Kidney Lymphoma in Cats

Lymphoma can occur in any breed of cat, at any age. However, it is most common in older cats (9 to 10 years old). Kidney lymphoma develops in the renal system of the cat and produces symptoms specific to the kidneys such as renal failure and frequent urination. There is no curative treatment for cats with kidney lymphoma.

  1. Identification

    • Lymphoma occurs in the lymphoid tissues of the body. Kidney lymphoma is only one type of lymphoma that can develop in cats. Kidney or renal lymphoma develops in the kidneys and can cause severe symptoms in cats. According to PetEducation.com, cats that develop lymphoma are much sicker than dogs that develop the disease.

    Symptoms

    • The symptoms associated with kidney lymphoma in cats may include frequent urination, abdominal pain, increased water consumption, blood in the urine and kidney failure. According to The Cat-Health-Guide.org, the severity of symptoms associated with kidney lymphoma depends on the age of the cat and the primary cause of the disease.

    Causes

    • The causes of kidney lymphoma in cats may include certain viruses, such as the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or the feline immunosuppression virus (FIV). In past years, approximately 70 percent of all feline lymphoma cases were caused by a virus, as opposed to 20 percent today. Age is also a contributing factor in cats that develop lymphoma, because as cats age their kidneys begin to weaken, making them more susceptible to the disease. Lymphoma is malignant in nature and may also metastasize (spread) from other areas of the body such as the gastrointestinal system to the kidneys.

    Diagnosis

    • In order to diagnose kidney lymphoma in your cat, your veterinarian will perform a physical evaluation and take a detailed health history of your cat. Diagnostic tests may also be done such as a CBC (complete blood count), urinalysis, biochemical profile, X-rays of the chest and tests to confirm the presence of the feline leukemia virus. Once the diagnosis of kidney lymphoma is confirmed, the veterinarian will determine the stage of the disease. There are five stages of lymphoma and treatment is based on which stage of disease your cat is in.

    Treatment

    • There is no treatment that will cure kidney lymphoma in cats, states The Cat-Health-Guide.org. Instead, your veterinarian will prescribe medication to help you manage your cat's disease. Corticosteroid medications such as prednisone may be prescribed as well as nutritional supplements that may help give your cat a good quality of life for the time he has remaining.