In cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of illness in cats. Unlike some other organs such as liver, kidney damage, can not be repaired. Signs of kidney disease are usually seen once, at least 70-75% of renal tissue has been damaged beyond repair and not once, CRF is usually a progressive disease course. The progression of the disease can vary greatly from cat to cat. There is no cure for CRF, and people with this disease,Dialysis followed by renal transplantation are the main options. None of these treatments are currently in the UK, but you can improve the quality of life of affected cats using a variety of medical treatments, according to the needs of the individual employee customized. In recent years, many therapeutic advances have been made, and now there are more options available to owners that their cats with chronic renal failure care. Before these treatments in detail, it isimportant to consider that renal function is normal, and therefore the number of problems that cats may be suffering from chronic renal failure.
In normal cats, the kidneys play many important roles, including:
Disposal of waste, drugs and toxins from the body through the urine
The regulation of body, acidity, levels of electrolytes (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and chloride) and water balance
The production of hormones such as erythropoietin (needed to stimulate production of red blood cellsMarrow cells) and renin (important in controlling water and salt balance)
The activation of vitamin D (important for the control of blood calcium and phosphate levels)
Regulation of blood pressure
Signs of CRF occur when two thirds is lost three quarters of renal function. Cats with chronic renal failure are prone to problems, including:
The accumulation of degradation products of proteins (including urea and creatinine, which can be measured in blood samples), which is connected toClinical signs of disease (eg, nausea, vomiting, anorexia)
Dehydration
Acidosis (increased acidity of the blood)
Electrolyte abnormalities
Anemia (due in part to inadequate production of erythropoietin)
High blood pressure (systemic hypertension)
CRF cats often exhibit nonspecific signs of illness as a variable, or loss of appetite, weight loss, depression and illness. Increased thirst was almost one third of cats with chronic renal failure, and these clinics in Mayalso seen with other conditions are common in middle-aged and older cats, such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus ( "), and diabetes. diagnosis of CRF therefore requires the collection of blood and urine for analysis. Diagnosis more common after the identification is made dilute azotemia (accumulation of protein breakdown products of urea and creatinine in the blood) and the loss of capacity (ie to concentrate the urine, the urine more than it should be). Other tests MaySome cats need to identify the cause of renal disease. For example, an ultrasound of the kidneys is usually a simple method for the determination of polycystic kidney disease (PKD).
The management of cats with chronic renal failure involves a series of treatments to individual needs are cut.
What is the ideal food for cats with kidney problems?
It is customary to prescribe specific treatment through diet, as has been shown that the quality of life and improvingThe survival of cats with chronic renal failure and may reduce the progression of the disease. Failure nutrition are generally low level of high quality protein, which divide the amount of protein degradation waste limits for patients with kidney disease. The levels of phosphate are like cats with chronic renal failure have reduced the tendency to retain the excess amount in the body, contributing to their discomfort. Renal schemes amounts of potassium and vitamins of group B, which increased CRF Catsvulnerable to loss of urine and increase the number of calories to help CRF cats with reduced appetite, maintain a normal body weight. Renal diet tend to have less sodium in them which can help reduce the risk of developing hypertension.
E 'possible in home food for cats with chronic renal failure and veterinary requirements are for this purpose. Most owners do not do the newspapers of this election is very time consuming and therefore not apractical option in most cases.
Cats with chronic renal failure, often have little appetite and this may, with special arrangements for the kidneys, which may not apply to the cat will be exacerbated. In some cases, the use of appetite stimulants, such as anti-histamine cyproheptidine (trade name Periactin), or anabolic steroids may be helpful in promoting a reasonable appetite. Recently, some veterinarians have been treating cats with an appetite persistent poverty, with a gastric tube into the stomach. FoodThe tubes may be inserted into the stomach by endoscopy and it is known that PEG-tube ", when this happened (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube site). Even if an anesthetic and postoperative hospital stays of short duration necessary to pass the tube Once installed, you can use for a long period of time to food, fluids and medications for the management of the cat.
As dehydration can be treated and prevented?
Cats with chronic renal failure tend to dry outbecause they are able to produce concentrated urine. Encouraging cats to drink and maintain normal fluid intake is helpful, if possible, and a moist diet may be preferred. Offering flavored water can be encouraged to drink more cats (fish soup), although it is important to have salty fluids, such as increasing the risk of developing hypertension and other problems. Many cats with chronic renal failure, however, prefer dry kidney diet can be difficult to encourage them to drink. InIn recent years, a treatment that has received much attention is the administration of liquid under the skin of the cat's owner (administration of fluids subcutaneously).
This moment is not a common recommendation in the United Kingdom, although many cat owners think that the U.S. FRC is a simple and useful technique to help their cat. In severe cases, dehydration, treatment with the combination of hydration by intravenous (eg, the cat by a licensed veterinarian, and placed on a drip).Give extra fluids at home is therefore useful to prevent it. Furthermore, additional treatments such as potassium, may be mixed. Treatment of fluid subcutaneously usually gives about 150 ml of liquid under the skin twice a week. The technique is well tolerated by most cats and owners have a report on a 19-cat years with chronic renal failure, which were maintained for 6 years of treatment with a fluid under the skin under the protocol management. If necessary, the systemcan be changed in the management of fluids and more frequent. The owner is trained to deal with this technique by a veterinary surgeon or nurse - it is important that the liquid is properly placed in a sterile manner, so that infections do not occur at the injection site. Some cats do not support this procedure and is not suitable for all cats with chronic renal failure.
The problems of electrolyte can be prevented and treated?
