My
cat seems very sick and lethargic
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Many CRF cats become anemic, and this can be life threatening. PCV and HCT are both values that can indicate anemia. Usually the first line of defense is to add more iron to your cat's food; Pet-Tinnic is often prescribed. If the PCV falls below 20, often Epogen or Procrit is prescribed. A small number of cats develop antibodies to the Epogen, but it doesn't happen that often. If antibodies do develop, blood tranfusions are necessary. If your cats PCV is 15, that's very low. Epogen takes a couple of weeks to generate new red blood cells. A tranfusion can sometimes buy your cat time until the Epogen can work. |
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