Danasue,
I am sorry that Abigail is struggling so much. Did your vet do a complete blood chemistry profile or just check her BUN and Creatinine? Has she had a recent urinalysis? There are so many things that can get out of whack when a dog has kidney failure, but often the imbalances can be corrected and will improve the quality of her life.
Things to consider: How high is her phosphorous? Phosphorous often elevates in the later stages of CRF, and a phosphorous binder can make a big difference. Pancreatitis is more common in dogs with CRF. Is her blood pressure elevated? Many dogs with CRF take ace inhibitors. Is she taking Pepcid or something similar to control over production of stomach acid? Even a simple UTI can really throw a CRF dog off the track. There are also appetite stimulants that your vet can prescribe to jump start her appetite and get her eating again. If she is nauseated, she may need an anti-nausea medication. These are just a few things on a long list that can impact your dog's health and appetite, and a place to start with your vet. Not all vets are created equal. Some are interested and willing to treat a dog with kidney disease and others just seem to wait for the inevitable. I had to switch vets mid-stream because mine didn't understand that I wanted to actually TREAT my dog's kidney failure and improve his quality of life.
How high is your dog's BUN and Creatinine? If it is very elevated, an IV flush in the hospital will work a lot faster to bring the numbers down to a more manageable level. Daily sub q fluids will also help, but they don't work as fast as IV fluids. My experience was that my pup's appetite did not pick up until he was on fluids several days, was well hydrated, and his numbers started coming down and his phosphorous was under control. It was a battle to get nutrition into him for the first several days and he did not eat much of anything willingly. Try feeding one of the baby meats in a jar. If she won't eat it on her own, you can try scooping a little on the tip of your finger and placing it in the roof of her mouth. She'll end up swallowing most of it, but it can be quite messy. You can also pick up a feeding syringe at PetSmart or almost any pet store. They have a soft rubber tip and are easy to use. Gently place a little of the food between her jaw flap and clenched teeth. She will eventually swallow most of it but again it can get messy. It is not a long term solution, but a short term solution that can keep her going until her numbers improve and her appetite improves.
I know this is a scary and frustrating time for you. There is nothing worse than watching your pup turn away from food, lose weight and waste away. My little guy was also diagnosed at 13.5 years old. We were lucky, he responded well to treatment and we had three more years good years with him.
Diana |