Electrolytes are salts in the body that are necessaryfor normal cellular functions. The most common problems in cats CRF electrolyte containing potassium and phosphate. CRF cats are vulnerable to loss of potassium in the urine, which can reduce levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia). Hypokalemic cats can be very weak and lose their appetite. Although human kidneys contain a greater amount of potassium in their diet, some cats develop chronic renal failure, or potassium in the blood. Potassium can be complementary to these cats will be delivered asPowder, tablets or liquids.
CRF cats are vulnerable to the accumulation of hyperphosphataemic phosphate (can have high blood levels of phosphate). Oral phosphate binders are drugs that reduce the binding of phosphate in the diet and what is absorbed from the intestine of the cat. These drugs can cats IRC, whose blood phosphorus levels remain high despite treatment and diet in cats eating no prescription required.
Like high blood pressure can be treatedand prevented?
High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs in 20 to 30% of cats with chronic renal failure and can have serious consequences such as blindness. Monitoring blood pressure is important so that the blood pressure can be identified and treated early, if necessary. The majority of procedures are now fully control measure blood pressure in cats and is a technique that requires a simple, painless and answer a few minutes. These cats should be treated, antihypertensive medication(such as oral amlodipine or benazepril may be prescribed). Most cats will not even need therapy daily for normal blood pressure is maintained.
What other treatments may be needed?
Other treatments that may be included depending on the needs required of the cat:
EPO: anemia in cats with chronic renal failure and a reason for that is common to reduce the amount of erythropoietin produced by the kidneys. Erythropoietin is a hormone that triggers the production of red blood cells in boneThe bone marrow and erythropoietin treatment of anemic cats with humans CKD may help to reverse the anemia. Unfortunately, this treatment can be expensive and may not always have a lasting impact that the human hormone is like a foreign body in the cat recognized organization, which eventually produce antibodies against the drug to avoid an effect. Another possible side effect of this treatment is the development or worsening of hypertension, and get these catsTreatment should be carefully monitored. Research is currently in two American universities feline erythropoietin, which would be much more useful and should not cause antibody production, the development of the cat.
Iron supplementation: Some cats are anemia CRF, so that measuring the state of iron and iron supplements may be useful. Iron is needed for the production of hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells.
Anti-sickness pillsVomiting: Cats can suffer from chronic renal failure, which is known as uremic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach through the maintenance of the waste and the hormones that are normally excreted in the kidney). The anti-disease compounds, including anti-acids and anti-vomiting can be very useful in the treatment of this problem, the cat who can help me feel much better.
Prevention and treatment of acidosis: the cats with chronic renal failure are prone to never say acidotic (blood is more acid than it should be).This has many implications for all cats feel at ease. Cats can, chronic renal failure not fed acidifying diet (these plans are often the cats) given to problems of lower respiratory tract, such as cystitis and bladder stones, because it increases the risk of acidosis. Acid treatments include the use of drugs like sodium bicarbonate.
Calcitriol (treated with vitamin D). Although still a bit 'controversial, many physicians have used this treatmentFIU selected patients, and found it useful to maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphate.
ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors such as benazepril (Fortekor ®, Novartis): This treatment has been found recently on the basis of research in people suffering from chronic renal failure in ACE inhibitor, increased survival times for . Data from a recent clinical study in cats with chronic renal failure is recommended that cats receive this treatment has a better quality of life (assessed) For owners, a reduction in the amount of protein lost in urine and slightly increased the survival time. Fortekor did not reduce the parameters to assess kidney function () as urea and creatinine. Place at the same study, a specific subgroup of cats with chronic renal failure have lost a large amount of protein in the urine showed an excellent response to treatment Fortekor ® improves (significantly) the survival, decreased appetite and weight gain. Unfortunately, thisExpression of CRF is only a small percentage of cats with chronic renal failure.
ACE inhibitors also lower blood pressure and can be prescribed as an antihypertensive treatment.
Antibiotics: Recent studies have shown that affected up to 30% of cats with chronic renal failure, bacterial infection of the bladder at some point during their illness. In some cats, the infection can spread to the deterioration of impaired renal function. In other cats, which is a consequence of bacterial cystitis, bacteriaKidney infection (pyelonephritis). Cats with chronic renal failure may be particularly vulnerable to the emergence of bacterial infections of the urinary tract, and for the production of urine and diluted. Unfortunately, in many cases, these are the signs cause a bacterial infection from a bladder infection (such as frequent urination, blood in urine, and urinating more press), complicating the diagnosis of this complication. Diagnosis requires the collection of a urine sample, which is evaluated the evidence under the microscopebacteria and the growth of bacteria on culture media inoculated in a lab. To be a course of antibiotics, sometimes for weeks or months required to successfully eradicate bacterial infections of the urinary tract.
Other medications not discussed, may be required in some cats with chronic renal failure, and it is important to change the treatment to the specific needs of each cat. The website FOB (http://www.fabcats.org/) contains information about kidney disease Usefulas the following site, which was developed by an owner of a cat suffering from chronic renal failure http://www.felinecrf.com/
What is the prognosis for cats with chronic renal failure?
The long-term outlook for cats with chronic renal failure varies from a few weeks after the diagnosis of many years. FRC believes that the progression of the disease in most if not all cats, however, the rate of progression varies considerably depending on cause of disease, and other individual factors. Prognosis isalso on other issues, as if the cat or any other health problems affecting his condition and how serious is the impact of kidney disease are. Chatting, for example, cats with anemia due to CRF often have a very poor prognosis in the long run, because it is difficult to treat effectively for long periods. The owners and veterinary surveillance of affected cats contributes to disease severity and progression that all cats get the assessmentTreatments they need to maintain health. Care of affected cats at home can be very rewarding and valuable to ensure that CRF patients the best quality of life for as long as possible.
A complete book "Caring for a cat with renal failure 'by Dr Sarah Caney through their site as an electronic book or softback printed on demand.