Feline kidney disease and renal failure are some of the most frequent causes of death amongst older cats. The symptoms of kidney disease can be similar to the symptoms of several other feline diseases, and unfortunately do not always show up until the disease has progressed to its final stages.
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Causes
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Feline kidney disease can be caused by a variety of things. Some cats are genetically predisposed to it, while others may contract it after suffering from trauma, ingesting toxins or getting a serious infection. In some cases, kidney disease is associated with another health problem, such as cancer or old age.
Symptoms
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In the early stages, feline kidney disease can be very hard to detect as the body works to counter any problems. As the disease progresses, however, the cat may begin to suffer from increased thirst and urination, dehydration, loss of appetite, weight loss and vomiting.
Warning
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In most cases, it will not be obvious that there is a problem. It usually takes around 75 percent of the kidney function to shut down before a cat will show signs of kidney disease.
Diagnosis
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A veterinarian can use several types of tests to determine if a cat has kidney disease. Blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, ultrasounds and biopsies may all be utilized, though some tests will not show proper results until the disease has progressed past the early stages.
Treatment
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A change in diet and fluids may stop the progression of kidney disease if it is caught during the first stages. Once it has progressed into serious kidney failure, more extreme measures may have to be taken.
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