Changing a Cat’s Diet?

Well, it has been very interesting.  I have had to put Sneakers on prescription cat food and it has been a challenge.  Fortunately, Ebony can also eat the prescription food and it is probably good for him.  They were a little too heavy and so they needed to cut back on the food as well.

To get prescription food from PetSmart I had to have the vet write out two prescriptions one for Hill’s Feline K/D and the other for Royal Canine Renal LP.  The prescriptions were faxed to the Banfield Pet Hospital at my local Pet Smart.  They gave me two cards and I have a year before I have to renew the prescriptions.

This means that when I buy the food at PetSmart I have to show the prescription cards to the cashier and she notes it on the purchase.  Unfortunately, they rarely go on sale if ever these types of foods.

I went to Pet Smart to get their prescription foods because they are a little cheaper.  They charge $1.74 per can.  So I went from $.45 or so cost per can to quite a bit more.  The vet is more like twice that so this was necessary.   I just bought 24 cans at 1.74 and it was $41.76.  OUCH!

The Hill’s and Royal Canine have crunchies as well and I was surprised that they would be allowed to eat the dry food?  So I am thinking of moving them to more dry food and less moist.

Sneakers didn’t like the Royal Canine much so I only buy their small cans of the chunky chicken for some variety.  He seemed to like the Hills chicken K/D better.   It is awful gooey.  The RC was a little more firm.

The real challenge is getting them to eat it.  The suggestions online have been to slowly introducing the new moist food by mixing it with the old food something like 25% new food 75% old food, then 50% of both and then 25% old food and 75% new food until you get to totally new food.  This is done over a few days.  Another suggestion was to put the food out for 30-60 minutes and then remove it and schedule feeding times during the day.  Someone suggested Tuna fish water over the food but Ebony is very sensitive to fish so something else like a gravy would be better and I am not yet inspired.

Because Ebony does not really have to eat the prescription food, I have still purchased a little old food and try to give it to him.  Online they suggest isolating the cats and this is just not something I wish to do.

So Sneakers and I are having discussions about the food each day.  MEOW!  For some reason he will eat a bite or two in the kitchen at the pet food station.  However, since I feed Ebony out in the living room (he didn’t like the closed space) Sneakers seems to think his food is different.  So he goes out into the living room and eats Ebony’s food.

We are taking Sneakers to the vet on Saturday June 1, 2013 to see how he is doing.  We had given him the antibiotics that they wanted him to have and then I started him on the prescription food.  He is drinking water but not as badly as before so I do believe the food is helping.

 

 

The subject of Cat Litter!

In January, I learned that Litter Locker was no longer going to manufacture one of their models of the Litter Locker.  I bought one about a month or two after adopting Sneakers and Ebony because of the smell and needed to get it under control.  Of course, Ebony had Giardia and that didn’t help.  My house is small so smells travel.

I started with Petmate Litter Locker and learned that it was to be discontinued.  I like going to Entirely Pets and buying the 5 pack they offer but I was worried that would go away.  So I bought a 5 pack right away.

Littler Lock

So the picture above is the style that I had of the Litter Locker but mine is blue and white.  It is a little difficult to find the actual item on their website.  I would put Litter Locker in the search item then make a choice above the picture of the refill cartridge to Litter Locker Ii or II.  You will see as you keep digging that the Petmate LitterLock Plus is going BYE BYE.  You can get a good price on the discontinued model.  I have not had any problem with it breaking, they are sturdy.  It is looking like they are no longer offering the 5 pk.  They are selling the refill cartridges for $5.99 not $7.99.

So I purchased the Litter Locker II Cat Litter Disposal System and some refill cartridges.

The New Litter Locker system

So since I did this purchase of the old refill cartridges I continued to use that version till I got down to one cartridge left.  Once that happened I switched to the new system.

Each had their difficulties.  The old was tricky to get the plastic bag to spin around the wheel properly but once you got it going it was fine.  The other was emptying it which required taking the whole inside wheel system out and trying to get the bag off.  It was also wasteful because you had to turn the wheel and so you ended up with a very long plastic bag piece.  I liked it because it kept the smell down and contained the dirty litter.

