Kidneys are important organ in mammals. They filter the blood, removing foreign, toxic compounds and products of nitrogen metabolism from the body; they are necessary for carbohydrate-protein metabolism. This organ is not able to regenerate, its damage is irreversible. Kidney disease in cats is a common phenomenon and poses a particular danger to the animal.

Factors influencing the development of kidney diseases

Large reserve capacities allow the kidneys to cope with the load when more than ½ of the kidney is affected. Clinical signs diseases appear late. The causes of diseases can be congenital or acquired with age. Treatment of renal disorders is difficult, with untimely treatment The prognosis for animals is generally unfavorable.

It makes it difficult to remove metabolic products from the body, the accumulation of which leads to its intoxication. Any previous infection, tumor, injury, poisoning, as well as genetic predisposition and congenital defects can cause kidney dysfunction.

Factors affecting kidney health in cats include:

• breed of animal and its family ties. Siamese, Persian, Russian Blue, Maine Coon and some other breeds of animals are considered less susceptible;
• Feeding foods high in protein and phosphorus makes cats prone to developing kidney disease;
• With age, the risk of the disease increases and doubles by 9-10 years;
• in animals living in places free access To chemicals, irreversible changes in the organ are often observed;
• insufficient water consumption when feeding dry food;
• low physical activity animal, overweight or underweight;
• keeping in a damp room or in places with drafts.

The prognosis for the course of the disease depends on how quickly the pet is given first aid and subsequent treatment.

Symptoms and signs of kidney problems

With kidney pathology, the animal suffers from chronic intoxication.

There are several reasons why the kidneys are the most vulnerable place in the cat family, especially domestic species:

1. Cats have concentrated urine. This is necessary for saving water balance organism in natural conditions. An incorrectly selected diet becomes the basis for the appearance of genitourinary diseases.
2. Fish and dairy products contain many mineral salts, deposited on the walls of the kidneys of cats in the form of crystals. IN natural environment In cats' habitats, these products are rarely consumed and they do not cause problems. Regular feeding pet these products become an impetus for the development urolithiasis.
3. The early stages of kidney disease in domesticated felines can only be noticed through close observation. The main features are:

• constant strong thirst, lack of desire to eat, sudden weight loss;
• frequent urination, presence of blood clots in the urine, diarrhea, vomiting, possible dehydration;
• dental diseases, unpleasant odor of ammonia from the mouth, pale gums;
• increased sleep duration, decreased activity, desire to sleep on cool surfaces.

Symptoms of the disease in an animal appear periodically, so it is difficult to notice its progression. A final diagnosis can be made only after special laboratory tests.

Kidney diseases in cats and kittens

In cases of kidney disease, edema is diagnosed in a cat.

Kidney diseases in cats and cats are quite similar in symptoms, but their treatment is different. Therefore, it is especially important to make a correct diagnosis initially.

Nephritis

Severe, rapidly progressing disease of acute and chronic form, which develops after an animal has suffered a bacterial or viral type, hypothermia, poisoning or injury.

1. Depending on the location it happens:

• absent-minded;
• focal.

1. The main symptoms of the disease are:

• depressed state;
• a sharp decrease in appetite;
• the shells of the ears, eyelids and paws swell;
• frequent urination, urine contains blood elements;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• V advanced stage Vomiting and persistent diarrhea are possible.

1. Clinical examination of urine will show blood, epithelial debris and protein in it.
2. When examined by a specialist, an increase in blood pressure, possible increased body temperature, disruption of the pelvic limbs.
3. The diagnosis is made after examining the animal and laboratory testing of the urine composition.

Self-medication of the disease can lead to its transition to chronic form. To alleviate the cat's condition, it is kept warm and in a warm place for 2 days. starvation diet. Subsequently, they are transferred to frequent feeding of food without salt, with a high content of carbohydrates, calcium and potassium. As therapy, the doctor prescribes antibiotics, decoctions of diuretic herbs, calcium supplements and B vitamins.

