just like I did. It rips your heart out. But know that you gave all of these animals the love and caring that a lot of people just don't give. 18 years with those kitties? That's amazing - you're obviously a great pet owner! Instead of focusing on the loss think of all the fun you had with them. Get a bunch of favourite pics and make a collage that you can hang up on the wall. Talk with friends about funny things they did. Make up a little scrapbook if you want.

  If you want to be able to talk directly with others going through what you're going through check with your local animal shelter. Many have free pet bereavement groups that you can participate in. I went to one a couple of years ago after losing my Tuffy cat at 19 years and it really, really helped. You can talk and cry with others feeling just like you do and be sure that no one's going to make the "well it's just a pet" comment. Frankly I feel sorry for anyone who thinks that. Feel lucky that you loved these pets so much - you're a better person that most just because you did - and do. ((((HUG))))

QUESTION:
A Medical Puzzle... can anyone piece it together?
Long rant for context (ie: we've tried everything... probably *literally* everything)...

I have a 16 year old dog, Norwegian Elkhound mix (though recent things suggest some direct wolf-lineage)... For over a month now, he's had varying degrees of diarrhea, vomiting, etc... It started with the vet just saying to put him on a bland diet. Worked for a few days then got worse. Then a canned bland diet... same thing. Tried metronidazole, but that caused a rather atypical reaction of absolutely no bladder control. He was wetting the bed, several accidents in the house (which he's never done before), etc... Took him off metronidazole and that went away in a couple days. The vet said it could be an age related issue (bladder muscles no longer what they were), but considering that went away, I highly doubt it. In the meantime, I had them run a blood test... everything came back perfect for a dog half his age, no kidney, liver, thyroid, etc... problems, except slightly high cholesterol which has been an issue for some time now, but just at the very high end of normal). I finally got pissed off at his regular vet so started taking him into the ER vet as a regular practice for a week (started because he couldn't eat anything without vomiting and the vet said, "oh, bring him in in 3 days"... not acceptable for a 16 year old dog who had been having related ongoing problems). In the 4 times I took him in over a week, they ran an abdominal x-ray, ultrasound, standard fecal test (no parasites), diarrhea panel, gave him fluid injections, prescribed various medications (antacids, an onsite kaopectate dose, and on and on), etc... Every diagnostic came back fine, no indication of a problem whatsoever (except the x-ray appearing gassy), no tumors, etc... The ER vet even said "if there's a dog to clone, he's the one!" (given his age and not even slight issues). However, the vomiting stopped (though it only lasted 1 day throughout all of this), but the diarrhea continued - actually got worse, the point of being pure liquid. This past Monday, I took him in to see a specialist who ran a chest x-ray (came back fine, no sign of anything) and ran various other tests (vitamin deficiencies, full pancreatic test, etc...), as well as looking over the other x-rays, ultrasound, tests, etc... He found that my dog has a slight B12 deficiency, but extremely slight and way less than he'd expect of a dog who's had diarrhea for a month. But otherwise, again, everything looks perfect (no problems with his pancreas, no indication of intestinal lymphoma, no chest tumors or other issues, etc...). He put him on enrofloxacin (Baytril) as a best guess (and gave him a B vitamin injection, and a supplement of Metamucil) - the reasoning being it's gone on too long and some definitive treatment needs to be attempted, so hoping this was the right one. So far, so good. He went a day without pooping, and now his stool is firming up. No problems with urination. But we'll see how that works in the long run. The one issue is that he selectively threw up the Metamucil, so we've stopped that... supposedly selective vomiting is common in wolves, but not believed to exist in domestic dogs (hence the new genetic mystery).

In the meantime, my girlfriend's dog (a miniature poodle.. we all live together, so easy exposure) suddenly, this past Tuesday, had HORRIBLE diarrhea... extremely bloody, pure liquid, but no other symptoms. We got her into the vet and they put her on metronidazole and ran a fecal test (the fact that she wasn't showing any other symptoms, is about 3 years old, and we live somewhere where parvo is extremely uncommon made them confident it wasn't that, which I'd certainly agree with). She had no temperature, was only slightly dehydrated, and had quite the appetite and as bouncy/hyper as always. The fecal test came back today negative for any parasites.

However, here's the kicker... the metronidazole, while it's stopped the diarrhea, is also causing her to pee a lot! Not as bad as my dog (she hasn't had any accidents), but she has to go out for a walk every couple hours. I've asked the vet she went to to switch her over to Baytril, and am having my dog's records faxed over to show them precedent for why... But at this point, it's entirely symptomatic. There is no concrete reason *why* they'd both appear to be healthy yet have diarrhea, and respond to metronidazole in the same very atypical way. It seems there should be a link, but I certainly can't figure it out and no vets can either.

Does anyone have experience with an extremely rare bacteria/virus/whatever that's not detected in tests and causes increased urination when treated with metronidazole?

Sorry that's so long, but at this point it's puzzling me, my girlfriend, 3 ER vets, 2 regular practice vets, and a renowned internal medic
They've gotten no table scraps, and that wouldn't explain why both have the same weird reaction to the same medication (Elkhound vs poodle... not likely to respond to things that similarly for no reason) and that far apart, nor why it's gone on so long. And I'd say if 6 vets (actually 7, as there were 2 who saw my dog at the regular practice) are all stumped, I think it's less an issue of the vet and more an issue of something extremely odd. I appreciate input, so I mean no disrespect, but I'm largely looking for people who have had experience with something that would cause this, or have heard about it before.
My dog's not at the end of his life (and I honestly don't appreciate such a patronizing remark)... every single diagnostic confirmed otherwise. And, hypothetically, if he were, how would simple old-age be contagious to a 3 year old poodle?

Again, we've had every diagnostic under the sun. A 16 year old and 3 year old of very different breeds are having the same symptoms. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, as I appreciate responses, but both responses so far are overlooking countless big details.
Sorry for editing so much, but I'd also like to add that no one dies of "old age"... Old age leads to a reduction in the ability of one of body's systems which results in death, but "old age" (simply chronological age) doesn't cause someone to die (heart failure, liver failure, cancer, etc... caused by a slowing of hormone process, body's synthesis of nutrients, etc... causes death, and none of which apply to him according to every test by various vets). Based on every blood test, x-ray, ultrasound, etc... my dog would be extremely healthy for a dog half his age. He enjoys walks, playing, cuddling, etc... and I think it's very irresponsible and patronizing the imply someone should have their otherwise healthy dog put to sleep just because of age. Again, his only medical problem is diarrhea, which a 3 year poodle now has with the same symptoms/medication reactions, and every test indicates he's freakishly healthy.

Again, I've outlined every variable... I would REALLY appreciate seri
ous responses (I'd be so grateful), but please read what I wrote.

Pamela: No, apparently I can't. Even with a long rant with every variable outlined, people still apparently won't read it/ignore 90% of what was said. : I can only imagine how people would skew it if I tried to leave details out (ie: said I was at several vets, someone says to find a new vet... said diagnostics show my dog is healthy and a 3 year old dog is having the same, someone suggests my dog is dying of old age and I should kill him... wtf?!)

• ANSWER:
  Look up Canine Enteritis it sounds a lot like what your dog is doing. It is also contagious which would explain why the other dog has gotten symptoms (While your dog is getting treatment for enteritis, you should monitor its condition closely. You should try to keep your dog away from other pet animals and children. This is because enteritis in dogs is contagious and spreads fast through physical contact) it is also helped to be cured by antibiotics which would say why the metronidazole is helping but not curing it. I hope this helps. I found your question to hit home a little bit so took a little more time on this one. we went through a similar situation with a cough that would not clear up or go away. I can't even imagine the money you have into this up to this point. We spent at least 00.00 trying to figure out what was wrong with our dog. It is very frustrating. Sometimes it helps to just scan the internet and research different symptoms and meds that your vet has put him on. We also ended up taking our dog to a State University hospital. That's who actually figured out what was wrong with him after almost a year! In case your wondering it was E-Coli. But also did you try taking out fatty foods from his diet at least until you figure this out. My dog has a sensitive stomach and can only eat lamb, deer, salmon things like that. No beef , pork, chicken ect. Hopefully this helps I wish you the best of luck. But really think about taking him to a State University. We had very good luck there! So sorry this is happening to you and your dog. Hope he gets better:)I'm also sorry this is so long but I hope it helps:) Good Luck

  Also the only side effects of metronidazole that is really mentioned repeatedly is the bad taste which leads me to think maybe they are trying to get the taste out of there mouth and drinking a lot more. I did however find that frequent urination in humans using it is a common side effect, not sure if it would be the same for canines though? If I do find more info I will let you know:) Cushings and Addisons is not contagious either which would not explain why the other dog has the same symptoms.

QUESTION:
please help....idk whats wrong with my dog!!?
hes a 17 year old lhasa apso and hasnt been eating or drinking for 4 days by now. whatever he drak (which is basically water with glucose and milk) has been forced into him by my mum and me. bt even thats really less and i dont like doing that.
i took him to a vet yesterday and he said he was severely dehydrated. he gave him some drips and gave him an injection. he took an xray too and my dog was fine, but he was holding too much urine in, so the doc removed it all. which was A LOT.and he said that he hardly had any BP.
anyway, my point is, he told me to bring in my dog today as well, in the morning is he was still the same and in the evening is he was a little actve or eating. he said he was gonna take a blood test and check ou his liver and kidneys.

he HASNT been eating and he just sits there. i think something i wrong with his left paw, cuz hes not putting any weight on it, but the xray didnt show anything. and he cant stand, let alone walk.
he was crying through the entire night, and i took him out. it was nearly 10 minutes before he was urinating. he didnt cry after that and just layy down. btu around two hours later, he started whining again. turns out he wanted to pee again.
so hes been doing this every two hours, but he hasnt even been drinking anything!
i hate to see him cry and i cant take him in the morning cuz my parents are working and they cant take a holiday. they made me take one from school today just to tc of him. my mum should be home in around 4 hours, so we can go then.oh and his legs are twitching a lot.

now my questions are-
1. what is wrong with him? i mean, it cant still be dehydration cuz he gt the treatment and stuff. i really think its a liver problem,a nd so does the doc, but he said that they couldnt do he tests yesterday. did anyone elses dog have these symptoms?
2. what do i give him? he is so so weak and it really breaks my heart to see him this way. i just want himt to get better, and theres no way that can happen if he cant eat or drink something. what can i give him to eat or drink?
3. any tips? to help me take care of him till we can take him to the vet? hes wrapped in a blanket and his head is elevated slightly.

sorry its so long, but please help me. hes my baby and i cant let anything happen to him.
and i cant take him to the vet right now myself cuz im 14. and at home with my grandmum only.
greygarious - how the hell do you know he isnt enjoying his life? and no, the doctor never said anything about putting him to sleep because there is nothing majorly wrong with him yet. he has been happy until two days back, running all over he place and stuff. and fyi, 'living' means surviving through the bad times as well. this is the first time he is getting this sick, and you cant just say that he is existing and not living and is not happy and stuff.
and im not going to put him to sleep without knowing what is wrong with him in the first place. we just took him to the vet yesterday for heavens sake!
for those of you who are going o say the same thing like putting him to sleep and stuff because hes o old, well, dont bother. neither me or my family is going to think about that until we are sure that whatever we have is too much for him to bear. and besides, even if i had to do that, i cant go to the vet for 4 hours, remember?
so instead of sayng that, can someone jut tell me what to

• ANSWER:
  Unable to make a diagnosis over the Internet, only your vet can tell you what is wrong. It's too bad your vet couldn't do the tests yesterday, I wonder why... I would leave him in his blanket, maybe try to feed him some of his favorite food, and a little water NO milk. You could try a little boiled hamburger or chicken in very small amounts. Don't make him walk unless he wants to. It will be difficult but try to keep him comfortable until it's time to leave to see the vet. Wish you and your baby the best.

QUESTION:
Raw feeding a dog with allergies?
I have a lab who has been raw fed for 18 months and thrives on it and recently took in a crossbreed - collie/Rottweiler/??? - from a rescue. He was itching a bit when we got him and flea treatments did not help. I gradually weaned him onto raw food which he loves but his skin flared up. The vet said its food allergies and prescribed Royal Canin hypoallergenic food which has solved the problem. I will, of course, keep feeding him that if it is the only way but I would really prefer to raw feed. The processed dog food costs £100 a month too.

I am thinking of introducing one raw food at a time to try and find out what he is allergic to. My Lab eats chicken, white fish, beef, lamb, tripe, kidney, liver and eggs. 80% muscle meat, 10%bone, 10% organ meat. How should I introduce foods? How long should I wait before introducing another one? Any tips at all?
Have just opened an account with photobucket to show you him. Hope I've done it right.
http://s1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/helenpluckrose/?action=view&current=218886_164955820232511_100001542811886_404622_6238871_o.jpg
This was at the foster home. His coat is better now. He's 25kgs (55lbs) with collie body shape, Rotty colouring and eyebrows but I don't think that's the whole story. Any suggestions?

• ANSWER:
  Introduce one food, wait a month and introduce the next. This is the advice given to me by our vet tech who is also a raw feeder. It takes a couple of weeks to see any results from a food change. And although many people start with chicken, I would start with lamb if it is readily available at a reasonable price.

QUESTION:
Is ciprofloxacin suitable for dogs?
As a pharmacist, I see cipro used for moderate to severe kidney / UTI infections. My vet suggested I give my 13 mth weimaraner (30kg) cipro twice daily for the treatment of a UTI (at least before I can get my dog in for him to take a swab). Current symptoms include green discharge from vagina and occasional smell (anal glands ruled out).

I've previously given my dog cephalexin, with little response. So he suggested the cipro in case this was a resistant strain from the previous infection.

Two things:

1. Can cipro be used in dogs? I know enrofloxacin (Baytril) exists (which is converted to cipro in the body), is there a problem giving cipro straight to dogs that i should know about?

2. The use of quinolones (the group that cipro/enro belong to) is associated with joint problems (pain, cartilage degradation) in young children - i would assume this relates to young dogs too.

I'd ask the vet, except I can't get a hold of him. thought i'd give this forum a try!

thanks.

• ANSWER:
  Cipro is an aceptable drug for UTI's in canines. I'm a bit rusty on the age relation, but at 13 months your dog is equivalent of a 14 year old girl.

QUESTION:
A year after my dog died, am still very sad when I remember him?
I had my pug for over 8 years. He slowly started to have health problems as a result of arthritis in his knee joints. Despite various treatments, he never got over it and his liver and kidneys began to give. I finally asked the vet to put him out of his misery in November last year.

He was my steady companion during his short life, always following me around the house, even when it was painful for him to walk.

I miss him so much. Sometimes I still cry. I feel guilty for not being able to help him live a better life. I can accept that this pain is based on a deep love for him and that it may never go away. I wanted to ask others whose pets have died if they experienced a similar grief, or if they could share about their mourning process, too.
@ Lauren: We've moved to a smaller apartment where pets are not allowed. I have my dog's ashes in an urn in our bedroom and I always pull out photos of him to remember what it was like to have him alive.
Thank you for your answers--I see that our love for our pets is so different from love for humans. I guess that's what makes our relationships so special, because our love is beyond words. I'll keep checking back for new answers. It makes me feel connected to other people, even if it's through sadness.

• ANSWER:
  so very sorry for you loss of your pet..been
  there to..it is very very hard to get over.I myself,went looking for a replacement pet..but was looking for him and did not see him in any others..So decided to not get another.and remember the joy he gave me for 4 years.And will cherish it for the rest of my life..if tears could build a stairway to heaven? i have done that..but i know someday!! we will be re-united and happy.

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTER that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment (in a previous thead asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being concerned about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies including that I had had allegedly stated that Tootsie was never taken to a veterinary clinic since she was a kitten (I never said that), my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Because I asked for Tootsie's chart and euthanasia form, he seemingly went into a complaint-proof alert and vigilence. In this context, should I just let go and keep on bringing my other pets to him like nothing happened or rather I should avoid in the future to bring my other pets to him? He used to be a good doctor but as the clinic is his, his colleague is more important to him than me and my pets. On the other hand going to another vet in the area with the charts of my other pets bearing his name, wouldn't put the new vet in contact with him and a hand washes the other? Shouldn't I better start anew with the new vet NOT telling him/her anything about anything done at my former vet's clinic e.g. without my pets former charts? My other cat and my dog did not have any special diseases or problems before. To me lying and modifying truth and charts shows a potential danger in the future for my other pets. Is being a good doctor more important than his ethical potential? Thank you.

