My cat's leg is swollen after fluids for kidney failure. Is it fluid?

Poor kitty! I would have him seen by a vet immediately. This could be related to his liver cancer in that it can lead to poor flow of blood and/or lymphatics. It could also be related to his heart and poor circulation, low protein levels, or lymphatic drainage issues. It certainly isn't normal to have this leg so swollen, and it does require immediate veterinary attention. The vet can diagnose what exactly is causing the swelling, and can discuss if there are treatment options. I would have him seen by an ER vet or a vet on call now.

Thanks for finding us here at PetCoach! I just wanted to be sure you were aware that we provide housecalls to pets in the San Diego area. Visit us at https://www.petcoach.co/house-call-veterinarians/ or email us at housecalls@petcoach.co for more information.

This is most likely an infection, a parasite under the skin or a cancer. These conditions all need medical care. I recommend to have your kitty examined by the veterinarian for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. She will need antibiotics, the area cleaned, possibly pain medication, possibly antiparasitics and an elizabethan collar. The vet may also recommend additional treatment. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

225ml is not a problem. A daily maintenance fluid for a cat would be 60 ml/kg. Your kitty weighs 12 lbs, which is about 5.5kg. So her daily maintenance would be 330ml. She actually may feel very good now, which is why she is using her scratching post and obviously is not nauseous but hungry. The extra fluid is likely flushing out toxins. So, no , you do not have to worry. Since you are giving the fluids under the skin, she will only pull in what she needs over time. Good luck with your kitty!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is indeed most likely due to the abscess. I would be suspicious that some of that pus and inflammation has migrated to the leg and is causing pain as well. At this point I think this may be require more investigation into the underlying cause of the abscess. I would be suspicious of foreign material that has migrated and is underneath the skin. If that is the case, surgery and possibly further diagnostics like a CT scan as well as long courses of antibiotics may be needed to treat this appropriately. A culture of this wound should be obtained if that has not been done to make sure that the correct antibiotic is used. I recommend that you have Spock reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

I think IV fluids and supportive care are a reasonable place to start. If your veterinarian is suspicious of acute kidney injury then Mimi could regain kidney function with aggressive supportive care, but some cats will worsen despite treatment. If your veterinarian is suspicious of chronic kidney disease then her kidney function may not improve but often cats can be managed with medication and diet changes with a good quality of life for months to years. The acute vs. chronic designation is usually based on the history and overall exam findings. I think an ultrasound and urinalysis are good next steps - you may also want to ask about culturing the urine (although she may currently be getting antibiotics which could change the results, I can’t quite read a couple of the injectable medications). A blood pressure might also be helpful, and checking phosphorous, calcium and electrolytes in a blood panel could help. The only lab finding that is a little odd is the increase in lymphocytes, although sometimes the machine will not differentiate between cell types well and this may not be significant. Good luck to Mimi!

Please take the bandage off right away, if there is any left on. Then I would gently massage the paw to increase the circulation. Getting him to walk around also will help the swelling to go down. I would continue the massage and movement until the paw gets back to normal size in an hour or two. They should have recommended a kidney diet. That is a very important part of his treatment and will prolong his life by supporting his current kidney function so please feed it. My cat loves Hills kidney canned diet, and dry. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.