Pyelonephritis

With pyelonephritis, body temperature rises and weakness occurs.

Inflammation connective tissue kidneys and renal pelvis in most cases bacterial origin. Often appears after infection of the genital organs, or stagnation of urine in renal pelvis And . Affects both kidneys.

1. It occurs in acute and chronic forms. The acute form is life-threatening for the animal. Death can occur within 12 hours.
2. For acute course characteristic:

• , increased heart rate;
• painful urination, stools are viscous and cloudy;
• in urine increased content squirrel, it is colored red;
• the animal has severe thirst;
• Palpation in the kidney area causes pain.

1. In the chronic form in cats, a thick purulent mass may be released from the vagina.
2. The animal quickly depletes.
3. The diagnosis is made based on examination of the patient and the results of urine and blood tests.

Attention! The basis of treatment is to normalize the outflow of urine. Antibiotics, antispasmodics and diet therapy are used.

Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis leads to irreversible damage to the cat's health.

The disease occurs in subacute and acute form. It is characterized by inflammation of the glomerular apparatus.

1. The reasons may be infectious-allergic, or disturbances in nutrition and maintenance, injury to the animal, or hypothermia.
2. The main symptoms of the disease are:

• appearance in urine blood streaks, painful urination;
• difficulty breathing, slight swelling of the muzzle and eyelids;
• weakness, drowsiness, reluctance to play, lack of coordination;
• decreased hearing and vision, whistling during inhalations and exhalations.

1. When examining and testing blood and urine, the following is revealed:

• increased ESR, protein and leukocytes;
• there are blood spots in the fundus area;
• there may be water in the lung area.

A course of treatment is used, including diet therapy, antibiotics, sulfa drugs, painkillers and aminoglycosides, addition of vitamins and microelements to the diet. It is necessary to review the conditions of keeping the animal, to exclude its presence in places with drafts or high humidity.

Polycystic kidney disease

Apathy and exhaustion are symptoms of progressive polycystic kidney disease.

A disease transmitted at the genetic level and inherited as a dominant trait. It is characterized by the formation of multiple cysts in each kidney.

1. The disease may be in a latent form long time. Appears mainly after 3 years.
2. The size of the cyst ranges from 1 mm to 1.5 cm.
3. Characteristic gradual increase size and number of cysts and their replacement normal tissue organ.
4. The symptoms of the disease are:

• loss of appetite, weight loss and exhaustion of the cat;
• difficult, painful urination;
• vomiting, which becomes more frequent as the disease progresses.

Attention! This disease is genetic and therefore it is impossible to achieve a complete recovery of the animal.

Slowing down the development of the disease is achieved by following special balanced diet allowing you to partially replenish the washed-out proteins, electrolytes and fluid.

Liver amyloidosis

Metabolic disorder leads to a chronic course of the disease.

An independent disease, genetically determined, of acute and chronic forms, resulting from a disorder of protein metabolism.

1. Abnormal proteins accumulated in the blood plasma are deposited in the tissues of the organ, which leads to the replacement of specialized elements and causes the death of the kidneys.
2. In the early stages, diagnosis of the disease is difficult due to the absence of clinically evident signs.
3. The acute form is characterized by:

• frequent urination;
• loss of appetite and vomiting;
• severely depressed state of the animal.

Important! Timely correct diagnosis can extend a cat's life by 18-24 months. Death occurs due to renal failure or organ rupture and massive blood loss.

1. Chronic form:

• loss of appetite, frequent vomiting;
• the animal drinks a lot, urinates frequently, typical dark color urine;
• the joints are swollen, their aseptic inflammation appears;
• drowsiness, reluctance to move and play.

The disease in this form is rarely detected. The cause of death of the animal is determined after an autopsy and laboratory examination of the organs. Carrying out clinical analysis reveals anemia, increased bilirubin levels. Accurate diagnosis can be diagnosed after a biopsy, ultrasound and x-ray.