The new system does not have the wheel you just pull out the slider in the front and it dumps the dirty litter into the bag and is less wasteful of the bag.  It is a little hard to determine when you have it filled up however.  I also don’t like the opening piece to get inside and remove the bag, it could be a little stronger.  Once I do get it to open the cutter inside is very quick and I can get the bag out easily just remember to give yourself some room to make a knot to hold the dirty litter in.

The Litter Locker II is a little easier to use and smaller and taller so it takes up less room and I like that.  Most important, it keeps the smell under control.  The cartridges are designed to cover only one cat for one month and Ebony and Sneakers use it up real fast.

Now I am on a quest to find the best price for the Litter Locker II refill cartridges.  I won’t be getting the packs for this.

Meanwhile, I have 3 kitty litter boxes and that seems to work well for my two big male cats.  They can get into them and dig to their heart’s content.

 

Recovering a Cat Gym…AGAIN!! Yup!

The time to recover the cat gym had approached and I wanted to get it done before my medical procedure the following day.  I am still dealing with the thyroid cancer issue.   They use it more like a scratching post then a gym.

The Cat gym needs fixing again!

This will be about the 6th time I have done this cat gym.  After having done it so many times, I can get it apart and upholstered quickly but the putting it back together is not easy.

I gathered my tools:

My drill for the project of repairing the cat gym

More tools to use for this project – repairing cat gym

Always make sure your drill is charged.  I also get my hubby’s drill out and make sure he has it charged.  Sometimes his works better in tight spaces.  I suggest you have a good drill bit that fits the drill.  We didn’t and it was not a good thing for this project.  We struggled.  So that is on my list to make sure I have a good drill bit.  The long screws in the posts through the base are hard to get in and out.

Top part removed by taking out the screws.

The Top Part

In the photo above I take the screws out of the top of the short post that hold the top round part on.  They are on the bottom of the Top part.  I remove the screws holding the Top Park to the taller post from the inside through the opening there.

Now I remove the cradle screws from the posts.

Removing the posts from the cradle.

Posts removed from the base

Sneakers is checking this out!  I only take apart what I need to.  I leave the cradle attached and just go after the posts that need recovering.

Sneakers checks out the progress

The Electric stapler was the best buy for this project.

I really like the electric stapler I bought for about $35.00.  It is so much easier to use then my handheld one that is not electric.  I also use the hammer to make sure the staples go in correctly through the new carpet into the wood.  You need the right size of staples:  9/16th

The proper staples

You have to peel off the old ragged carpet and put on the new pieces which you cut using a utility knife.  Just be careful you don’t cut yourself.  I use the bigger post to make a straight edge cut with the utility knife.  Keep your knees out of the way you might slip.  I use the old pieces of carpet as a template.  Any carpet store will have remnants but I use Flynns in Lynnwood, WA.  They really have great pieces.  They sometimes give them to me free or charge me $10.00. Still a good deal.

Use the flat head screwdriver to removed and peel out the old staples.  Use the pliers to pull them out if they are giving trouble and move the used carpet from the post.  Make sure you get all the pieces of the staples out they can be sharp if broken.

A mangled carpet on a post

This time I asked my hubby to help me put it back together because it is hard to hold the posts steady and level by yourself.  See my other posts on this blog about this topic.  This was just a mini refresher post so go see the others for more detail.

One more thing, do not use your vacuum cleaner to clean up the rug fuzz and pieces it will clog it.  Believe me I know. HA!  You can use the vac or broom for the rug sand.

DO NOT USE YOUR VAC, pick the fuzz up by hand.

So the process takes about 2 hours to gather tools, take the cat gym apart, put it back together and then clean up and put things away.  So turn on the TV or some music and take your time.  It will save some bucks!

 

Sneakers & Kidney Disease

Sneakers and Ebony enjoying the front window

Sneakers is drinking a lot of water, eating not too badly and there is more waste in the kitty litter boxes. He was not vomiting but he was showing signs of lethargy/depression (a change of behavior).  So we took  him to Cascade Pet Hospital (Seattle) on Saturday last and they did a blood test to see what was going on.  The kind vet tried to find a blood test that would not cost too much but get the information he needed.  I usually never get away from the vet for less than $250.00.  Yes, I know, so I try not to go anymore than I need too.

