[Dailydrool] Our official bad news for Kelvin

[Carmen Kraus]

Our vet is making Kelvin's diagnosis of CRF official as of 3:30 pm this 
afternoon, though he refers to it as CRD.

After letting him have his regular diet for the last month, jerky treats 
included, his BUN number went back up to 54 from 34. Further proving 
that his protein intake is actually causing the problem and not the 
erhlickia or anything else. We had been hoping this was a chemical OD 
issue but it's not to be.  So after about 20 minutes going through his 
food list he suggests u/d but decided not to use it due to the rice 
(kelvin throws up anything with rice in it) and we decide to give the 
canned k/d a trial run to see if he'll eat it first and foremost and to 
see if his numbers drop any further.  He also is wanting me to keep 
Kelvin on the light side, as in under 50 pounds (he was back up to 52 
this month, I think the scales last time were off), not sure if I'm 
happy with that advice.  After all this is the same guy who keeps 
telling me that my dane mix is too heavy at 80 pounds when every other 
vet that has seen her has wanted her closer to 90 if I can get her to 
eat enough to gain weight.

What a way to celebrate 6 months with us huh?

I don't like Science Diet and the vet knows it. After looking at the 
analysis info I ran back up to the vet with a can of the LID Potato and 
Duck formula (we've only been letting him have canned for upset tummy 
days). Slightly higher on the protein but he's ok with it for right now, 
wants me to see if I can get a phospho level from the company.

Having not eaten today I give him a meal of the k/d fully expecting him 
to turn up his nose. Once I got the can open however he was jumping 
around and doing his version of the happy dance and was nearly pulling 
his bowl out of my hands. He does NOT do this with any other food at 
all; canned, loaf, leftovers or dry, no matter how long he's been 
without food either. He ate the fastest I've ever seen him eat too, his 
bowl was licked clean in less than a minute where with everything else 
we've tried it's a minimum of 5 minutes.

I think he's eaten this before!

I have him on the Standard Process supplements, we started this 
afternoon once the shipment came in.  To say the least my budget is gone 
and all the free income we have is going to pay for his meds.  It's 
starting to get a little confusing to remember who gets what 
supplement/meds etc at what time.....

On that note, my partner and I decided to close our rescue due to city 
government issues and the fact that we both now have chronically ill 
pets.  We are going to keep our Pet Finder listings up for Sally and 
Schroeder until they are both adopted, after that we are closing down 
the account.  I will be starting up a basset only rescue eventually but 
it will be a private rescue where I take one at a time.  I think I'll 
wait until a few months after we get S&S adopted to give myself a break 
from having 6 dogs to feed ;)  If anyone wants to adopt a senior basset, 
either one would be a great addition, just email me.

If you'd like to see newer pics of Kelvin, go toward the bottom of the page:
http://www.krausdesigns.com/Kelvin
And we have a few extra:
http://www.krausdesigns.com/images/Dogs/DSCF3508a.JPG
http://www.krausdesigns.com/images/Dogs/DSCF3503a.JPG
http://www.krausdesigns.com/images/Dogs/DSCF3760c.JPG

Carmen and herd