Cats kidney disease is a very familiar issue among cat owners. Although older cats are normally affected, young kittens may also be vulnerable to this health problem. This disease is also known as renal disease. Aside from the acute renal failure that occurs for a short period of time, there is also a chronic kidney disease that occurs over a longer period of time.
Chronic kidney disease in cats, also called CRF, affects one in fifteen cats over fifteen years of age. Sadly, CRF cannot be completely cured, however when a cat is diagnosed with such a health problem, it doesn’t mean that is the end of the pet life. There are good treatments to take, such as diets and medications to extend the life of an infected pet as well as reducing any pain that may result from the illness.
We all know that the major function of the kidneys is to filter the toxic substances and purify the blood. Therefore, Filthy substances are prevented from building up in the system. With healthy kidneys, harmful toxins to our body can be eliminated by the kidneys through urination. Cats with kidney disease will not be able to effectively eliminate these wastes in their body system. Unhealthy kidneys will slowly weaken and cannot filter out the toxins properly, which in turn will lead to more health problems.
Regular examination and tests are important. Also prompt diagnosis is always good since early treatments will limit the progress of the infection in the kidneys, and this will benefit the cat more. When such diagnosis is delayed, the kidneys can lost much of it capacity to get rid of the waste. In other words, the earlier you discover the infection, the more successful the treatments will be which will make your kitten live a long and comfortable life.
The Symptoms of cat’s kidney disease
There are various symptoms that will be obvious as the disease progresses, and the disease has impacted its kidney ability to function normally. The following are some symptoms of potential kidney disease you may notice in your cat:
- Fatigue
- Increase in thirst
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Increase in urine volume and frequent urination
- The poor condition of the cat coat
If you are not sure of the cause of such health issue, it is better to discuss with your veterinarian immediately to ascertain the cause. The process will consist of some tests on the cat blood and urine to confirm if there is a problem in the pet’s kidney. Other experiments such as radiographs and ultrasound can also be performed to find out the condition.
Common causes of cat’s kidney disease.
Toxins: Toxins are one of the major causes of cat kidney disease. Cats will eagerly lick antifreeze if they come in contact with it on the ground. This will quickly damage their kidneys if the cat is not treated immediately. Although not just the antifreeze, a lot of household items can damage the kidneys. The pollen of true lilies, petals, leaves, and even the water in the vase can lead to serious kidney problem when cat lick, nibble or chew them. This is one flower your cats should avoid. Also, medications such as aspirin, other non-steroidal or prescribe medications, can all lead to kidney disease.
Cancer: Another cause of cat kidney disease is cancer. Cancer hardly originates in cat's kidneys. In nearly all cases, the disease has spread from other organs. Luckily, kidney cancer is not very common in cats. And sadly, the treatment options for this disease are quite limited. Single tumors, which affect only one kidney, can be removed by surgery with good results, if cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, including the other kidney. The cat just needs a kidney to function properly. If the cancer is more common (as is often the case with lymphosarcoma), surgery will not be the treatment option. Microscopic analysis of the biopsy is required for the correct diagnosis of the cancer and for the right treatment plan.
Hereditary: This kind of kidney disease is well known in the Persian and Abyssinian breeds and is found in the more fanciful breed. The structural changes that are caused are irreversible, but may not lead to sickness until later in life. A lot of laboratories offer DNA tests for polycystic kidney disease; therefore responsible breeders can avoid mating the affected cats. Polycystic kidneys develop into several small fluid-filled cysts that look like grapes, starting early, but the kidney usually compensates until later in life.
Cysts: These are among the common causes of cat kidney disease. These cysts may happen in both kidneys and will widen over time. As they grow, they will start to put pressure on the pet kidney tissue. This will affect the kidney's ability to filter waste products.
Blood Flow: The next cause of cat kidney disease is insufficient blood flow. If blood does not flow correctly through the kidneys, it won't be able to eliminate wastes successfully. This will let toxins to build up in the pet bloodstream. Insufficient blood flow in the kidneys can be as a result of dehydration, drugs, and heart disease.
How to prevent Cat’s kidney disease.
There is no way to completely get rid of the possibility of a cat developing kidney disease, and while this disease is not always avoidable, there are some things you can do to help minimize the possibility of your cat developing kidney disease. In this article, we will discuss the vital tips that can help prevent cat’s kidney disease.
- Do not let your pet get overweight. As with us, obesity in cats can lead to diabetes, a sickness with a strong tendency to cause kidney failure. If your pet is adding much weight, you should consult your family vet to establish the ideal weight of the cat.
