Is Semintra actually helping my kidney-diseased cat?

[Alice]

Hoping for some advice…

New vet prescribed Semintra for my older kitty with the beginnings of kidney disease.

Cat HATES it. I’ve always been able to medicate him with no problem, but this stuff is different. I have to be really careful giving it, and frequently he will vomit it up immediately.

The dogs ate one of his bottles, and I didn’t replace it for 2 weeks. In that time period he seemed to have a better appetite. He is almost skinny and has always been a very picky eater, so this is something I watch.

Before refilling his meds this month, I waited a week and he appeared to have a better appetite again.

And - my last visit at the clinic one of my regular vets seemed to be surprised that the cat was on Semintra.

I’d hate to put him through forced medication every day if it isn’t having a noticeable beneficial effect.

Does anyone have any advice? TIA!

[Rain]

Lord knows I’m not a vet and I’m a relatively new kitty owner. I adopted my elderly cat (Kiwi) when she was 13, and soon thereafter she was diagnosed as a “kidney cat.” I tried a number of prescription foods, both wet and dry. She refused to eat any of it.

Finally I gave up on the prescription stuff and put her on a dietary supplement called Epakitin, https://www.chewy.com/vetoquinol-epakitin-antioxidant/dp/102188

COMPLETE TURNAROUND. As I understand it, it doesn’t have a flavor. It’s a powder I sprinkle on her (wet) food twice a day. Very easy to administer.

The following year I had her blood work done again and her blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were way down. She has stayed that way for 3+ years and is now 17.

Epakitin is pricey, but it turned out to be quite a bit cheaper than whatever prescription meds the vet was getting ready to put her on, which is why I decided to give it a try in the first place. The 60 gram bottle lasts about 2 months.

I don’t know anyone else who has tried this product, but it might be worth asking around, or asking your vet. Kiwi never had any side effects, as far as I could tell, either.

I hope your kitty feels better soon.

[Louise]

Heaven knows I’m not a vet, and an expert either, but I, too, have a kidney cat. I’m going to look into Epakitin.

However, my vet has my cat on the prescription med, benazepril, and I have seen great improvement in her appetite and her attitude. It’s a tiny pill to begin with, and my cat gets 1/4 of a pill daily. The medication isn’t expensive. I think I pay around $10 for 10 pills, which lasts for 40 days. It’s easily wrapped in some kind of pill wrap. Mine gets hers in 1/2 of the GNC Pill Wrap that you can get at PetSmart, because she doesn’t like Pill Pockets as much. That might be something else to talk to your vet about.

Good luck to you and your kitty.

[DrBeckett]

Epakitin does nothing for the BUN and creatinine in kidney cats. It is a phosphate binder. Phosphate tends to increase as kidney disease gets worse and causes weak bones when elevated. Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor just like Enalapril and helps treat hypertension seen with kidney disease and heart disease. Semintra also treats hypertension and proteinuria in kidney cats.

[Alice]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply! I very much appreciate it.

I will speak to the vet about this, and I’m giving the Semintra another month to see if cat will tolerate it better. I’m giving a treat afterwards and hoping he will get less stressed if he is anticipating a treat. He didn’t throw up last night so fingers crossed!

Its heartbreaking to see him run from me as he is an over the top affectionate kitty, but perhaps the treating will help with that.

[Rackonteur]

The Lord knows I am not a vet either.

My 18-year-old female was just diagnosed with thyroid issues and kidney issues. She also has a UTI which we are treating with an antibiotic (actually I am going to wait 'til the pill I just gave her has time to kick in before I give the antibiotic, in case she throws up after the antibiotic).

The vet gave me kidney-health Hill’s dry food and Royal Canin canned food, which we are going to try. He did not say anything about meds for her kidneys.

I am glad to find this thread today!

[Alice]

Good luck to you Rackonteur!

Mine seems to like the Medical kidney diet better than the Royal Canin, if that helps at all. He seems to eat the most if I keep mixing up the food I offer.

I hope you get a bit more quality time with your elder kitty.