It is impossible to cure a sick animal. To alleviate the cat's condition and prolong its life, measures are taken to stop the development of the disease. IN initial stage special solutions are used. With further development it is possible surgical intervention to remove the damaged kidney.

Hydronephrosis in cats

Maintenance therapy is the only way to normalize the cat's condition.

Second, the reason is narrowing urinary tract, leading to stretching of the organ and subsequent death of its functional tissues.

1. The cause of the development of the disease can be either trauma or tumor, or any inflammatory process with complicated urine output.
2. A symptom indicating the development of the disease is difficulty urinating in small portions or its complete absence;
3. The process can be one-way or two-way.

When performing an ultrasound, an enlargement of the pelvis is clearly visible. Treatment involves measures aimed at therapeutic or surgical removal reasons for violations. With bilateral kidney damage, or the impossibility of removing the diseased organ, death is possible. After normalization of the patient's condition, maintenance therapy is carried out.

Nephrosclerosis in cats

During the disease, complete or partial replacement occurs healthy tissue organ connective tissue.

1. Symptoms in the initial stage indicate other diseases.
2. Positive treatment is possible only at the beginning of the disease. Cure with neglected form impossible.
3. The main features are:

• high pressure;
• a sharp increase in body temperature, possible fever;
• painful urination;
• urine is reddish in color, streaks of blood are possible;
• loss of appetite, while the animal drinks a lot and often.

1. Trying to stabilize the kidneys, the body compensates for the lack of nephrocytes by increasing the work healthy cells, which leads to their overload and death. Connective tissue forms in place of dead cells.

Attention! Positive result Treatment is possible only if the disease is detected in its initial stage. If it is diagnosed that a larger percentage of the kidneys consists of connective tissue, then the animal cannot be saved.

Causes of diseases and their prevention

Responsible breeding and good care- prevention of kidney disease in cats.

Kidney disease is the scourge of domestic cats. Their cure is possible only with timely diagnosis, which is not always possible. In fact, it is easier to prevent diseases than to fight them later, since regeneration of the renal parenchyma is limited.

Only balanced diet, timely care, regular observation by specialists and provision of proper sanitary and hygienic conditions guarantee the health of the animal.

In the video, the veterinarian explains how to promptly recognize kidney stones in a cat:

The statistics on the incidence of urological pathologies in pets is not reassuring. About 15% of cats are susceptible serious problems with the excretory system, and when a cat’s kidneys fail, what to do, is it really possible to help the animal? Renal failure can develop quickly in the case of an acute form and over a long period of time, in the form of chronic course diseases. The disease manifests itself in the severe condition of the animal, often leading to death.

Read in this article

Why is an organ so important to an animal?

Representing a paired organ, the kidneys carry out the work of purifying the blood. Healthy organs promote the removal of metabolic products and toxic substances formed in the body of carnivores. The kidneys are also involved in hematopoiesis. Therefore, nephrological diseases are accompanied by severe intoxication of the animal, disturbances in electrolyte, water and protein metabolism and are the cause of death in 20% of furry pets.

Anatomy urinary system cats

Features of anatomy genitourinary system cat

It is believed that domestic cats are susceptible renal pathology due to genetic predisposition. In addition, cats have a long but narrow urinary canal, which often contributes to blockage and inflammation. This especially affects cats, whose urinary system is even narrower than that of females.

Kidney tissue, unlike the liver, does not recover when damaged. The remaining functional kidney cells cope with the load for some time, which makes it difficult to diagnose kidney failure in the early stages.

Causes of kidney problems

As a rule, the following reasons lead to a situation where a cat’s kidneys fail:

• Obstruction of the urinary tract. This phenomenon is caused by the development of neoplasms in the pelvic organs.

• Renal pathologies: polycystic kidney disease, amyloidosis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis.

• Phenomena of sepsis. Infectious diseases associated with the development of septic processes.

• Pressure drop in vascular system kidneys due to injuries, bleeding, sunstroke and cardiovascular pathologies.