• ANSWER:
  You cannot believe that as I was reading your question, my rage was escalating to the point that I wanted to scream ... please find another veterinarian STAT. Not only that, but if you document everything you wrote here, I would absolutely report this clinic to the state veterinary board wherever you live. No one should have to go through this tragic experience that was completely unfounded. Record tampering is a very serious crime, and needs to be addressed by the veterinary licensing board.

  http://www.jugglingcats.com/veterinary/vet_board.htm

  While I do understand that we develop relationships with our veterinarians over the years, and develop trust with them. Finding excellent practitioners can be very frustrating and difficult to accomplish. This said, if your "formerly" good vet is no longer someone you trust or will ever be able to trust in the future, it is time to part the ways... AND even report the clinic. Hard to do, but it sounds like this is a clinic that should not be in practice from what you describe about how your cat was "treated". I feel SO for you. This was something that never should have happened.

  I can totally understand your reticence in sharing the history about your former vet clinic. Some practitioners get very protective about their peers. This said, if you find the relationship developing and they gain your trust, at some point I would definitely tell him/her about the incident. They may be far less likely to refer other clients to them if a referral is required.

  I highly feel that a good "doctor" is one who is also highly ethical. They come hand in hand, and if ethics are broken no matter how"skilled" the practitioner may be, I would not consider that veterinarian to treat my cats.

  Hope this helps, and again, I am just incredibly sad for you and still am enraged that you had to go through this nightmare. Blessings on your angel kitty also.

  Troublesniffer
  Owned by cats for over 40 years
  Member: Cat Writer's Association

QUESTION:
help me please is for tomorrow.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank?
2)which of these is not a typical sign of bulimia?
a-eating in private
b-cycles of weight gain and loss
c-eating too much food too quickly
d-extreme weight loss

my answer is correct is b-cycles of weight gain and loss

3-people who have bulimia ............ .
a-are often treated first in a hospital because of extreme weight loss
b-often deny there is a problem
c-are often too ashamed of their behavior to seek help
d-don't need outside treatment because they can stop by themselves

my answer is correct is d-don't need outside treatment because they can stop by themselves

4-people with binge - eating disorder are at greater risk of ........ .
a-colon cancer
b-diabetes and high blood pressure
c-appendicitis
d-liver and kidney dysfunction

my answer is correct is a-colon cancer

6-a physician who can diagnose and treat mental disorders is called a ......... .
a-massage therapist
b-psychologist
c-social worker
d-psychiatrist

my answer is correct is c-social worker

9-what occurs during psychotherapy?
a-a person talks to a therapist.
b-a person treats his or her own symptoms.
c-a person creates a problem
d-a person gets a physical examination.

my answer is correct is a-a person talks to a therapist.

10-which should you do if you think you might be suffering symptoms of a mental disorder?
a-go on with your life
b-share your problems with a trusted adult
c-engage in self- injury
d-overcome the problems on your own

my answer is correct is d-overcome the problems on your own

11-if a friend tells you he or she is thinking about suicide and asks you not to tell anyone, what should you do?
a-notify an adult that your friend is in danger.
b-don't tell anyone.
c-dare your friend to go through with it.
d-assume your friend is joking.

my answer is correct is c-dare your friend to go through with it.

12-what is the third - leading cause of death among young people?
a-homicide
b-cancer
c-suicide
d-diabetes
my answer is correct is a-homicide

13-a series of suicides that occur within one peer group is known as ...... .
a-risk factors
b-cluster suicides
c-self - injury pacts
d-mood disorders

my answer is correct is d-mood disorders

14-which term describes an unhealthy way to cope with emotions, stress, or traumatic events?
a-self-injury
b-medication
c-self-esteem
d-therapy

my answer is correct is b-medication

15-which is a major risk factor for suicide?
a-phobia
b-biofeedback
c-depression
d-relaxation
my answer is correct is c-depression

16-which best approximates the number of Americans that experience symptoms of a mental disorder each year?
a-more than 50 thousand
b-more than 500 thousand
c-more than 5 thousand
d-more than 50 million

my answer is correct is d-more than 50 million

17-which describes a condition that can be identified severe disturbances in thinking, mood, awareness,and behavior?
a-depression
b-obsession
c-schizophrenia
d-anxiety
my answer is correct is a-depression

18-which term describes people who experience extreme emotions that make it difficult to function well in their daily lives?
a-a mood disorder
b-phobias
c-attention deficit
d-hyperactivity

my answer is correct is d-hyperactivity

19-mental health experts are trained to recognize .............. .
a-abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
b-abnormal physical characteristics
c-the kinds of jobs people should have
d-catastrophic situations

my answer is correct is b-abnormal physical characteristics

20-which is not a description of an anxiety disorder?
a-feeling scared before play tryouts
b-feeling scared to ride in elevators
c-feeling afraid to sleep because of continuous nightmares
d-feeling panicked every time you see a dog

my answer is correct is d-feeling panicked every time you see a dog

• ANSWER:
  I would say my answer is same like you, except number 1, may be different...

QUESTION:
Is this a good ad for 8-week-old puppies for sale?
First of all, I just want to clarify that we aren't BYB (back yard breeders). Both parents and most of the dogs in their lineage have been genetically tested for genetic problems that commonly affect the breed. We didn't breed them for money (the vet costs, food, toys, montly Frontline/Hearguard, classes, agility enteries) far surpass the costs of what we would get from the sale of the pups. Plus, we have 4 cats that have every shot there is and also get Frontline every day and all of are animals are on the finest of foods. We also have a geriatic cat with early stages of kidney failure and his treatments are now well into the thousands. WE LOVE OUR PETS and consider more of family members. Potentail owners will be screened and have to sign an agreement that they will have them spayed/neutered as this litter doesn't look like they will be show quaility with the exception of one (just because dogs have alot of CH lineage in doesn't mean they will have show quality pups). Dad is show quality but mom is just under the height requirements. I just chose not to show them and concentrate on agility (the daddy didn't take to it, LOL). This is the only litter we have ever had and mom will be spayed after the pups go. They do have CH lineage on both sides. I also checked with several well known breeders to see if they thought the sire and dam were compatible. Sorry, I have to say all this but if I didn't I would be called all sorts of names and told that I shouldn't be breeding in the first place with so many unwanted puppies at shelters. I bred them because they have so many great qualities and I want other families to have the same joy of having one of the pups as a family member!

ANYWAYS! Is the ad "catchty"? Any changes you would make? I'm going to include photos of the puppies on there and possibly of the parents! THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK! AND HERE IS THE AD!

ADORABLE SHETLAND SHEEPDOG PUPPIES FOR SALE! (A.K.A "SHELTIES")

3 Males, 1 Female. Mother is AKC & UKC REGISTERED. She has both AKC and UKC AGILITY TITLES and MANY WINS! She is a beautiful dog and a real sweetheart! She also also has her Companion Dog title from the AKC and is a registered therapy dog. Dad is very handsome, loving and is also AKC registered. These puppies will make WONDERFUL FAMILY PETS AND WILL BE GREAT AT AGILITY AND OBEDIENCE (PARENTS VERY SMART AND QUICK LEARNERS ). WE OWN BOTH SIRE AND DAM! PUPPIES HAVE FIRST SHOTS AND HAVE BEEN DE-WORMED! PUPPIES ARE 0 which includes AKC PAPERS. PLEASE CALL (can't include # on here as it would be spam) and LEAVE MESSAGE if no answer!

• ANSWER:
  Add the exact age in weeks of the puppies. Otherwise the ad is just fine. As you get calls with questions, you will know what to ad in the future. Also add the color of the pups.

QUESTION:
My Golden Retriever is sick, help us?
I have an 11yr old, Female golden retriever, Jessie, who's always been in great health up til the last 6mos. This past fall she had to go into the hospital for detoxification of her Liver and kidneys from renal related problems. Her Teeth also had been cleaned surgically and gums too. They are fine now, but then, she was at the early stages of of a peridontal issue last fall. I'm already aware that poor dental health in dogs can lead to renal problems as well as others.Her tetth have always been taken care of in the past, now its getting harder as she gets older. Her blood profile showed last fall that she was halfway towards fatal level of complete renal failure (scale of 1-15, she was at close to 8). So she then went thru the fluid treatments. At the end of treatments, they were able to get her down to about the level between 0-1. Afterwards, (,800.00 later from the bills), I've found that by x-mas and new year's she was really feeling better. Playful and frisky, eating like a hor
horse again, so on. Since then, the Vet has given me for her, vitamins for her immune system, also a supplemental vitamin tablet for her liver/kidneys, and drops for me to give to her orally 2x day to help keep toxin (not really a good word for this but...), level down low to help keep liver/kidneys cleared while she is trying to digest her food. But as of the last week she has been losing weight again and she's does not have the appetite like normal as of the last day and a half. She did vomit for the first time, since October, yesterday morning. Her stools are still fine (not dark, which indicates possble bleeding in her stomach).
I've called my dog's Vet to question on further, how to care for her now to try and keep her comfortable. I wasn't able to reach the Vet today...I'm avoiding the hospital again til the last resort...too expensive, and I already had to make some sacrifices just to pay her past bills. I need to seriously know if there is any kind of special diet or natural fo
natural foods that I could try while she is sick again, you know about the pills/drops I've already been given, but what about the foods?...she's been on a safe and healthy diet all her life but now she won't even eat her favorite treats, (which is really hard to believe when it comes to her cookies and dental chews! Or even pay attention to her favortie time of day, MEALTIMES!!! she would alwys go crazy that time!). She won't eat her science diet dry food, even if add a little warm water to it. I need to get her to eat and keep her hydrated. I'm looking for serious responses only, please, for her sake. In all honesty, I know she is older now and I know she can't be around forever (though it would be a dream come true because she is so well loved by all around her and she gives like other pets do, unconditional love and protection). As well as I know my dog, I truly don't think she ready to go, she still tries to be active and ignore her health, but she knows there is something wrong a
again. She has been trying to fight it and still tries to play, but only for short periods can she handle it. All suggestions are greatly appreciated by this wonderdog of mine, and myself...and once again please only serious responses, My name is Santo, & ya don't wanna tick me off.

• ANSWER:
  I think you should discuss all of this over the phone, which is free, with your vet. Tell him that your funds are now to a minimum and ask if he can help you figure out something that will be cost efficient that will HELP your baby. I'm glad to hear that you haven't given up on her, and you're still fighting to make her better. In the meantime, I would just make sure she stays comfortable, gets her exercise (even if it is in small intervals throughout the day) and is still eating and drinking, and takes her vitamins if she has some. She is an older dog, so maybe she is just slowing down, like we humans do...Good luck to you and Jessie.

QUESTION:
Cat Recovery from "organ failure" (LONG Q)?
It is beastly late (early) here but I was just up checking my girl Bonnie and making sure she didn't need more treatment so that maybe I can catch a few hours of ZZZ's before my daughter wakes me up. So if you see this question hours from now, please still answer, if you can.

Some history:

I caught Bonnie as a feral kitten from a sickly inbred feral community in my former neighborhood when she was about 5 weeks old. She fit in my palm. One of her eyes was so severely infected it was partway oozing out of her head. Oral antibiotics and creams did no good so her eye was surgically removed at 6 weeks old. (vet did a great job, BTW, lined up the stripes perfectly!)

Due to such a dubious start in life, Bonnie never really grew, and now, 10 years later, she still only weighs 3.3 lbs and measures only about 16 inches from nose to base of tail.

It is extremely common (according to several area vets) for ferals in this area to have myriad problems due to inbreeding and horrible prenatal and infant nutrition, so Bon started losing her teeth a few years ago. I brush her mouth out regularly but due to my household's lack of work for almost 18 months, no additional oral vet care could be provided. Still, she was my boss cat, ruling the house with an iron paw, and the big boys (12-14 lb males) and even the dog got out of her way. She's never been sick since the very beginning.

I foster kittens for the local shelter and one of them brought in this crazy bug and all my cats got it even though the kittens are on the porch. Both males responded to Clavamox but Bonnie got it really bad and it seemed to go into her mouth. I noticed her mouth looked inflamed when I gave her the Clav a few days ago but she was otherwise normal so I let her be-just kept the eye on her.

Yesterday morning I found her on bathroom rug slumped over and breathing heavy- mouth was really swollen with some pussy looking fluid around her remaining teeth- also she was COLD to the touch and extremely lethargic- so we went straight to vet. Her temp was 96F- vet says a degree away from dead. He also pronounced her very dehydrated. He gave her subcu fluids, a B12 shot, put her in an incubator to bring her temp up and then sent her home with subcu for me to use here + instructions to continue the Clav for 5 more days.

His diagnosis was not that the illness from the kittens is causing her condition- it's that her condition is naturally poor due to horrible start in life (see above) and frankly was shocked to learn her age (given her size) and that she had lived a healthy life for as long as she has. He thinks she has organ failure and the infection in her mouth is a side effect of her immune system shutting down.

He did tell me that if I had the funds there was a specialist who would charge me between 00-00 to ICU her for a few days but that she might very well die in a day or two anyway. He also agreed with me that if it is kidney/liver failure that blood tests at this point are moot because the readings will all be skewed.

So. She's home, eating a prescription canned food, getting subcu 2x day, still on the Clavamox, and after about 36 hours looks MUCH better than when I found her, but not herself. Vet is off for the next day, so I came here with my question.

Can organ failure (if that is the case) be staved off with fluids, antibiotics, and prescription diet? If the antibiotic works and she throws off this infection, will she recover, or will she always be on the verge of some other catastrophic illness?

I am perfectly willing to do what I can afford to keep her happy and comfortable and with us as long as possible (and that includes pulling teeth when/if she recovers) but I cannot spend 00 on an ICU.

Just thought I'd toss this out and ask for some (hopefully) knowledgeable opinions.

Checked her- she's sleeping comfortably in the bathroom sink. Lined with towels, door closed. It's a nice warm room. She ate about 1/4 of the can of food.

Thanks in advance.

• ANSWER:
  It depends on the organ that is failing. If your cat has developed fatty liver from not eating, yes, she can recover but she MUST eat. You may need to look into assisted feeding. I'm guessing your vet gave you wet A/D for her? Try warming it up so it smells to encourage her to eat. Otherwise, you will need to do assisted feeding The A/D can be spooned it into a dosing syringe (you can get one at a pharmacy) and squirt the food into her mouth. Don't worry about trying to force her mouth open. Place the tip of the syringe in the corner of her mouth (there is a gap between the teeth that a syringe fits into nicely) and squirt a little bit at a time toward the back roof of her mouth (you don't want her to be able to spit it all back on you and you may end up wearing a bit so don't get frustrated, it just makes it more difficult for you because the cat picks up on your stress.) She needs to eat at least a 6 (or 6.5) oz can each day. You can break it into portions and put the rest of the can in the fridge. Always warm it before feeding her. Dont' try and force her to eat it all in one setting or she will throw it back up.

  If her body temperature drops again, Put a heating pad on low and covered with a towel for her to lay on.

  If she has developed renal failure, you can give them a good quality of life but once the kidneys start to go, you don't know it until they only have 25% kidney function left. Fluids greatly improve their quality of life.

  I'm sure that there must be other organs that could be failing but I do not have experience with those.

QUESTION:
What are your thoughts on the prognosis given my info?
Okay, so my Boston Terrier is having blood work drawn on Tuesday to decipher if he has Cushing's or not. I've researched this disease like heck, and have seen pictures of dogs suffering from it. The only symptoms my dog has is the panting, a bit of increased thirst (which just started these past weeks, but we live in Florida and it's so freaking hot out lol!), kind of an increased appetite (he's always been territorial of food since we got our other male about 6 years ago), and I'm not sure about the pot belly. He's pretty much always had a belly! He's active, has had blood work for kidneys and diabetes that all came back negative, has normal stools and urination, and acts pretty good! He has no skin problems and no medical issues. If the bloodwork does say that he has Cushing's of the pituitary and it's benign, does that mean that the prognosis is good? I've read that the dog only has about 20 months to 30 months to live after being diagnosed. With my dog, and no other health problems, would that still apply? Is it possible for him to live for years and years with proper treatment? He just turned 10 and is in otherwise great shape.

