Run Free Totoro

Toro and I in 2010

1 Mar 2005 to 16 Sept 2012

Our final farewell can be read here. It is too much for me to write what had happened. But his last day can be red here. He will be missed everyday. He was warm, loving and goofy and he fought for every inch of his life in the oxygen tent.

I think if a cat has oxalate crystals lining both his kidneys, the prognosis is not good but I am grateful tht he was with us for about 4 years after we found out about his calculi. It was these puzzling calculi that led to his kidney failure and we could not find out why he had them eventhough Toro had undergone many tests.

Totoro Sunday on Monday

 We tried to keep things normal at home...asmuch as we can.

 Tanaka: I am keeping the bed warm for bruffer Toro san. Its quite comfotable I must say...

Toro at hospital yesterday Sunday 9th Sept...

Toro spent much of Saturday and Sunday sleeping. The good thing was he had peed several times on Saturday night and Sunday. So toxins are out of his body while his kidney kicks in. I am also encouraged as the vet tech (who lnows Toro very well) said that Dr Ly kept a close eye on him on Saturday night and Sunday as well. Dr Ly would not be in until Wednesday but he keeps tabs on Totoro where he is.  I hope that he would be up on his feet today to eat on his own as yesterday, they had to tube feed him food and water as he was not interested in food or water at all. He just wantd to sleep. I would see him later this evening and would speak to Dr Lee as to his care.

The operation went well and he has to be in hospital where they need to flush his kidney until Tuesday. It was quite fortunate for us that Dr Ly was able to do the operation immediately on Saturday. After his ulta sound with Dr Sabine, we had a consulattion with Dr Ly and Dr Ly recommended an operation as he only had one kidney that is working and not very well at that as he has calculi in it. Dr Ly told me tht if we did not opearte to get rid of the big stones, he would only have a few months! I did not have to think long (!!) and told him that we should do the op immediately.

The next day, we came at 10.00 am and Fern also came in to see him and to give him Reiki. He was calm and quiet the whole time. Dr Ly said he was also under great stress as Toro had only 1 working kidney. He ordered a hole lot of tests - PCV, blood clot and ordered various clamps and a hardcopy of the ultra sound. We had done a blood test last month so that was quite helpful as well.

He had the op done at about 3 plus and I was told that Toro was recovering 'nicely' at 5.20pm. I saw him for a few minutes after that. He was awake but quite weak and then I had to leave as he was in the ICU and Dr Ly had another op to do.

The other kitties were a little subdued on Saturday and they were better yesterday. Tanaka has decided to take charge of Toro's scratch bed and he hangs around that quite often:) 

I hope to have more news and to write about him eating later today :)

Kidney Surgery for Totoro

 Toro outside the vet hospital at 10.00 this morning

Toro resting at home fatre his breakfast at 11.30 am

Toro will be undergoing kidney surgery tomorrow at 10.00 am with Dr Ly. His left kidney is now not working at all and his right kidney has 2 stones measuring 7.6 mm and 6.5mm, both too big and dangerous. These stones are also blocking his kidney and Dr Ly said that it would be a matter of a few months and his kidney will also fail. So since he is a young at only 7 years old, Dy Ly said it would be in his best interests.

So he will go in for surgery tomorrow at 10.00 am. We have all our fingers and paws crossed.

Final Decisions

I have not vaccinated him with the FIV vaccine as I think his kidney issues are still uncertain. He has put on a lot of weight and even shaven, he is rather chubby ;0 . He now knows the routines - morning breakfast will be followed by meds of 1/4 alutab as the phosphate binder , 1 azodyl tab for his kidneys and 1/2 fortekor for his high blood pressure. Then he gets his face wiped and a once-over with wet tissue. He doesn't like this last thing at all and would try to jump out of my grip. The evening pills will be taken 30 minutes before dinner as his alutab must be taken within one hour before or after food.

The evening meds consist of 1/4 alutab, 1 Nature's Sunshine Kidney activator, I capsule Immunity and Liver Support (from petsalive), 4 drops of Kidney Support and 3 drops of Runipoo Relief (for his digestive system). I also give him pro-kaolin for his stomach lining. He also gets Omega 369. I notice that his appetite was much better after he took the Kidney Support.

On a special note, I have also given him 0.5 sang hwang liquid extract (gold). This is because Megat refuses to take this and I had already paid for it. So I couldn't waste all that money and sang hwang is also good for immunity. So now Toro eats this every evening with some papaya and pumpkin. Megat now has the silver bottle which is not as strong in taste. I do not know how this will affect his kidneys but i think it will only do him good.

I have stopped his shilintong pills as he vomits the day after he takes them. Although Dr Paulik says his kidney stones have become smaller, I still worry about the stones that line both his kidneys.

Review and FIV test

We went for his 3-month review although Dr P said I could wait for 6 months when she does his next ultra sound and she would do his blood work too. I feel that with his condition, I could not wait so long as his condition may deteriorate quite quickly. The last time he was hospitalised for a whole week and had to be on a drip.

His creatinine has risen to 2.5 from 2.4 and his BUN to 29. These numbers are not surprising as I was told that as a cat with renal failure, his indicators will be like this. The vet Dr L said he is maintaining his levels so she was not unduly worried.

The other test I had done for him is an FIV/FeLV test as we live with an FIV+ kitty, Megat, and the whole gang had a tiff with him. Megat had 2 puncture wounds that got infected. So I have to do the test on the other 3 boys involved. Toro is FIV/FeLV negative. This is good news except now I have to decide if he should get vaccinated against FIV. He is an indoor cat and microchipped. If he ever escapes, I hope to get him back. If he is vaccinated against the virus, he would show positive but it is not possible (yet I read) to determine if he is positive for the virus or positive because of a vaccination. This is my worry as cats may be euthanised just because they have the FIV virus!

Lycimachia Shilintong for kidney stones

The shilintong/lysimachia that I gave Toro did not agree with him very much. I had given it to him as directed for a 5kg kitty - 2 times a day but I noticed that he vomited frequently. Then I decided once a day - same result. After that I decided one every other day. He vomitted less frequently. I have since stopped it as I am giving him a rest.

However I will resume it after next week - once a week possibly. He usually vomits very early in the morning , like 4.30 or so. The site recommends that we take it slowly. So if he vomits it again, then I will have to try a new regimen.

Bad Show san!

I really am not pleased at what san did to me this morning. NOT PLEASED!

san decided that I needed gigantic capsules! I tell you- just because I am quite good at eating capsules, it does not mean that I should? Am I right or am I right?

and I do not care that it is non-GMO or has offur sources of 369!

san told me this morning that she would try to give me somefing else. She said it would be better fur me as I do not have to take it effuryday - only once in 2 days! So I thot okie, why not. THEN I saw it. It was a gigantic capsule. I would chhhhoke san I said.

But san did not listen as she is sometimes def I know. I can meow at her in the morning, close to her face and she would not wake up! So she put the capsule in some honey and she pushed it into my throat! ARGHHHHH!!! Then I got treats. THAT was the only good part offur this morning.

san: It was a rather big capsule at 1200mg. I didn't expect it to be so big but it will give him all he needs and I only have to give it once in 2 days. Toro took it very well as he got the taste of honey before the capsule. But then Toro is very good with capsules and pills! He's a very good kitty. Btw the BURP capsule is 200mg and has to be taken 3 times a day, which makes it 600mg per day. So 1200 mg every two days should work out to be the same.