The other doctor called late on the following Monday and Sneakers levels were a little high for his kidneys. Funny because his July 2012 values were fine?  This site, ASPCA, has an interesting article about this disease in cats, but work with your vet on the treatment.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cat-care-kidney-disease.aspx

So we could do a very expensive ultrasound or we could give him antibiotics to make sure he didn’t have an infection and then change his diet to a lower protein food.  It will be prescription food so it will not be cheap, but fortunately Ebony can eat it although he is healthy and fine.  They also have it in canned and crunchy food so that is good.  You need to pay attention to the water dish and keep it fresh.  So while we are giving him the medicine I will have to start getting him moved to the new food, that will need to be done slowly.

Yesterday I took away the crunchy food and fed them only moist canned food.  My goal was to get them hungry. This morning I tried mixing the liquid  medicine in his food.  Sneakers wouldn’t eat it. My mistake was to close the kitchen door and that made him worried.  Once I did that I was in trouble. So he sniffed the food and walked away, and then he went outside for a while and to the kitty litter box and stopped for a drink of water.  I was hoping he would come in and try the food but he ignored it.

I left his food out in his usual place hoping he would eat it, sometimes he takes his time.  Well guess who I caught eating it when I returned from cleaning out the kitty litter…Ebony!  He never eats Sneakers food in the kitchen.  AUGGH!

So the first try to give Sneakers his medicine failed completely. Time to get the hubby to help.

I held Sneakers on the plastic tower, while my hubby tried to get the medicine in his mouth.  One ml was going to be a lot, so we were going to have to give him it in two squirts so that he wouldn’t spit it out.  Wear several layers of clothing because he started resisting and struggling and if you know cats like I do they will scratch you if you are not protected. Sneakers is a sweety and has never lashed out at me, but when you restrain them like this it is a whole new ball game.

We now have 13 more times to do this.  Sigh!

Hopefully we have caught this before it gets out of hand.  I have had a dog die of kidney failure and it was not fun.

 

Putting Cats on a Diet?

Sunning themselves

Ebony was 17 pounds and Sneakers was 15 pounds when they visited the vet last year in 2011, otherwise they received healthy exams.

The vet made a face and suggested I cut back, she was targeting Ebony.

I got sidetracked and was faced with a bit of a thyroid cancer scare and then I got a bad, bad cold.  So here I am recovering at the end of January 2013 and wondering if I should try to cut them back on their food?

My understanding has been that cats don’t do well on diets?  However, I found this great article about putting cats on a diet and think it might be an easier way to go.  I like the idea of going slowly.  Since cats are creatures of habit and don’t like their routines messed up that might work.  I also like the idea of not switching their food to another brand and also cut them back on their food.  One thing at a time.  I found this to be rather interesting:

“Two to 3 extra pounds (.9 to 1.36 kilograms) for a cat is equivalent to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) for a human!”

“To stay healthy, cats should shed pounds gradually, losing no more than 0.5 to 2 percent of his total weight per week. For instance, a 20-pound (9-kilogram) cat should drop no more than about a pound (453 grams) in a month. Losing too quickly can create problems…”

http://animal.discovery.com/pets/how-to-put-your-cat-on-a-diet.htm

My other concern is that Ebony has such a sensitive stomach an can easily get upset which means he heads for the bedroom and hides out.  When he first came to live me us he was having such a time with Giardia and it took a long time to settled him down.  

I found that in the beginning he reacted to fish in the food, so I reduced that ingredient as much as I could but I find that most cats foods including the fancy so-called healthy food emphasize fish as an ingredient.  Grrr…!

Trying to get Ebony to eat greens has been a problem.  He doesn’t like wheat grass like Sneakers does but he finally started to show and interest in eating catnip which I try to give him daily.  It is a green.

The other product I use is the Greenies hairball treats that seem to help.  I put that with their morning meal a couple times a week.  Ebony and Sneakers both like them.  I am not getting as much of the hairball throw up that I used to.