Also, with knowing my dog, is there any symptom that would show that it's a tumor on the adrenals? Or does it sound like it's pituitary?

• ANSWER:
  My last dog was improperly misdiagnosed as a pituitary dependent Cushings case when in fact she had adrenal cortical carcinoma. Her outward signs clearly pointed to a cushingoid state - decreased muscling in the rear, potbelly (not obvious at first, but definitely more pronounced as time went on), pu/pd (polyuria/polydypsia), dry and thinning coat and skin, lethargic. If it is pituitary dependent cushings, lysodren is the most common treatment. Lysodren is a very potent drug. When humans are given the drug, they are usually hospitalized during the initial phase and bloodwork is monitored every 12 hours. But they dont do this with dogs. It will eat away at the cortex of the adrenal glands where cortisol is being overproduced to reduce the adreal response to the increased demand coming from the diseased pituitary. If its of the adrenal variety, your dog will definitely need surgery. My dog's adrenal tumor had spread so quickly that it penetrated the vena cava, the main artery and vein in the abdomen. She survived surgery, but we lost her just over 48 hours after surgery to a pulmonary thrombosis. The nature of adrenal tumors is to be loose and spindly. Hers was like that. During the removal of the tumor from the vena cava, a very small (im talking less than 1 mm) piece broke off the main tumor. During the next 48 hours, the small tumor piece traveled to her lungs and instantly killed her.

  The prognosis for the pituitary dependent cushingoid dogs is really quite good as long as the medications are kept up with and the LDDS and HDDS tests are kept up with. Testing will need to be done every two or three months initially for the first year. Then after that you might be able to back it off to every 4-6 months for management of the disease.

  The adrenal type is a much more precarious prognosis. It depends on the type of tumor - carcinomas are the worst, but it could be a simple benign adrenal tumor. An ultra sound, when properly done, will be able to pick up on size and placement of the tumor, but it will not be able to tell you what KIND of tumor it is. That can only be done with a biopsy. At the time of surgery, the vet will more than likely want to do a full adrenalectomy on the affected gland to remove any chance of the tumor returning.

  There is no way of knowing where the source of the problem is just by listing symptoms. The outward symptoms of cushings is caused by a very high level of cortisol - a stress hormone responsible for fight or flight. Their poor bodies are in a constant struggle with this unchecked condition. Your vet will more than likely be doing a high dose dexamethasone suppression test on Tues. It is the most commonly used diagnostic to rule out cushings. If that test comes back positive, INSIST and I mean INSIST that your vet perform a low dose dexamethasone suppression test. The differential between the two is the ONLY way to determine where the problem lies - the adrenals or the pituitary. My vet insisted back that she would be able to determine the difference using simply an ultrasound. I trusted her. It turned out that my poor dog was put on Lysodren for 4 months while her adrenal tumor ravaged her internal organs. By the time I got fed up with an out of control cortisol level, the tumor had spread and I took her to specialty veterinarians (second best vet surgeons in PA). Even that wasn't enough to save my soul mate. I learned some hard lessons thanks to this whole situation. The hardest one to learn was to NEVER completely trust a single vet. Keep going and get the experts involved so that you can be SURE you are doing what's best by your pet.

  Good luck. Like I said, Ive known cushingoid dogs to live quite some time happily with the disease. The management isn't the easiest, but a well informed vet and owner can manage the disease for years!

QUESTION:
Did I make the right decision? Grieving and feeling guilty about euthanizing my best buddy?
My heart is really hurting right now because of the recent euthanization of my 4yr/8 month old mini schnauzer 2 days ago. such a happy boy and a big snuggler but, from a year old, I always knew he was different and not as normal as other dogs throughout my life. My mom got him for me because my other schnauzer was 12 yr old and mom did not know how much time I would have left with her so, I should say he was her replacement. My husband, family and I ALWAYS said we did not think he would live a long life because of his activity, habits and demeanor as a young pup. At 1 1/2 years old I wanted to stud him out and got bloodwork done (which was normal) he showed no interest in female dogs. He was uninterested, getting fat and not as active. I have two other dogs that kept him going but, I learned that I could not leave any food down even for our cats because he would eat everything. He was not very active even at a young age, my husband and I SPOIL our animals and would lift him up & down the stairs, bed, couch, and the back stairs (he got used to this until the day we let him go). He managed to get into food that we brought home from the vet a 20lb bag left in the kitchen and ate enough until we caught him, he got into halloween candy last year and ate it until we could catch him (we then bought the dog food storage containers). Our vet suggested a diet and he only ate a recommended quantity twice daily. He would lost weight and gain it back. About a year ago he started losing his vision. Our vet said that he could not see anything wrong with his eyes. I can tell you so much more about his problems but Overall, he has had problems with his vision, muscle tone, weakness, appetite for the past 2 1/2 years but, still a loving happy boy that mom and dad loved and treated as a special dog. He was our baby and we did not care if we had to give him extra attention. I brought him to the groomer last month and he came home with an ear infection.. I then brought him to the vet and he had lost weight too fast, I suggested getting bloodwork on him because I was suspicious of Diabetes, turns out he was in renal failure and anemic, the vet said he needed a blood transfusion, IV fluids, ultrasound of kidneys and a bunch of other tests that could pinpoint his diagnosis costing from 00-00 and they could not determine if the outcome of the up-hill battle would work for my little guy. X-rays showed and enlarged heart and a murmur.. Around x-mas he would vomit here and there and showed no appetite turning his nose up to everything, (except roastbeef) that was not our dog and we knew something was going on in his once 34lb body to 22lb body. With his whole medical backround and the dog that I always saw and knew I did not see him going through so much distress, surviving. He to us always had a weakness to begin with and I did not want to put him through all the stress, anxiety, treatments, medications and so forth, just to progress his life without knowing if it was 2 weeks or 2 years. My other dogs do notice him not here and the mini schnauzer my mom bought him for me to replace is 16 and still with me, I feel lousy.. Did i do wrong by ending my lil guys' life so, soon and not giving him a chance, financially we could not afford it but, I could have come up with the money working with friends and family to pay them back. From his past medical history and his problems, I did not want to put him through all that stress without knowing if the outcome would work. CRF is irreversible and my buddy had already lost partial vision, renal failure, anemia, with an enlarged heart, Did I do right by him? Your comments are well appreciated, my story is long and not all included as far as his complete health backround.. I don't think his lil' body could handle much more, I have been crying for days, no appetite and my husband is very sad as well.. I feel soooooooooo guilty but, know he was never a strong pup to begin with.. If I only got bloodwork sooner, I don't know.. We gave him lots of chocolate before our decision and he was such a happy pup, the tranquilizer was not a full dose and it looked like he was convulsing and the vet apologized and said he thought that dose would be enough, the euthanization was quick but, very painful for us. Pleasant comments please..

• ANSWER:
  Sounds like your dog was in a lot of pain. You gave him so much love in his little life, so many wonderful things that many dogs never experience. Even with treatments, how much quality could his life have had after something like that? Instead of suffering through years, going to the vet all the time for injections, probes, and all kinds of scary stuff, he went to sleep surrounded by people who love him. For what it's worth, I think you made the right decision.

  I feel you, hon. I lost a dog in September. This dog was with me through some tough times, and literally saved my life twice. He was seven years old, and a car hit him. I cried for weeks, then went and rescued a new puppy who didn't have a family to love him. That puppy has brought me so much joy, and while no one could ever replace my Einstein, I feel happy because now I've helped a dog who really needed it.
  I hope this helped you. I'm so sorry for your loss.

QUESTION:
Why does my cat keep throwing up after eating?
My fiance and I had one of our dogs spayed on Thursday morning of last week. She was sent home with Previcox for pain. We put it in her bowl to encourage her to eat it. Within seconds of turning our backs, our cat, Roxy, had eaten the pill. She is only 6.5 pounds.

We contacted the Animal ER right away, but they were closing so we rushed her to her regular Vet. He contacted the manufacturer of Previcox who reported that the pill and dosage (127mg) the cat had eaten can ne very dangerous, causing liver and kidney failure and possiblly death. The Vet induced vomiting, gave her charcoal to coat her stomach and absorb the toxic enzymes, and put her on fluids right away to help prevent kidney failure. My fiance and I picked her up at 6:00pm and transported her to the Animal ER in Sarasota for further care and treatment. They told us at that point that she probably had a 50 percent chance of survival. We had to wait a full 36 hours to find out if her bloodwork was normal or not, because it takes awhile for the enzymes to digest in cats. They kept her on fluids and on Sucralfate to prevent or treat any ulcers that may occur. After 36 hours the bloodwork came back normal and we were able to get her. We had to bring her back the next morning for additional bloodwork and again to our regular Vet on Monday morning for final bloodwork. All the bloodwork has come back normal. The problem is that she keeps vomiting after she eats. The Vet gave us the Sucralfate and we have been giving her that about an hour before she eats. She will old food down occasionally after taking the medicine, but today we gave it to her, fed her, and she threw up again. I am sooo worried about my little girl!! The Vet gave us Cerenia to help stop the vomiting, which I tried this morning. I am so concerned. He says that since there is no blood in the vomit or stool that she most likely does not have any ulcers. He also says that since she has an appetite and is not urinating frequently that we can probably rule out kidney or liver issues. All I know is my cat is not eating and it can't be a good thing - it has to be a sign of a problem somewhere. He also said the lining of her stomach may just need time to heal from the toxins in the pill she ate.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  My thought is that it's still a reaction to the tablet episode. Be patient, feed her wet food in very small quantities at a time more frequently to lessen the chance of throwing up and to make the throwing up less hectic when she does.
  What a time for the poor thing! Hang on there.

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTER that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment (in a previous thead asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being concerned about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies including that I had had allegedly stated that Tootsie was never taken to a veterinary clinic since she was a kitten (I never said that), my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Shouldn't I just let go or ra

• ANSWER:
  I would find a new vet. You're in a position now where you cannot trust your current Vet to provide the proper care for your animals.

  You might want to consider filing a complaint about your Vet:

  http://www.vetabusenetwork.com/filecomplaint.htm

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTERr that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment in a previous thread (asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being worried about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies, my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Shouldn't I just let go or rather I should avoid in the future to bring my other pets to him? He used to be a good doctor but as the clinic is his, his colleague is m

• ANSWER:
  So sorry about what happened to tootsie she was let down by the one person you trusted with her health, so you are that one left feel bad about it and now they are blaming you as if you haven't suffered enough in their hands,

  this reminds me about a similar incident that happened to my cat, the vet gave her countless antibiotics(not my usual one)my cat didn't get better so i kept going back then they said she had kidney failure and injected her with something not sure what when i asked they wouldn't answer me,then when i got her home she collapsed she was alert and walking before going there,

  so i had to have her put to sleep at their suggestion i was so upset i didn't know what i was doing so it was done, and i am left feeling really guilty like i took her to her death whats strange is her name was also Tootsie like yours,

  when i changed vet with my remaining pets the medical records followed so the other vet was cold towards me so i had to change vet again,but i did find a good vet in the end thankfully,

  so i would keep away from there if i was you as you will never trust them again and its important to have someone you trust with your pets life,

  so don't go near the place, as even your own vet let you down which is unforgivable he has turned his back on you when you are suffering your loss,

  my thoughts are with you at this difficult time.

QUESTION:
has anyone heard of NHV Tripsy for cats with kidney disease?
i have a 15 year old cat in the early stages of kidney disease. i like my vet, but he doesn't know about any holistic treatments. i see this stuff on the web NHV Tripsy, and their product reviews are great, but i don't know anything about it. if you have 1st hand experience with this or other holistric treatments for cats with kidney problems, please let me know. thanks.

• ANSWER:
  I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about.

QUESTION:
anyone have experience with kidney problems in cats? i have a 5 yr old inside only male cat...?
I took him to the vet today because i noticed he looked a little thin, but was still acting normal and didnt appear sick. the vet said he was dehydrated and gave him fluids. he felt his organs and said they were all good, but his kidneys felt small. he also took blood and urine. he said the urine was clear, which it shouldnt be. Im a wreck...did this happen to anyone else? what did you do for treatment? I am so anxious to get the blood results tomorrow to see exactly whats going on
I feed him fancy feast. Him and his brother share a can in the morning and eat dry fancy feast during the day. He is drinking his water.

• ANSWER:
  Is this cat a Persian? Persians, Exotics and Himmies can all have PKD - Polycystic Kidney Disease - an early onset form of renal failure and a PKD+ cat can die as early as four years old.

  Some of the tainted food that was on the market also put cats into Renal Failure. What do you feed him?

QUESTION:
PLEASE answer soon - Relapse several days into kidney infection treatment?
I am currently house sitting for my mom. Her cat Happy is at least 15 years old that I know of (got her as a stray). She has been Indoors ever since and has dealt with kidney problems several times. Last week she woke up and saw little spots of urine with blood in it and knew her problem was back so she took her to the vet. He gave her albon suspension to give 2 cc once daily and also crush up some vitamin C in her food. She's taken the medicine and eaten her food every day since...but this morning I awoke to the tiny puddles of urine with blood in it again. I gave her the albon and some food but she hasn't touched it and has barely drank any water today. A few hours ago she went up to my mom's closest where it's cool and she goes a lot and has been laying in there. I brought water up to her and keep checking on her but don't know if she's drank any. She's alert in the face/head just not really moving her body much and purrs when I'm in there.

I'm afraid something bad is going to happen. My mom is out of town for business so I can't get a hold of her right now...and I know that if I did she would just sit and worry until she comes home tomorrow. Happy is all she's had since I moved out. Do you have any advice at all for me? Are there ever relapses within a treatment for kidney infections? I know people will say take her to the vet but I'm not even sure what he could do for her right now. I've been researching all morning on the internet and thought I'd try asking this community before I do anything.

Thanks
The vet is my plan if she doesn't get noticeably better in a couple hours. I just thought I'd try on here first. And she is on antibiotics.

• ANSWER:
  Yeah, boy - I wouldn't wait any longer - your mom's cat definitely needs to see the Vet. If there are kidney problems I'm wondering if your mom's cat is receiving subcutaneous fluids?

  I would actually take her to the vet right now, honestly. Blood in the urine is serious and I'm guessing she is in desperate need of fluids to get some of that toxicity out from the kidney disease. I woudn't wait any longer.

  JUST IF the vet recommends putting her down (and I'm sure you'll agree), DON'T do it until your mom gets back. She needs to be with her beloved cat if it happens to be that time (not saying that it is, but if it is . . .)

  Blessings to your mother's cat and to you for caring so much to come on here to look for suggestions. My personal recommendation is the vet - now - get that cat back to being comfortable again.

QUESTION:
cat with kidney problem?
male cat (unknown age, till recently a stray) has kidney problems- as the vet said-, his gums are also in terrible condition - i don'tt understand, they look "black".
Vet gave him medicine for one week treatment and after the week: either the treatment will save him or he will be put into sleep.

Is there anything else we can do for him?

Cat was recently picked up from the street by rescuers.

• ANSWER:
  Don't put him to sleep. He was surviving till now, wasn't he? To rescue a cat in order to kill him is an oxymoron. Give him food for renal problems and let him live as long as he can!

QUESTION:
Is a chlorine dioxide dental treatment safe for cats with early renal disease?
My beloved kitty is almost 12 yrs old and has declining renal function. She also has some dental problems. She is scheduled to undergo a dental cleaning and exam, but I came across some products that advertised that they would help make the cleaning easier and would help prevent against tartar/plaque build up afterwards. While I am skeptical of how much good they will really do, my main concern is that it might be harmful to her kidneys. I couldn't really find much evidence either way. Anyone with any knowledge on the subject? Thanks in advance

• ANSWER:
  Bless you and you "kitty".Our old girl had renal failure and i had 2 put her on iv 2 help flush out her system.She lived a good 4 years and was full of life,But we had 2 be very careful of anything she was given.I would really talk 2 your vet before proceeding 2 give her this product.May she have many more wonderful healthy years.