• Nephropathic effect of poisons, toxins, drugs. There are often situations when a cat’s kidneys fail after anesthesia. Medicines for general anesthesia excreted by the kidneys, and there is a risk of developing acute renal failure with every surgical intervention.

• Systemic diseases internal organs: , dysfunction of the adrenal glands, gout.

As a rule, older animals who develop chronic renal failure due to nephrosclerosis are susceptible to kidney disease. This pathology is the main reason why kidneys fail in old cats. Older animals develop chronic interstitial nephritis due to the fact that the kidneys become scarred and no longer effectively filter the blood.

Diagnostics

The kidneys are designed in such a way that only half of the nephrons are damaged in an animal showing signs of renal failure. Such a hidden course of the initial stages of renal pathology significantly complicates timely diagnosis. Signs that should alert the owner are the following:

• loss of appetite up to complete failure from feed;

• increased thirst (polydipsia);

• dehydration of the body;

• frequent urination;

• violation of the act of urination: uncharacteristic postures, meowing and screaming when visiting the toilet;

• the animal does not urinate in the tray;

• possible blood in the urine;

• lethargy, weakness, apathy, prolonged sleep;

• , diarrhea;

• presence of edema;

• ammonia;

• stomatitis, gingivitis.

If a cat's kidneys fail, the symptoms may be supplemented by convulsions due to severe intoxication of the body, pain, paresis and paralysis of the hind limbs, and their swelling. Body temperature can either increase or decrease. This condition is life-threatening for the animal and requires immediate help.

For early diagnosis kidney failure, it is necessary to regularly donate urine and blood of the animal for general and biochemical analysis.

In order to accurately diagnose kidney failure, ultrasound and x-ray examination methods are used. In some cases, a kidney biopsy is resorted to.

Is it possible to cure an animal?

One of the main questions tormenting owners if a cat has kidney failure is whether the animal can be saved. It is impossible to answer this unequivocally, since the outcome of the disease depends on many factors: the age of the pet, the severity of the process and its neglect, concomitant diseases, timely application for veterinary care etc. Due to the fact that when the kidneys fail, the water balance is disturbed, the first step is to use intravenous and subcutaneous infusions of special solutions.

If a cat's kidneys fail, how long the animal will live depends on its response to treatment. Infusion therapy helps reduce intoxication. As a rule, after stabilization intravenous injections switch to continuous subcutaneous infusions.

As additional funds cardiac medications, diuretics (as indicated), and agents that stimulate hematopoiesis are used. The choice of antibiotics should be approached with caution, as many drugs can worsen the condition.

Diet with reduced content phosphorus and protein. Good effect is achieved by artificial supplementary feeding of the pet and lifelong subcutaneous injections to facilitate kidney function. In order to prevent exacerbations and relapses, diet and therapeutic measures are carried out regularly throughout the animal’s life.

Forecast

If a cat's kidneys fail, whether the pet will survive also depends on a number of factors. Equally important is the timeliness of seeking help and the age of the animal. Renal failure in older individuals is more severe, and the prognosis is often cautious.

The initial cause that led to kidney failure is of no small importance. At systemic diseases(diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, etc.) the underlying disease is treated, and the outcome depends on the timeliness of the diagnosis.

If the cause of kidney failure is poisons, toxins, or drugs, then the prognosis depends on the degree of damage to the kidneys, liver and the toxicity of substances that enter the body.

Poor prognosis for renal causes of kidney failure. In pathologies such as polycystic disease, amyloidosis usually affects 90-100% of the kidney tissue, which becomes incompatible with life.

Given the seriousness of kidney failure, owners of pet cats should closely monitor the slightest change in the animal's condition. For early diagnosis of pathology, it is necessary to donate blood once a year for urea and creatinine levels, and once every six months - urine for biochemical analysis. Once the pet reaches 5-6 years of age, it is recommended to perform an ultrasound of the kidneys once a year.

