Cat's Diseases

Chronic Renal Failure

Chronic renal failure is a disease of old and middle-aged cats. The average age is approximately nine years of age. It is an irreversible condition which progressively deteriorates over months to years. It is important to remember that renal failure only becomes clinically evident when seventy-five percent of the total kidney mass has ceased to function correctly so by the time that cats are presented at clinics the disease is reasonable advanced. All breeds of cats are affected.

Cats with chronic renal failure will often drink and urinate more than normal. As the disease progresses than they will loose their appetite, become tired, will often vomit and will loose weight. Renal failure can lead to hypertension which in cats can damage the heart, kidneys and can lead to blindness owing to damage to the blood vessels in the back of the eyes. Because the kidneys produce a hormone that helps in the production of red blood cells it is not uncommon for these cats to become anaemic.

Diagnosis is made on the basis of history, clinical signs and blood and urine tests.

Treatment depends upon the degree of renal failure present. The disease of mildly affected animals can be controlled using special diets and long-term use of drugs to reduce vomiting and to help minimize the build-up of toxic products in the body. More advanced cases will require hospitalization with IV fluid administration, anti-vomiting medication and antibiotics if a concurrent infection exits.

It must be understood that once kidney tissue has been destroyed it will not regenerate. The treatment of chronic renal failure is based on minimizing the amount of work that the kidneys have to do so that the body can survive on a smaller amount of functioning kidney.