- Remove or reduce dry kibble from your pet’s diet. Cats are sensitive animals and need moisture to live a healthy life. Dry kibble food drenches off moisture during the digestion process, this creates an internal environment inside the pet that puts pressure on the kidneys, which requires them to work harder. The long-term consuming of dry foods is the main cause of kidney disease in cats.
- Give your kitten milk thistle. Including milk thistle in your kitty’s diet is an excellent way to develop a preventive measure that helps your cat kidneys stay healthy. Silymarin is an ingredient in milky thistle that works miracles with respect to the protection of the kidneys, in addition to helping the organ filters the toxins in the pet body.
- Include krill oil in your cat food. Research have confirmed that doses of krill oil help slow down the progression of kidney failure. krill oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and astaxanthin, and it can be an integral benefit for your kitten. Most kittens really like the taste, therefore krill oil is not only an excellent dietary supplement to help slow the progression of kidney disease, but it can as well be an exceptional choice for a picky kitty.
- Provide enough fresh drinking water for your cats. It is important to supervise your cat's water consumption. Most cats are very picky, so if you observe that your cat does not drink enough water, you can change the type of container you are using or provide your cat a water fountain. Majority of cats seem to like a fountain where water circulates constantly.
- Include a full-spectrum probiotic to the kitten’s food. This can greatly help to reduce the symptoms related to cat kidney diseases, and also stave off the disease. This can help reduce toxins in the pet’s body. Useful bacteria eat harmful bacteria and non-digestible substances in the body, and also reduce toxins. We suggest Whole Leaf Organics Immunity.
- Maintain a calm and low stress environment (you will also benefit from this!)
- Make periodic veterinary visits, to identify possible problems as soon as possible.
- Make it easy for your cat to do his business. You should place your cat litter box in a place that enables your cat comfortable when using it. Make sure you clean them on a regular routine to prevent the cat from urinating.
Management/ Treatments of cats Kidney Disease
Following the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in cats, a difficult journey to provide treatment and well manage the disease begins. The treatment should include addressing the underlying disease that contributes to current renal damage, strategies designed to reduce the development of the infection and symptomatic support of the kidney complications, such as:
The right diet for cats with kidney problems: It is common to recommend a particular dietary therapy because this has been shown to advance the quality of life and survival of pet with cat’s kidney disease and can reduce the rate of the illness progression. These diets generally have limited levels of high-quality protein, which limits the amount of protein breakdown waste products for the sick kidneys to excrete. Phosphate levels are also restricted because cats with kidney failure have a propensity to retain excessive amounts of this in the body, which may lead to their feeling sick. These diets also increase the amount of B vitamins and potassium that cats with kidney disease are prone to losing in their urine and increase the number of calories that help cats with little appetite to retain standard body weight. These diets usually have lower levels of sodium which may help reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Cats with kidney problem repeatedly have a poor appetite and this can be aggravated by offering a special kidney diet that may not be attractive to the cat. In some condition, appetite stimulants such as antihistamine cyproheptadine can be helpful in reviving the pet appetite.
Antibiotics: recent researches have confirmed that about 30 percents of cats with kidney disease suffer from bacterial cystitis at some stage of the disease. In most cats, this infection can spread to the kidneys and cause additional damage to kidney function. In other cats, the sickness is as the result of a bacterial infection in the kidneys. Cats with kidney failure may be prone to develop a bacterial urinary tract disease because the urine they produced is very low. Sadly, in many cases the bacterial infection does not cause signs of cystitis, like frequent urinating, passing blood and painful urination, which can make the diagnosis of this problem difficult. In some cases, week or months of antibiotics injection may be required to successfully eradicate bacterial urinary tract infection.
As a final option, dialysis may be the next discussion to help cleanse the body of toxins. This can help the pet to continue survive with a lower than the standard kidney functioning level. A kidney transplant is likely, however, the procedure is risky and as well very costly. When it comes to cat kidney disease treatments, ensure you know what your veterinarian is discussing with you about. Being knowledgeable about the treatment options will help you make the right decision. You may also desire to look at the various kinds of natural remedies too.
In conclusion, if your pet shows any of the listed symptoms, including hair loss, weight loss, loss of appetite, and increased urination, you should consult your veterinarian for an appointment as soon as possible. With a special diet and medications, you can slow down the progression of your pet’s disease and ensure a better quality of life.