Cleo's GIF-tube

[MedusasOwl]

I've finally got around to uploading and resizing some pics. It looks really weird, but it doesn't slow her down or bother her at all. She even rolls around on the floor playing, sleeps, and does everything normally. And we can give her liquids without nasty needles. <3 So easy to use compared to what we were doing before, I can barely believe it. Totally worth it.

Behold, Inflatokitty! She always sits like that, and has nothing to do with the Gif-tube, lol.









All this health drama, and still she helps me out with my work. Sure, she falls asleep while scanning, but it's the thought that counts!

[lord jackel]

Cute Cat...maybe I missed it elsewhere but what is the story with the cat and tube? Why does she need it?

[Freakie_frog]

Now I have a question does she get good reception.

I'm glad it doesn't slow her down.

[MedusasOwl]

Here's a link about what the GIF-tube is. http://rutlandvet.com/giftube.html

Cleo's a good 18 years old, and her kidney is starting to go downhill on her. She's also borderline diabetic, but that's a whole nother ball game. She needs a lactate ringer every 3 days, to hydrate her and help her kidneys function. At least, that's how I understand it. She's got so many health things going on that I often forget what does what exactly, I just know the drill.

The important thing is she's not in pain, and pretty ignorant to her health issues so long as we keep up with them. Her quality of life is what it's all about! And the tube definitely helps with that. It's a godsend... we used to have to give her the liquids with a very big needle that obviously hurt. This doesn't hurt a bit! Her fur is starting to grow back in so soon it won't be quite as obviously sticking out of her too, lol.

Sadly, she doesn't get FM channels, just the AM Freakie. But that's okay, she like easy listening better anyway.

[JLC]

There aren't many kitties in the world that have moms as dedicated as you and Karen!

[slartibartfast]

The fluid that enters the kidney is basically blood serum with all the big cells and molecules filtered out. By the time it exits the kidney, all the useful stuff has been reclaimed and put back into the bloodstream....including a ton of water. So the urine that is produced is pretty concentrated.

In feline kidney failure, the water reclamation system breaks down so the cats lose vast quantities of water through the urine....and the urine is very dilute as a result.

Eventually the cats reach a point where they physically cannot drink enough water to balance the amount they are losing through their urine. At this point, they would become dehydrated and die. Instead, we can counter that by regularly administering sterile fluids as a large-volume injection under the skin of the back...the system will absorb them. This is normally done with a big needle, but for kitties who are on long-term management, that gets pretty painful for them so the tube is implanted allowing us to give fluids painlessly.

It's wicked cool technology. We have a couple sitting around in a drawer at work, but so far haven't gotten a client comfortable enough with the idea to actually go for it.

Sheree, thanks so much for sharing pics of your girl. I'm so glad you are doing this for her! Here is a link with a really terrific breakdown of the current ideas in managing CRF: http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB...00/PR00437.htm
If you don't yet have her on enalapril or benazepril, that would be something really important to start. High blood pressure is a huge factor in ongoing kidney damage.

[Ginevive]

Awe; I had her age pegged when I saw he white hairs in her fur along her back
It is so cool that she can live life not having to be injeced painfully. I am not a fan of keeping ill/old animals alive when there is alot of pain that deminishes their quality of life.. but if that is the way it can be done, that's awesome.. she does no look like she even knows it's there

[MedusasOwl]

Thanks for the explaination, Jess! Some cats need the fluids every day, we're quite lucky I think she only needs it every 3 days right now. That site boggles me though, there's a reason I never went into the medical profession, lol! Well, and I'm also squeamish about certain things, lol. I'll definitely ask about the enalapril or benazepril. She has a recheck on Tuesday. I highly recommend it for your clients, its amazing! Cleo's internal sprinkler system, hehe.

Ginevive, when she does hit the stage where her quality of life is bad don't worry, we'll do what has to be done. I won't keep her alive when she's in pain, I love her too much to put her through that for my own selfishness. Long as she's playing, purring, and happy though I'll do everything I can.

I've had her since I was 8 or 9 years old, and it's hard to see her getting older. It does show, doesn't it? She's all scruffy and tiny now and so fussy about how we do things, lol. Like having a tiny great grandma around. I cried my eyes out when I found out her kidney is going downhill, which isn't at all unusual in a cat her age and is often what takes a cat out. This awesome new technology can possibly add on another happy healthy 4 years for our girl, it's very cool. So worth it. I highly recommend it for anybody with a chronically ill or elderly kitty. It makes things tons more managable for everyone involved. No more painful needles! Everybody's happy!

[Blu Mongoose]

Battery operated kitty! We had one that required daily fluids, Had to let him go. After a couple of months he was miserable and we knew nothing about the tube. Is that something new? I have seen a tube used on people for repeat fluids, but never on an animal.

[MedusasOwl]

It's a very new thing, highly recommended for cats. Every day with the needle... yeah, that would definitely be a quality of life issue... It's amazingly easy and painless with the tube, we just used it again and didn't have to really restrain her or anything. Just pet her while it goes in. A lot of people haven't heard of them, which was part of why I wanted to post. Get it out there!