The month of November in is full force, but it is also time to take a look back at how October was for Cooper! Cooper had a couple a re-checks at the vet, so there is some news to share. Without further ado, I am sharing Cooper in October.

Week 1

Cooper started October with a visit to the vet. This appointment was pre-scheduled from a previous visit. Anyone with a renal cat knows the vet appointments are more often than not. Along with renal issues, we also have to manage his hypertension (common with kidney disease) and pancreatitis. I had already noticed some pancreatitis symptoms prior to his re-check, so I was not surprised that his lab results revealed pancreatic abnormalities. Cooper’s blood pressure had also increased as well. On the positive side, Cooper’s renal values were stable. So, we had good news and not so good news. But, his doctor gave me instructions on how to treat Cooper with medication and supplements. We would re-check Cooper in two weeks to determine further treatment.

Week 2

Even though Cooper was still showing obvious signs of pancreatitis, he was carrying on as usual. He was also enjoying his new VetriScience Probiotic Treats and VetriScience Renal Treats! These really are not treats, but rather supplemental chews to help with Cooper’s health. However, Cooper hears treats, and he is a happy cat! These supplements do not replace Cooper’s medications, but they can help support his health. I discussed these supplements with Cooper’s doctor before ordering, so if you think your pet could benefit from supplements, I highly recommend checking with their doctor.

 

Week 3

Cooper was still enjoying his treats, but he was starting to get tired of his renal prescription food. It is unfortunate that there are limited food options for renal cats. Cooper was first introduced to prescription food when he developed Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, and there were plenty of flavor and texture options. When Cooper developed pancreatitis, there were still great food options. However, when Cooper developed kidney disease, the prescription food selection was disappointing, to say the least. Kidney disease is common in senior cats, and it baffles me that pet food companies have not developed more variety and better tasting prescription renal foods. Renal cats can live for years if the disease can be managed along with the correct prescription diet. I have contacted pet food companies on their renal food development, but it is a slow and frustrating process. Cooper cannot afford to wait for the pet food companies to give him and all of the other renal cats a better diet, so his doctor is working with us to find safe options to help maintain and manage Cooper’s overall health.

Week 4

It was time for Cooper’s two-week check-up. Unfortunately, Cooper’s pancreatitis had not cleared up with the changes we had made. So, Cooper was prescribed another medication to help with the inflammation. We are hoping his pancreatitis clears up in another two weeks, but it may take a little longer. On the bright side, the pancreatitis was not getting worse. We did manage to find another prescription food that would be safe for Cooper to eat, and he is enjoying his new canned food. However, I am still on the hunt for more canned food options because let’s face it, Cooper nor anyone else want to eat the exact same food day in and day out.

We closed out October with Cooper’s second least favorite holiday, Halloween. He get’s nervous when people walk up the sidewalk and knock on the door or ring the doorbell. So, we choose to turn out the lights, so we did not get trick or treaters. We really enjoy seeing the kids dressed up and putting smiles on their faces when we give them candy. However, Cooper is part of our family, and the constant foot traffic makes him very anxious, so we  just stopped participating in Halloween a few years ago. We had a wonderful Halloween with Cooper and watched a scary movie with Cooper by our side. Funny enough, Cooper does not mind that!

So, that wraps up Cooper’s October. A couple of vet visits, some new treats, and on the hunt for some new food!

I hope you all had a great November!