About Feline Kidney Disease
Feline Kidney Disease is the second leading cause of feline death, a figure second only to feline leukemia virus. This disease that is afflicted mostly to middle aged and older cats are slowly progressing and sometimes asymptomatic. Therefore, pet owners need to monitor their cat's behavior constantly to find the signs of this disease.
What is Feline Kidney Disease?
Feline Kidney Disease is a dysfunction in the kidney caused by a variety of things. Leaving the kidney impaired will cause systemic damage to cats as the kidney cleans the wastes taken from blood and taking out excess waste and water. Without a healthy kidney, cats will experience excess toxins in their body which can lead to death. This disease is very similar to kidney disease found in humans where treatment calls for dialysis. Likewise, there is no cure for Feline Kidney Disease but early diagnosis can help slow its progression.
Causes of Feline Kidney Disease
Veterinarians might not detect one specific cause when your cat has Feline Kidney Disease. This disease carries many risk factors and can include different vectors. One cause for Feline Kidney Disease is congenital disorders. In this case, your pet cat is born with dysfunctional kidneys or only one kidney developed in its system. Kidney infection occurs when there is a blockage in the cat’s urethra which forces the urine to go back up the kidney for the bacteria to act up. Feline Kidney Disease can also be caused by lack of blood supply from diabetes, renal blockage, tumors, and arterial collapse.
Feline Kidney Disease can happen to cats exposed to different artificial toxins such as antifreeze. Therefore, make sure to keep your cat away from these harmful toxins as well as other chemicals that are not deemed safe from humans. Other infection such as feline leukemia virus or FelV can cause the onset of this disease.
Symptoms of Feline Kidney Disease
The noticeable symptoms of Feline Kidney Disease are decreased appetite and weight loss, increased thirst or urination, lethargy, vomiting, bad breath, diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint pain. Most pet owners take their cats to the veterinarian after finding sudden weight loss in cats. However, any deviance from your cat’s normal behavior should be reason enough to take your cat to the hospital.
Treatment of Feline Kidney Disease
Treating
Feline Kidney Disease varies from one case to another. A capable veterinarian should know the best approach possible that will bring your cat the least stress and the most efficient solution. Factors that influence a veterinarian’s treatment approach include the type of the kidney disease and the extent of kidney damage.
One treatment option is fluid therapy. This aims to balance out the electrolyte and fluid balance of the damaged cat. Veterinarians will also seek strict dietary measures for your pet which include food low in phosphorous and protein. The aim of this diet is to lessen the waste needed to be filtered by the kidney. Finally, kidney transplant is an available option in many veterinarians in the US. This is usually the most urgent solution for kidney failure.