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Instructions

Before consulting a veterinarian, it is advisable to keep your pet on a one-day fasting diet.

If your pet has been diagnosed with kidney failure, read up on information about the disease.
Renal failure is a progressive impairment of kidney function in which excretory system fails and metabolic products begin to accumulate in the animal’s body. The disease has acute and chronic forms. On early stage detection with appropriate treatment is quite high. Therefore, strictly follow the specialist’s recommendations.

The course of treatment for renal disease consists of symptomatic measures and prevention of the development of the disease. If your pet is dehydrated, an intravenous infusion is given. If it occurs regularly, antiemetics are prescribed. If you have lost a lot of weight, you are prescribed a high-calorie diet, appetite stimulation with various special approved supplements, and even the introduction of food through a tube.

If the disease has become chronic, then, in addition to consulting a specialist, you will need additional methods examinations. They usually include a general and biochemical blood test, a general urinalysis and ultrasonography kidney

After making a diagnosis, follow all doctor’s orders, monitor the animal’s condition, inform the veterinarian about any changes in the cat’s well-being, and protect it from stressful situations. To prevent the development of the disease, it is very important to introduce dietary nutrition without salt and spices to limit the intake of phosphorus from. The diet should be based on reducing the amount of protein. Available in pet stores big choice ready-made feed suffering from renal failure.

Uremia is intoxication during which the animal’s excretory system is unable to remove metabolic products, in particular nitrogen metabolism. If we translate the term literally, we get “urine in the blood.”

Uremia is divided into two types. It can be acute or chronic. Acute develops at lightning speed and is caused by acute renal failure resulting from injuries, burns, intoxication or urinary retention. The development of chronic uremia occurs gradually and can take a long time. It depends on how long it takes to develop chronic renal failure resulting from pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, diabetes mellitus, congenital anatomical anomalies, intoxications and neoplasms. Symptoms of uremia may include vomiting, refusal to eat, weight loss, depression, a urea odor coming from the mouth, or failure to urinate.

Diagnosis of uremia

1) Biochemical and general tests blood. With their help, you can evaluate the levels of creatinine, urea, phosphorus, identify changes in electrolyte composition, and also identify the presence of inflammation and anemia.

2) Ultrasound abdominal cavity. It can be used to evaluate anatomical structure kidneys, to identify whether there are or are not suspended matter and stones in, whether the ureters and urethra are dilated.

3) X-ray of the abdominal cavity to visualize radiopaque stones in the kidney, urethra or bladder. Chronic renal failure is usually detected in older animals. Young patients face uremia due to acute urinary retention or due to inherited pathologies - amyloidosis, polycystic kidney disease.

The effect of uremia on the animal's body

Chronic renal failure changes the structure of the kidneys gradually. Some nephrons stop working, intoxication (uremia) accumulates gradually. Due to the absence of symptoms, changes may not be noticed. The more nephrons die, the more clearly they appear: thirst and frequent urination, uremic and sometimes stomatitis. Often owners seek help too late, when most of the working nephrons have died.

The higher the level of intoxication, the greater the likelihood of developing secondary pathologies. These are non-regenerative anemia, electrolyte and endocrinological disorders, cardiological and neurological problems. The worst consequence is uremic coma.

Treatment of uremia and chronic renal failure

Treatment begins with intravenous drips, the purpose of which is to correct electrolyte balance and combat dehydration. Treatment is accompanied by tests, including laboratory monitoring of blood gases. Dietary food with a low protein content is prescribed. Among the prescribed drugs are those that reduce the level of urea and phosphorus, as well as antihypertensive drugs and medications aimed at preventing anemia.

Disease prevention

A blood test to detect both renal failure and the early stages of uremia is recommended to be taken periodically when the child reaches 6-7 years of age.

What happens with acute urinary retention?

