What is renal disease?

Renal disease is a very common condition in elderly cats. In most cases, the disease progresses over time and so there is a gradual decline. The rate of decline is very different from cat to cat and so it can be difficult to notice at first.

Renal disease is now more commonly known as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or Chronic Kidney Failure so if you want to do more research into the disease, look out for these names as well.

What are the causes of renal disease in cats?

Kidneys, in all mammals, are responsible for maintaining the fluid balance in the body. They also help with excreting waste products via urine. In cases of renal disease, all of these normal processes can be interrupted, which may cause a range of different signs to look out for.

Renal disease occurs when there is irreversible damage to your cats kidneys. This damage will hinder the kidneys ability to function and remove waste products from the blood stream. In many cases, the underlying cause of renal disease is unknown as there are many causes.

Some of the causes of renal disease can include; Infections, kidney tumours, glomerulonephritis and toxins. If an underlying cause can be diagnosed then some cases of renal disease can be treated. However, in most cases, the treatment is designed to provide your cat comfort and a better quality of life.

The treatment

Up until recently, renal disease in cats is not traditionally considered curable but there is a range of treatment and support available to help your cat live a better life. This can also greatly prolong their life by slowing down the progression of the disease.

The treatment for renal disease includes but is not limited to; dieting, lowering phosphate content, protein and water intake, managing dehydration, controlling blood pressure and treating other symptoms that your cat may have.

New research and application of stem cell based therapy has shown promising results in treating renal disease in cats. Get in touch with our team to find out more about the most up to date information.

Signs to look for in your cat

Initially, the signs of renal disease are very mild and subtle, however, they will get worse over time. In some cases though, the signs can develop very suddenly, however, these cases are quite rare. Many of the signs of renal disease are vague so it can be hard to know what to look out for.

Some of the signs arise from toxins in the blood stream, others can arise due to complications from your cats body trying to adapt to the disease.

Some of the most common signs to look out for are:

• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Increased urination
• Increased thirst
• Lethargy

Other, rarer signs are:

• Vomiting
• Poor coat
• Bad smelling breath
• Anaemia
• Hypertension
• Weakness

It is important to remember, if you do notice some of the signs above in your cat, it might not be renal disease. However, you should get them to the vet as quickly as you can so they can check and see what it is. The quicker a vet can diagnose the condition your cat has, the quicker they can treat it and make them comfortable.

We hope that you found this article about renal disease in cats helpful. If you did then please share it with your friends and family so they know the signs to look out for in their cat as well.