QUESTION:
For owners with cats who pee outside their litter box!?
Tons of people are asking why their cats are peeing outside the box. There are some possible reasons and it's very easy to cure that except for chronic inappropriate elimination-er.

-#1 culprit: POOR QUALITY CAT FOOD! They have tons of junks and toxins that will kill your cats slowly! They have something in the food that is a biggest contribution to bladder and kidney crystals/stones. Dump grocery store cat food like Iams, Purina, Meow Mix, anything cheap and go to Petco or locally owned pet shop for high quality holistic diet. Wellness, Innova, Natural Balance, Chicken Soup for Cat Lover's Soul are good choices. Add more canned food to their diet as this will hydrate the cats and dilute their bladders. Your cat will thank you and live longer with less vet visits. Male cats are susceptible to crystals and get UTI easier than females.

-Urinary Tract Infection: Get your cats to a vet for urinalysis to find out if they have bladder crystals which are very painful and make them to develop litterbox aversion. Beds, carpets, pile of clothes are fluffy and soft, so they go on them because they're soft!

-Not spaying or neutering: You know why, cats mark their territory with urine to seek for mate. Getting your cats fixed will greatly reduce that and sexual suggestive behavior and importantly of all, REDUCE PET OVERPOPULATION!

-Too many cats: cats are very territorial and if they don't feel safe and got stressed with other cats, they mark their places. Or get bullied by other cats every time they go in box.

-Not enough litterboxes: A rule of thumb: Buy a box per cat plus one. If your home have multiple floor, place 1-2 boxes on each floor

-Dirty litterboxes: you know why.

-Declawed cats: some declawed cats will have lifelong pain and phantom limb sensations which are uncomfortable while digging their boxes. They developed litterbox aversion

-Dominant cat: Most common when you have 2 cats in the household. One cat would be the boss and bully other cat to clain her box so he doesn't feel safe using any of them. Buy multiple boxes to solve this problem.

If no treatment is successful, lock your cat in your bathroom with box, food and water and leave her there for 2 weeks so she will re-learn how to use box and re-establish her territory in the bathroom. Use Cat Attract litter sand because it works. It has a guarantee statement on the package so try it. Hope I help.

• ANSWER:
  I have a bully cat. He has FOUR litter boxes to himself and the other one only as one. But the little one gets back at the big one when he catches mice. He is praised, the big one is not... he hides under the bed.:)

QUESTION:
Would Banfield Vets lie about a fatal diagnosis just to get more money?
Took my cat to Banfield yesterday to get a dental cleaning & the dr. called to say that they couldn't do it because his bloodwork indicated he had kidney problems, then after a urineanalysis he said it was kidney failure, a genetic condition. This appt. cost more than the dental itself; the office visit, bloodwork & urinalysis - 0. Then he said I need to take my cat in for another blood test, a sonogram and a possible biopsy. The whole thing will cost over 0. What bothered me was he was unsympathetic & also looked like he was getting away with something. I researched Banfield and came up with all these horror stories on bad treatment, overcharging, fraudulent "wellness plans", unexplained deaths and misdiagnosis. I will take my cat to another vet but right now he's too traumatized and tired (I also heard they can be rough & abusive). Has anyone had similar experiences w/Banfield & would a vet actually tell you your pet has a terminal illness just to get more tests/money??

• ANSWER:
  Banfield has a bad reputation and deserves it. There isn't much I would put past them.

  Do take your cat to another vet and have them obtain its records and lab results from Banfield. Then you will have a better idea of what your cat's situation is and what if anything needs to be done.

QUESTION:
How can I avoid senior cat health problems?
Well, my family is adopting a 4 year old cat from the shelter. Im asking the question because I want to make sure I can provide a good older lifestyle for my cat when he grows old. Ill be in high school or university when he reaches his senior years. So, i will be able to provide him with treatment. But, overall i would avoid all the problems in one.

What can i provide him with once he is old so he can be comfortable?
I'll accept the fact that he'll get arthritis and things like that.
But, how can I avoid heart disease and kidney disease and things like that?
Please help! I want to be prepared

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Cat's moving into senior years what extras are needed?
Just took my other Cat to the Vet for her needles and checkup. She just turned 9 so according to the vet she's in her senior years.

She's really healthy and kitten like but the vet made a few suggestions I would like some more opinions on.

She suggested yearly bloodwork to check for diabetes and kidney problems. Which I think is okay considering my cat's sister died of kidney problems.

The vet also suggested senior food and regular flea and heart worm treatments.
My two cats are now 6 and 9 years old but I don't think they're really in need of a senior food just yet. Is it something I should strongly consider or not bother with just yet?

The other suggestion of flea and heart worm medication to me seems like a waste of money and stressful on my kitty. My 9 year old cat has never had fleas in her life. Both my cats are house cats and only go outside on the deck with supervision. I live in Newfoundland where fleas are not as common. My parents beagles have never had fleas and they're outside playing in the grass a lot in the summer time.

As for heartworms neither cat is around animal droppings or anywhere they could possibly contract parasites.
The vet was a bit pushy on the medication but I feel she was just trying to sell a product.
Should I bother with the stuff?

• ANSWER:
  For your nine year old cat, a senior blood profile is useful. It can be a bit pricey, but it gives a baseline in the event there are future changes noticed. My vet wants me to do a senior profile yearly for my oldest cat, but I defer, only wanting tests if there is a problem suspected. She has a baseline on file from her senior blood profile a number of years ago.

  Since I have a range of cats from age 1 1/2 to over 14 years, I cannot really provide special diets, so no senior food around here. Obviously, if a problem arose, a special diet might be needed, and I would have to work it out.

  Sometimes I suspect flea treatments are pushed as a preventative, rather than as for a need. Mine come into my house flea free, and that is the last they see any flea treatments. They are indoors only.

QUESTION:
Have you given your pet prescription food?
Several years ago I had a cat with kidney disease and gave her prescription food (among other things.) However, my new cat was constipated and we went in for treatment and prescription food was pushed on me again. Then, at her regular check-up I was told that her weight was fantastic, all of her tests indicate that she's a healthy 5 yr old cat, and then the vet went down this road: "oh, she has a little tarter on her teeth; you might want to try Hills Prescription diet. Oh, and by the way, any problems with the litter box? No? Well, what sort of litter do you use? Well, I recommend brand X, which we happen to have over here..." Very profit-motivated. Personally I think that prescription pet food can be very important for certain conditions, but that some vets recommend it way too often in order to make a profit. I have since switched vets, so no need to recommend that. Just wondering about other experiences with prescription food.
Just as a reminder, I'm not asking for any pet advice. I go to my vet for that. tmrvt please read the questions before answering. I'm simply asking about people's experiences with vets recommending prescription food. Thanks.
Ken, you seem to have wandered onto my question accidentally. Vomiting information instead of answering the question isn't the way to go. If you aren't interested in the conversation started, start your own question. But quit vomiting all over mine. Thanks.
Ken I am posting your email in order to foward it to Yahoo. Please do not continue to "get around" blocks. That is harrassment.
Ken writes: "Message: I make assumptions based on your writing.
I assume that you are very ignorant by your response to me, your additional comments in your 'question' (Yes, I can get around your block)

and also
'You weren't trying to help, because I there is no situation that NEEDS help.'

by the way you write which shows less then an eigth grade education

Even if I didn't answer what you wrote in the way you liked, why would you bother with such juvenile responses if you were educated and were over 15 years old.
Idiot! Let it go"

Again, you are more than welcome to block me but do not break Yahoo rules by contacting people who have blocked you. Thank you.
Rune, not cranky at all. Just want him to vomit elsewhere, that's all.

• ANSWER:
  Hills does make some very good prescription diets. The kidney diet is a good one for cats with kidney disease. I know veterinarians and vet tech who have their own cats on that diet, including myself. I don't know about the litter. I have never seen a vet who sold litter.
  For constipation however, most vet I have worked with would recommend a wet food diet before a prescription diet. Any brand of wet food adds more moisture to the cats diet, and often is enough to help with constipation. But if it doesn't, then the vet would talk to you about prescription food. Ask you vet what he thinks about that.

QUESTION:
Should I tell my friend I think she may have killed her cat?
My friend has 2 cats. One of them grew horribly ill a few days ago, vomiting & hiding & not letting them touch him. The other is still healthy, but obese.

They took the sick one to the vet & are now 00+ in debt for his treatment of kidney/liver failure.
I can't know what caused this health problem, but they never leave water out for their cats. The cats only have toilet water to drink out of, and the litter box only gets cleaned out every month or so.

I feel bad because she's now mourning the loss of a dear family member, and in debt because of his illness. I don't want to add an unnessecary sense of guilt to her grief, but they still have another cat... and still not putting out fresh water or cleaning the litter box regularly.
I'm torn between my concern for my friend's mental health (she has been prone to depression) and my concern for the health of her other cat.
Do I tell her now?
Do I wait to talk to her about my feelings regarding her animal care?
Do I keep my mouth shut?

• ANSWER:
  You should tell her so this doesn't happen again.
  You should tell her your feelings about it, and explain why you care.
  You should not keep your mouth shut.

QUESTION:
Is it time for my cat to say goodbye?
My cat, the love of my life, is not doing well and I have to make the horrible decision of whether to put her down or not.

She’s old. Her age is unknown (adopted 2 yrs ago) but it’s estimated to be around 14. She has kidney failure and has been receiving treatment for about 9 months. The kidneys are really bad and the treatment has not “fixed” it but it has been effective in the sense that kidneys have been stable.

Problem: about two weeks ago, her right eye started getting bloody. The doctors said it’s due to high blood pressure. After all the treatments, the eye got worse and now my poor baby has developed glaucoma. The blood pressure came down a little but it’s still high.

Decision

Option 1: Removing the eye: given her physical condition, her chances of surviving the surgery/recovery are 50/50 %.
Her vet said she may have about six months to live after the surgery.
Option 2: Putting her to sleep.

I cant decide. Please help, SOON.
What makes it hard for me is that she's still eating and enjoys her tummy rubs and purrs when I hug her. If she was in a lot of pain she would stop eating and go hide is some corner....I keep asking what if she were to live another year or more if I do the surgery? Kindney failure is actually not painful; it's more like a silent killer. It's just the surgery may have complications. But it may not. I just don't know what to do.
I have got 4 opinions. Glaucoma in cats is not treatable like it is in humans especially when the cat is already blind (mine was blind when I adopted her). The eye has to come out because it's pain if it doesn't. So it's either risk the surgery or let her go.
My problems is that I do know if SHE is ready to leave. I'm willing to do whatever she wants only if she could talk and tell me. I would never keep her alive if she is suffering and I know she would tell me if she was ready to go. I don't she's ready to go yet because she's eating, purring, using her litter box...it's just that the outcome of surgery may not be good.
Oops, I meant "my problem is that I DON'T know if she is ready to leave"...

• ANSWER:
  put her to sleep.

  why?
  1) u need to deal with it sooner or later
  2) she doesnt have to suffer anymore and she can go off to heaven
  3) u save the money

QUESTION:
Beware of pet insurance, could be a con. Won't pay out for old cats.?
I have had pet insurance for all of my cats and in 16 years have never claimed. my oldest cat is 14 and as expected the rate goes up each year because of his age. I recently had to take him to the vet as his teeth were troubling him. It cost me £236. I put a claim into the insurance only to be told it didn't cover teeth as they were the most likely to be infected. OK, i was annoyed but continued with the insurance.
A couple of weeks later he had a lot of bother with his ears and i had to take him to the vet 3 times in all. This time the insurer told me they didn't cover cats over 8 years old for ears or teeth. Cost me £93 this time.
Now i know he is starting to suffer a lot with his kidneys, drinking a lot of water,not eating etc. I phoned the insurer again and was told no dice because he his over 8.
So they increase the premiums every year but refused treatment for old age problems.
What a con. I won't be able to get him fixed because it will cost hundreds and will not cure him anyway just postpone the inevitable. And beforr anybody gets offensive we are senior citizens and just haven't got the money

• ANSWER:
  Unfortunately this is something that is true for almost the entire pet insurance industry. It's not just age problems they don't cover either, they don't cover inoculations, worming or de-fleaing most of the time either. Not worth the money by going through insurance companies.

  My Dad gave me the best advice - instead of giving your money to pet insurance, get a quote and then put an equivalent amount into a savings account especially for pet bills, that way you always have something to fall back on. As you said, you've not had to claim in 16 years - that's a lot of money wasted which could have paid for your current cat's vet bills now.

QUESTION:
about my elderly cat?
I have a 19 year old cat. She has had a good life and recovered well a few years ago from a bowel operation. We weren't sure at the time whether to put her through the operation but she has had no problems. However, a few weeks ago she stopped eating. We took her to the vets and she was kept in overnight for blood tests and to be put on a drip as she was dehydrated. The blood test showed that she has kidney problems but was given tablets to help. For the first week after we brought her home from the vet she improved and was eating about three small meals a day and taking the tablet. A few days ago she started to eat less and yesterday would not eat at all. I tried everything. The special cat food for kidneys from the vets. Her usual senior food. Fresh chicken and cat milk. She wouldn't eat any of it. Today I took her back to the vet. The vet said that she thought she may have fluid around her heart and suggested an xray. The xray showed that it was not fluid but there was a small mass on the top of the heart and this was distorting the trachia. The vet said that the condition would not get any better but we could consider leaving her at the vets for another overnight stay to be rehydrated. I have bought her home as I am not sure what to do. I would have further treatment if I thought she would have a good life but she doesnt seem very happy and she is also having trouble walking. This is due to arthritis in her back legs and also because she is weak from not eating. I know I should consider having her put to sleep but I don't want to make the decision. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone may have. Is enough enough now or should I keep going with more treatment for her. Thanks.
Thank you all so much for your answers. The vet has said that my cat does not appear to be in pain but may be uncomfortable because of the breathing. She is still breathing through her nose and not in distress or anything, but she just looks so sad. I think I know what I should do it is just being brave enough to make the decision.

• ANSWER:
  This must be your decision after talking with her vet. I can only tell you my experience when my beloved 19 year old cat Stickers was put down. She had kidney disease. She started wobbling and although she could eat the vomiting came frequently. I saw in her face the pain. Because I had another cat of 18 years that I let go to long, I made up my mind that I could never let another one of my wonderful cats suffer like Mickey did. He went into a coma and I took him in to have him euthanized.The vet said that if I waited he could have gone into violent seizures that would have been very bad. Stickers was the love of my life. Everything was getting so difficult. She could no longer jump up onto the sofa, she was too tired to give me those daily kisses. She was sick and I could tell that she was hurting badly. My vet agreed that this should be done and not to wait as she may last a few more days or a week. I loved her too much to let her suffer because I didn't want to say goodbye. It was a decision that I had to make for her. I miss her dearly but she is now at peace and she never left. She is with me all the time in my heart and soul.
  God Bless You. Remember how fortunate you are to have such a wonderful loving cat all of these years. Not everyone is as fortunate as you.

QUESTION:
problems with kitty HELP?
I took my cat to a vet who is supposed to be really good because my cat was passing kidney stones and a crystal had passed through his bladder and was stuck in the urethra. The vet put a catheter through and had to flush out his whole system because my cat was in REALLY bad shape.]: So i got my cat back on the 23rd and have been giving him antibiotics the doctor gave me every 12 hours. Now my cat is going back to his painful lethargic state he was in BEFORE we ever took him in the first place! We payed OVER 1,300 dollars which we really don't have right now (we don't have animal insurance either). So we called to the vet again to tell them how he is in pain again and really lethargic etc. and they said theres really nothing they can do about it. I know for a fact that is BULL SHIT because this kind of thing happens to humans all the time. I have family in the medical fields nurses, surgical technologists etc and i know that when this happens to a human they don't just let people die. I understand people are different but they take care of it and they don't go back to the same conditions 3 days later. Most wouldn't understand but my two cats are my favorite things in the whole world and i have the strongest love for them I couldn't bare to let one go. Please I need some help on what to do and why his first treatment of being in the hospital for FOUR days didn't work. Please help.
]]]]':
Also they said he is NOT supposed to be lethargic really at all anymore. I have him on a special diet he needs to be on for at least 3 years. And is there nothing I can do since he was not treated properly? I cant pay another 1400 dollars but I will try payment plans. Why is it they say there is nothing they can do?
]':
Also my kitty isn't very old he only just turned 3 years old.