The consequence of urolithiasis, prostatitis, injuries, cystitis and atony of the bladder can be acute urinary retention. It is easy to determine - it is enlarged, there is no urination or the urge to urinate turns out to be unproductive, vomiting appears, the animal refuses to eat. In this case it is required emergency help specialist aimed at restoring urine outflow with correction of electrolyte disturbances using intravenous infusions. All this happens under the control of tests and ultrasound.

Uremia – serious condition. It requires immediate diagnosis and medical intervention. If detected at stages, it will not harm the pet.

Tip 3: Causes and symptoms of chronic renal failure (CRF) in cats.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a dangerous and in the first stages practically asymptomatic disease, in which the main and vital functions are impaired. important functions kidney Their ability to remove metabolic products from the body is impaired, as well as to regulate the composition and volume of fluid in the body. All this leads to intoxication and dehydration of the animal.

Unpleasant smell from mouth,

Whitish gums and tongue.

Deterioration of coat condition (dryness and loss),

Apathy (depressed state), - grinding in the jaw.

Causes

Often the cause of the disease can be one or more factors, and it is very difficult to find out the exact cause. Factors causing the disease are:

Hereditary kidney diseases (polycystic kidney disease),

Various kidney tumors and neoplasms,

Infections that can start in the bladder and spread further to the kidneys (pyelonephritis),

Injuries and blows

Intoxication (poisoning with toxins);

Chronic inflammation in the kidneys and ureter (urolithiasis).

If your pet has at least one of the above symptoms, or you know about the presence of certain precipitating diseases, then contact your veterinarian.

Treatment

Chronic renal failure is incurable, but the condition can be improved. Treatment will be prescribed by a veterinarian and will be aimed at supporting the animal’s condition. It will contain recommendations for special diet, medicines, injections, as well as vitamins and homeopathic medicines. Health to your pets.

Sources:

• Chronic renal failure in cats

Veterinarians complain that it is a real rarity to meet a 7-year-old cat with absolutely healthy kidneys. Even in dogs, the problem of kidney failure is not so acute - in cats the disease is diagnosed 3 times more often! And what is especially strange: beloved and well-groomed pets suffer more from kidney diseases than their yard friends. What is the reason for this paradox, what are the most common kidney diseases in cats, symptoms, treatment - let’s try to understand all this in more detail.

Why are kidneys a weak point in cats?

Version 1. Historical.

Now the number of domestic cat breeds has exceeded two and a half hundred, but once there was only one - the African desert cat. These proud, wild and wayward individuals are the ancestors of all cats living near us today. From them modern cats have inherited one of their many skills - for a long time do without water. Cats drink little and irregularly - from time to time. This circumstance cannot but affect the state of water balance in the animal’s body, which often has significant deviations from the norm. Add to this natural predisposition the owner’s habit of overfeeding the pet with dry food, and kidney disease in cats will no longer seem strange to you.

Version 2. Anatomical.

The structure of the urinary system in cats has some features. Their urethra is long, but also very narrow. Moreover, there are three particularly dangerous areas in which urethra narrows even more. It is not surprising that blockages often occur in these areas. Urine that is not drained on time is an additional burden on the kidneys, which does not go away without leaving a trace and provokes certain diseases of the organ.

The most common feline kidney diseases

First place in the ranking of the most frequent cat problems occupy all types of nephritis - diseases caused by inflammation or bacteria. They occur in an acute form, but without proper treatment they easily become chronic. There are three types:

• Pyelonephritis – purulent inflammation which is provoked harmful bacteria. It can affect one kidney or spread to both.
• Glomerulonephritis is an inflammatory process that is most often a complication of chronic diseases, allergies, and large wounds.
• Interstitial nephritis is a non-infectious inflammation of connective (interstitial) tissue and renal tubules. Concealed within itself serious danger development of nephrosclerosis - gradual atrophy of the organ.

Important! One of the main functions of the kidneys is to filter blood. This means that any infection that gets into the blood will certainly end up in the kidneys and can provoke inflammation.

In addition, veterinarians point to a number of hereditary and congenital diagnoses.