Sneakers has his own problems in that he has very fine hair and it gets mats if we are not diligent in brushing him.  He has become very eager to get brushed by my hubby.  So about twice a week or more Sneakers gets a good brushing.  It seems to be working in controlling the mats and getting his loose hair under control.

Sneakers is more active during the day than Ebony; however, Ebony is better.  Indoor cats are “lazy” as the vet said to me.  I am not very good at playing with them because they didn’t seem to be interested but that might be something I could try again and reevaluate.  I need to get them moving more.

So we need to consider:

1.  Their age – both are 13 years old.

2.  Their level of exercise and movement – needs some improvement.

3.  Their sensitive tummies – allergies

4.  Hairball problems – brushing both not just Sneakers.

5.  Other???

Seems complicated, well I guess it is time to make a plan to regulate

their meals better.

This article is interesting but more about a daily plan for a diet:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/maintaining-the-perfect-cat-diet.html

 

A Review and Summary: Pets and When the Main Person is Sick!

Cuddling on the couch before RAI

The post for September 25, 2012 and the December 6, 2012, I describe by thyroid cancer journey and what I was going to do to protect Ebony and Sneakers from the RAI – Radioactive Iodine Treatment I was to receive on December 17th, 2012.  I was operating on a lot of assumptions and guesses based on what I had been told and read.  I found out that some of it was wrong information.

The whole process of my going off thyroid medicine, participating in the low iodine diet (LID) and then the radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) went much better than I expected.  Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t ever want to do that again, if I can help it.

It is done at least for now and there will probably be a follow-up in a year.

Here is a summary of that process:

1.  Switching from Levothyroxine (Long acting) to Cytomel (short acting) thyroid medicine – November 16th.

2.  Stopping the thyroid meds on November 29th – taking the last pill that evening.

3.  Starting the Low Iodine Diet (LID) on December 10th.

4.  Getting a special blood test on December 11th.

5.  The tracer dosage of RAI on December 14th, a Friday.  The tech went over the RAI protocols and gave me a list of what to do.  Apparently the doctor was filling in for the tech who was gone that day.  It was a relief to get more information about the RAI protocols.

6.  The whole body scan was on Monday, December 17th in the morning.

7.  The BIG Dosage of RAI (Radioactive Iodine) on December 17th as soon as it was ordered and delivered to the hospital.

8.  Following RAI protocols for 4 days from December 17th to December 21st – Monday through Friday.

9.  Stop the LID (Low Iodine Diet) at 12 noon on Wednesday December 18th and return to my regular diet.

10.  Start taking Levothyroxine again on Thursday morning December 20th, 100 mcgs.  It is slow acting and would take about 3 weeks to take hold and return me to “normalcy.”

11.  Stop the RAI protocols at 12 noon on Friday September 21, 2012.  Clean up per the RAI rules.

12.  Whole Body Scan on December 26, 2012 – Have not heard yet regarding this test.

So it is DONE!  The initial tracer dose showed that my throat is where the concentration of any remaining radioactive iodine and and no where else in my body.

What was it like for me to be off the thyroid medicine from November 30th to December 20th?  It is different for everyone.  I experienced the following:

• Foggy brain – my symptoms were slow thinking and slurring words when I talked.
• Sleep disruption and waking at 3 am and not being able to return to sleep.
• Tiredness but not enough to make me sleep 18 hours like I was hoping.  More of a dragging feeling and loss of ambition.  So the simplest thing like getting a hot cup of water to warm my hands seemed like too much work.
• I was clumsy – tripping or dragging my feet, dropping things.
• I was able to drive but my hubby took me to the appointments on the 14th and 17th for safety and because he needed to know what was going on.
• I was cold but not as bad as I expected.  I did get chilled easier and had to use a heating pad to warm myself and a cup of hot water to keep my hands warm.
• Very blurry vision especially toward the end of the no thyroid meds and it has taken a good week and a half to go away.  I was having trouble in the morning.  This really bothered me.
• Forgetfulness:  It was not as bad as I expected, but I was told that this was part of the thyroid illness and it was okay to forget to remember.  HA!  I left my health card at the lab and had to retrieve it.  I almost missed one Cytomel dose and small things.
• I did not expect that my tummy would get upset and I would feel this awful feeling.  It  was not nausea because I tried the anti-nausea medicine that the Nuclear Medicine doctor prescribed for the BIG DOSAGE OF RAI.  It helped some but not totally.  I also have been using Tums after I stopped the LIDiet.  It helped but not as much as I would like.  I found myself not able to burp or my stomach didn’t gurgle.
• Constipation big time and it was suggested I take stool softener and other aids.
• I felt like I was melting because my muscles in my face were drooping and sagging and my arms felt heavy.
• Raspy voice.
• Taste buds are all messed up after the RAI and it appears it can take a while for them to return.  So food is tasting very odd right now.  Salivary glands are okay but my mouth does not feel right yet.