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Methamazole / acute kidney failure?
My cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She was put on methamazole 1/2 twice daily. She had her blood tests, & the levels were still high. So the vet prescribed 1 tablet twice daily. She was on this for about 6 months. The last blood test showed the level of thyroid hormone was undetectable. Too low, vet quickly lowered back to the first dose. Before I even had the new dose in her but 1 day, she became quite tired. I called the vet er, they said maybe it needed to get out of her system. Soon she could barely move, & eventually fell over in the kitchen. I took her to the vet er, she was in acute kidney failure. I had to help her out of pain. I am devistated. as this was a complete shock. The symptoms began & ended all within 3 days. I am wondering if a cats body can change as far as levels, & what could have caused her kidney failure that quick. I also had a male, w/ hyperthyroidism & kidney disease, he was treated also with methamazole, 1/2 tablet once a day. Also a blood pressure pill. He did go blind, as his retinas detached. It was a miracle, a day after treatment of the high blood pressure, he focused on me. He got his sight back! He was going downhill though still, as he was 15. The female above was 14. After she died, it was only 2 days, & my boy couldn't even walk, as a Mom, I had to help him also. They got the blood tests at the same time, his level was perfect she said. I had no idea he had the thyroid problem til he lost his sight. I lost my two best friends in the same week. I noticed with both of them, after starting the methamazole, they stopped purring. Were not the same little "people" they used to be. I know I did the right thing for them, as they were older, and the blood tests came back horrible. There was nothing I could do. I need to know if this medication may have threw them both into renal failure. I am 42, an adult woman, its been a week....& I'm still crying like a child. Any opinion, advice, or answers would mean alot. Thank you.
Apologizing ahead, as this is my first time here, on questions. I may have put this in the wrong category. Thought I put it on "Pets"...looks like it appeared on "diseases"?? I hope others can find it. Thank you ahead for any replies that are given, it means so much. I want to do the very best I can with any extra knowledge. I have one cat left, "Furgis"....and I want to do the best I can for him. He is only 6.....I want him to live a long and happy life.

• ANSWER:
  I had a cat that lived to be 19. The last 6 years of his life he was on methamazole. It did wonders for his hyperthyroidism.
  Sometimes the best efforts of the vets just don't do the trick. I am so sorry you lost your cats. They really are wonderful creatures. Please get another one or two that need homes.

QUESTION:
I can't decide between putting my cat to sleep, or trying treatment.?
My 13 year old Persian was diagnosed today with Chronic Renal Failure. My vet says she isn't in pain, but probably is experiencing a general feeling of being unwell. I guess they've come to that conclusion because that's how a lot of humans with the same thing describe it.

I love my cat so much; I've had her since I was 6 years old. I just can't picture her not being around.

The vet told me about a treatment-- it's about 10 minutes, once a week (for the rest of her life)-- and it should get her appetite back and help out her kidneys. It wont FIX the problem, but if she responds to it, it could add anywhere from a week to a few years to her life. During that time, she still might have her ups and downs.

If I let her die naturally with time (medicated or not), she'll end up being in pain. However, if I choose to euthanize her, I'm so afraid that I'd be cutting her life short when she could have had a couple more years left.

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. I don't know what to do; I've never put a pet to sleep before, and I've never even had anyone close to me pass away. I'm devastated.

• ANSWER:
  I hate putting animals to sleep. Its so sad, but the thing to understand is that she will not know when she has passed on. At least she will not be in any pain. People tend to hold on to sick animals for the happiness and benifit of the person, not the welfare of the animal. Its not much of a life for the poor little dear if she has to go to the vets all the time, feel sick all the time.

  I think the best thing to do is to let her go, its so sad, but its not going to be a great life for her, and when shes gone she wont feel pain, its just you that will feel the pain of this horrible loss.

  Please give to the mercy of your cat and not think of your own loss in this situation. Selflesnes is the best option. Its a horible thing, but I think its in the best interest of the cat.

  I realy feel for you in this situation, a situation I have been in many times, please make the correct decision by your cat.

  Im sorry for what you are going through, hope I have helped, Jane

QUESTION:
Cat with Bladder Problems?
My cat has had 2 confirmed bladder infections over apx. 3 months, She is 4 years old.
First infection: (old vet)
Confirmed infection with home sample.
She had her blood test done intially, and her kidneys flagged as an issue, but was later accounted for as my cat cat was severely dehidrated at the time from illness.
She has never had crystals in the urine.
Prescribed 7 day antiobiotic oral liquid treatment

Second infection: (new vet)
confirmed by urine sample (extracted from home sample)
Blood did show up in this sample and no crystals again.
Prescribed Convenia ( antibiotic injection lasting two weeks)

This infection:
Not confirmed with test (as they assumed its another UTI based on previous symptoms and history.
Her symptoms (crying when going to the litter and licking genitals) came back last month, making this her 3rd UTI in 5 months.
X-Ray of the bladder, showing thickening of the bladder wall but no stones.
Convenia ( antibiotic injection lasting two weeks) this time she will receieve a second 2 week injection to ensure cleared infection.

The vet said we are doing everything we should be at home, feeding her high quality food, with no corn, mix of wet and dry, lots of water consumption, new littler (not clumping)
I need to make it clear that I am NOT looking for food suggestions here. I am looking for possible ideas or experiences of what could be going on here. Suggestions on what you would do as a pet owner, again though, not looking for food suggestions, I am done with that route!

I feel really stuck and frustrated and sad. I feel like there is something going on and it wont stop. She seems to still be in a little pain while urinating, as she still meows when she goes to the basement to use her litter box, although not licking her genitals. It has been 1 week since the injection.

• ANSWER:
  Home samples are never as good as the samples they take a the vet. Usually, they stick a thin needle through the stomach and into the bladder. It sound painful, but that's how my cat had his sample taken, and he was not phased by it at all. My cat had no response to the antibiotic that was given by the doctor, but responded incredibly well to a joint health supplement that also has effects of treating UTI's. It's called Cosequin. I'm not sure if it works with all kinds of UTI symptoms, but it's a supplement, so I'm sure it couldn't hurt. I hope your kitty gets better!

QUESTION:
What is the law concerning bipolar parents and keeping their children?
I just had my first child 8 days ago. My pregnancy was quite complicated. I had a difficulties with my liver and kidneys. I also had hyper emesis, which lasted the whole nine months instead of just the first three. I also had two UTIs and developed cat scratch fever. My son had to be delivered at 37.1 weeks, after two amnios to check to see if his lungs were mature.
On the day that I was to be induced, I was told that my placenta was extremely low. It was located just above his head. The chances of bleeding were high with a normal delivery, so they recommended a C Section.
The original anesthesiologist who came in my room was very rude. She did not want to listen to me or go over my allergies. I have a crooked back and an epidural is not possible. She wanted to try it anyway. I refused on the grounds that I did not wish to be put through unnecessary pain.
I had also had repeated problems during my pregnancy when I had come into the ER for treatment. They had refused to do any kind of lab work on me and always told me that I was fine. The only reason that I was diagnosed with the liver and kidney problems is because of my GI doctor. He is also the one who found one of the UTIs. The other was found because after being told there was nothing wrong with me, I refused to go home in pain. I walked from the special women's ER over to the main ER where a doctor and nurse were kind enough to talk to me. They forced the women's ER to recheck me and they also discovered I was dehydrated.

Now that I have had my baby, the women's ER has made a report that I am not a fit mother. They have involved the department of children's services. They made reports that I was violent and had anger issues. My friends and church members are baffled by this. My regular doctors who know how much trouble I had at the ER have stated that if I had any anger issues they made me that way.
I know that there is a law that was passed in 1997 that is supposed to keep families together at all costs if there is no neglect or abuse involved. That isn't possible since he was just born.
I don't smoke, don't drink, don't do drugs. I got off all my dangerous meds as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I am back on all my psych meds. My doctors all believe I can handle taking care of the baby.
I know that there has to be some law to protect my rights as a disabled person. Please help.

• ANSWER:
  Let me explain what is happening here:
  You received bad medical attention at the women's ER. Because you went to the regular ER and were seen by professionals who re-directed you to the women's ER, a report about your mishandled medical case was filed at the hospital.
  And so,the people on duty at the Women's ER are in trouble and have to answer for what they did. To retaliate, they made a complaint to child authorities...but here's the deal:
  The law in EVERY state provides that it must be proven that you have been harmful or neglectful to your child BEFORE any charges can be brought against you. By law, you must know these charges, be represented by legal counsel and have a right to defend yourself. A child can only be taken away when and if neglect or abuse is PROVEN in a court of law.
  Many states want to keep families together if at al possible and so they have wonderful programs to teach parenting skills and give families every chance possible.
  So, look. You have this going for you:
  You have probably taken your baby in for all of his check ups and the doctors and nurses have charted that he is being well taken care of.
  You have returned to your doctor and you are compliant with medical treatment for your bipolar disorder and are back again on your regulating medication. Your doctor can certainly attest to this.
  So where is the proof that you are a bad mother? Because you lost your temper with medical professionals who wouldn't listen to you....Honey, get in line with the rest of us! Who hasn't had an experience like yours?
  Relax.
  It's the personnel in the women's ER who are in trouble and not you! Their claim has no basis. Your child's doctor can testify that he is being well taken care of and so can your doctor! They've got nothing, believe me!

QUESTION:
Has anyone used Hills Science Diet or SD/CD for cats with urethral obstruction?
My 3 year old neutered tabby was taken into the emergency clinic last night for a urinary blockage. I'll find out from the vet what, if any, crystals were found in his urine, or if there are bladder/ kidney stones etc, and know better after that. But for now the recommended treatment is Hills SD veterinary prescription diet. The formulas would be SD (Stone dissolving) for 4-8 weeks, or until the active problem is under control, and cd as a long term maintenance diet.

Since we just switched two weeks ago from free feeding dry Natural Balance to canned Wellness as long term therapy for a female with recurring bladder infections/utis, I'm assuming easy access to clean fresh water is not the source of the problem. Although I am also considering making it filtered or distilled water which is likely to have fewer minerals in it. How unusual a coincidence is that to have two of the three come down with urinary related problems ?? They've never been on low quality foods....

So anyone have good luck with Hills Science Plan SD or CD..?
It's gonna be expensive so I'm open to OTC alternatives if you're not convinced it's the right food....

• ANSWER:
  Hi!,
  My cat had the same problem 2 years ago, he was catheterised by the vet to remove the crystals and is now on Royal Canin Urinary s/o dry food, which our vet has recommended we feed him for life, I don't find the food too expensive, it's around £14.00 for a bag which lasts a month, although we do supplement his diet with the odd pouch of wet food (although we have found since he has his struvite crystals this tends to make him sick) He just drinks normal tap water (out of a pint glass by the bed, or the toilet, or a puddle or basically anywhere that isn't the bottled water in his bowl!)
  We did have a slip up in a locum vet advising us to stop feeding him the urinary s/o food, which led to a huge infection and cystitis for the little fellow, so although it may be a little more expensive, i think it's best to keep the cat on a urinary food to avoid any future problems! hope this helps!

QUESTION:
HELP! My cat has hyperthyroidism and dimentia?
My cat, God love him, is 17. He developed hyperthyroidism about 1.5 yrs. ago. Started on 1/2 a pill methimizole AM & PM. Then new tests were run at his check up and its 1 pill AM & PM. The vet seems to think he's too old for surgery or radioactive iodine and not very helpful. Now he is randomly pooping everywhere. No kidney problems, clean boxes throughout the house. He just is insatiable in regards to food, esp. if I am eating, I think he just forgets he ate. I have never had a cat this long - does he have kitty alzheimers? I hate to put him down but is 17 kind of too old for the other treatments - I don't think the pills are cutting it.
Maybe I should go to another vet. They don't seem to think upping the dosage will do much good.

• ANSWER:
  The pills are obviously not working. His thyroid is overactive, meaning his metabolism is very fast so that is why he is insatiable for food. Try upping the meds.

  He's had a long, hopefully good life, if you can't get a higher dosage of the medication have him euthanized.

QUESTION:
How do I cope with my cat? =(?
I have a cat named Bandit. I got him for my birthday in 7th grade, so he's about 5 years old now. He's the sweetest cat I know. He always meows and his happy and is extremely affectionate and caring. I've never met a cat like him before. The problem is that it turns out he's been having problems where he was constantly having to drink water and urinating everywhere. My mom took him to the vet and they found out he might have kidney failure. The treatment would involve a daily painful process for him and over ,500. We can't afford that right now, and there is only a small chance it would be successful anyways. I just found out this news tomorrow, and my parents said they are going to have to put him to sleep. I have been crying all day yesterday and just started crying again today. I don't want to lose my cat, because he's like my boy, my son. He's been hanging out with me a lot more recently these last two days, and I've been praying and having my friends pray for him as well. It's just so sad because I feel like having him put to sleep is betraying him. He always follows me around and rubs against my leg and meows. I always hold him over my shoulder and he kneads my shirt and he's so amazing. I just am having such a hard time imagining what life will be like without him. He's still here right now, but I know it's only a matter of time. This is just so hard for me because I haven't ever been upset about losing a loved one before. What am I supposed to do here? I just can't imagine losing him, but there isn't anything I can do to help. He's so young too. It just breaks my heart because I know he is in pain, but he always looks happy and doesn't let it get the best of him. I know my cat is strong and he isn't giving up easily, but I hate seeing him in pain. If you have any experiences or advice to help me, I would really appreciate it. I just don't want to have to say goodbye.

• ANSWER:
  I do not want to give u false hope but if he was my cat and I loved him so much, I would definitely get a second opinion from another vet that is not affiliated with the first practice. Bandit is young yet. There may be another option.. and what u want to know is the prognosis, is there a way of getting him better so that he has some quality of life left? There are many many conditions of the kidneys, it is hard to know and of course foolish to diagnose on line... now u did say in ur post that he "might" have kidney failure??? it is the Might part of this I would question. If Bandit is an outside cat or a cat that goes outside at all, anything can happen to an outside cat that would cause him harm and it always does wt outdoor cats... poisons, injuries, quick or slow death, but its never a good outcome if a cat goes outside, Now... if he was kept indoors its a different story.. his risk of conditions ultimately ending in death is so very less.. I know a dry food diet exclusively is a risk to the bladder and kidneys or if he ate some poison house plant.. I do not know... but in any case I would not put him down, or of course, not let him suffer and die, either, without spending a bit more and definitely getting a second opinion... Then if he does need to go at his young age, u will at least know and be comforted by the fact that u did not just take one vets word... I would do this right away and not wait... Good luck, God bless, I will say prayers for u and Bandit and that u are able to find the right help with this (and he does, too)... If money is an issue, u could ask 4 this as an early birthday or holiday present... of course dont let him suffer, I cant know how bad he feels,. is he eating... there are special kidney foods the vet can prescribe, It is a tough call to give advice on this but a second opinion always makes u feel better if there is time... take care..Oh yes and there is a site on Yahoo called "for the love of cats" they have sub specialities like kidney disease, etc. there are many knowledgeable and caring people on this site, of course not all are professionals so some is just opinion but they are glad to share their knowlege and experience with you.. Again , blessings , good luck and thanks for loving and caring about this kitty, u r a really good person...

QUESTION:
Effects of Frontline?
Just wondering if anyone knew of any bad side effects from using Frontline on there pets??

As i asked a question on a cat forum, regarding my cat Dotty being off her food for a few days! I explained how she was up to date with her needles, and that i used Frontline on her every 4 weeks. The reason for this is because where i live there seems to be a lot of feral cats, and if i don't treat Dotty, then she becomes infested in fleas and so does my house!!
Anyway, the reply's to my question regarding Dotty's eating, were soon turned to the dangers of using Frontline every 4 weeks. "/ I was told how dangerous it is and that it can cause serious problems ie kidneys etc. The vet prescribed me Frontline saying that no other flea treatment worked. So just how safe is Frontline?? As i don't want to be giving it to Dotty if it's going to be fatal!!

• ANSWER:
  Frontline is fine, but the effects do diminish as the fleas in your area get used to it.