• Amyloidosis is accompanied by the deposition of specific protein-polysaccharide compounds in the kidneys. Occurs due to a failure in natural metabolism, in particular we're talking about about proteins and carbohydrates. Most often, owners of cats of the Somali and Abyssinian breeds face such problems.
• Polycystic disease is the formation of small cavities in renal tissues, which gradually fill with liquid and increase in size. This diagnosis is often given to cats of exotic breeds, as well as Persian and Himalayan cats. As a rule, kittens are already born with this problem, but it can only be detected when the animal is 10 months old. There is no treatment for polycystic kidney disease in cats.

Important! More than half Persian cats are carriers of a gene that causes the formation of cysts in the kidneys. This is one of the most common causes of death for furry pets of this breed.

• Renal aplasia means that the kitten was born without one or both kidneys. In the first case, the animal has a chance to survive, but in the second, the outcome is always fatal.
• Renal dysplasia – congenital anomaly due to which the organ grows and develops incorrectly.

Any malfunction of the kidneys can lead to the development of a condition from which every fifth representative dies cat family– chronic renal failure. With this diagnosis, the kidney cannot fully perform any of the functions assigned to it. As a result, all types of metabolism in the animal’s body are disrupted - water, electrolyte, nitrogen, etc. For a cat, this is a death sentence.

Whatever kidney disease you are dealing with in cats, it is important to understand this: the kidneys are made up of nephrons. Their quantity is stable and is established in the animal’s body at conception. These cells cannot regenerate. This means that if one nephron dies, a new one will not grow. This is why kidney treatment in cats cannot be put on hold. Every day the situation will only get worse, which means nephrons will continue to die one after another. The indifference of the owner in such a situation will sooner or later cause complete kidney failure. An animal, of course, can live with one part of a paired organ, but without adequate therapy fatal outcome can't be avoided.

Encourage play and motor activity cat The more mobile the animal, the less likely stagnation of urine. Source: Flickr (Koen_Peeters)

5 important symptoms

It's sad, but most pets see a veterinarian too late, when the cat's kidney disease has already progressed to chronic stage. Of course, the animal cannot report its problem, but an attentive owner himself will guess that the cat has diseased kidneys based on the symptoms described below.

1. There is a lot of urine, but it is practically colorless and odorless.

This means that the kidneys have stopped coping with their main tasks - filtering fluid to return water to the body and concentrating harmful substances in the urine. Because of this, dehydration occurs; the cat tries to compensate for the lack of fluid. drinking plenty of fluids, but this does not solve the problem.

2. The cat eats poorly, loses weight, vomits from time to time, and a sharp nitrogenous smell is heard from the mouth.

All these are symptoms of poisoning. The fact is that sick kidneys cannot cope with all harmful substances, which are formed in the body after the breakdown of proteins and as a result of nitrogen metabolism. Their remains are a real poison for the body, accumulating in the animal’s body and poisoning it from the inside.

3. Ulcers appear in the mouth and become damaged. tooth enamel, frequent gingivitis and stomatitis are possible.

The relationship with diseased kidneys is very clear: urea (one of the breakdown products of protein) is not excreted from the body, but enters the blood and, naturally, saliva. In the mouth, under the influence of microorganisms living there, it decomposes, and as a result, ammonia is released. It is this that irritates the mucous membrane, causing constant inflammation.

4. The nose and gums turn white.

This occurs due to a decrease in hemoglobin levels and the number of red blood cells in the blood. The result is anemia and loss of mucous color.

5. Eyes become bloodshot.

Hemorrhages in the eyes occur due to high blood pressure. It increases due to insufficient amounts of chymosin - special enzyme, which should regulate this very pressure. Producing this enzyme is one of the functions of the kidneys, but the disease does not allow them to cope with it fully. So it turns out vicious circle: the kidneys are sick - the amount of chymosin drops - the pressure rises - high pressure forces the kidneys to work with redoubled force - the nephrons cannot withstand the load and are destroyed - kidney disease in cats progresses and the circle closes. How to treat a cat’s kidneys in such a situation?

