Help 3yo Ryder Fight Against Kidney Failure

This is the story of Ryder, a domestic short-hair cat that was diagnosed with acute kidney failure at 3 years old.

Originally a farm cat, I adopted Ryder at 6 months old from my neighbor, and she has been the love of my life since. She would follow me around the house, standing by my side no matter where I go. I would take her with me on trips to see my parents, who were instantly enamored with her at first sight. She has the ability to capture the hearts of everyone who lays eyes on her. Ryder loves to cuddle, snuggle, give biscuits, sleep on my pillow, and purr contentedly while resting in my arms.

Ryder has always been a picky eater, with a preference for chicken over seafood, and pâté over chunky food. So when she slowly became uninterested in her current diet, she was offered a variety of different options; ranging from wet to dry, beef to chicken to seafood, and different brands of food. However, a few days ago, Ryder lost her appetite entirely for any kind of food.

She was rapidly losing weight and becoming increasingly more lethargic. Despite spending hours at a time convincing her to try various meals, Ryder lost her appetite for even her most favorite treats. On the other hand, Ryder started drinking more water from whichever source she could find, had started urinating outside her litter box, and developed a foul odor in her mouth. Once it became clear that Ryder's condition was only getting worse, she was rushed to the emergency vet hospital for a check-up.

Once at the vet, we checked her bloodwork, did an abdominal x-ray, ultrasound of her kidneys, and a urinalysis with cultures. Her blood work came back positive for severe kidney disease. Her blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was above 130, so high that their machine couldn't even read the value. Her creatinine (Crea) was 10.6, way higher than the normal range of 0.8 to 2.4. Her symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) was 43, also much higher than the normal range of 0 to 14. Finally, her phosphorus (Phos) was also elevated at 16.1, where the normal range was 3.1 to 7.5.

Her abdominal x-ray and ultrasound came back negative for congenital kidney disease and cancer. Her urinalysis was negative for a urinary tract infection, but it did support the diagnosis of kidney failure with a urine specific gravity of 1.010. While we are still waiting for the results of her urine culture, her labs so far have indicated that Ryder was not filtering out the toxins in her blood through her kidneys, causing a build-up of toxic waste in her body. This was causing Ryder immense nausea and pain as she developed ulcers in her mouth, all leading up to her losing her appetite, significant weight loss, and fatigue.

Now, Ryder is staying overnight at the hospital for critical care, where she is continuing to get intravenous fluids, tube feedings, and medications for nausea, pain, and antibiotics for a possible UTI and her oral ulcers. If her treatment plan does not result in the improvement of her kidney function, Ryder may need to go for dialysis, which would cost anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000. If Ryder can survive this crisis and go home, she will need to continue getting subcutaneous fluids, and may need an esophageal tube or a gastric tube for tube feedings as well.

The cost of her comprehensive exam and lab work was $1,093.46 while her critical care inpatient stay for the first 48 hours cost $6,907.81. If Ryder requires additional days of inpatient care, it would cost $2,421.67 per 24 hours, which includes the intensive care, IV medications and fluids, her daily lab work, and any additional medications/diagnostics/treatments she might need. If Ryder needs an e-tube or the g-tube for feedings, the cost for the tube and the feedings would be $1,733.99 or $3,487.22, respectively. While I have pet insurance that can cover the cost up to $5,000, I need to wait until Ryder is discharged to get a complete itemized invoice that I can submit to my insurance company. Until then, all costs will need to come out of pocket, which is adding up to be a hefty amount.

I love Ryder with every fiber of my being and need your help to continue her treatment so she can return home. I miss Ryder's cuddles and snuggles, her biscuits and purring, and I want her following my every step again. If Ryder's story touches any part of your heart and soul, please donate to her cause so she can get better again.