Treatments for Feline Kidney Disease

Feline Kidney Disease is serious, but manageable. Older cats are the most affected by this illness although cats fed only dry food diets for any length of time or have high potassium levels can also become prone to this illness. The main concern for treatment is management since this is an incurable disease.

The three main signs you want to watch for are increased thirst combined with increased urination and vomiting. This is because your cat is trying to pass waste through the body without having to overuse damaged kidneys. If your cat begins to lose weight while this is happening, the chances that they have feline kidney disease of some type is high. Your veterinarian will do various diagnostic procedures such as urinalysis, blood work and an ultrasound to make sure. If your cat is a Persian breed, the chances that this is PKG (a breed specific type of kidney disease) are high.

One of the main treatments for feline kidney disease is liquid treatment. This is where fluids are injected via syringe under your cat's skin. This is a daily treatment which must be given for the life of your cat to maintain management of the illness. Ask your vet if use of Pedialyte is a possibility as this provides electrolytes in liquid form.

The next common treatment for feline kidney disease is dietary changes. Dry foods are kept to a minimum to reduce the amount of liquid absorption. Along with this, high moisture diets are used for hydration.There are high-quality low protein cat foods you can use; but many cats don't like them. If your cat doesn't like the food it is useless to their treatment. Two books which can help with homemade food recipes can be found on Amazon and are listed in the suggested links area with this article.

If needed, medication is available which can help manage feline kidney disease and help alleviate renal failure. Phosphorous binding agents and ulcer medications are prescribed by your veterinarian. These are found under the brand names such as Alternagel and Zantac. Blood pressure medication, such as Norvasc, is prescribed to fight hypertension. Tagament is used to fight ulcer problems if your cat won't eat because of irritation. Vomiting is handled with drugs such as Reglan.

The significance of proper maintenance of your cats treatment plan is significant. Renal failure can occur at any time once feline kidney disease is diagnosed. The significance of treatment is that, while the illness is incurable, your cat can live for years after initial diagnosis.

Sources:

Jean Hofve DVM

Derek Duval DVM

Long Beach Animal Hosptial