Feline Potassium Deficiency Prognosis

Like humans, felines need a certain amount of potassium in their bodies. When, for one reason or another, potassium levels become too low, various organs in the feline body can be affected. Fortunately, hypokalemia, or potassium depletion, is treatable.

  1. Definition

    • Potassium is an electrolyte, like sodium and chloride, needed by the cells in the body to regulate the flow of water coming and going through cell membranes. Proper electrolyte function is particularly necessary for proper kidney and health function.

    Prognosis

    • The prognosis for feline potassium deficiency depends not only on how severe the deficiency is but also on whether the lack of potassium in a cat's body has caused any permanent damage to vital organs that require potassium to function properly. Severe cases of hypokalemia may require hospitalization, during which potassium glucomate is administered by IV. Additionally, potassium supplementation in powder, tablet and paste form may be added to a cat's food. Once a cat has suffered from hypokalemia, lifelong supplementation is often required.

    Cause

    • Many factors can lead to a feline potassium deficiency, including dehydration from illness. It's also sometimes thought that acidified diets, which are often recommended for cats with lower urinary tract disease, may lead to a potassium deficiency by reducing the body's ability to absorb potassium. Hypokalemia in cats is also thought to be an early warning sign of chronic renal failure, one of the leading causes of death in older cats.

    Symptoms

    • The signs of potassium deficiency in cats can be very subtle at first. Sometimes, these signs are simply attributed to old age or other preexisting health problems. The signs of hypokalemia include weight loss, muscle weakness, lack of appetite, listlessness and a stiff gait. By the time these symptoms are very obvious, the condition is usually acute and may threaten a cat's life. Blood testing can confirm that these symptoms are caused by low potassium levels.

    Aftercare

    • Blood should be tested four to eight weeks after potassium supplementation has been started, because it can take that long for potassium levels to reach normal levels again. Additionally, your veterinarian may run additional tests to determine whether any organs suffered damage as a result of the potassium deficiency and whether the deficiency is the result of an underlying ailment, such as chronic renal failure, that will also need to be treated.