Holistic Treatment for Kidney Disease

Kidney Disease

• Renal (kidney) failure in older cats is common among older felines and is a common cause of death in older cats. Chronic kidney failure is when the kidneys lose their ability to concentrate the cat's urine and remove the toxins from the body. Most symptoms are unnoticed until 75 percent of kidney function is lost.

  Common early symptoms may include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and depression that lasts for more than one day. The cat's fur may have a greasy look to it, and he may also exhibit signs such as diarrhea, dehydration, and inflammation of the mouth, according to The Whole Dog website.

Holistic Treatment

• Before attempting to give your cat any sort of holistic treatment, you should consult with a holistic veterinarian or a naturopathic animal practitioner. An overdose of certain herbal remedies can do more damage to your cat than it does good, according to Tanya's Feline Chronic Renal Failure Information Centre.

Slippery Elm Bark

• Slippery elm bark is a common treatment for feline chronic renal failure. It comes in powder form and is used for digestive and intestinal problems along with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or constipation.

  It coats the stomach lining to reduce irritation and is useful in combating many of the side effects associated with CRF.

  You can find slippery elm bark powder in most health food shops and you should ensure that it is only slippery elm bark with no additives.

  The typical dosage is 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon once or twice a day sprinkled onto the cat's food. It does have a bitter taste to it and you can try mixing it with baby food (no onion) to get your cat to eat it.

  Do not give slippery elm bark with other medications as it may stop the absorption of the medication, according to Tanya's Feline Chronic Renal Failure Information Centre.

Flower Essences

• When using flower essences, you need to identify the problems your cat is having and which essences would be most beneficial to your cat. Some recommendations include crab apple, which works as a cleansing agent, olive helps with exhaustion, and rock rose terror can help with panic for the cat when going to visit the veterinarian.

  You can use these essences by adding four drops of each remedy to a 30 ml bottle of spring water (don't use tap water), placing four drops of the mixture in the cat's mouth at least four times a day. You can also add two to eight drops of the remedy to your cat's water bowl for them to drink throughout the day.

Acupuncture

• Tanya's Feline Chronic Renal Failure Information Centre states that acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial to cats suffering from chronic renal failure. It can aid in the pain management along with diseases of the kidneys when administered by a train professional.

  Acupunture specialists believe that imbalances of the body's channels may occur and these blockages can be cleared with acupuncture.