People will tell you that Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is both progressive and incurable. And tell you that there's no conventional or alternative treatment that can stop it, since the disease destroys kidney cells, and the dead kidney cells then turn into scar tissue.
While all this may be true, the diagnosis of CRF in your cat is NOT an immediate death sentence. Of course, every cat and every case will be different. And you have to rely on your vet's advice.
But there is a lot you can do to comfort your cat, and perhaps even enjoy many more months and even years of love and time together. Our cat, Michou, is proof of that. She is still functioning fine with all her cat-habits more than 3 ½ years after being diagnosed.
There are 3 things you need to do immediately:
1) Let your vet know you want to be as aggressive as possible in treating your cat. Some vets or clinic staff will assume you think that "it's time" and you just want to let your cat go, in as peaceful and humane a way as possible. But if not, then you need to let them know right away and begin treatments. Your vet may not tell you about all the things you can do, unless you ask.
2) Educate yourself. Read all you can about taking care of cats with kidney disease. There are a number of treatments listed on this blog. And I've included some other helpful links on this site.
2) Get a second opinion. We were fortunate to have a close friend who was a vet. Although he wasn't our regular vet for Michou, he gave us a number of good suggestions for treating her kidney disease that our regular vet and his staff never brought up. This included ways to cope with the nausea that cats with kidney disease experience, and he was the one who suggested hydration treatments.
In the next few posts, I'll describe the key things you can do to help make your cat more comfortable and perhaps help her enjoy life much longer. These are not "heroic" measures that costs thousands of dollars, such as a kidney transplant or feline dialysis. Instead, they are fairly affordable and simple things you can do at home to give your CRF cat a normal life. They include:
Low Protein Diets for Cats with Kidney Disease
Fluid Treatments for Cats with Kidney Disease
Watching the Weight of Cats with Kidney Disease
Appetite Boosters for Cats with Kidney Disease
Nutritional Supplements for Cats with Kidney Disease
Medications for Cats with Kidney Disease
Advanced Treatments for Cats with Kidney Disease
The first steps in treating your cat will probably involve getting more fluids into her to relieve any dehydration and to help flush out toxins that may have built up in the bloodstream.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
What Tests Are Needed For Cats with Kidney Disease?
If you've spotted the symptoms for what you think is kidney failure, bring your cat to your vet right away.
Your vet will likely run a Complete Blood Count to confirm whether or not your cat has kidney failure. He will draw some blood from a vein in your cat's neck using a needle and syringe. Once they have a sample, they will run the following tests:
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) – which measures the level of a waste product excreted by the kidneys. Normal BUN levels are between 14 – 36 mg/dl.
Creatinine – is another waste product excreted through by the kidneys that is thought to indicate overall kidney function. Normal levels: .6 – 2.4 mg/dl.
Calcium – healthy cats have a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1:1 to 2:1. If your cat's kidneys are not functioning properly, blood tests will indicate a rise in the levels of calcium. Normal levels: 8.2 – 10.8 mg/dl.
Phosphorus – cats with kidney failure have higher levels of phosphorus in their blood because their kidneys can no longer excrete it as efficiently. This excess phosphorus can make their condition worse. As you'll see when we get to special diets for cats with kidney failure, a low-phosphorus diet is crucial. Normal reading for phosphorus: 2.4 – 8.2 mg/dl.
These are the main blood tests for kidney disease. When BUN and creatinine are elevated, there's a good chance your cat's kidneys are compromised.
In addition, some vets may check for elevated levels of an enzyme called Amylase, which may be a warning signal of kidney disease. He may check cholesterol levels, which can increase with kidney disease. He may check Potassium levels which can be dangerously low, because of more frequent urination or vomiting in a sick cat. Some cats with kidney problems need potassium supplements to raise their levels. And your vet may check sodium levels, which can rise, since your cat is unable to excrete it. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
You will receive a detailed printout of you cat's blood tests. More importantly, you should have a consultation with the vet about what the numbers mean, and what to do next.
Your vet will likely run a Complete Blood Count to confirm whether or not your cat has kidney failure. He will draw some blood from a vein in your cat's neck using a needle and syringe. Once they have a sample, they will run the following tests:
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) – which measures the level of a waste product excreted by the kidneys. Normal BUN levels are between 14 – 36 mg/dl.
Creatinine – is another waste product excreted through by the kidneys that is thought to indicate overall kidney function. Normal levels: .6 – 2.4 mg/dl.
Calcium – healthy cats have a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1:1 to 2:1. If your cat's kidneys are not functioning properly, blood tests will indicate a rise in the levels of calcium. Normal levels: 8.2 – 10.8 mg/dl.
Phosphorus – cats with kidney failure have higher levels of phosphorus in their blood because their kidneys can no longer excrete it as efficiently. This excess phosphorus can make their condition worse. As you'll see when we get to special diets for cats with kidney failure, a low-phosphorus diet is crucial. Normal reading for phosphorus: 2.4 – 8.2 mg/dl.
These are the main blood tests for kidney disease. When BUN and creatinine are elevated, there's a good chance your cat's kidneys are compromised.
In addition, some vets may check for elevated levels of an enzyme called Amylase, which may be a warning signal of kidney disease. He may check cholesterol levels, which can increase with kidney disease. He may check Potassium levels which can be dangerously low, because of more frequent urination or vomiting in a sick cat. Some cats with kidney problems need potassium supplements to raise their levels. And your vet may check sodium levels, which can rise, since your cat is unable to excrete it. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
You will receive a detailed printout of you cat's blood tests. More importantly, you should have a consultation with the vet about what the numbers mean, and what to do next.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Failure in Cats?