Treatment and prevention of kidney diseases

Treatment of kidneys in cats takes place in three main areas.

1. Fighting infection or bacteria that caused inflammation. Often a course of antibiotics is prescribed for this.
2. Elimination of consequences - dehydration, intoxication. You can't do without droppers here.
3. Reducing the load on the remaining nephrons. This can be done only by strictly following the rules of dietary nutrition. The main thing in this matter is how much it is possible to reduce the amount of protein, sodium and phosphorus the cat consumes.

You can help your kidneys function normally and prolong the life of your nephrons by following these recommendations:

1. Do not feed your cat fatty, smoked, sweet or salty foods. Sausage, pasta and beans from the host's table should not fall into the feeder.
2. You cannot give your cat water from the tap; use bottled or filtered water.
3. Do not allow your pet to become hypothermic. Cold floors and drafts are harmful to a cat.
4. Overheating is also not desirable. In hot weather, the cat will need more large quantity fluids, and this is an additional burden on the kidneys.
5. Encourage your cat to play and exercise. The more mobile the animal, the less likely it is that urine will stagnate.

Insidiousness kidney diseases the fact is that they do not reveal themselves for a long time. The animal is not in pain and until the symptoms become obvious, no one will suspect anything. Therefore, if you have already celebrated your beloved cat’s 7th birthday, a visit to the veterinarian to measure blood pressure, take blood and urine tests, and undergo an ultrasound will be the best gift for him!

Video on the topic

Absolutely healthy kidneys for cats over eight years of age are rare. Kidneys – weakness of all felines, and domestic cats occupy a disappointing first place in the list of animals susceptible to pathologies of this organ. Unfortunately, kidney disease in cats is prone to recurrence and is difficult to treat, and some are completely incurable, so it is important to make every effort to prevent the disease.

Kidneys are a paired organ responsible for producing urine, filtering blood, and regulating acid-base balance, the production of a number of hormones and much more. Unfortunately, diseased kidneys in cats are not able to regenerate, so it is important to prevent organ destruction at the initial stage of the disease. A cat, like a person, can live normally with one kidney or if the kidneys remain half functional. Exist characteristic features Kidney diseases in cats, which allow you to identify the disease at an early stage:

Remember that the process of destruction of kidney tissue is irreversible. They cannot be restored like, for example, the liver, so it is important to contact a veterinarian at the first suspicion of deterioration in health. Treatment of kidneys in cats includes not only drug therapy, but also some preventive actions: , special care, changes in conditions of detention, etc.

Factors affecting kidney health in cats

It takes a lot of effort to make a cat's kidneys fail.

The following are factors that guarantee violations in the work of this body:

Of course, there are factors that a person cannot influence: congenital disease, past infection, hereditary predisposition, kidney diseases in cats that develop as a result of trauma. However, following the recommendations below can reduce the load on the kidneys, which will extend their lifespan:

• reduce the amount of protein in the feed;

• exclude from the menu fatty, sweet, salty and foods that are harmful to all cats without exception (sausages, flour, legumes, fried and smoked, pasta, etc.);

• a cat's diseased kidneys are extremely sensitive to water quality;

• Do not allow your cat to sleep on a tiled floor, near a fan or open window(if it's cool outside). Kidneys “love” dry heat, under the influence of which blood vessels dilate, which means blood circulation improves. Healthy kidneys for cats that often freeze are very rare, because in the cold the blood vessels narrow, as a result of which the blood supply to the internal organs deteriorates;

• , since in the heat the body processes a large number of liquids. This is an additional burden on the kidneys plus the risk of stone formation: moisture is used to maintain water balance, and accumulated salts cannot be removed from the body in such a short period of time;

• active games promote the outflow of urine, so it is important to give your pet the opportunity to move. The load must be adequate, since enlarged kidneys in cats suffer no less from overwork than from inactivity.