I was told my system was shutting down the longer I was off the thyroid medicine and these bodily functions that we take for granted were slowing down or not able to function.  I believe I had been on thyroid meds a good 11 years prior to the removal of my thyroid completely at the end of September.  So the longer I was off thryoid meds the worse I got.  I returned to taking Levothyroxine on Thursday, December 20th, 2012 but it would take 3 weeks for it to get back to “normal.”  As of today I have been back on thyroid medicine for 1 week and 4 days and things are improving for me.

How did Sneakers and Ebony fair when I went into isolation and had to keep my distance during the 4 days of the RAI?

They did great!

They didn’t understand why they couldn’t come near me, especially Sneakers.  He hated the pet gate and tried to knock it down or move it.  He reached out his paw and would pull at the wire mesh.  He would sit by it and cry wanting to come into the bathroom and bedroom, but I wouldn’t let him during the 4 days of the radioactive protocols December 17th to the 21st – Monday through Friday noon.   My hubby was not so good about the pet gate and Sneakers immediately took advantage running into the bedroom.  He was recovered and put him back into the living room complaining all the way.  Sneakers was determined to get passed that pet gate!

I have a 3 foot yard stick which I used to gently push Sneakers away and he learned fast to avoid it. After the initial gentle push or two, the  minute I picked up the yard stick,  he would move away.  The lawn chair worked great and I sat in the middle of the living room wrapping a blanket around me and using the electric heating pad to warm me.  Sneakers climbed on the Futon a good 4-5 feet from me and curled up and slept while I watched a little TV.  If I thought I was too close I would adjust the chair and move further back.  As long as I stayed beyond the 3 feet for 5 hours per day he was safe for the first two days.

The first two days are the worst when you are the most radioactive after taking the BIG DOSE.  It washes out of your system very fast and the extra radioactive iodine is gone within those first two days.  The next 2 days are for safety reasons.   My hubby went to a local motel and stayed there from Monday through Wednesday.  He was home using the Futon for Wednesday and Thursday night.  Ebony used his cubicles and the chairs by the dining room table next to the baseboard heaters.

My hubby bought me a 1950′s style Geiger Counter with a label CD – Civil Defense and it was very interesting to read me on Monday.  I was at 2 and then on Tuesday I was at 1.5 and then on Wednesday I was like point .2.  So this really showed how fast the RAI moves through your system.  My hubby doesn’t agree with my readings but then he wasn’t around so I measured myself.  I do have my travel papers and will need them for about 8 weeks.  Radioactive equipment that is real sensitive includes the airport and the border crossing.  My Geiger counter is not.  I was not planning to go out of the country or fly so I don’t think I will have a problem but I carry them anyway just in case.  A medical facility might have more sensitive equipment and the police as well.  So far I have not tripped anything.

Civil Defense Geiger Counter circa 1950′s

Ebony didn’t try to challenge the pet gate but he did watch me very carefully.  He invited me to play on the living room floor but I could not till I was done with the RAI protocols.   He was very good and kept his distance.  There was danger that this process would cause them to not trust us but I think some how they knew something was going on and took it well.

