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The Truth About Cat Kidney Failure

Your cat’s kidneys help maintain water levels, remove waste products, and other important tasks. This condition occurs in either acute or chronic form. Cats with the acute form develop it suddenly, while the chronic form is a condition that progresses slowly. Here is everything you need to know regarding kidney failure in felines.

Causes

There are numerous reasons why cats develop kidney failure. Physical damage or bacterial infection of the kidneys can cause the condition. Cats who consume antifreeze or other poisons may develop kidney failure too. Some underlying diseases such as feline infectious peritonitis also increase the risk.

Signs

The kidneys have a large reserve capacity, so your feline won’t show symptoms until the condition has advanced. Once it does, symptoms of kidney failure in cats include decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting, and a poor coat. Cats are also known to show other signs such as increased urination and thirst, lethargy, and pale mucuous membranes.

Diagnosis

Feline kidney failure can be diagnosed in a variety of ways. It’s common for the kidneys to become enlarged or shrunken. Palpating the abdomen will allow the vet to check for this change. Excessive levels of waste products in the bloodstream can also be conducted via tests.

Because the kidneys won’t be functioning as normal to get rid of wastes, urea levels will be elevated. Other tests to diagnose kidney failure include x-rays, ultrasounds, and urinalysis.

Treatment

Your cat may need fluid therapy in order to prevent dehydration. This also helps to remove accumulated toxins in the bloodstream. Cats receiving intraveous fluids will need to be hospitalized.

If your cat is experiencing vomiting and lack of appetite, he may be given medications to control it. Other medications can be used to combat anemia. At home, you need to ensure that your cat has plenty of fresh water to drink. You should also limit his stress while he recovers.

Felines can be affected by many different cat health problems. Learning this information will help you recognize signs of disease quickly. Make sure you stop by common-cat-diseases.com right now to learn about many of these conditions.

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