How To Treat A Cat With Kidney Failure
Introduction
Just like humans, cats often suffer from kidney failure. Feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disease that can lead to death if left untreated. However, with proper care you can help extend your cat’s life by managing the symptoms of this terrible disease.
Types of Kidney Failure
There are two main types of kidney failure: chronic kidney disease and acute kidney disease.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a slow but steady decline in kidney function that can go on for years or even decades. Over time, the kidneys lose their ability to filter waste products from the blood effectively, which means that toxins build up in your cat’s body. This can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, fluid retention and heart damage.
Acute Kidney Disease (AKD) is an acute condition that occurs when a sudden drop in blood flow to your cat’s kidneys damages them beyond repair. It can be triggered by things like severe dehydration or an infection – if left untreated it rapidly leads on towards Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). AKD has a high mortality rate; however many cats recover from AKD if treated quickly enough with intravenous fluids and antibiotics
What Are The Signs of Kidney Failure
The signs of kidney failure may include:
- Urinating more frequently (frequent urination)
- Urinating in unusual places, such as in your house instead of outside or on the floor instead of in a litter box
- Urinating large amounts, which can indicate that your cat’s kidneys are not working properly. This may lead to dehydration and low blood pressure. If this happens, you should contact your vet right away!
- Urinating dark yellow or brown fluid (due to high levels of urea), which indicates serious kidney issues and needs immediate treatment by a veterinarian.
How To Treat A Cat With Kidney Failure
There are a variety of treatments for kidney failure. Dietary changes and medications can slow the progression of the disease, while subcutaneous fluids can help keep your cat hydrated. You should also make sure your cat gets plenty of exercise to ensure that their muscles stay strong.
In addition to these treatments, you may want to consider making some lifestyle changes at home. For example:
- Make sure your cat has easy access to fresh water at all times (i.e., don’t let it run out overnight).
- Keep litter boxes in two or three places throughout the house so that they’re accessible for cats who need them most frequently. If there’s an area where one litter box just isn’t cutting it anymore (or if there’s a cat who needs special accommodation), consider adding another box in that room!
- If possible, remove stairs from an area where cats often go out so they don’t have far down which could be dangerous if they fall during an attack.”
Diet and Lifestyle Changes
To help your cat get through kidney failure, you may need to make some dietary changes. Some of the symptoms of chronic kidney disease include:
- Decreased appetite and thirst
- Increased urination (a sign of polyuria) or decreased urination (a sign of polydipsia)
- Lethargy, weakness or lethargy
Your vet will likely recommend a diet that includes reduced protein intake and increased water intake. If you have questions about how much water your cat should drink each day, ask your vet for assistance. You may also be instructed to provide a low potassium diet or high phosphorus diet depending on the severity of their condition.
CKD is a progressive disease that can lead to death if left untreated, but you can help extend your cat’s life with dietary changes, medications and subcutaneous fluids.
CKD is a progressive disease that can lead to death if left untreated, but you can help extend your cat’s life with dietary changes, medications and subcutaneous fluids.
CKD is caused by a build-up of toxins in the body that can damage the kidneys. It occurs when there are more toxins than filters in the kidneys, which causes overload and eventually kidney failure. There are many factors involved with this disease including age, gender and genetics.
Conclusion
CKD is a progressive disease that can lead to death if left untreated, but you can help extend your cat’s life with dietary changes, medications and subcutaneous fluids. Your vet will show you how to administer the fluids at home; it’s very similar to administering insulin for diabetes.