What is Kidney Disease in Cats
Kidney failure can happen to your pet cat without showing any obvious signs. The signs will be completely hidden until the critical stage. By the time the disease reaches the critical stage, the cat’s kidney will lose up to 70% of the function. The job of a kidney is to maintain the blood pressure in a stable level. To maintain the blood pressure, the kidney will release a type of enzyme called renin. The kidney is supposed to filter the waste products so that the blood will stay clean. When the kidney is unable to function properly, the toxins will remain in the blood and cause the cat to become poisoned.
Kidney disease can be caused by many factors. Common causes for acute kidney failure include ingestion of poisonous plants and other types of toxic substance, heatstroke, blockage, infection, cancer, and dehydration. On the other hand, the causes of chronic renal failure are congenital defects, hypertension, and diabetes. To prolong the cat’s lifespan, you can let her undergo some treatments. There is no permanent cure for kidney disease. If you notice the signs of kidney disease, you must quickly bring your cat to the vet.
If your cat has kidney disease, she will tend to drink more often. If you notice your cat drinking a significantly higher amount of water recently, you should bring her to the vet. Your cat may also lose her appetite and feel depressed. Cats with kidney disease will experience pain in the lower area of the back. When the cat sits up, it will feel a sharp pain. In addition, the cat will frequently vomit out the food she ate just now. Another sign of feline kidney disease is diarrhea. As soon as you notice some warning symptoms, you must quickly make a visit to the nearest vet. There are several diseases that show the same symptoms as feline kidney disease. In order to determine the real cause of the kidney disease, the vet has to perform a blood test. The faster you find out about it, the more you can do to increase the lifespan of your cat.
You must let a licensed and experience vet to diagnose the cat. When diagnosing the cat, the vet will determine the complete blood count and biochemical profile. The vet will also carry out the urinalysis to find out the extent of the damage in the kidneys. Other tests that the vet will perform include urine specific gravity, kidney ultrasound, and kidney biopsy. The urine specific gravity test is performed to check the concentration of the urine. Once the vet has diagnosed the cat, he will start the treatment procedure. If your cat is very ill, the vet may suggest that you to let your cat stay in the hospital for a period. When your cat is in stable condition, it can be discharged. The vet will prescribe a strict formulated diet for your cat. Besides, the vet will also prescribe some medications for your cat. It is important that you follow the vet instructions.
