On a general note with medications and the cautions of renal insufficiency.
Please remember that before we see azotemia (the elevation of BUN and creatinine) on the blood work, we need approximately 65% loss of kidney function (sources and data slightly differ on exact percentage. This is a mid range value). If we have renal insufficiency, often there is little to no azotemia but lack of concentration ability with regard to urine.
So lets hypothesize for a second. Cat X had 32% kidney tubular function loss. Cat X gets sick. We add a medication that is contraindicated in kidney insufficiency. The medication further degrades the kidneys but the patient clinically does well because now the kidney function is only down to 38%. Then the kidney disease progresses on its own and we are at 40% a few months later. Then we get sick again. So lets do another course. Pet improves. Function is now at 46% kidney function loss. We are still at a threshold that we may not be seeing any clinical signs nor blood changes. Problem here is that cat X feels better but the kidneys are being degraded by the existing disease and now additional stresses are making it worse. The quantity of life is being needlessly spent and cat X is prematurely being moved to a status where quality of life will gone down. (Again, this is all
theoretical but I thought it may help make the point).
Just because a geriatric cat does well on baytril before (and note, without any laboratory statistics to help evaluate) is not a reason to give it in light of potential alternatives. Also just because a client of mine says her last poodle ate Alpo and spam and lived 19 years means that she should continue on this diet with her new poodle. Right?
I was going to let the matter drop but since some other members have also had this experience, I thought I should add a few more thoughts.