Today it's not unusual for domesticated house cats to live to 12-14 years of age or longer, especially when they are kept indoors in comfortable surroundings. However, the downside of cats living longer is that many develop chronic health problems as they get older, kidney disease being one of them.
The kidneys are usually one of the first organs to show signs of deterioration. So cats suffering from kidney failure is now a fairly common veterinary condition, particularly with older cats.
If your cat is starting to have kidney problem, you may notice an increase in drinking water and more frequent urination. The increase in drinking and peeing is because the cat's kidneys are having a harder time concentrating the urine and getting rid of toxins from the body. Other symptoms you might notice include:
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Weight loss
Vomiting, both clear and food
Dehydration
Poor grooming
Drooling
Weakness
Ulcers on tongue and gums
A peculiar or ammonia-like smell on the breath
Shortness of breath
Itching/scratching
Also, because kidney failure sometimes triggers high blood pressure, a frightening symptom can be the dilation (widening) of your cat's pupils, even in bright light, which can lead to permanent blindness.
If left untreated, kidney failure will cause toxins to build up in your cat's body and eventually, she will suffer from uremia – which is such a high build-up of toxins that it can lead to coma or death.
However, a diagnosis of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) can only be properly diagnosed with a series of blood tests. So if you notice any of these symptoms, take your cat to the vet immediately.
The kidneys have a large reserve capacity. Symptoms of kidney failure often do not even show up until about 75% of the kidneys are no longer working. This was the case with our cat, Michou.
Kidney failure is also the most common cause of death among older cats.
The kidneys are usually one of the first organs to show signs of deterioration. So cats suffering from kidney failure is now a fairly common veterinary condition, particularly with older cats.
If your cat is starting to have kidney problem, you may notice an increase in drinking water and more frequent urination. The increase in drinking and peeing is because the cat's kidneys are having a harder time concentrating the urine and getting rid of toxins from the body. Other symptoms you might notice include:
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Weight loss
Vomiting, both clear and food
Dehydration
Poor grooming
Drooling
Weakness
Ulcers on tongue and gums
A peculiar or ammonia-like smell on the breath
Shortness of breath
Itching/scratching
Also, because kidney failure sometimes triggers high blood pressure, a frightening symptom can be the dilation (widening) of your cat's pupils, even in bright light, which can lead to permanent blindness.
If left untreated, kidney failure will cause toxins to build up in your cat's body and eventually, she will suffer from uremia – which is such a high build-up of toxins that it can lead to coma or death.
However, a diagnosis of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) can only be properly diagnosed with a series of blood tests. So if you notice any of these symptoms, take your cat to the vet immediately.
The kidneys have a large reserve capacity. Symptoms of kidney failure often do not even show up until about 75% of the kidneys are no longer working. This was the case with our cat, Michou.
Kidney failure is also the most common cause of death among older cats.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Welcome
Our story began just over three years ago. My wife noticed that our 14-year-old Calico, Michou, was going over to her water bowl more frequently and drinking often. My wife also just had a feeling that something was different about Michou's behavior.
We waited a few days and then saw the vet. They took blood tests and within a day we were back for the results: Her blood tests showed a creatinine level of 4.38 mg/dl. Creatinine is a waste product that is excreted through the kidneys. A normal creatinine reading would be between 0.6-2.4 mg/dl.
Michou's "BUN" levels (blood urea nitrogen) was 31. BUN is another waste product excreted through the kidneys. A normal reading would be in the 14 mg/dl range.
These high readings show up when a cat's kidneys are nearly 70% destroyed. Michou had severe kidney failure. The vet estimated that she only had about 25% of the function left in her kidneys.
We asked what we could do. The staff gave us a sad and "understanding" look, as if to say, "There isn't much you can do. Prepare for the inevitable."
Well I'm here to tell you that there is a lot you can do.
It has been 3 ½ years since that day and I'm happy to say that we have enjoyed many wonderful moments with our little Michou. She is now 17 ½ years old. And although she is nearly 100 years old in human years, she still does many of her old familiar activities: wander outside into our fenced-in back yard to nibble on grass and relax in the sun; sleep next to us at night with her head on a pillow; and meow loudly when she wants food or to be gently lifted onto a chair.
We love her and are so grateful to those who have helped us keep her going.
It is my hope that the information in this website can help you enjoy many more years together with your little cat, too. There are many things you can do to help a cat even with a highly compromised kidneys enjoy the life and love you have to give. Here's how...
We waited a few days and then saw the vet. They took blood tests and within a day we were back for the results: Her blood tests showed a creatinine level of 4.38 mg/dl. Creatinine is a waste product that is excreted through the kidneys. A normal creatinine reading would be between 0.6-2.4 mg/dl.
Michou's "BUN" levels (blood urea nitrogen) was 31. BUN is another waste product excreted through the kidneys. A normal reading would be in the 14 mg/dl range.
These high readings show up when a cat's kidneys are nearly 70% destroyed. Michou had severe kidney failure. The vet estimated that she only had about 25% of the function left in her kidneys.
We asked what we could do. The staff gave us a sad and "understanding" look, as if to say, "There isn't much you can do. Prepare for the inevitable."
Well I'm here to tell you that there is a lot you can do.
It has been 3 ½ years since that day and I'm happy to say that we have enjoyed many wonderful moments with our little Michou. She is now 17 ½ years old. And although she is nearly 100 years old in human years, she still does many of her old familiar activities: wander outside into our fenced-in back yard to nibble on grass and relax in the sun; sleep next to us at night with her head on a pillow; and meow loudly when she wants food or to be gently lifted onto a chair.
We love her and are so grateful to those who have helped us keep her going.
It is my hope that the information in this website can help you enjoy many more years together with your little cat, too. There are many things you can do to help a cat even with a highly compromised kidneys enjoy the life and love you have to give. Here's how...
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