  There are several products that you can use, that are as good.

  Advantage
  Advantix

  are a couple of good ones.

  If you switch around the brands about once a year, then the flea immunity will not have a chance to cause the products to stop working.

QUESTION:
Is this a good ad for 8-week-old puppies for sale?
First of all, I just want to clarify that we aren't BYB (back yard breeders). Both parents and most of the dogs in their lineage have been genetically tested for genetic problems that commonly affect the breed. We didn't breed them for money (the vet costs, food, toys, montly Frontline/Hearguard, classes, agility enteries) far surpass the costs of what we would get from the sale of the pups. Plus, we have 4 cats that have every shot there is and also get Frontline every day and all of are animals are on the finest of foods. We also have a geriatic cat with early stages of kidney failure and his treatments are now well into the thousands. WE LOVE OUR PETS and consider more of family members. Potentail owners will be screened and have to sign an agreement that they will have them spayed/neutered as this litter doesn't look like they will be show quaility with the exception of one (just because dogs have alot of CH lineage in doesn't mean they will have show quality pups). Dad is show quality but mom is just under the height requirements. I just chose not to show them and concentrate on agility (the daddy didn't take to it, LOL). This is the only litter we have ever had and mom will be spayed after the pups go. They do have CH lineage on both sides. I also checked with several well known breeders to see if they thought the sire and dam were compatible. Sorry, I have to say all this but if I didn't I would be called all sorts of names and told that I shouldn't be breeding in the first place with so many unwanted puppies at shelters. I bred them because they have so many great qualities and I want other families to have the same joy of having one of the pups as a family member!

ANYWAYS! Is the ad "catchty"? Any changes you would make? I'm going to include photos of the puppies on there and possibly of the parents! THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK! AND HERE IS THE AD!

ADORABLE SHETLAND SHEEPDOG PUPPIES FOR SALE! (A.K.A "SHELTIES")

3 Males, 1 Female. Mother is AKC & UKC REGISTERED. She has both AKC and UKC AGILITY TITLES and MANY WINS! She is a beautiful dog and a real sweetheart! She also also has her Companion Dog title from the AKC and is a registered therapy dog. Dad is very handsome, loving and is also AKC registered. These puppies will make WONDERFUL FAMILY PETS AND WILL BE GREAT AT AGILITY AND OBEDIENCE (PARENTS VERY SMART AND QUICK LEARNERS ). WE OWN BOTH SIRE AND DAM! PUPPIES HAVE FIRST SHOTS AND HAVE BEEN DE-WORMED! PUPPIES ARE 0 which includes AKC PAPERS. PLEASE CALL (can't include # on here as it would be spam) and LEAVE MESSAGE if no answer!

• ANSWER:
  Add the exact age in weeks of the puppies. Otherwise the ad is just fine. As you get calls with questions, you will know what to ad in the future. Also add the color of the pups.

QUESTION:
This question i dont need an answer for i just need you to help my cat!?
My cat Kitty has a problem with her kidneys we are not sure y. and i know it is just a cat but she is 2 and i love her so much and if the medican and treatment doesnt help in 2 weeks we will have to put her down. So plz plz all you animal lovers out there plz pray for my cat.
plz and thank you

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
What should I ask of or expect the vet to do about my cat’s on-going diarrhea at this point?
The short version:
My female cat developed chronic diarrhea a couple of weeks ago. The vet determined it was an intestinal infection and sent us home with a round of liquid antibiotics and probiotic capsules. We finished the course of treatment last Wednesday.

The poo issue had resolved by the end of treatment, but came back the same as before Friday. We’re headed back to the vet tonight.

I’m looking for advice on what the vet should do at this point to figure out what’s causing my cat’s problem once and for all, what questions I need to be asking ect. Most of all, I’m starting to wonder when I should seek an opinion from a different veterinary practice.

Background and details:
Until about six weeks ago, my 8 year old, altered, 100% indoor female cat had never had any health problems. At that time, she lost a canine tooth. Subsequent vet exams revealed she’d previously lost the other canine on the same side and that at least one remaining canine was loose.

She was put under local anesthesia for a cleaning and extraction. Three teeth were removed inc. both remaining canines. She was given an injected antibiotic. She had a CBC and was completely healthy accept that she had a slightly elevated something or other with her kidneys – which the vet wasn’t especially concerned about.

The vet could not come up with any reason for her dental issues, but said the rest of her teeth are fine.

About three weeks after the extraction, she started having bouts of diarrhea around the house. She would go #1 in the box 100% of the time, and #2 out of the box 100% of the time. The vet said there were white blood cells in the stool sample (based on a fecal stain) so she declared it an intestinal infection. We finished up a 10-day course of antibiotics and probiotics last Wednesday.

The vet never indicated that this was in any way related to the extraction or anything she was given during the process – though it strikes me as odd that this problem popped up so soon after the dental work.

My cat’s litter box habits had returned to normal by the end of the medication but Friday night the diarrhea returned (inc. doing it outside the cat box) so we’re headed back to the vet tonight.

I’m very frustrated because my poor cat has been in isolation for most of the last 2.5 weeks. (We have another cat + a one year old who need to be protected from whatever might be in sick kitty’s feces). My cat’s behavior is totally normal other than what’s happening with her bowl movements. She hasn’t lost any weight and her coat is shinny. She’s eating well and drinking water.

• ANSWER:
  A bacteriological cause for diarhea needs antibiotics and usually more than one course of them depending on the type of problem, so get a stronger antibiotic. Doing another fecal exam is probably called for.

  The teeth are a separate issue. We've had cats with bad teeth before, it's not unusual even at age six or 8.

QUESTION:
How many calories a day should an emaciated older cat eat to gain weight?
My 12 y/o Female DSH cat has lost weight from 12lbs to 5. She has been to the vet and tested for everything and has no kidney, thyroid, diabetes, FIV, FeLV, dental, etc problems. The only abnormalities found is a low hematocrit (20%) but normal WBC, diff, etc and bilateral staph ear infections. We treated her with profender (she was an outside cat) and topical antibiotics for the ear infection. She has slowly started to eat again (canned food) but I fear she is not eating enough to gain weight. She eats about one 3-oz can of food a day which I am estimating to be 75 to 90 calories. She is 10 days post treatment now and has transitioned to being a house kitty well I think. However, she still is not very active (sits in one spot most of the day / night) but is alert, purrs, meets and follows us when we enter her bedroom, etc. But she will only eat if we spoon feed her. I am optimistic that she is on her way up but the low food consumption still has me feeling a little depressed and scared. What is a "normal" recovery scenario for a kitty that needs to gain weight? Will she slowly start eating more as she feels better? How much does she have to eat to gain weight? And how much does she have to gain before I will notice it? Should I expect to notice an improvement in a matter of weeks? months? Any advice is gratefully welcomed!

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Cat Recovery from "organ failure" (LONG Q)?
It is beastly late (early) here but I was just up checking my girl Bonnie and making sure she didn't need more treatment so that maybe I can catch a few hours of ZZZ's before my daughter wakes me up. So if you see this question hours from now, please still answer, if you can.

Some history:

I caught Bonnie as a feral kitten from a sickly inbred feral community in my former neighborhood when she was about 5 weeks old. She fit in my palm. One of her eyes was so severely infected it was partway oozing out of her head. Oral antibiotics and creams did no good so her eye was surgically removed at 6 weeks old. (vet did a great job, BTW, lined up the stripes perfectly!)

Due to such a dubious start in life, Bonnie never really grew, and now, 10 years later, she still only weighs 3.3 lbs and measures only about 16 inches from nose to base of tail.

It is extremely common (according to several area vets) for ferals in this area to have myriad problems due to inbreeding and horrible prenatal and infant nutrition, so Bon started losing her teeth a few years ago. I brush her mouth out regularly but due to my household's lack of work for almost 18 months, no additional oral vet care could be provided. Still, she was my boss cat, ruling the house with an iron paw, and the big boys (12-14 lb males) and even the dog got out of her way. She's never been sick since the very beginning.

I foster kittens for the local shelter and one of them brought in this crazy bug and all my cats got it even though the kittens are on the porch. Both males responded to Clavamox but Bonnie got it really bad and it seemed to go into her mouth. I noticed her mouth looked inflamed when I gave her the Clav a few days ago but she was otherwise normal so I let her be-just kept the eye on her.

Yesterday morning I found her on bathroom rug slumped over and breathing heavy- mouth was really swollen with some pussy looking fluid around her remaining teeth- also she was COLD to the touch and extremely lethargic- so we went straight to vet. Her temp was 96F- vet says a degree away from dead. He also pronounced her very dehydrated. He gave her subcu fluids, a B12 shot, put her in an incubator to bring her temp up and then sent her home with subcu for me to use here + instructions to continue the Clav for 5 more days.

His diagnosis was not that the illness from the kittens is causing her condition- it's that her condition is naturally poor due to horrible start in life (see above) and frankly was shocked to learn her age (given her size) and that she had lived a healthy life for as long as she has. He thinks she has organ failure and the infection in her mouth is a side effect of her immune system shutting down.

He did tell me that if I had the funds there was a specialist who would charge me between 00-00 to ICU her for a few days but that she might very well die in a day or two anyway. He also agreed with me that if it is kidney/liver failure that blood tests at this point are moot because the readings will all be skewed.

So. She's home, eating a prescription canned food, getting subcu 2x day, still on the Clavamox, and after about 36 hours looks MUCH better than when I found her, but not herself. Vet is off for the next day, so I came here with my question.

Can organ failure (if that is the case) be staved off with fluids, antibiotics, and prescription diet? If the antibiotic works and she throws off this infection, will she recover, or will she always be on the verge of some other catastrophic illness?

I am perfectly willing to do what I can afford to keep her happy and comfortable and with us as long as possible (and that includes pulling teeth when/if she recovers) but I cannot spend 00 on an ICU.

Just thought I'd toss this out and ask for some (hopefully) knowledgeable opinions.

Checked her- she's sleeping comfortably in the bathroom sink. Lined with towels, door closed. It's a nice warm room. She ate about 1/4 of the can of food.

Thanks in advance.

• ANSWER:
  It depends on the organ that is failing. If your cat has developed fatty liver from not eating, yes, she can recover but she MUST eat. You may need to look into assisted feeding. I'm guessing your vet gave you wet A/D for her? Try warming it up so it smells to encourage her to eat. Otherwise, you will need to do assisted feeding The A/D can be spooned it into a dosing syringe (you can get one at a pharmacy) and squirt the food into her mouth. Don't worry about trying to force her mouth open. Place the tip of the syringe in the corner of her mouth (there is a gap between the teeth that a syringe fits into nicely) and squirt a little bit at a time toward the back roof of her mouth (you don't want her to be able to spit it all back on you and you may end up wearing a bit so don't get frustrated, it just makes it more difficult for you because the cat picks up on your stress.) She needs to eat at least a 6 (or 6.5) oz can each day. You can break it into portions and put the rest of the can in the fridge. Always warm it before feeding her. Dont' try and force her to eat it all in one setting or she will throw it back up.

  If her body temperature drops again, Put a heating pad on low and covered with a towel for her to lay on.

  If she has developed renal failure, you can give them a good quality of life but once the kidneys start to go, you don't know it until they only have 25% kidney function left. Fluids greatly improve their quality of life.

  I'm sure that there must be other organs that could be failing but I do not have experience with those.

QUESTION:
Why does my cat keep throwing up after eating?
My fiance and I had one of our dogs spayed on Thursday morning of last week. She was sent home with Previcox for pain. We put it in her bowl to encourage her to eat it. Within seconds of turning our backs, our cat, Roxy, had eaten the pill. She is only 6.5 pounds.

We contacted the Animal ER right away, but they were closing so we rushed her to her regular Vet. He contacted the manufacturer of Previcox who reported that the pill and dosage (127mg) the cat had eaten can ne very dangerous, causing liver and kidney failure and possiblly death. The Vet induced vomiting, gave her charcoal to coat her stomach and absorb the toxic enzymes, and put her on fluids right away to help prevent kidney failure. My fiance and I picked her up at 6:00pm and transported her to the Animal ER in Sarasota for further care and treatment. They told us at that point that she probably had a 50 percent chance of survival. We had to wait a full 36 hours to find out if her bloodwork was normal or not, because it takes awhile for the enzymes to digest in cats. They kept her on fluids and on Sucralfate to prevent or treat any ulcers that may occur. After 36 hours the bloodwork came back normal and we were able to get her. We had to bring her back the next morning for additional bloodwork and again to our regular Vet on Monday morning for final bloodwork. All the bloodwork has come back normal. The problem is that she keeps vomiting after she eats. The Vet gave us the Sucralfate and we have been giving her that about an hour before she eats. She will old food down occasionally after taking the medicine, but today we gave it to her, fed her, and she threw up again. I am sooo worried about my little girl!! The Vet gave us Cerenia to help stop the vomiting, which I tried this morning. I am so concerned. He says that since there is no blood in the vomit or stool that she most likely does not have any ulcers. He also says that since she has an appetite and is not urinating frequently that we can probably rule out kidney or liver issues. All I know is my cat is not eating and it can't be a good thing - it has to be a sign of a problem somewhere. He also said the lining of her stomach may just need time to heal from the toxins in the pill she ate.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

• ANSWER:
  My thought is that it's still a reaction to the tablet episode. Be patient, feed her wet food in very small quantities at a time more frequently to lessen the chance of throwing up and to make the throwing up less hectic when she does.
  What a time for the poor thing! Hang on there.

QUESTION:
Is there a high-fat low-protein cat food?
Of course I've discussed this with my vet but so far we haven't had much luck, so I'm looking for additional advice. (Ideally from professionals but anecdotal advice may help too.)

I have an finicky but sweet older cat who has a year left if we're lucky. I'm doing my best to keep her healthy and happy in the meantime.

She was diagnosed with kidney failure a while back, and is currently going through chemo for lymphoma (cancer). She has lost a LOT of weight, and I'd like to fatten her back up a bit, or at the very least make her less skeletal so she is strong enough to feel good and also undergo the chemo treatments.

The problem is I don't know of any foods that are high-fat (to gain weight) but low protein/low potassium (better for kidney failure kitties).

She had some blood work done a couple of weeks ago, and despite promising values for her kidneys, I don't want to put extra stress on her kidneys by feeding her a high-protein food in the attempt to maintain her weight.

Ideas?

• ANSWER:
  Hi,

  I am sorry to hear about your cat but I applaud you for the dedication you've shown to keep him as healthy and happy as possible.

  I can only suggest that participate in a specialized Yahoo group dedicated to cats dealing with CRF. There are a lot of information exchange there and you may find very good feeding advise from all the members who are currently dealing with cats with CRF.

  http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-CRF-Support/

  Best of luck and hope this helps.

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTER that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment (in a previous thead asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being concerned about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies including that I had had allegedly stated that Tootsie was never taken to a veterinary clinic since she was a kitten (I never said that), my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Because I asked for Tootsie's chart and euthanasia form, he seemingly went into a complaint-proof alert and vigilence. In this context, should I just let go and keep on bringing my other pets to him like nothing happened or rather I should avoid in the future to bring my other pets to him? He used to be a good doctor but as the clinic is his, his colleague is more important to him than me and my pets. On the other hand going to another vet in the area with the charts of my other pets bearing his name, wouldn't put the new vet in contact with him and a hand washes the other? Shouldn't I better start anew with the new vet NOT telling him/her anything about anything done at my former vet's clinic e.g. without my pets former charts? My other cat and my dog did not have any special diseases or problems before. To me lying and modifying truth and charts shows a potential danger in the future for my other pets. Is being a good doctor more important than his ethical potential? Thank you.

• ANSWER:
  You cannot believe that as I was reading your question, my rage was escalating to the point that I wanted to scream ... please find another veterinarian STAT. Not only that, but if you document everything you wrote here, I would absolutely report this clinic to the state veterinary board wherever you live. No one should have to go through this tragic experience that was completely unfounded. Record tampering is a very serious crime, and needs to be addressed by the veterinary licensing board.

  http://www.jugglingcats.com/veterinary/vet_board.htm

  While I do understand that we develop relationships with our veterinarians over the years, and develop trust with them. Finding excellent practitioners can be very frustrating and difficult to accomplish. This said, if your "formerly" good vet is no longer someone you trust or will ever be able to trust in the future, it is time to part the ways... AND even report the clinic. Hard to do, but it sounds like this is a clinic that should not be in practice from what you describe about how your cat was "treated". I feel SO for you. This was something that never should have happened.