On Friday, December 21 at 12 noon I was done with the radioactive procedures and cleaned up the house, washing the bed covers and blankets I used twice, collecting my waste like tissues, washing surfaces,  removing the pet door, and righting the Futon so I could sit on it and cuddle with Sneakers.  I really missed that part.  Sneakers was like glue on me when he was given permission to be near me.  The next day Saturday December 22, Sneakers was back to sleeping on the end of the bed and walking between us in the morning and purrrrrrinnnggg like crazy.  By Saturday afternoon the house was back to normal and I was relieved it was over but I had a long way to go to get me back to feeling like my old self again.  By the time it was Friday, December 21, 2012 I was not feeling too good.

On Saturday and Sunday Ebony and I were back to our little petting and catnip session on the living room floor in the morning.  I was relieved.

I am very pleased that Ebony and Sneakers did so well.  It was not easy to not pet them or cuddle with them but it was for their safety that I kept my distance.  If I did get under the 3 feet rule it was very brief and quick.

My hubby did stop by on Monday.  He was having fun with the Holiday Inn who gave him a king suite so he had a kitchenette and sitting area and he was really liking his stay there during my isolation.  We decided it was best for him to be gone for at least 3 of the 4 days for his safety.

I have not gone into a great deal of detail on certain aspects of this process, such as what  happened at the whole body scan or what other RAI protocols I followed, but I am willing to answer questions of anyone who has them, so feel free to leave a comment.  You will find comments at the top of the post under the labels etc.

I finally did call the Radiation Safety officer phone number provided at Swedish and had a nice chat with him about the radioactive protocols and he told me not to worry about my sister’s septic tank.  So it meant I could go to Christmas dinner.  He said that the mass of the septic tank makes the small amount of RAI very insignificant and that because it it is far underground that gives added protection.  In addition, the half life of the radioactive isotope is 8 days and it keeps decreasing 1/2 every 8 days.  I wish I had called him before to verify and clarify statements made to me.  I did go to Christmas dinner 9 days after my big dose and it was great.

If you would prefer GMAIL to ask your questions cut and paste the following into your email program:

bjmcdonell@gmail.com

 

Update: Pets and When the Main Person is Sick!

In the posted dated September 25, 2012, I mentioned that I had been diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer – papillary carcinoma.

My surgery was successful and I have fully recovered and now I have a scar about 4 inches by 1/8 inches across the lower part of my neck.  They removed my thyroid totally, some lymph nodes and one parathyroid.  You have 4 parathyroids and now I am down to one.  If I get leg cramps it means I have to get more calcium in my diet.

Here is a link to the Thyroid Support organization for more information. They have news, information on various topics and a forum where you can sign up and read what others are concerned about, issues, questions and their experiences and ask your own questions.

http://www.thyca.org/

I was able to take care of the cats the day after the surgery which included feeding them, and doing kitty litter duty.  I was still a little groggy.  My wound was not bothering me all  so I think it was the anesthesia that was causing my slight nausea.  Because of that, I didn’t eat much the first day and into the second but by the 3rd I was ready for food.

A week later the bandages were removed by my surgeon and it was then that it hurt.  They had this plastic clear bandage across the smaller white bandage that covered my neck.  It caused some stinging when she removed the whole bandage.  It took about a day for that to settle down.

My bandages after thyroid surgery

She had me return for a final check about two weeks later.  She liked what she saw and then shook my hand wished me well and then said “I  hope I won’t see you again for more neck surgery.”  She was concerned about the one lymph node that was cancerous, something about “chunky lymph nodes.”  I said thanks and goodbye to her.

Now that the surgery was over and I had healed, it was time to move forward on the thyroid cancer treatment schedule.  I made an appointment with the Nuclear Medicine department at Swedish  Hospital and received my schedule.

I was placed on the “withdrawal from thyroid meds” schedule leading to the RAI (Radioactive Iodine treatment).  I discussed the process with the Nuclear Medicine doctor on a visit there about a week later.    I also visited my Endocrinologist for my Cytomel prescription and a blood test on my thyroid levels.

The last Thursday of November I took my last thyroid meds pill (Cytomel) and am now entering the

NO THYROID MEDS ZONE!

