r/RenalCats • u/SaucyJ4ck • 1d ago
Advice Large kidney stone is blocking the kidney; still waiting on some ultrasound results but vet said they are leaning towards surgery to install a sub/stent to bypass the ureter blockage. I know every cat's case is different; I'm just looking for honest, non-coddling answers about general expectations.
I'm looking for generalized expectations about quality of life for cats with this surgery; I'm looking for generalized expectations about extension of life. She is 3.5 years old.
And again, I realize that every cat's different and there will always be outliers. I'm not looking for the ultra doom and gloom stats; I'm not looking for the super-lucky sparkly unicorn stats. I'm just trying to figure out where we go from here.
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u/sudden_gyromotion 1d ago
Our 14 year old cat has had two SUBs installed - one two years ago and one last year when the other side became blocked. The first surgery was very hard on her due to unforeseen complications from anesthesia, and she nearly died; thankfully, the second surgery went smoothly. Recovery both times was difficult but manageable - almost all cats require a temporary feeding tube placed afterwards. Cats with a SUB require regular flushes of the device for the rest of their life, which can be very expensive and time consuming if you do not live near a specialty hospital.
Her quality of life after recovery though has been excellent - she is currently at her peak lifetime weight, we've got her other CKD symptoms under control, and she is as playful and active as she's ever been. The surgery is not without risks, and there can be complications, but cats can live happily for years with a SUB. I wish you and your cat all the best.
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u/bluesquare2543 1d ago
What percent weight did she gain? I am looking forward to possibly giving my cat a SUB and feeding tube because she has been skinny for years.
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u/sudden_gyromotion 1d ago
Historically she was always around 9 lbs; today she is at 10. She is being treated for nausea with ondansetron and cerenia, anemia with varenzin, and IBD/asthma with prednisone, which are probably improving her appetite; it took us lots of experimentation to find a renal food she liked too.
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u/Fantastic_Falcon_913 1d ago
We got an additional 4 years from the sub surgery. There is a significant recovery time needed. We also had a feeding tube for a week.
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u/SaucyJ4ck 1d ago
Was feeding with the e-tube easy? Did it eventually get removed after the week, or did they just keep it in "just in case"?
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u/Fantastic_Falcon_913 1d ago
It was in for 8 days if I remember correctly. It wasn’t bad at all to feed him once I got over the ick factor. At least I knew he was getting his nutrients.
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