  I can totally understand your reticence in sharing the history about your former vet clinic. Some practitioners get very protective about their peers. This said, if you find the relationship developing and they gain your trust, at some point I would definitely tell him/her about the incident. They may be far less likely to refer other clients to them if a referral is required.

  I highly feel that a good "doctor" is one who is also highly ethical. They come hand in hand, and if ethics are broken no matter how"skilled" the practitioner may be, I would not consider that veterinarian to treat my cats.

  Hope this helps, and again, I am just incredibly sad for you and still am enraged that you had to go through this nightmare. Blessings on your angel kitty also.

  Troublesniffer
  Owned by cats for over 40 years
  Member: Cat Writer's Association

QUESTION:
Confused about whether or not to take cat back to the vet..?
Thanks for the advice ahead of time.

Background:
Larry is a 10-13 year old cat we adopted two years ago. He spent the majority of his life in a barn eating mice/dry food. When we adopted him we took him to the vet 7-8 times within the the first few months for chronic ear infections (he has polyps) and a teeth cleaning/extractions. During the cleaning we were notified there was a growth on the back of his tongue that may or may not eventually block is throat. It's inoperable and likely cancerous. Essentially, we're providing him with the best life possible until we have to make a tough choice.

Larry also has been diagnosed with kidney failure. In August he was acting lethargic and would not eat. The vet didn't expect him to improve, but six months later Larry back to normal and his appetite is good. We've switched his diet and he's doing okay. He drinks a lot of water due to the disease and doesn't seem to be in much/any pain.

Here's the problem:

I've been noticing his tongue has been hanging out of his mouth sometimes. He's done this before (all of our cats do this), but I'm worried. I'm super sensitive to anything Larry does because of all the other conditions. He also vomited tonight which only happens every few months. He has since eaten again and kept everything down. I don't really want another 0 dollar vet bill (we moved out of state and I know a new vet is going to rape us), but should I take him in and have him looked at? The thing is- I know the kidney failure is getting worse, but we're not at the point where his quality of life is compromised enough to justify euthanize him. He eats, plays, purrs, and is the handsomest boy on the block.

Should I be concerned about the tongue hanging out sometimes? There's not much else we can do treatment wise unless it's possible the tongue has something to do with something unrelated.

• ANSWER:
  If your cat has already been diagnosed of CRF and his last check up was in August you will need to take him again to the vet for a check up of his kidneys values. CRF is not a death sentence and some cats can live for a few years after initial diagnosis. He will need full blood test (including chemistry), urinalysis. If your cat is hanging out his tongue and on top of that is vomiting it could be that he has lots of acid in his stomach and will need some antacid medication. I am quite surprised that when the vet saw this mass growing in your cat's tongue didn't take a biopsy, as far as I know the tumors of the tongue can be removed surgically (I am an oral pathologist). If cancer is suspected we certainly need a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. If this is cancer by now the tumor would have metastasis in other parts of the body (mainly lungs and lymph nodes) which I doubt very much there are as you don't mention in your post that your cat has any problems with his breathing and of course when palpated you will notice this king of lumpy marbles in your cat's neck, they are normally hard and cannot move when you slide your fingers as they are attached to tissue in the neck.
  When a cat has CRF if you give him a renal diet, keep an eye on phosphate levels, BUN and Creatinine you can have many years with your cat. Hydration is very important for cats with CRF you need to keep checking him for any signs of dehydration. The easiest way is to rub your fingers in his mouth, if this feels moisture then he is fine but if it feels yucky then he certainly needs fluids. Not all cats with CRF need sub-Q (subcutaneous fluids) but even if your cat reach that stage is not difficult and you can certainly do it at home, your vet or vet tech will teach you how and you can even watch several techniques on u tube. It is not difficult and the cats don't mind them at all. My cat Rayita has been on fluids since May this year and she is quite stable. You can also help your cat by giving him Azodyl which is an enteric dialysis that binds the Urea (BUN) to alleviate the pressure in the kidneys, remember cats on CRF their kidneys have lost at least 85% of their capacity and the toxins start building up in their little bodies. Azodyl helps you with that. You can buy through Amazon or Enterily pets on the web and you don't need a prescription for this product. Cats with CRf also need extra potassium so a supplement can help your cat as well. You don't need a prescription for this one either it is called Tumil-K and you can buy them at Amazon or Enterily pets as well. If your cat doesn't eat renal diet you can add phosphate binders to his food like Epatikin that you buy it at Amazon or Enterily pet as well.
  It will be wise for you to join the CRF yahoo group. People down there have lots of experience regarding management of CRF.
  Please take your cat for a check up tongue and CRF and join the group. I belong to that one and Rayita one of the reasons Rayita is alive and doing well is because of them.

QUESTION:
Hello.. grieving the loss of my kitty, need some advice or wisdom.?
He was 4 1/2 yrs. old persian. sweetest cat you would ever meet. Last January he had a UTI, his first problem. I finished the treatment and he was fine.Since the UTI i changed his food because I felt it was the food that gave him the problem. Four months later I noticed he started drinking more water or wanting to. He would sometimes sit by his water bowl and just hang his head over it. Other than that he was normal.I took him in to the vet and they did all kinds of bloodwork and an ultrasound. They found a kidney stone which they didn't have much of an answer for and that he had unusually high calcium which they said would make him thirsty and want to drink more. also they said that the only thing high calcium levels point to is a POSSIBLE beginning stages of lymophoma but at that time he had nothing. they put him on science diet w/d to try keep his calcium levels lowered. fed him this for three months, no change, he also still seemed healthy other than the drinking. need more space
So I stoppe dfeeding him the vet food and starte dfeeding him Purina one, which the first ingrdient is chicken so I thought would be good. Also I have another cat and she has had no problem all through this being fed the same things.So I guess maybe I was in denial that anything seriously was wrong because he seemed so normal other than the drinking. well 8 months later his wellness profile was approaching to get his bloodwork re-done, but before i even had a chance to think about it both cats came down with diarhea, I didn't understand why so I changed the food, they had not gotten itno anything as they are both indoor only.Then Max came down with another UTI. so took him in and I asked why he kept getting this as it wsa his second and they said probably because i change dhis food. So gave him the meds and about a week after he had diarhea again and I thought it ws because of the antibitoics. It passed and he had normal bowel movements. A week later I came home to vomit on the floor.
Then I found that he had diarhea again, next day same thing vomit and runs, I took him in. they kept him ran all his bloodwork and the first thing I'm asking is how is his calcium? They said it was normal but his liver and kidney levels are high. I was confused. Finally we did a xray and then a ultrasound they said thathe had kidney stones in his ureters and that was what was making him sick and that he had another uTI forming and on top of it, his gallbladder and liver where inflamed but they thought that was because he had not eaten. Said they were going to try to flush the stones through as they were small and forcefeed him over the weekend to see if his gallbladder goes down. They said he would be fine. The day comes that I'm expecting to hear i can pick him up as i already received one call saying he was doing great and peeing alot and they think it passed. Instead they calle dand said the ultrasound peek they performed now showed a stomach mass which they couldn't see before
So basically they were saying that his temperature is still dropping and fluid is starting to accumilate in his tummy and his body is shutting down. I didn't know what else to do but put him down, I didn't want him to be in pain any longer. I was in shock. I felt that was the only option I was given & feel like I killed my baby not only for the euthanization but i have been reading about cat nutrition & everything is so confusing. Vet said dry kibble,no meat diet for kidney problems. internet says no dry kibble for kidney or cancer. Did I give my cat cancer? Could I have prevented his death by changing to all meat last year? Is kidney disease caused by cancer? Is cancer caused by feeding your cats dry kibble only? Is kidney disease the same as kidney stones? Are any of these things linked? It seems like the UTI was the beginning. Isn't there other ways to determine cancer other than an ultrasound? any thoughts would be helpful as I'm beside myself with grief and doubt.

• ANSWER:
  losing your friend is heartbreaking. It's unfair. it's not right. it's hard. Animals give us the most wonderful unconditional love anyone could ever ask for. My cat Brad was my best friend. He came into my life when I needed him the most. I was 8, lonely and sad. He knew when to comfort me and I truly believe he could hear my thoughts. When I was 15 he would sneek out with me and my friends and always be 10 steps behind. When I was 17 I left him behind.When I was 19 I came back and He got sick. I spent the next year trying to fix him. They took blood, x-rays and ultrasounds. thousands of dollars latter I went to a different vet and she found lumps. She told me to take him home and let him pass there. He wouldnt leave me. I hurt to see him in so much pain. When I was 21 he turned into a tree. I planted a baby tree on top of his casket which was lined with pictures and a 8 page letter telling him how much he ment to me. I got the opportunity to hold him in my arms as he was put down in my back yard. When the vet injected him I changed my mind and begged for her to take it back. It took me 2 years to get over the pain. I just kept reminding myself that he was so sick and he couldnt even get up to follow me. I made the right desission. I still miss him so much. Its been 8 years since then and I just now have a new cat. He's the same color as Brad but nothing like him. Dont get me wrong I love my new cat. Hes an ass though. He cant read my thoughts. The reason I planted a tree over Brad is so he could continue on living through a living thing. I can visit him any time I want. The first time I had to trim the tree was the hardest because I knew he was there with me felling my pain. I dont know if this helps you any, but I sure did get a good cry .So I guess my advice is talk about him and never forget the time you had together. It will get easier someday but you should grieve when you need to. as often as you need to. good luck.

QUESTION:
How do I say goodbye to my cat?
This may seem like a silly question, that a kid would ask, I know, but I'm 17, and I never really did expect saying goodbye to a cat would be this depressing and difficult.

I've had this cat for three years now, which may not seem like a long time, but it feels like forever. When I first got him home, as a young cat from a girl at school, my family instantly fell for him. He had the strongest character, and most affectionate personality I've seen in a cat. He was my grandad's best companion before my grandad passed away and you can imagine how fond I am of my cat, Munchkin. I even began referring to him as my "son", because that's the way I truly felt about him.
When Munchkin grew a bit older, he started spraying around the house, so we got him spayed. This didnt solve the problem as he kept urinating on soft places; the bed, the couch, clothes.
Whenever we could afford to every now and then we would take him to the vet and treat him with antibiotics, but the problem was recurring and we couldn't always afford treatment.

This year, it's gotten much worse. His urine is very bloody, and he is starting to pee on the floor around the house. His litter box is clean. My dad is going through a rough time and said we couldnt afford it right now, but I was too afraid to delay the vet visit even further. So I sold one of my gold lockets, and went with my mom. The first few visits, the doctor said it was a urinary tract infection, and gave injections and antibiotics. It seemed to get better for a while, but later on there was vomiting and more blood, and drops of urine on the floor still.

One day he poor Munchkin was straining so hard in the litter box, that something on his butt got red and swollen. I started panicking, worrying and called the vet and we rushed to the emergency in the middle of the night. By the time we got there, the swelling was gone, but injections were given and we were charged double for emergency service.

Since the problem has persisted, the vet has suggested doing an x-ray and some tests to find out if this is renal failure, and if it is the case, he might need surgery but it's not guaranteed to cure. My parents are saying we can't afford it, and are telling me it's best to get rid of the cat because cleaning up after him is getting frustrating.

If I had my way, and was old enough to work here in Saudi Arabia, I would so I could help my poor baby, but I can't. And I can't stand watching him suffer either, if I can't help treat him. Everytime he strains in the litter box my heart aches because of the pain he must be going through. I just researched on the internet and if he does have renal failure, his kidneys won't work anymore eventually toxins will build up in his body, and he will go into a coma and die. I can't bear to be there when that happens. I just can't.

I have tried to get him adopted by another family, but no one here wants a sick cat. I live in an apartment, and downstairs, some distance away there is a compound with a pool, court and small garden. I am thinking of leaving him there with the other stray cats, but I'm honestly devastated.
The last time we tried to let him out of the house and be free, he was yowling and meowing, scared by other cats. The vet says he's a male cat, he'll be aggressive and he'll be fine and able to fend for himself.
I've been crying for days, and I feel so depressed since I'm attached to Munchkin. My mom says "We've done all we can really. God gave him this illness, now leave it in God's hands to take care of him." I can see where she's coming from, but that's just her opinion.
I want to know what others think I should do? I'm so confused. Would it be cruel to leave him? I could go down and feed him daily...that is if he doesn't run out into the streets
Please help. How can I ease this pain and guilt I'm feeling?
Right now he's confined in a small room so that he doesnt pee around the house..
Also, there are no animal shelters in saudi arabia :/
and the pet centers, and vets cage cats up for adoption, but not sick ones

• ANSWER:

QUESTION:
back from vet but my cat still pees blood?
i noticed something really wrong when my cat squatted at the litter box for some time with nothing passed out. sister sent him to the vet 2 days ago and the vet said he had a blockage or urinary infection. it apparently affected his kidneys too so after he had his blockage clearing surgery he was sent to the hospital for observation, more blood tests and an ultrasound. he's back now and behaving like usual. however he's starting to pee blood and he has no control over it, something like spotting. is that normal? cos i thought he'd be fine already, he managed to pee like normal in the carrier on the way home. the whole treatment has cost us a bomb, and my mum is not really keen on keeping him (my sis and i begged her to get him treated) if he's still having health problems cos its too expensive and we're having financial difficulty ourselves so if you know anything please help me i cant afford to send him to the vet again.
wow, thanks for all the replies. you guys are fast! i tried calling the vet before i posted here but couldnt get through but finally managed to a just now.

- they did give us some antibiotics and prescription food. they said he's fine and it's normal for him to be bleeding so i'll take their word i guess..

• ANSWER:
  It is normal to have some spotting after they clear a blockage. However, it should not continue for more than 4 days after the procedure. Keep an eye on it and make sure the cat continues to eat/drink and feel well. If you are noticing the same problem you will need to contact the vet and see about antibiotics.

QUESTION:
do you think my vet did all they could? - people in the know please advise?
on weds night my 10 year old cat appeared to have a slight stiffness in his hips/back legs. in the morning, he could not control his back legs, swaying everywhere. Panicked obviously, I called the vet and described it. They said they could not fit him in until 9.40am. He was still normal in terms of his demeanour and personality.

At the vets, they said looking at him, that it seemed like poisoning, that he was displaying neurological problems. BUT I had put bob martin's spot on on him the night before, first time as frontline ran out and vet was shut. She said it's well known for causing problems. And 1 week earlier, he'd had an abcess from a cat fight, quite close to his spine which had healed but which she said couldn't be ruled out.

At 11.30 she called and said he was the same, so she would do some blood tests and keep him on fluids. That she'd given him abath to wash off the bob martin stuff.

At 4pm, she called, said he'd had a fit but it could be from all the meds and stresses but now he could not walk on his front feet either. She said i would need to come down and pick him up and take him to the British Veterinary College in London but it would probably take me 2 hours now as it was rush hour traffic. Panicking, naturally I got myself to him asap, she said the blood tests were not back. He was heavily sedated and this upset me, she gave me a diazepam rectal tube in case he fitted again on the way.

They billed us £234, covered by insurance with the following items:

Consultation, Fluid Therapy, Urine Test, Extended Basic Profil (is this blood test?), Cerenia, Diazepam Rectal Tube (she said he was on diazepam anyway), valium x 2, Duphalyte, Synulox Rtu injection, Admin call to Vet Info Poison Service.

Almost at the college, i rang the vets for any blood test results. They said no nothing yet. I said what if it comes in after you shut, they said, well nothing we can do really. But the college will probably do their own anyway.

Then they called back and said high levels of quite likely anti freeze in his blood and honestly prognosis not good and that the college was expensive and dont be talked into treatment that i wasnt sure would help him.

At the college, they continued him on fluids. They'd received the blood test results from my vets and confirmed very high levels and his kidneys were not functioning properly.

