He started acting very old for his age all of a sudden in sleeping more, wanting to be held constantly, drinking more water and missing jumps that he used to make with little effort before.   My husband and I took him to the Vet thinking it was just old age or probably something simple to treat or watch his food.  But, to our shock the Vet came in and said that he had some very bad news and recommended euthanasia right on the spot.   He said the BUN and Creatinine levels were way too high for there to ever be any improvement.  He said that Busker’s eyes were cloudy and his skeletal figure meant that the kidney failure had taken hold very rapidly and the damage done would never improve.   We couldn’t believe what we were hearing but I knew that compared to Gizmo he always has been prone to be more sickly and he definitely was frail as he developed little cat colds and weight loss before but always seemed to bounce back.  When I asked the Vet if I could bring him back home over the weekend to say goodbye since we also have other animals who would miss him, the vet suggested not to wait any longer than 24 hours, tops 48 hours before bringing him back to put him down.  

I did some research online and noticed Astro Oil was mentioned a few times by people across the world and since I was an American living in Ireland I knew that there would have to be other methods available if I looked hard enough.  The Vets in Ireland do not do experimental treatments, surgery, or even IV fluid therapy wasn’t provided as an option.  After reading a review from a lady in Australia with her story, I placed the order for Astro Oil on the 12th November and due to international shipping, customs and living in a very rural area the package arrived just before Thanksgiving time which I thought was quick delivery considering.  I couldn’t wait to get Busker started.   At first he didn’t appreciate the change in diet, the smell of the oil but he didn’t notice the powders mixed into his food so I gave him the increased dose of powder and slowly eased him into syringing the oil every other day.   I really started monitoring him and logging what he did, ate, drank and becoming more aware of the Kidney failure symptoms and how he was drinking more water, staring into the bowl, acting lethargic, nausea, peeing in areas other than the litter box, etc.   But after a month of taking the Astro Oil regime those behaviors became less and less.  We noticed an instant improvement in his energy and hunger levels especially after administering the oil.  He went from only licking gravy off of the top of his soft food and pushing the morsels aside, to eating 2 packets of food a day and then begging for chicken off of my plate.  I started cooking him his own plain chicken breasts and he would eat at least 1 whole chicken breast a day with the Astro powders mixed in with only warm water.   Now the Vet says that I shouldn’t feed him chicken because it’s so high in protein but I was trying to beef the little fella up enough to face another day.  I’m delighted I did and may still keep giving him his favourites while trying to ween him slowly onto a kidney recommended diet of soft food from the vets.

Now after less than 2 months he’s still not perfect but, his energy is back up, his eyes are no longer cloudy, he’s drinking less water, eating more, playing a lot more and interacting with us and the other animals and sleeping less.

I also give his sister, Gizmo who is from the same litter the regular dose of Astro powders (not the oil yet) to prevent kidney problems since the Vet said it tends to be hereditary in litters.  The greatest incentive for Busker to encourage him to eat was to give Gizmo something similar without the supplements in it.  The mere fact of competition or that she is enjoying something so much meant that he had to also try it and eat more of it!  🙂

We were advised this week by the Vet to bring Busker back in for an exam, another steroid shot, anti-nausea shot and to do his advanced blood work again to see where he is at.   (I was apprehensive because I didn’t want to stress him out and also face more bad news but both my husband and I knew that there had to be some improvement as he looked healthier, acted it)   

We just came back from the Veterinary Exam Appointment and are ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED with the improvement and test results.  The Vet, after seeing Busker and comparing the new results, said it was “Very Good News”! and they couldn’t believe he made such a remarkable improvement since seeing him last.  When I told the Vet that I didn’t change his food and instead I was giving Busker Astro Oil they said whatever I was doing to keep it up and asked me

for the link and information for Astro Oil to research it for themselves.  If more pet owners in Ireland knew about it there would probably be a lot more happy faces and improvement in the longevity of animals diagnosed with Kidney Disease issues.

In only 7 weeks of taking the Astro Oil regime (less than 2 months) he’s shown remarkable improvement, didn’t require a steroid shot or anti-nausea medication and actually gained 1.51 kg (3 pounds 5 oz) in weight!

I’ve enclosed copies of the test results from the 2 vet visits so far.  In summary, to compare the results and his weight between the 1st initial visit before treatment (he was administered a steroid shot and anti nausea shot)  and then with the 2nd visit using Astro Oil.

I have been giving him Astro Oil & powders as well as a homeopathic treatment sprayed onto his hard treats in the morning from www.homeoanimal.com  that isn’t supposed to interact with other treatments (liver drainer, kidney drainer and Lymph).  I also sprinkle a Cat Vitamin Supplement mix in his soft food from Life Extension Europe in the hopes that any nutrients that were being depleted from him not eating would be improved.”

He initially weighed only  2 kg  (4.4 pounds)      3.51 kg  (7 pounds 12 oz)

Busker gained 1.51 kg  (3 pounds 5 oz) that is a 75% weight gain within 7 weeks. 

BUN LEVEL

1st Test Result:   54.1      2nd test:   36    

that is a 18.1  point drop  

normal level considered to be btw 3.6-10.7

33.5%  improvement

CREATININE  LEVEL

1st Test Result:   573     2nd test:   456    

that is a 117 point drop

normal level considered to be btw  27-186 normal

20% improvement

-Deanna Slattery