They say that I may experience:

• foggy brain which means a lack of focus, slow thinking, and possibility of other things going a little off like talking, writing and etc.
• tiredness and this means I might sleep 18 hours a day like my cats
• weakness which means I won’t be able to lift things or open a bottle
• slowness of reaction time so I might not be able to drive myself
• being cold which is interesting because I usually am cold but I was told I would be colder.
• forgetfulness

The website “Fitsugar” had this article an explanation of foggy brain:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Foggy-Brain-Quick-Fixes-15106345

What does this mean for the cats, well it means that I might need help in remembering to feed them, do kitty litter duty and make sure I don’t leave Sneakers outside.

To get ready for the NO THYROID MEDS situation, I have purchased a good months worth of cat food and litter.  We should be covered till Christmas when I am back on regular food and thyroid medicine.

In about a week I will start the Low Iodine Diet (LID).  The goal is to starve any remaining thyroid cells.  This diet is really restrictive and you are not supposed to go on it more than two weeks.  It will be a challenge because I have to reduce my iodine intake drastically to 50 mcgs a day – five over or under.  Most people get 200-300 mcgs of iodine a day.  Most people get far too much salt in their diets.  So you can see how restrictive this diet is.

The problem and challenge are that the food manufacturers are not required to say which type of salt they are using so you have to stop eating a lot of foods as well as watch out for  some food additives.

Because of this diet I have been reading food labels and boy is there a lot of salt out there in foods and in unexpected places like Half N Half with 25 mgs, not mcgs.

In general the Low Iodine Diet (LID) means I cannot eat:

• Seafood and fish and sea vegetables (seaweed)
• Dairy products
• Coffee and wine are suspected because of processing
• Condiments like catsup, mustard etc.
• Soybeans
• no salt only non-iodized, no sea salt etc.
• no bread or bakery goods unless they have no salt in them.
• no canned food, lunch meats and foods in cans, bottles are okay
• no chocolate, or molasses
• non-iodized salt, no sea salt

I was given a pamphlet with a table showing what I can eat and what I can’t and some recipes to follow.  If you go to the thyroid cancer support link above you can learn more about this diet.  I have found that what the hospital pamphlet says versus what is online is very different and does not always agree.  So I suggest you follow your Nuclear Medicine doctor’s guidelines or call the nutrition office phone number.  I have decided to just use the pamphlet guidelines and stick to them.

I will be on that for about 8 days.  I get my tracer dose of RAI (Radioactive Iodine) four days into the diet and wait two days and then I have a WBS (Whole Body Scan) and then they give me the BIG DOSE of RAI.

This is where it gets tricky for the cats and my husband.

The RAI BIG DOSE means I am a DANGER to them and to my family.  I will have to follow RAI protocals for about 4 days after the dose and beyond.   There is a lot of confusion online about on how long to stay away from people and pets.  So ask questions and do your research.

The RAI protocols are necessary because if I  contaminate any surface with any of my body fluids and my cats or my hubby gets into contact with it they’re thyroid is at risk.  The RAI is meant to kill thyroid cells.

Body fluids include saliva, vomit, urine, stools, sweat, and blowing the nose etc.  You really don’t realize how many places, surfaces and things you touch in a day, so washing my hands will be a big priority as well as wearing latex/vinyl gloves.  I also have masks to cover my mouth and nose in case I sneeze.

UPDATE 12/31/2012 – I really didn’t use the gloves as much as I thought I would so I now have a lifetime supply of them.  I washed my hands regularly before and after I handled food, plates etc. 

So with the guidelines given me by the Nuclear Medicine doctor and what I have read online, I will make my choices and err on caution.  I also attended the local thyroid cancer support group meeting and learned about other problems with the radioactivity of the iodine and how long you have to follow the protocols.  UPDATE 12/31/2012:  Be very careful with the information you get off the internet and from others.  I learned to late to call the Radioactive Safety Officer of Swedish Hospital on some of these comments made by others.

On the Thyroid Cancer group link above and other websites I have seen how others have tried to deal with the care of their pets during this RAI Treatment.