By morning, his potassium levels had increased but were good but slowly drifting back up. They said that decision time but fluids were not enough and pertineal dialysis was the only shot for him. But that he would only have a 5% chance. Tough decision but emotionally I tried this dialysis. He made it through the operation and then 45 mins later had a heart attack and died. Completely distraught, I have now lost him.

I have to know that everyone acted in his interest and not their own. I have some questions to pose to the vets, I would like to know if a. These sound right things to ask and b. based on all i've said I have a good amount of reason to ask.

1. IF poison was suspected in the beginning (and since he died, the vet did say he was in the early stages of toxicity when i took him in), why did she keep him in on a bunch of maybe this maybe that for 6 hours, when she did not have the equipment to deal with a poison?
2. Did he really need ALL those meds leading up to his admittal to the college?
3. At what time was the call to Vet Info Poison Service made and why am I being billed £25 for this for information she did not know?
4. If poison was suspected, would blood test results, when in poisioning time is of the absolute essence, taking 6 hours be an acceptable amount of time?
5. If she did not have the facilities to help with poisioning, shoudl she have taken the precaution and sent me to the college immediately?

Please please help if you know your stuff here, I'm so devastated at losing my cat. I don;t want to talk to her like I'm looking to blame someone, but IF there is someone to blame, I want to make sure they are in the knowledge of being blamed.

Thank you so much in advance

• ANSWER:
  I have to agree that the vets sound as though they acted in the best interest of the cat and could not of done any more. However I do think you are right to question them about the phone call they have charged you for as this seems to be a very unfair charge as it was not at your request that they phoned the poison service so why should you be charged for it? apart from this I think that your other questions are ones that should be kept for a while and when you have got over the shock of losing your cat re look at them and consider then if you would still like them to be answered. I am so sorry for your loss in such awful circumstances I hope I've helped

QUESTION:
Did I make the right decision? Grieving and feeling guilty about euthanizing my best buddy?
My heart is really hurting right now because of the recent euthanization of my 4yr/8 month old mini schnauzer 2 days ago. such a happy boy and a big snuggler but, from a year old, I always knew he was different and not as normal as other dogs throughout my life. My mom got him for me because my other schnauzer was 12 yr old and mom did not know how much time I would have left with her so, I should say he was her replacement. My husband, family and I ALWAYS said we did not think he would live a long life because of his activity, habits and demeanor as a young pup. At 1 1/2 years old I wanted to stud him out and got bloodwork done (which was normal) he showed no interest in female dogs. He was uninterested, getting fat and not as active. I have two other dogs that kept him going but, I learned that I could not leave any food down even for our cats because he would eat everything. He was not very active even at a young age, my husband and I SPOIL our animals and would lift him up & down the stairs, bed, couch, and the back stairs (he got used to this until the day we let him go). He managed to get into food that we brought home from the vet a 20lb bag left in the kitchen and ate enough until we caught him, he got into halloween candy last year and ate it until we could catch him (we then bought the dog food storage containers). Our vet suggested a diet and he only ate a recommended quantity twice daily. He would lost weight and gain it back. About a year ago he started losing his vision. Our vet said that he could not see anything wrong with his eyes. I can tell you so much more about his problems but Overall, he has had problems with his vision, muscle tone, weakness, appetite for the past 2 1/2 years but, still a loving happy boy that mom and dad loved and treated as a special dog. He was our baby and we did not care if we had to give him extra attention. I brought him to the groomer last month and he came home with an ear infection.. I then brought him to the vet and he had lost weight too fast, I suggested getting bloodwork on him because I was suspicious of Diabetes, turns out he was in renal failure and anemic, the vet said he needed a blood transfusion, IV fluids, ultrasound of kidneys and a bunch of other tests that could pinpoint his diagnosis costing from 00-00 and they could not determine if the outcome of the up-hill battle would work for my little guy. X-rays showed and enlarged heart and a murmur.. Around x-mas he would vomit here and there and showed no appetite turning his nose up to everything, (except roastbeef) that was not our dog and we knew something was going on in his once 34lb body to 22lb body. With his whole medical backround and the dog that I always saw and knew I did not see him going through so much distress, surviving. He to us always had a weakness to begin with and I did not want to put him through all the stress, anxiety, treatments, medications and so forth, just to progress his life without knowing if it was 2 weeks or 2 years. My other dogs do notice him not here and the mini schnauzer my mom bought him for me to replace is 16 and still with me, I feel lousy.. Did i do wrong by ending my lil guys' life so, soon and not giving him a chance, financially we could not afford it but, I could have come up with the money working with friends and family to pay them back. From his past medical history and his problems, I did not want to put him through all that stress without knowing if the outcome would work. CRF is irreversible and my buddy had already lost partial vision, renal failure, anemia, with an enlarged heart, Did I do right by him? Your comments are well appreciated, my story is long and not all included as far as his complete health backround.. I don't think his lil' body could handle much more, I have been crying for days, no appetite and my husband is very sad as well.. I feel soooooooooo guilty but, know he was never a strong pup to begin with.. If I only got bloodwork sooner, I don't know.. We gave him lots of chocolate before our decision and he was such a happy pup, the tranquilizer was not a full dose and it looked like he was convulsing and the vet apologized and said he thought that dose would be enough, the euthanization was quick but, very painful for us. Pleasant comments please..

• ANSWER:
  Sounds like your dog was in a lot of pain. You gave him so much love in his little life, so many wonderful things that many dogs never experience. Even with treatments, how much quality could his life have had after something like that? Instead of suffering through years, going to the vet all the time for injections, probes, and all kinds of scary stuff, he went to sleep surrounded by people who love him. For what it's worth, I think you made the right decision.

  I feel you, hon. I lost a dog in September. This dog was with me through some tough times, and literally saved my life twice. He was seven years old, and a car hit him. I cried for weeks, then went and rescued a new puppy who didn't have a family to love him. That puppy has brought me so much joy, and while no one could ever replace my Einstein, I feel happy because now I've helped a dog who really needed it.
  I hope this helped you. I'm so sorry for your loss.

QUESTION:
Sick cat, not eating. Cat is about 10 years old?
For several weeks, we noticed that our cat (Snicky) weighed a lot less than is normal for her. We did not worry, since she had body mass to spare, and thought that the other cat (Muppy) was binge eating. Well, the weeks have gone by and on Christmas day, we realized that Snicky had lost LOTS of weight....you could feel her spine, all of it. We gave her some colloidal silver (an antibiotic that cleared up a previous infection). But after a few days, no change...we tried various wet and dry cat foods...still no change. Took her to the vet and the vet said she was chronically dehydrated and would need 0 worth of tests to find the reason for the problem, but also noticed one of her kidneys was small. We settled for an inexpensive treatment of fluid under the skin. She has not properly eaten in a while but she is now drinking both water and broth. Is there anything else we could try? Tonight, she took to the watered down canned tuna broth . We were thinking of trying chicken broth next.

• ANSWER:
  I think what you are feeding her is good, tuna/chicken broth, try even beef broth and overcooked rice.
  But I also think you should go to another vet.
  Blood tests (complete panel) usually costs (give or take) 0-150), X-rays .
  0 sounds outrages to me.
  The cat is a senior, so a general geriatric blood panel would suffice.
  I may be the inevitable chronic renal failure in oldeer cats where just suitable diet is needed.
  Gd. luck.

QUESTION:
My cat is sick and the vet is baffled. Has anybody dealt with this before?
Hi, my little guy stony was not eating for 3 days so he was taken to the vet. He was given fluids and the vet thought maybe he ate one of his toys. We were given some hairball treatment to see if he could pass it and if he had not gotten any better in the next 2 days we were supposed to take him back in. Well we ended up taking him back in and stony was monitored over the weekend. He was given an Xray and barium test and that turned up nothing. He tested negative for leukemia and so far there is no indication he has FIV or FVP but its possible he might have it. He did have blood in his urine but that cleared up but his urine is concentrated with some kind of cells that are too high in number. Stony was released with some antibiotics and in a month he has to go back to have his kidneys tested to see if medicine helped it. The vet did say his kidneys are working ok but not well. They know he sick with something they just don't know what. Stony is eating a little more wet food which is a kind of relief. Has anybody dealt with this problem before or can anybody give some ideas or suggestion of what he possibly could have. I appreciate any ideas from other vets or vet techs or anybody who has experience with this kind of problem. I just want my little boy to get better. Thanks

• ANSWER:
  Sorry to hear about your little Stony, Glad to hear he is eating some more wet food, it's vital for him to keep eating and wet food will help keep him better hydrated which is so important for kidneys.

  I did have a recent situation where a cat had stopped eating and it turned out he had swallowed a little plastic cap; it was partially blocking his small intestine (fortunately he passed it in a few days). But I would think with both the barium study and X-ray, if there were a foreign object in his intestines some sign of it would have been detected.

  Do you know why the vet said the kidneys were OK but not working well? (I mean which tests was that based on?)
  White blood cells too high in his urine, i guess? Did they do a culture & sensitivity test? thats where they send the urine sample to a lab and they see what might grow in it to see what kind (if any) infection it is
  I wonder if maybe he has a kidney infection? that is tougher to treat than most urinary tract infections and usually takes longer on AB.

  Hopefully Stony will get better with the AB or his vet will soon find a solution to help him and he'll make a recovery, I hope if it remains confusing the vet will be discussing it with colleagues

  IFStony's illness continues to baffle his vet, I would consider consulting a specialist Veterinary general practitioners have to know a huge amount of information about physiology and diseases and medication, treatments and surgery for different species. Just like human medicine GPs they can't specialize in everything. So sometimes it is worthwhile to also consult a specialist who has put in both extra study and extra practice in a particular area and is accustomed to dealing with more confusing cases so may have encountered something similar that will help figure it out. Here is a link to the ACVIM to search for a board certified specialist. http://www.acvim.org/websites/acvim/index.php?p=3 Under "Specialty" click on "SAIM" (Small Animal Internal Medicine), under species of course "Small Animal" , then put your state or country. (this is mostly for USA since that is where the organization is based but there are international diplomates . And if you're in another country there may be a database of some similar association

  If money is tight as it is for many people in these times, most of these vets listed are probably at animal hospitals that take Care Credit. which is like a credit card type loan to pay for medical / vet bills. They pay the bill and you pay them back, and there is usually no interest for 6 months.

QUESTION:
Do you think I have a right to be upset about this?
Ok, a little back story. I live with my mother, my brother and his preggo wife just moved in temporarily. We have a 3 bedroom which I paid the deposit (900) for and paid the movers (600) and almost everything in the apartment is mine, all of the furniture, pots, pans, dishes, pictures, etc. I contribute about 300 a month in groceries but I haven't worked since I was 32 weeks preggo. I was working in retail. I have been a full-time students for about a year now also. My son is 4 months old, the father is not involved at all and child support still hasn't done anything.

Anyway, I take care of my son all the time except for 2 or 3 evenings a week, about 3 hours each time. I'm off school for two weeks right now so I'm never gone for more then 30 minutes on teh rare occasion I have to go to the store or something. I almost never leave the house. 90% of teh time I ask her to watch him is when he's already asleep and I am not leaving, like when I take a shower (about twice a week) or need to eat (about once a day). I cook, I clean when I can. Both me and my son are sick. I've had a fever and coughing and sinus pain, headaches, etc. I have not gotten more then 3 hours of sleep at a time since my son was born and I have gotten a total of maybe 10 hours of sleep the past 4 nights because of us both being sick. I have also lost a ton of weight! and now I'm underweight and it's starting to affect my milk supply, energy levels, mood. Well, I asked my mother (who only works a couple of days a week) if she could take our cat to the vet today, his kidneys are failing and he has to get fluid treatments every other day. She said no. I aske her why, she said because she doesn't feel good. Thing is, she's fine, she's just being lazy and sitting on the couch with my SIL watching TV. She's not sick. She just doesn't want to. I know my mother well enough to know that she's just being a lazy bitch. Well she walked in the kitchen a few mintues later and I asked her, "whats it going to take? For me to pass out?" She just rolled her eyes at me and wlaked away. Problem is that I'm not joking and I feel like as much as I do for her and contribute to the household it wouldn't kill her to drive the fucking cat to the fuckign vet once!!!!

I know this is long but I'm just at my wits end!

Do you think I have a right to be upset? Everytime I see my dr.. or LC they always tell em I need to ask family for help and get some rest, blah blah blah. Problem is I can't rely on my family at all, even when my health is failing.

I'm so jealous of single moms whose families wil help them.

• ANSWER:
  my goodness, you poor thing! I cannot imagine how bad that must be for you. If you have some friends that can help you that would be good. It sounds like you need to kick your "house guests" out. It seems to be putting more stress on you and ur baby. I would suggest if you dont have a friend that can help you out try and find a sitter for your baby. If you cannot afford it apply for assistance. In your case I think you deserve all the help you can get. So, yes, you totally have the right to be upset. At all of them.

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTER that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment (in a previous thead asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being concerned about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies including that I had had allegedly stated that Tootsie was never taken to a veterinary clinic since she was a kitten (I never said that), my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Shouldn't I just let go or ra

• ANSWER:
  I would find a new vet. You're in a position now where you cannot trust your current Vet to provide the proper care for your animals.

  You might want to consider filing a complaint about your Vet:

  http://www.vetabusenetwork.com/filecomplaint.htm

QUESTION:
What would be the safest choice of vets after my cat's tragic end in doctors' hands?
Two weeks ago my cat Tootsie was euthanized without proper examination and minutes after a veterinarian had just proceeded with fluids and antibiotics treatment because I explained that she had not eaten and drank by herself for 5 days after being poisoned by a toad recuperating very slowly (but bravely nevertheless). That visit to the vets' clinic was Tootsie's first there, so the doctor who saw her had no medical history on her and did not seem to need one to rule that she "most probalby had a kidney failure". My personal vet was not at the clinic and the never seen before another doctor injected the cat with fluids but right immediaterly AFTERr that she decided that my cat did not eat and drink because of a ... periodontal disease and because she did not eat she most probably had a kidney failure. Truth is that she did not even open Tootsie's mouth beside observing burns on her gums and ... also nose. Up to here I have already described her tragic end by euthanasia without no chance given to her to observe if she would have healed following the fluids and antibiotic treatment in a previous thread (asking if I should forgive myself for allowing what happened). My new problem comes now following that first stage of suffering with fear: My own vet being the owner of the veterinary clinic, instead of investigating the wrongs or not done, as I requested him, helped his colleague vet with altering Tootsie's one page chart with misstatements about what would have been the visit's purpose and result deleting my complaint about the toad poisoning, lying that I would have chosen the euthanasia by myself after allegedly "being worried about the cost of an eventual treatment to follow" and among many other lies, my own vet stated that he was present there during my discussion about the euthanasia (the most disappointing lie as coming from my own vet who contrarily avoided to show his presence at the clinic when I went there with Tootsie and could have advised me such or such options). And here is my Question with capital Q:

After I suffered like a dog eaten by doubts and guilty feelings and instead of having medical professional explanation or excuse following my pet's untimely ending by their hands, shouldn't I fear my own vet's future actions on my remaining pets after his helping his colleague to lie in her chart and lying himself too? Shouldn't I just let go or rather I should avoid in the future to bring my other pets to him? He used to be a good doctor but as the clinic is his, his colleague is m

• ANSWER:
  So sorry about what happened to tootsie she was let down by the one person you trusted with her health, so you are that one left feel bad about it and now they are blaming you as if you haven't suffered enough in their hands,

  this reminds me about a similar incident that happened to my cat, the vet gave her countless antibiotics(not my usual one)my cat didn't get better so i kept going back then they said she had kidney failure and injected her with something not sure what when i asked they wouldn't answer me,then when i got her home she collapsed she was alert and walking before going there,

  so i had to have her put to sleep at their suggestion i was so upset i didn't know what i was doing so it was done, and i am left feeling really guilty like i took her to her death whats strange is her name was also Tootsie like yours,

  when i changed vet with my remaining pets the medical records followed so the other vet was cold towards me so i had to change vet again,but i did find a good vet in the end thankfully,

  so i would keep away from there if i was you as you will never trust them again and its important to have someone you trust with your pets life,

  so don't go near the place, as even your own vet let you down which is unforgivable he has turned his back on you when you are suffering your loss,

  my thoughts are with you at this difficult time.