From the age of seven or eight, our cat begins to grow old, which requires special care. It is highly recommended to carry out geriatric studies and thus obtain an early diagnosis of certain diseases, such as kidney failure in cats, whether they are young or old.
When kidney disease shows its face (symptoms appear) it is because it is advanced since it is a progressive disease, which is why these routine check-ups are recommended. Continue reading this article on our site to find out 4 symptoms of kidney disease in cats:
The kidneys, what are they for?
The kidneys are the organs responsible for maintaining the proper water level in the body, as well as detoxify the blood, so impaired kidneys can cause various he alth problems. Many symptoms of kidney disease in cats are nonspecific and also shared with other pathologies.
If detected too late, the cat will be dehydrated and have severe kidney failure, requiring immediate hospitalization. Kidney failure is an irreversible disease, the treatment that is carried out is to improve our cat's quality of life and help maintain kidney function.
4 symptoms of kidney disease in cats
Do you think your cat could have kidney failure? Do you want to rule out a he alth problem? Here are some symptoms of feline kidney disease:
- Appearance of polyuria and polydipsia: the cat drinks and urinates more than normal since its kidneys have lost the ability to concentrate the urine. We will observe that he stains the sand more than usual and that, consequently, he drinks more water. We can measure the water you drink daily to tell our vet. This symptom can also occur with other diseases such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism, so our cat should be checked as soon as we become aware of this circumstance.
- Slow and progressive loss of appetite and weight: our cat is eating less and less and losing weight. In addition, they have poor quality fur and may have ulcers in the oral cavity due to uremia.
- Vomiting and weight loss: At first, the vomiting is usually sporadic, but little by little we will notice that our cat loses his appetite and continues to vomit.
- Lethargy and apathy: Our cat has toxic waste products in his blood, so we will find him dull and weak. He may have seizures
Diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease
By means of a physical examination, blood tests, urine tests and imaging diagnosis we will obtain an accurate diagnosis of the degree of kidney failure that our cat suffers or, on the contrary, we can rule out that he suffers from this disease.
Once we receive the diagnosis, the vet will give us a prognosis, although it is important to note that it is a chronic disease, not can be permanently cured. It will also indicate a series of measures to take such as treatment:
- Treatment of associated pathologies: anemia, dehydration, vomiting, anorexia, etc.
- Reduction of protein and phosphorus in the diet: phosphate binder supplements and the prescription of a feed for kidney failure or homemade diets.
- Reduction of blood pressure: through drugs and reduction of s alt in the diet.
- Reduction of urinary protein loss: drugs.
- Potassium supplementation: if the potassium concentration in the blood is low, it should be supplemented with this ion.
- Nutritional supplements that help the kidney: B vitamins, flavonoids, antioxidants, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Stimulate water intake: wet diet, fresh water sources, etc.