I have a problem, my house is very small.  It is about 1000 square feet and there is only one small bathroom. I cannot go to a hotel/motel, nor stay with family or friends because I put them in jeopardy.  People who have septic tanks would not be able to pump for six months after I used it.  UPDATE 12/31/2012:  I called the Radiation Safety Officer of Swedish Hospital and was told that I did not need to worry about septic tanks.  They are massive and well underground so that means they are safe.  The amount of radioactive iodine is so small and the 1/2 life is 8 days so anyone with a septic tank is okay and can pump after 8 days from the time of the large dosage which in my case would be Christmas Day.  

So I am staying home and here is my checklist for handling my pets during the RAI protocols:

• Decide how to isolate myself from them.
  • I will stay in the bedroom and isolate myself as much as possible and sleeping alone for the duration.
  • Staying 3 feet from them and limiting exposure to 15 minutes a day.
  • I have added a hook and eye to my bedroom door because Ebony is clever enough to pull the louvered door open.
  • My sister loaned me a pet gate which will cover the hallway door so I can access the bathroom.  This will keep Sneakers out who likes to follow me around.  Keep Ebony from slipping into the bedroom area.  It means I have to remember to open a door, close it behind me, etc.
• Do not touch them, hug or pet them.
• Use latex gloves to feed, clean the litter or get someone else to do it.  Washing your hands regularly before and after you handle their plates works especially during the 4 days you are to follow the radioactive protocols. 
• Do not let them lick you – especially dogs for your sweat is dangerous.
• Do no kiss them your saliva is dangerous.

Some people board their pets.  This would really cause Ebony, Sneakers and me a great deal of stress so I decided not to.  The idea of taking them to my sisters and putting them in her basement, but that would upset her cats and she has been having cat potty issues.  I feel keeping them home along with my isolation and retreating to the bedroom will work.

Most people have others take care of the pets when they are going through this process.  I have limited people nearby so I will have to take care of them myself with help from my husband and have a nice supply of vinyl gloves to use.  Of course, they will be contaminated and become part of my trash that I have to collect.  I have been told it will have to be held for 3 months before going into the garbage collection.  My hubby and I will keep it till the end of January 2013 and then dispose of it.  It will go through 4 half lives till then and be of little significance for the radioactivity. 

In preparation, I have created two cubicles in the living room for Ebony to hide in.  They are on the bottom shelf of two bookcases.  They have towels and rug pieces for comfort.  I then took two hand towels and made a little curtain so Ebony can hide out.  When my hubby uses the Futon to sleep on in the living room that will cause some problems for Ebony.  Ebony usually sleeps on the Futon at night and stays in the bedroom throughout the day.  Hopefully the cubicles will help.  Ebony really likes the one by the cat gym in the living room.

You can see the towel hanging down and a little glint of Ebony’s eye.

Sneakers will sleep any where he likes.  He will be a problem because he likes to be close to me.  He likes the end of the bed and climbing in between us in the morning.  He is like my shadow.  We have evening cuddle time.

Sneakers cuddling

He likes to sit next to me on the plastic rolling storage cart that we have set up next to my desk in the dining room.  He is about 2 feet from me exactly at this moment on my left.  I can reach him with my left hand easily.  That is too close.  It will have to be moved.

The idea of bringing in a lite weight lawn chair to use in the living room will isolate me from the Futon and make it harder for Sneakers to get close to me.  It will also help my husband who will be using the furniture.

This does not solve the problem of the two cats coming near on the floor, but I can move the lite chair around easily, keeping my distance as well, then follow the 15 minutes per day rule.

Try this link from Med Help to learn how it may affect your pets and some ideas on what to do.  Also the Thyroid Cancer link above.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/RAI-and-pet-saftey/show/402210

My sister-in-law is calling me daily to see how I am doing.  So if she thinks that I am not keeping up because of the foggy brain she can alert my husband to the situation.  Of course, my husband will be in an out throughout the day checking on me and the cats and keeping his distance.

Meanwhile if you have or know someone with a thyroid condition say to them: CHECK YOUR NECK for lumps.   It was Ebony who helped me, I was playing with him on the floor in the living room and reached up to scratch my neck and found the lump.

Sneakers & Ebony